Anthropomorphic control of lighting and other output conditions

• US 9,477,215 B2
• Filed: 04/14/2014
• Issued: 10/25/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABL IP Holding LLC (Acuity Brands, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ABL IP Holding LLC (Acuity Brands, Inc.)
• Inventors: Blum, Darren, Aggarwal, Januk, Engel-Hall, Aaron, England, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Rampuria, Satish
• Application Number:
  US14/252,431
• Publication Number:
  US 20150293504A1
• Time in Patent Office: 925 Days
• Field of Search: 700 90-102
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/0265 the criterion being a learning criterion
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/115 by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/12 by detecting audible sound
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/125 by using cameras
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

An example of an intelligent lighting device or system is configured to control one or more parameters of light output, such as intensity, shape or distribution, color characteristics and position or orientation of light output (e.g. via a motorized luminaire control). The device or system may have other controllable output capability, e.g. display projection or audio. Sensors or other input devices are responsive to the user. Responsive to user input, the device or system, controls its light and any other output capabilities so as to present a defined persona to the user or other occupant(s) of a space illuminated by the intelligent lighting device or system.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a processor;

a source of light, the source of light being configured to output visible light in a manner permitting control of a plurality of parameters of the visible light output, responsive to control by the processor;

at least one other controllable feature configured to provide a humanly perceptible output, responsive to control by the processor;

a sensor configured to detect a condition in a space illuminated by the system, the condition relating to an activity of an occupant when within the space, and to provide a condition responsive input to the processor;

a storage device accessible by the processor;

an anthropomorphic object related to a persona; and

a program in the storage device, wherein execution of the program by the processor configures the system to implement functions, including functions to;

control operation of the light source to illuminate the space while the occupant is in the space, including control of at least one of the plurality of parameters of the visible light output;

control operation of the at least one other controllable feature;

process the condition responsive signal from the sensor to determine an activity status of the occupant while in the space; and

manipulate the control functions responsive to the determined activity status based on the anthropomorphic object, in such a manner that the light output and operation of the at least one other controllable feature together provide a presentation for the occupant as a perceptible instance of the persona.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the program includes a learning module configured to cause the processor to:

implement the manipulation of the control functions based upon previously determined activity statuses in response to previously implemented manipulation of the control functions; and

modify the anthropomorphic object based upon the determined activity status and previously determined activity statuses in response to previously implemented manipulation of the control functions.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the anthropomorphic object comprises persona defining data, including at least one of:

information related to movement;

information related to sound;

information related to at least one lighting parameter;

information related to physical shape; and

information related to a personality.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the presentation for the occupant as a perceptible instance of the persona includes at least one of:

movement;

sound;

manipulation of at least one lighting parameter;

manipulation of physical shape;

power control; and

local or remote message output personalized in accordance with the anthropomorphic object.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the program includes a learning module configured to cause the processor to:

implement the manipulation of the control functions based upon previously determined activity statuses in response to previously implemented manipulation of the control functions;

modify the anthropomorphic object based upon the determined activity status and previously determined activity statuses in response to previously implemented manipulation of the control functions; and

modify the presentation based upon previously determined activity statuses in response to previous presentations.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the learning module is further configured to cause the processor to:

further modify the anthropomorphic object based upon previously determined activity statuses in response to previous presentations; and

further modify the presentation based upon previously determined activity statuses in response to previously implemented manipulation of the control functions.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is configured to detect, as the condition, one or more conditions selected from the group consisting of:

an image of the space;

audio within the space;

motion of the occupant within the space; and

light from the occupant within the space.

8. A system, comprising:

a processor;

a source of light, the source of light being configured to output visible light in a manner permitting control of a plurality of parameters of the visible light output, responsive to control by the processor;

at least one other controllable feature configured to provide a humanly perceptible output, responsive to control by the processor;

a sensor configured to detect a condition in a space illuminated by the system, the condition relating to an activity of an occupant when within the space, and to provide a condition responsive input to the processor;

a storage device accessible by the processor;

an anthropomorphic object related to a persona; and

a program in the storage device, wherein execution of the program by the processor configures the system to implement functions, including functions to;

identify the occupant;

retrieve a profile of the identified occupant, the profile including modifications to the anthropomorphic object corresponding to the identified occupant;

control operation of the light source to illuminate the space while the occupant is in the space, including control of at least one of the plurality of parameters of the visible light output;

control operation of the at least one other controllable feature;

process the condition responsive signal from the sensor to determine an activity status of the identified occupant while in the space; and

