User interface with circular light guided ring with adaptive appearance depending on function

• US 8,698,405 B2
• Filed: 05/04/2010
• Issued: 04/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Philips Lighting BV (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Inventors: Pezzutti, Daniel K., Van De Ven, Ramon E. F., De Goederen-Oei, Ay L., Pelzer, Thomas J. G., Hultermans, Martijn M., Dammer, Henk A.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, ANH Q
• Application Number:
  US13/320,033
• Publication Number:
  US 20120049759A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,442 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 315/149
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3262 Power saving in digitizer or tablet
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0448 Details of the electrode shape, e.g. for enhancing the detection of touches, for generating specific electric field shapes, for enhancing display quality
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/962 Capacitive touch switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/9645 Resistive touch switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/96042 with illumination
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/960785 with illumination
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/20 Controlling the colour of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/195 the transmission using visible or infrared light

Abstract

The present invention relates to a control device adapted to control properties of light emitted from a light source. The control device may comprise a touch-sensitive user interface adapted to visually indicate a range of available values representing at least one of the properties and to enable a user to control the represented property on the basis of a location touched on the touch-sensitive user interface. The controlled property may be adjusted by means of a communication unit adapted to communicate to the light source control signals corresponding to user input. The control device may be adapted to enable the user to control a property associated with an activation area with the user interface upon activation of the activation area by the user.

Claims

1. A control device for controlling a plurality of properties of light emitted from a light source, the device comprising:

a touch-sensitive user interface, for visually indicating a range of available values representing at least one property and to enable a user to control said at least one property on the basis of a location touched on said touch-sensitive user interface, thereby providing the control device with user input;

a communication unit for adjusting said at least one property by means of communicating, to the light source, control signals corresponding to said user input;

a plurality of activation areas, each activation area being associated with at least one of said plurality of properties and being adapted, when activated, to cause said control device to enable the user to control the property associated with said activated activation area with said touch-sensitive user interface;

a user interface visual appearance variation unit adapted to adjust the visual appearance of the user interface on the basis of the respective property associated with the activation area which includes a substantially circular and approximately planar light guide having a plurality of recesses, each of the recesses arranged to receive a light emitting element.

2. The control device according to claim 1, wherein each activation area is further configured, when activated, to cause said user interface visual appearance variation unit to adapt the visual appearance of said touch-sensitive user interface to a particular visual appearance associated with the respective activated property.

3. The control device according to claim 1, wherein said user interface visual appearance variation unit comprises the light guide and the plurality of light-emitting elements arranged in proximity of said light guide, the user interface visual appearance variation unit being adapted such that changes in operation of the light-emitting elements causes changes in the visual appearance of said touch-sensitive user interface.

4. The control device according to claim 3, wherein said light-emitting elements are arranged in a spaced succession forming a continuous loop.

5. The control device according to claim 3, and wherein said plurality of light-emitting elements are circumferentially spaced around said light guide and substantially radially oriented with respect to the light guide.

6. The control device according to claim 3, wherein at least two adjacent light-emitting elements are arranged such that the spacing between said two adjacent light-emitting elements is less than the spacing between other adjacent light-emitting elements of said plurality of light-emitting elements.

7. The control device according to claim 1, wherein said touch-sensitive user interface comprises at least one discontinuity-indicating element adapted to visually indicate a step discontinuity in said range of available values representing said at one property.

8. The control device according to claim 1, wherein said touch-sensitive user interface is configured to visually indicate a subrange of said range of available values representing said at least one property.

9. The control device according to claim 1, further comprising a memory unit adapted to store data, wherein said touch-sensitive user interface is further adapted to enable a user to select one or more preset values previously stored on said memory unit, the preset values representing predetermined settings of one or more of said properties.

10. The control device according to claim 1, further comprising a proximity sensor adapted to sense proximity of an object within a predetermined distance from said control device.

11. The control device according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of properties comprise any of the properties of light selected from the group consisting of:

hue, saturation, brightness, color temperature and timing.

12. A control device to control properties of light emitting from a light source, comprising:

a touch sensitive user interface operable to visually indicate a range of available values representing a plurality of properties and enable a user to control each of the plurality of properties on the basis of a location touched on the touch sensitive user interface;

a control unit for adjusting each of the plurality of properties and operably connected to the light source by transmitting control signals to the light source corresponding to the location touched on the touch sensitive user interface representing user input;

a light guide forming at least a part of the touch sensitive user interface operably connected to a printed circuit board and positioned relative to a plurality of light emitting elements, each of the light emitting elements positioned in one of a plurality of recesses formed in the light guide such that each of the light emitting elements emit light radially into the light guide to visually indicate a range of available values representing a selected one of the plurality of properties;

wherein spacing between adjacent light emitting elements is less than spacing between other light emitting elements to indicate the visual contrast at a hard transition of the selected one of the plurality of properties.