Ambient light adjustment apparatus, method and system

• US 9,423,665 B2
• Filed: 03/24/2014
• Issued: 08/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Inventors: Huang, Kuo-Chung, Lin, Hsueh-Chin, Tsai, Yi-Shou, Chang, Chih-Chia, Pao, Wei-Chen, Lin, Ya-Hui, Chu, Man-Chun, Hsu, Louis Lu-Chen
• Primary Examiner(s): Martinez, Joseph P
• Application Number:
  US14/222,693
• Publication Number:
  US 20150268529A1
• Time in Patent Office: 883 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2009/2464 featuring transparency control by applying voltage, e.g. LCD, electrochromic panels
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 7/00 Special arrangements or measures in connection with doors or windows arrangements against burglary at the edges of the wings E06B5/113 ; screening or similar protective devices E06B9/00
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/24 Screens or other constructions affording protection against light, especially against sunshine; Similar screens for privacy or appearance; Slat blindsoperating, guiding or securing devices or arrangements for roll-type closures E06B9/56; free-hanging flexible screens A47H23/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/005 based on electrowetting
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/157 Structural association of cells with optical devices, e.g. reflectors or illuminating devices
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/163 Operation of electrochromic cells, e.g. electrodeposition cells; Circuit arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making

Abstract

An ambient light adjustment (ALA) apparatus, a method and a system therewith are proposed. The ALA apparatus includes a main body having a plurality of edges, one or more light sources, a light blocking layer and a controller. The light source is mounted on at least one edge of the ALA apparatus. The main body comprises at least one light guide plate. The light blocking layer is disposed over a surface of the main body. The controller is coupled to the light source and the light blocking layer. The ALA apparatus further comprises at least one sensor coupled to the controller. The controller controls the light characteristics of the light source and/or the light blockage levels of the light blocking layer to adjust ambient light characteristics, according to a sensed result by the sensor or sensors.

Claims

1. An Ambient light adjustment (ALA) apparatus, comprising:

a main body, having a plurality of edges, a first surface and a second surface opposing to the first surface, wherein the main body comprises a light guide plate;

at least one light source, mounted on at least one edge of the main body, wherein the light guide plate receives a side light from the at least one light source and guides the side light into a planar light emitted from the light guide plate;

a first light blocking layer, disposed over the first surface of the main body;

a controller, coupled to the light source and the first light blocking layer, the controller controlling light characteristics of the light source and light blockage levels of the first light blocking layer to adjust ambient light characteristics; and

a second light blocking layer disposed over the second surface of the main body,

wherein at least one of the first light blocking layer and the second light blocking layer having a plurality of controllable blocking areas is a decodable light blocking layer for programming spaces, frequencies and degrees of light blockage.

2. The ambient light adjustment apparatus of claim 1, wherein the light guide plate has a first surface and a second surface.

3. The ambient light adjustment apparatus of claim 2, wherein the material of the light guide plate comprises acrylic resin, polycarbonate, epoxy, or glass.

4. The ambient light adjustment apparatus of claim 2, wherein the main body further comprises at least one diffusion layer formed on the first surface of the light guide plate.

5. The ambient light adjustment apparatus of claim 4, wherein the diffusion layer is selected from one of the group consisting of a self-assembled monolayer, a particle-embedded layer, a micro-machined structure layer and a printed dot-pattern layer.

6. The ambient light adjustment apparatus of claim 2, wherein the light guide plate is embedded or imprinted with light diffusible particles.

7. The ambient light adjustment apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first light blocking layer and the second light blocking layer are electro-chromatic layers or electro-wetting layers.

8. The ambient light adjustment apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first and second light blocking layers are selected from the group consisting of an electro-chromatic layer and an electro-wetting layer.

9. The ambient light adjustment apparatus of claim 1, wherein a third light blocking layer is forming on the second surface of the main body.

10. The ambient light adjustment apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a sensor, coupled to the controller, wherein the controller controlling the light characteristics of the light source and/or the light blockage levels of the first light blocking layer according to a sensed result by the sensor.

11. The ambient light adjustment apparatus of claim 10, wherein the sensor comprises a plurality of multiple spectrum sensing units.

12. The ambient light adjustment apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller further integrated with a sensor, wherein the controller controlling the light characteristics of the light source and/or the light blockage levels of the first light blocking layer according to a sensed result by the sensor.

13. The ambient light adjustment apparatus of claim 12, wherein the sensor comprises a plurality of multiple spectrum sensing units.

14. The ambient light adjustment apparatus of claim 1, wherein the light characteristics comprise light intensity and light color temperature.

15. The ambient light adjustment apparatus of claim 1, wherein the light source comprises a plurality of multiple spectrum light sources.

16. The ambient light adjustment apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a second main body having a plurality of edges, a first surface and an second surface opposing to the first surface, wherein the second main body, dispose on a surface of the first light blocking layer opposing to another surface of the first light blocking layer facing the main body, wherein at least one of the light sources mounted on at least one edge of the second main body.

