Lighting techniques for wirelessly controlling lighting elements

• US 8,628,198 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2009
• Issued: 01/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saco Technologies Inc. (Madison Square Garden Sports Corp.)
• Original Assignee: LSI Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Jalbout, Bassam D., Wong, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Ko, Tony
• Assistant Examiner(s): Reilly-Diakun, Jori S
• Application Number:
  US12/426,531
• Publication Number:
  US 20100264313A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,730 Days
• Field of Search: 353/122, 353/85, 353 69- 70, 345/39, 345 82- 83, 345/183, 345/46, 362/800, 315/312, 315317-319, 348/734, 398/106, 398/112, 398/118, 398/130
• US Class Current: 353/85
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2121/06 for personal wear
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/195 the transmission using visible or infrared light

Abstract

Lighting systems, apparatus, and methods are disclosed, which employ optical transmission of two-dimensional control signals to manipulate lighting elements. The lighting apparatus can include a projector with an IR LED array to wirelessly transmit pixel information onto a target space. The pixel information controls lighting elements within the target space. The two-dimensional control signals can includes subareas corresponding to lighting elements in a control array. The lighting elements can be lights producing light of desired wavelengths including infrared and/or visible wavelengths. LEDs can be used as light sources in exemplary embodiments.

Claims

1. A method of wireless reception of a two-dimensional optical control instruction to control a plurality of lighting elements, the method comprising:

with a plurality of separate light sources configured as a two-dimensional array, forming a two-dimensional optical control signal including a two-dimensional array of separate pixels;

with a plurality of moveable reactive modules configured in a two-dimensional distribution, wherein each reactive module includes an optical receiver and a lighting element, receiving the two-dimensional optical control signal from a projector, wherein each reactive module receives a respective separate pixel of the two-dimensional array of separate pixels;

converting the control signal into a respective digital signal for each reactive module;

decoding the digital signal into a respective instruction for controlling the lighting element of each reactive module;

transmitting the instruction to the lighting element of the respective reactive module; and

controlling the lighting element according to its respective instruction.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more reactive modules further include a power source to provide power to one or more of the optical receiver and a lighting element.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the power source includes a battery.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the optical receiver is configured to receive infrared signals.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the lighting element includes a light emitting diode.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of separate light sources includes light emitting diodes.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more reactive modules are affixed to an article of clothing or accessory.

8. A reactive module system to receive, interpret, and implement a two-dimensional control signal, the reactive module system comprising:

a plurality of separate light sources configured in a two-dimensional array and to form a two-dimensional optical control signal including a two-dimensional array of separate pixels;

a plurality of moveable optical receivers configured to receive a portion of the two-dimensional optical control signal and produce a detected control signal, wherein each optical receiver is configured to receive a separate pixel of the two-dimensional optical control signal;

a plurality of lighting elements, each connected to a respective one of the optical receivers; and

a plurality of computing units, each connected to a respective optical receiver and lighting element, wherein the computing unit is configured to convert the detected control signal into a respective instruction for control of the lighting element.

9. The reactive module system of claim 8 further comprising a power source to provide power to one or more of the wireless signal detector, lighting element, and the computing unit.

10. The reactive module system of claim 9, wherein the power source includes a battery.

11. The reactive module system of claim 8, wherein the optical receivers are configured to receive infrared signals.

12. The reactive module system of claim 8, wherein the one or more lighting elements include light emitting diodes.

13. The reactive module system of claim 8, wherein the plurality of separate light sources include light emitting diodes.

14. The reactive module system of claim 8, wherein the one or more optical receivers and the one or more lighting elements are affixed to an article of clothing or accessory.