Methods and apparatus for controlling illumination

• US 7,427,840 B2
• Filed: 05/14/2004
• Issued: 09/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Philips Lighting North America Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Philips Solid-State Lighting Solutions (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Lys, Ihor A., Mueller, George G., Dowling, Kevin J., Morgan, Frederick M., Holmes, Timothy, Warwick, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Philogene; Haissa
• Application Number:
  US10/846,775
• Publication Number:
  US 20040212993A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,593 Days
• Field of Search: 315291-295, 315/312, 315316-318, 315/297, 315/308, 315/360, 315/362, 362/227, 362/231, 362/230, 362/240, 362/241, 362/247, 362/341, 362/343, 362/800, 362/225
• US Class Current: 315/295
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/23 Retrofit light sources for lighting devices with a single fitting for each light source, e.g. for substitution of incandescent lamps with bayonet or threaded fittings
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/004 Sanitary equipment, e.g. mirrors, showers, toilet seats or paper dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2121/02 for fountains
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/401 for swimming pools
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2113/13 comprising an assembly of point-like light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/06 Passive matrix structure, i.e. with direct application of both column and row voltages to the light emitting or modulating elements, other than LCD or OLED
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/0272 Details of drivers for data electrodes, the drivers communicating data to the pixels by means of a current
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0626 for control of overall brightness
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0666 for control of colour parameters, e.g. colour temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/14 Semiconductor devices, e.g. diodes
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/2014 by modulation of the duration of a single pulse during which the logic level remains constant
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/32 semiconductive, e.g. using light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/20 Controlling the colour of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/30 Driver circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/10 Controlling the light source
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/155 Coordinated control of two or more light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for controlling illumination. In one example, one or more multi-color light sources are controlled based on one or more interruptions of power supplied to the light source(s). In another example, a pool or spa is illuminated by one or more multi-color light sources that may be employed as individually and independently controllable devices that may be controlled based on one or more interruptions in power. In another example, the selection of a particular illumination program for such light sources (e.g., by one or more interruptions in power) is indicated to a user via the radiation generated by the light sources.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one LED-based light source to generate radiation;

at least one controller, coupled to the at least one LED-based light source, adapted to control the radiation based on at least one interruption in a power supplied to the at least one controller; and

a memory to store at least one illumination program,

wherein the at least one controller is configured to modify at least one variable parameter of the at least one illumination program stored in the memory, or execute the at least one illumination program stored in the memory, so as to control the radiation based on the at least one interruption in the power supplied to the at least one controller.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one switching device to provide the at least one interruption in the power supplied to the at least one controller.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the at least one controller is adapted to control the radiation based on at least one interruption in the power having an interruption duration that is less than or equal to a predetermined duration.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the at least one controller is adapted such that the radiation is not changed if the interruption duration of the at least one interruption in the power is greater than a predetermined duration.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one LED-based light source includes at least two differently colored LEDs.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the at least one LED-based light source includes at least one red LED, at least one green LED, and at least one blue LED.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one interruption in the power supplied to the at least one controller has an interruption duration that is less than or equal to a predetermined duration.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the at least one controller is adapted such that the radiation is not changed if the interruption duration of the at least one interruption in the power is greater than the predetermined duration.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the at least one controller includes at least one timing circuit to maintain a charge based on an application of the power supplied to the at least one controller.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein a time constant of the at least one timing circuit is selected based on the predetermined duration.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one illumination program includes a plurality of illumination programs, and wherein the at least one controller is adapted to select and execute a particular illumination program of the plurality of illumination programs based on the at least one interruption in the power supplied to the at least one controller.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least one controller is further adapted to indicate to a user that the particular illumination program has been selected.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the at least one controller is further adapted to indicate to the user via the radiation that the particular illumination program has been selected.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the at least one controller is further adapted to temporarily modify at least one variable parameter of the particular illumination program so as to indicate to the user that the particular illumination program has been selected.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the particular illumination program includes a dynamic color variation program, wherein the at least one variable parameter includes a color variation speed of the dynamic color variation program, and wherein the at least one controller is further adapted to temporarily modify the color variation speed of the dynamic color variation program so as to indicate to the user that the dynamic color variation program has been selected.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the at least one controller is further adapted to temporarily increase the color variation speed of the dynamic color variation program so as to indicate to the user that the dynamic color variation program has been selected.

17. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least one interruption includes a plurality of interruptions, and wherein the at least one controller is adapted to select and execute different illumination programs of the plurality of illumination programs based on successive interruptions of the plurality of interruptions.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein each illumination program of the plurality of illumination programs is associated with one identifier in a sequence of identifiers, and wherein the at least one controller is adapted to sequentially select and execute the different illumination programs based on the sequence of identifiers and the successive interruptions.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein each interruption of the plurality of interruptions has an interruption duration, and wherein the at least one controller is adapted to select and execute a different illumination program of the plurality of illumination programs if the interruption duration of at least one interruption is less than or equal to a predetermined duration.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the at least one controller is adapted not to select and execute a different illumination program of the plurality of illumination programs if the interruption duration of the at least one interruption is greater than the predetermined duration.

21. A method, comprising acts of:

a) storing a plurality of illumination programs;

b) supplying power to a controller coupled to at least one LED-based light source;

b) selecting and executing a first illumination program of the plurality of illumination programs thereby generating radiation from the at least one LED-based light source;

c) interrupting the power for a duration that is less than or equal to a predetermined duration; and

d) varying the radiation generated by the at least one LED-based light source based on the interruption in the power supplied to the controller by modifying at least one variable parameter of the first illumination program, or selecting and executing a second illumination program.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the act d) comprises an act of:

charging at least one timing circuit based on an application of the power supplied to the controller.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the act d) comprises an act of:

selecting a time constant of at least one timing circuit based on the predetermined duration.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising an act of:

indicating to a user that the at least one variable parameter of the first illumination program has been modified, or the second illumination program has been selected.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the act d) comprises an act of:

selecting and executing different illumination programs of the plurality of illumination programs based on successive interruptions in the power.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein each illumination program of the plurality of illumination programs is associated with one identifier in a sequence of identifiers, and wherein the act d) comprises an act of:

sequentially selecting and executing the different illumination programs based on the sequence of identifiers and the successive interruptions.