17. The ambient light adjustment apparatus of claim 16, wherein the second main body comprises a second light guide plate with a first and a second surface.

18. The ambient light adjustment apparatus of claim 17, wherein the second main body further comprises at least one diffusion layer formed on the second surface of the second light guide plate.

19. A method for the ambient light adjustment apparatus as claimed in claim 1 to adjust indoor ambient light characteristics, the method comprising:

sensing indoor light characteristics;

comparing the sensed indoor light characteristics with a pre-set threshold; and

adjusting the indoor ambient light characteristics based on the at least one pre-set threshold by performing at least one of the following steps;

adjusting a degree of blockage of the first and second light blocking layers;

adjusting light characteristics of the light source; and

adjusting light characteristics of an indoor light source.

20. An transparent ambient light adjustment (ALA) apparatus, comprising:

a main body having a plurality of edges, a first surface and an opposing second surface, wherein the main body comprises a light guide plate;

at least one light source mounted on at least one edge of the main body, wherein the light guide plate receives a side light from the at least one light source and guides the side light into a planar light emitted from the light guide plate;

a first light blocking layer formed on the first surface of the main body;

a second light blocking layer formed on the second surface of the main body;

a sensor; and

a controller coupled to the sensor, the main body, the light source and the light blocking layer, the controller controlling ambient light characteristics by controlling the at least one light source and by adjusting light transmittance ratio and reflection ratio of the main body and the light blocking layer in response to a sensed result of the sensor, wherein the light transmittance ratio is ranged from 95% to 0%, and the reflection ratio is ranged from 5% to 100%,

wherein at least one of the first light blocking layer and the second light blocking layer having a plurality of controllable blocking areas is a decodable light blocking layer for programming spaces, frequencies and degrees of light blockage.

21. The transparent ambient light adjustment apparatus of claim 20, wherein the light guide plate having a first surface and a second surface is attached on the main body spatially.

22. A system for adjusting indoor ambient light characteristics, the system comprising:

an indoor ambient light adjustment (ALA) apparatus comprising;

a main body, having a plurality of edges, a first surface and a second surface opposing to the first surface, wherein the main body comprises a light guide plate;

at least one light source, mounted on at least one edge of the main body, wherein the light guide plate receives a side light from the at least one light source and guides the side light into a planar light emitted from the light guide plate;

a first light blocking layer, disposed over the first surface of the main body;

a second light blocking layer, disposed over the second surface of the main body;

a controller, coupled to the light source and the first light blocking layer and the second light blocking layer; and

an outdoor sensor and an indoor sensor for sensing the ambient light characteristics and sending sensed results to the controller,

wherein the controller is programmed with at least one pre-set threshold, and the controller adjusts light characteristics of the light source and light blockage levels of the first and second light blocking layers based on the pre-set threshold and the sensed results by the outdoor sensor and the indoor sensor,

wherein the first light blocking layer and the second light blocking layer are programmed for displaying a pre-set pattern to have a transmittance and a reflectance based on the sensed results by the outdoor sensor and the indoor sensor, so to have a capability to function as an one-way mirror for the ALA apparatus.

23. The system for adjusting ambient light characteristics of claim 22, wherein the controller is further coupled to at least one indoor light source for adjusting indoor ambient light characteristics.

24. The system for adjusting indoor ambient light characteristics of claim 22, wherein the controller further comprises at least one memory unit and/or at least one processor unit.

25. The system for adjusting indoor ambient light characteristics of claim 22, wherein the ambient light adjustment apparatus further comprises a receiver coupling to the controller and a remote control, wherein the remote control transmitting commands to the controller via the receiver.

26. The system for adjusting indoor ambient light characteristics of claim 25, wherein the remote control further comprises:

power supply means for supplying power to the remote control;

keyboard means for inputting system control commands;

control means coupled to the keyboard means and the power supply means for accepting the system control commands and outputting a series of system control signals; and

transmitter means coupled to the control means and the power supply means for transmitting the control signals to the system.

27. The system for adjusting indoor ambient light characteristics of claim 22, wherein the first and second light blocking layers are partially or entirely adjusted with the light blockage levels for blocking the view between an indoor position and an outdoor position.

28. The system for adjusting indoor ambient light characteristics of claim 27, wherein the first and second light blocking layers are manually or automatically adjusted through the controller.

29. The system for adjusting indoor ambient light characteristics of claim 28, further comprises at least one indoor light source to enhance the indoor ambient light characteristics.

30. The system for adjusting indoor ambient light characteristics of claim 22, further comprising one or more programs, the one or more programs being stored in a memory unit and configured to be executed by the controller for conducting:

sensing indoor light characteristics;

comparing the sensed indoor light characteristics with a preset threshold;

adjusting indoor light characteristics based on the comparison; and

conducting at least one of following steps;

tuning the blockage of the first and second light blocking layers;

adjusting the light characteristics of the light source; and

adjusting indoor light characteristics.