Control device for controlling the hue of light emitted from a light source

• US 8,279,079 B2
• Filed: 05/18/2011
• Issued: 10/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Signify Holding B.V. (Signify N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Bergman, Anthonie H., Vinkenvleugel, Lucius T., Joosen, Bram F., Cortenraad, Hebertus M. R.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRIEU, VAN THANH
• Application Number:
  US13/110,030
• Publication Number:
  US 20110216085A1
• Time in Patent Office: 503 Days
• Field of Search: 340/815.43, 340/815.45, 340/815.6, 340/815.62, 340/815.63, 340/815.65, 345/1, 345/3, 345/518, 345/589, 345/593, 345/594, 362/85, 362/231, 362/233, 362/234, 358/1.16, 358/2.1, 382/162, 382/167
• US Class Current: 340/815.65
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/20 Controlling the colour of the light

Abstract

The invention relates to a control device for controlling the hue of light emitted by a light source. The control device comprises a hue selection surface capable of displaying one or more hues available for said light of said light source and interaction detection means for detecting interaction between said hue selection surface and a user of said control device in selecting said hue for said light of said light source. The control device allows the user to select the desired hue for the light source simply by interacting with the hue selection surface that displays the available hues. Consequently, the control device can be operated easily and intuitively.

Claims

1. A control device for controlling the hue of light emitted by a light source, wherein said control device comprises:

a hue selection surface capable of displaying one or more hues available for said light of said light source;

interaction detection means for detecting interaction between said hue selection surface and a user of said control device in selecting said hue for said light of said light source;

wherein said hue selection surface displays a plurality of printed available hues for said light;

wherein said interaction detection means being capable of detecting a selection of at least one of said printed displayed hues by said user;

said control device includes assigning means for assigning at least one subset of available printed hues and displaying said at least one subset of available printed hues on said hue selection surface,

said interaction detection means being capable of detecting a selection of a hue of said assigned subset.

2. The control device according to claim 1, wherein said control device further comprises velocity detection means for detecting the velocity of the interaction between said user and said hue selection surface and said assigning means is capable of assigning a subset of said available printed hues to said hue selection surface in dependence on said detected velocity.

3. The control device according to claim 1, wherein said hue selection surface comprises a plurality of light-emitting elements capable of displaying said available hues for said light of said light source, and said interaction detection means is capable of detecting a selection of at least one of said displayed hues by said user.

4. The control device according to claim 3, wherein said control device comprises control means for controlling said light-emitting elements into displaying at least one subset of said available hues on said hue selection surface, and wherein said interaction detection means is capable of detecting a selection of a hue of said subset.

5. The control device according to claim 4, wherein said control device comprises activation means for activating said control means for controlling said light-emitting elements into displaying said at least one subset on said hue selection surface.

6. The control device according to claim 5, wherein said control device comprises velocity detection means for detecting the velocity of the interaction between said user and said hue selection surface, and said control means is capable of controlling said light-emitting elements into displaying said subset of available hues on said hue selection surface in dependence on said detected velocity.

7. The control device according to claim 3, wherein said interaction detection means is capable of detecting a selection of a hue from among said available hues, and said control device comprises control means for controlling said light-emitting elements into displaying at least one series of available saturation levels on said hue selection surface corresponding to said selected hue, and wherein said interaction detection means are capable of detecting a selection of a saturation from said series of available saturations.

8. The control device according to claim 7, wherein said control device comprises velocity detection means for detecting the velocity of the interaction between said user and said hue selection surface, and said control means is capable of controlling said light-emitting elements into displaying said series of available saturation levels in dependence on said detected velocity.

9. The control device according to claim 3, wherein said control device comprises control means capable of controlling said light-emitting elements into displaying a first portion of said available hues on said hue selection surface and is playing a second portion of said available hues subsequent to said first portion such that at least part of said second portion of available hues replaces at least part of said first portion of available hues.

10. The control device according to claim 3, wherein said hue selection surface comprises a selection surface part, and said control means is capable of controlling said light-emitting elements into displaying a selected hue on said selection surface part in response to said interaction between said hue selection surface and said user.

11. The control device according to claim 3, wherein said control device comprises a diffuser plate arranged over one or more of said light-emitting elements.

12. The control device according to claim 1, wherein said hue selection surface is capable of displaying a single hue and several saturation levels of said hue.

13. The control device according to claim 1, wherein said hue selection surface displays or is capable of displaying a plurality of white surface portions substantially corresponding to a black body line (BBL).

14. The control device according to claim 1, wherein said hue selection surface comprises a ring-shaped surface.

15. The control device according to claim 1, wherein said control device is furthermore capable of selecting the saturation of said light in that it comprises a saturation selection surface capable of displaying one or more saturation levels available for said light source.

16. The control device according to claim 15, wherein said interaction detection means is capable of detecting interaction between said saturation selection surface and a user of said control device in selecting said saturation for said light of said light source.

17. The control device according to claim 15, wherein said saturation selection surface comprises one or more printed saturation levels for one or more hues.

18. A control device for controlling the hue of light emitted by a light source, comprising:

an annular hue selection display surface presenting a plurality of hues capable of being emitted by said light source, said hue selection display surface having a plurality of light emitting elements capable of emitting lights of a plurality of colors;

a user touch detector responsive to a selection by a user of one of said plurality of hues presented on said annular hue selection surface available for said light source;

a controller electronically connected to said user touch detector and said hue selection surface to register signals obtained from said user touch detector;

wherein said controller is operably connected to said light emitting elements of said hue selection display surface;

said controller further operable to assign at least one subset of said plurality of available hues to said hue selection display and

said user touch detector is operable to detect a user selection of a hue of said subset of hues displayed.