Lighting system and method for controlling a lighting system

• US 9,220,154 B2
• Filed: 09/24/2010
• Issued: 12/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Signify Holding B.V. (Signify N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Inventors: Dingemans, Antonius Petrus Marinus, Pasveer, Willem Franke
• Primary Examiner(s): Cole, Brandon S
• Application Number:
  US13/394,341
• Publication Number:
  US 20120161645A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,915 Days
• Field of Search: 315149-159
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/115 by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/13 by using passive infrared detectors
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

The present invention refers to a lighting system comprising ambient light sources and task light sources, and occupancy sensors for detecting occupancy in a number of occupancy zones and for controlling the ambient light sources and task light sources. Each occupancy sensor is provided to communicate wirelessly with other occupancy sensors. On the detection of occupancy of at least one zone, the occupancy sensors detecting the occupancy active at least one ambient light source and send a control signal to other occupancy sensors to active other ambient light sources, and the intensity of a group of task light sources illuminating the occupied zone is set to a level higher than the intensity of the remaining task light sources. The invention also refers to a respective method for controlling a lighting system of this kind.

Claims

1. Lighting system, comprising:

a plurality of ambient light sources for providing an ambient lighting,

a plurality of task light sources, each task light source being provided to illuminate a predetermined area with variable intensity, and

a plurality of occupancy sensors for detecting occupancy in a number of occupancy zones and for controlling said ambient light sources and task light sources, each occupancy sensor being provided to communicate wirelessly with other occupancy sensors,

wherein on the detection of occupancy of at least one zone, the occupancy sensors detecting the occupancy activate at least one ambient light source and send a control signal to other occupancy sensors to activate other ambient light sources, and the intensity of a group of task light sources illuminating the occupied zone is set to a level higher than the intensity of the remaining task light sources.

2. Lighting system according to claim 1, wherein the intensity of task light sources surrounding said group of task light sources is set to an intermediate intensity lower than the intensity of the group of task light sources illuminating the occupied zone.

3. Lighting system according to claim 2, comprising a plurality of luminaires, each luminaire comprising a set of light sources comprising ambient light sources and task light sources, and at least one occupancy sensor for controlling said set of light sources.

4. Lighting system according to claim 3, wherein each one luminaire is connectable to a second luminaire to be supplied with power via this second luminaire.

5. Lighting system according to claim 1, wherein the occupancy sensors are provided with time measuring devices for determining the occupation time of the respective occupied zones.

6. Lighting system according to claim 1, wherein said occupancy sensors are provided as passive infrared sensors, ultrasonic movement sensors or a combination of passive infrared sensors and ultrasonic movement sensors.

7. Lighting system according to claim 1, wherein said occupancy sensors are provided with an alarm device to produce an occupancy alarm signal in case of detection of occupancy of at least one zone or fire alarm signal in case of detection of fire in the at least one zone.

8. Lighting system according to claim 7, wherein said occupancy sensors are provided to send an alarm signal to other occupancy sensors and to produce an alarm signal in case of reception of an alarm signal by another occupancy sensor.

9. Method for controlling a lighting system comprising a plurality of ambient light source for providing an ambient lighting, a plurality of task light sources (18), each task light source being provided to illuminate a predetermined area with variable intensity, and a plurality of occupancy sensors for detecting occupancy in a number of occupancy zones and for controlling said ambient light sources and task light sources, each occupancy sensor being provided to communicate wirelessly with other occupancy sensors, said method comprising:

monitoring a number of occupancy zones for occupancy detection, and in case of the detection of occupancy of at least one zone;

a) activating at least one ambient light source by means of the respective occupancy sensor controlling said at least one ambient light source,

b) sending a control signal from respective occupancy sensor to other occupancy sensors to activate other ambient light sources, and

c) setting the intensity of a group of task light sources illuminating the occupied zone to a level higher than the intensity of the remaining task light sources.

10. Method according to claim 9, comprising setting the intensity of task light sources surrounding said group of task light sources to an intermediate intensity lower than the intensity of the group of task light sources illuminating the occupied zone.

11. Method according to claim 10, wherein each occupancy sensor controls one set of light sources, each set of light sources comprising at least one ambient light source and at least one task light source,

said method comprising supplying a plurality of occupancy sensors and the sets of light sources controlled by these occupancy sensors by a common power supply.

12. Method according to claim 9, said method comprising:

determining the occupation time of the at least one zone in which an occupancy is detected, and performing at least step c) only in case the occupation time exceeds a predetermined level.

13. Method according to claim 9, said method comprising producing an occupancy alarm signal in case of detection of occupancy of at least one zone.

14. Method according to claim 9, said method comprising monitoring a number of occupancy zones for fire detection, and producing a fire alarm signal in case of detection of fire in at least one zone.