Light source control device and method

• US 8,207,682 B2
• Filed: 08/19/2009
• Issued: 06/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Coretronic Corporation
• Original Assignee: Young Lighting Technology Inc. (Coretronic Corporation)
• Inventors: Lan, Yu-Chin, Chou, Wei-Jen, Yu, Shih-Yuan, Hsiao, Chien-Chung
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Don
• Application Number:
  US12/544,030
• Publication Number:
  US 20100127638A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,042 Days
• Field of Search: 315/291, 315/292, 315/294, 315/307, 315/312, 315/313
• US Class Current: 315/293
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/20 Controlling the colour of the light

Abstract

A light source control method and a light source control device are used for controlling a light source. The light source control device includes a position detecting sensor and a microcontroller. The light source control method includes steps of generating a first signal according to an object touching a position of the position detecting sensor, and generating a control signal according to a light source adjustable parameter set corresponding to the first signal for controlling an illuminating status of the light source. The light source adjustable parameter set includes a plurality of color value components. The control signal is generated by the microcontroller according to the color value components.

Claims

1. A light source control device for controlling a light source, the light source control device comprising:

a position detecting sensor capable of generating a first signal according to an object touching a position of the position detecting sensor; and

a microcontroller communicated with the position detecting sensor and capable of generating a control signal according to a light source adjustable parameter set corresponding to the first signal for controlling an illuminating status of the light source, wherein the light source adjustable parameter set comprises a plurality of color value components, and the microcontroller is capable of generating the control signal according to the color value components;

wherein the control signal comprises one of a pulse width modulation signal and an analog brightness-adjusting signal, the pulse width modulation signal or the analog brightness-adjusting signal is generated by a general purpose input/output pin or an output pin of the microcontroller.

2. The light source control device according to claim 1, wherein the illuminating status of the light source comprises color, brightness, or color temperature.

3. The light source control device according to claim 1, wherein the position detecting sensor comprises a touchpad.

4. The light source control device according to claim 3, wherein a plurality of patterns for adjusting the illuminating status are provided or printed on a surface of the touchpad, and the touchpad comprises a resistive touchpad, a capacitive touchpad, a surface acoustic wave touchpad, or an optics touchpad.

5. The light source control device according to claim 1, wherein the position detecting sensor comprises a touch panel.

6. The light source control device according to claim 5, wherein the touch panel comprises a resistive touch panel, a capacitive touch panel, a surface acoustic wave touch panel, and an optics touch panel.

7. The light source control device according to claim 1, wherein the light source comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes.

8. The light source control device according to claim 1, further comprising:

an indicator disposed adjacent to the position detecting sensor and communicated with the microcontroller; and

a proximity switch communicated with the microcontroller for determining whether the object is within a predetermined sensing range, wherein if the object is beyond the predetermined sensing range, a first power control signal is generated from the proximity switch to the microcontroller to make the microcontroller enter a standby status and turn off the indicator, and if the object is within the predetermined sensing range, a second power control signal is generated from the proximity switch to the microcontroller to make the microcontroller escape from the standby status and turn on the indicator.

9. The light source control device according to claim 8, wherein the proximity switch comprises an inductive sensor, a capacitive sensor, a photoelectric sensor, a magnetic sensor, an infrared sensor, or an ultrasonic sensor.

10. The light source control device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a wireless signal emitter communicated with the microcontroller; and

a wireless signal receiver communicated with the light source, wherein the microcontroller is capable of making the wireless signal emitter generate the control signal to the wireless signal receiver according to the light source adjustable parameter set, and the wireless signal receiver is capable of controlling the illuminating status of the light source according to the control signal.

11. A light source control method, comprising steps of:

generating a first signal according to an object touching a position of the position detecting sensor; and

generating a control signal according to a light source adjustable parameter set corresponding to the first signal for controlling an illuminating status of the light source, wherein the light source adjustable parameter set comprises a plurality of color value components, and the control signal is generated according to the color value components;

wherein the control signal comprises one of a pulse width modulation signal and an analog brightness-adjusting signal.

12. The light source control method according to claim 11, wherein the illuminating status of the light source comprises color, brightness, or color temperature.