Method of controlling a lighting system with an ultrasonic transceiver

• US 8,451,690 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2007
• Issued: 05/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lite-On Technology Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lite-On It Corporation (Lite-On Technology Corporation)
• Inventors: Hou, Sheng-Fa, Chen, Tzu-Nan
• Primary Examiner(s): Alsomiri, Isam
• Assistant Examiner(s): HULKA, JAMES R
• Application Number:
  US12/742,146
• Publication Number:
  US 20100259174A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,024 Days
• Field of Search: 367/95, 367/96, 315/149
• US Class Current: 367/95
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/04 Systems determining presence of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/12 wherein the pulse-recurrence frequency is varied to provide a desired time relationship between the transmission of a pulse and the receipt of the echo of a preceding pulse
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/115 by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A control method for use with a lighting system is provided. The lighting system includes a light source and an ultrasonic transceiver. The control method includes steps of: measuring the time of an ultrasonic signal emitted from the ultrasonic transceiver and reflected by the object to reach the ultrasonic sensor to obtain a time of flight; calculating a distance between the object and the ultrasonic transceiver according to the time of flight; defining at least one control region according to the distance; and moving the object to the control region, thereby performing a controlling operation corresponding to the control region and adjusting an optical characteristic.

Claims

1. A control method for use with a lighting system, the lighting system comprising a light source and an ultrasonic transceiver, the control method being characterized by comprising steps of:

measuring the time of an ultrasonic signal emitted from the ultrasonic transceiver and reflected by an object to reach the ultrasonic sensor, thereby obtaining a time of flight;

calculating a distance between the object and the ultrasonic transceiver according to the time of flight, dividing a detection region into a first control region and a second control region according to the distance; and

moving the object to the first control region, thereby performing a first controlling operation and adjusting a first optical characteristic, and/or moving the object to the second control region, thereby performing a second controlling operation and adjusting a second optical characteristic.

2. The control method according to claim 1, characterized in that the light source of the lighting system includes a light emitting diode.

3. The control method according to claim 1, characterized in that the light source of the lighting system includes a red light emitting diode, a green light emitting diode and a blue light emitting diode.

4. The control method according to claim 1, characterized in that the optical characteristic includes the light color, the light color temperature, the light strength, an area of the illuminating zone, a shape of the illuminating zone, a position of the illuminating zone or on/off statuses of the light source.

5. The control method according to claim 1, characterized in that the first controlling operation is performed to adjust the light color.

6. The control method according to claim 5, characterized in that the first controlling operation further includes steps of:

providing multiple sets of color parameters associated with different light colors; and

cyclically changing the multiple sets color parameters at a specified frequency, thereby cyclically changing the light colors.

7. The control method according to claim 1, characterized in that the second controlling operation is performed to adjust the light strength.

8. The control method according to claim 7, characterized in that the second controlling operation includes steps of:

providing multiple intensity parameters associated with different light strengths; and

cyclically changing the multiple intensity parameters at a specified frequency, thereby cyclically changing the light strengths.

9. A control method for use with a lighting system, the lighting system comprising a light source and an ultrasonic transceiver, the control method characterized by comprising steps of:

entering a wait-for-enabling mode after the lighting system is powered on;

calculating a distance between an object and the ultrasonic transceiver by the ultrasonic sensor in the wait-for-enabling mode, dividing a detection region into at least two control regions according to the distance for respectively controlling a first optical characteristic and a second optical characteristic, and then entering a wait mode, wherein the first optical characteristic is different from the second optical characteristic;

when in the wait mode, discriminating whether the object is moved to one specified control region within a specified time interval, entering a control mode if the object is moved to the specified control region within the specified time interval, otherwise, entering a standby mode;

when in the control mode, performing a controlling procedure of the optical characteristic corresponding to the control region; and

when in the standby mode, discriminating whether the distance between the object and the ultrasonic transceiver is changed by the ultrasonic sensor, entering the wait-for-enabling mode if the distance is changed, otherwise, keeping in the standby mode.

10. The control method according to claim 9, characterized in that the optical characteristic includes the light color, the light color temperature, the light strength, the area of the illuminating zone, the shape of the illuminating zone, the position of the illuminating zone or the on/off statuses of the light source.

11. The control method according to claim 9, characterized in that in the control mode, the controlling procedure is for controlling the light color of the lighting system, and the controlling procedure further includes steps of:

providing multiple sets of color parameters associated with different light colors; and

cyclically changing the multiple sets color parameters at a specified frequency, thereby cyclically changing the light colors.

12. The control method according to claim 9, characterized in that in the control mode, the controlling procedure is for controlling the light strength of the lighting system, and the controlling procedure further includes steps of:

providing multiple intensity parameters associated with different light strengths; and

cyclically changing the multiple intensity parameters at a specified frequency, thereby cyclically changing the light strengths.