System for and method of controlling a light source and lighting arrangement

• US 7,619,366 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2003
• Issued: 11/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Diederiks, Elmo Marcus Attila
• Primary Examiner(s): Owens; Douglas W
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vu; Jimmy T
• Application Number:
  US10/535,294
• Publication Number:
  US 20060071605A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,209 Days
• Field of Search: 315/209.R, 315/219, 315/291, 315/307, 315/294, 315/292, 315/293, 315/312, 315/360, 315149-158, 250/221, 250/342, 250/214.R, 250/214.AL, 362/223, 362/239, 362/225, 362/802
• US Class Current: 315/149
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0442 activated by means of a sensor, e.g. motion or photodetectors
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/125 by using cameras
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

The invention relates to a system for controlling a light source (208, 210, 212) within an area (200), the system comprising: location means conceived to detect a position of at least one person within an area (200); activity means conceived to detect a kind of activity performed by the at least one person within the area; and lighting control means conceived to control the light source (208, 210, 212) within the area (200) in response to the detected at least one person and the kind of activity performed by the at least one person within the area (200).

Claims

1. A system for controlling a light source within an area, the system comprising:

a location detector for detecting a position of at least one person within an area;

an activity detector for detecting a kind of activity and an intensity of the activity performed by the at least one person within the area based on a connection to an appliance, wherein the connection is configured to provide information about the kind of activity and the intensity of the activity; and

a lighting controller for controlling the light source within the area in response to the detected position of the at least one person, the kind of activity, and the intensity of the activity, wherein the activity detector is configured to detect the kind of activity and the intensity of the activity from information provided from connection to at least one of;

a computer, a radio, a telephone, a kitchen appliance, a television, and a movie display device.

2. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a detector for detecting noise within the area, wherein the lighting controller is configured to control the light source within the area in response to the detected noise.

3. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a motion detector for detecting motion of the person within the area, wherein the lighting controller is configured to control the light source within the area in response to the detected motion.

4. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a preference system for determining a preference of the at least one person, wherein the lighting controller is configured to control the light source within the area in response to the preference of the at least one person.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the activity detector is configured to detect at least one kind of activity from the following kinds of activities:

a person reading a book; and

a person watching a television program.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the lighting controller is configured to control multiple light sources within the area in response to the detected at least one person, the kind of activity performed by the at least one person within the area, and the intensity of the activity.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the location detector is configured to detect the position of the at least one person based upon an analysis of video images of the area.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the activity detector is configured to detect the kind of activity performed by the at least one person based upon an analysis of video images of the area.

9. The system of claim 1,

wherein the light source comprises a first light unit;

wherein the location detector is configured to detect a position of a second person in the area, and

wherein the lighting controller is configured to control the first light unit in response to the positions of the at least one person and the second person.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising computer-readable software code for determining the activity and the intensity thereof from the connection to the appliance.

11. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a date and time system for determining a date and a time, wherein the lighting controller is configured to control the light source within the area in response to the determined date and time.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the location detector comprises at least one of a pressure sensor, an infrared light sensor, and a proximity sensor.

13. A method of controlling a light source within an area, the method comprising:

detecting a position of at least one person within an area;

detecting a kind of activity performed by the at least one person within the area and an intensity of the activity from information provided from a connection to at least one of the following;

a computer, a radio, a telephone, a kitchen appliance, a television, and a movie display device; and

controlling the light source within the area in response to the detected at least one person, the kind of activity and the intensity of the activity.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

detecting an audio signal within the area; and

controlling the light source within the area in response to the detected audio signal.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the audio signal is a human voice.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

analyzing received video images of the at least one person; and

detecting the kind of activity performed by the at least one person within the area based at least in part upon the analysis.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the light source comprises a first light unit;

and further comprising;

detecting a position of a second person within the area; and

controlling the first light unit in response to the positions of the at least one person and the second person.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising;

determining a date and a time; and

controlling the light source within the area in response to the determined date and time.

19. A system for controlling a light source within an area, the system comprising:

a location detector for detecting a position of at least one person within an area;

an activity detector for detecting a kind of activity and an intensity of the activity performed by the at least one person within the area based on a connection to an appliance, wherein the connection is configured to provide information about the kind of activity and the intensity of the activity; and

a lighting controller for controlling the light source within the area in response to the detected position of the at least one person, the kind of activity, and the intensity of the activity, wherein the activity detector is configured to detect the kind of activity and the intensity of the activity from information provided from connection to a computer used by the at least one person.

20. A method of controlling a light source within an area, the method comprising:

detecting a position of at least one person within an area;

detecting a kind of activity performed by the at least one person within the area and an intensity of the activity from information provided from a connection to a computer used by the at least one person; and

controlling the light source within the area in response to the detected at least one person, the kind of activity and the intensity of the activity.