manipulate the control functions responsive to the determined activity status based on the modified anthropomorphic object, in such a manner that the light output and operation of the at least one other controllable feature together provide a presentation for the occupant as a perceptible instance of the persona.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the program includes a learning module configured to cause the processor to:

implement the manipulation of the control functions based upon previously determined activity statuses of the identified occupant in response to previously implemented manipulation of the control functions; and

based upon the determined activity status of the identified occupant and previously determined activity statuses of the identified occupant in response to previously implemented manipulation of the control functions, modify the profile of the identified occupant and further modify the modified anthropomorphic object.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the anthropomorphic object comprises persona defining data, including at least one of:

information related to movement;

information related to sound;

information related to at least one lighting parameter;

information related to physical shape; and

information related to a personality.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the presentation for the occupant as a perceptible instance of the persona includes at least one of:

movement;

sound;

manipulation of at least one lighting parameter;

manipulation of physical shape;

power control; and

local or remote message output personalized in accordance with the anthropomorphic object.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the program includes a learning module configured to cause the processor to:

implement the manipulation of the control functions based upon previously determined activity statuses of the identified occupant in response to previously implemented manipulation of the control functions;

based upon the determined activity status of the identified occupant and previously determined activity statuses of the identified occupant in response to previously implemented manipulation of the control functions, modify the profile of the identified occupant and further modify the modified anthropomorphic object; and

modify the presentation based upon previously determined activity statuses of the identified occupant in response to previous presentations.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the learning module is further configured to cause the processor to:

based upon previously determined activity statuses of the identified occupant in response to previous presentations, modify the profile of the identified occupant and further modify the modified anthropomorphic object; and

based upon previously determined activity statuses of the identified occupant in response to previously implemented manipulation of the control functions, further modify the presentation.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the sensor is configured to detect, as the condition, one or more conditions selected from the group consisting of:

an image of the space;

audio within the space;

motion of the occupant within the space; and

light from the occupant within the space.

15. The system of claim 8, further comprising a data communication interface, controlled by the processor, configured for communication of data from and to the system over a network,

wherein further execution of the program by the processor further configures the system to implement further functions, including functions to:

access information about the identified occupant from an on-line service, via communication over the network, to determine a status of the identified occupant for the on-line service; and

manipulate the control functions responsive to the determined on-line status of the identified occupant based on the modified anthropomorphic object, in such a manner that the light output and operation of the at least one other controllable feature together provide a presentation for the occupant as a perceptible instance of the persona.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein further execution of the program by the processor further configures the system to implement further functions, including functions to:

manipulate the control functions responsive to the determined activity status of the identified occupant and the determined on-line status of the identified occupant based on the modified anthropomorphic object, in such a manner that the light output and operation of the at least one other controllable feature together provide a presentation for the occupant as a perceptible instance of the persona.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the program includes a learning module configured to cause the processor to:

implement the manipulation of the control functions based upon previously determined on-line statuses of the identified occupant and previously determined activity statuses of the identified occupant in response to previously implemented manipulation of the control functions;

based upon the determined on-line status of the identified occupant, the determined activity status of the identified occupant, previously determined on-line statuses of the identified occupant and previously determined activity statuses of the identified occupant in response to previously implemented manipulation of the control functions, modify the profile of the identified occupant and further modify the modified anthropomorphic object; and

based upon previously determined on-line statuses of the identified occupant and previously determined activity statuses of the identified occupant in response to previous presentations, modify the presentation.

18. A system, comprising:

a processor;

a source of light, the source of light being configured to output visible light in a manner permitting control of a plurality of parameters of the visible light output, responsive to control by the processor;

at least one other controllable feature configured to provide a humanly perceptible output, responsive to control by the processor;

a sensor configured to detect a condition in a space illuminated by the system, the condition relating to an activity of an occupant when within the space, and to provide a condition responsive input to the processor;

a user input element, for providing user input for processing to the processor;

a storage device accessible by the processor;

an anthropomorphic object related to a persona; and

a program in the storage device, wherein execution of the program by the processor configures the system to implement functions, including functions to;

control operation of the light source to illuminate the space while the occupant is in the space, including control of at least one of the plurality of parameters of the visible light output;

control operation of the at least one other controllable feature;

while controlling operation of the light source and the at least one other controllable feature, receive an input from at least one of;

the occupant representing a desired change of at least one of the parameters of the visible light output via the user input element; and

the sensor representing an activity status of the occupant while in the space based upon the condition responsive input to the processor; and

manipulate the control functions responsive to the received input based on the anthropomorphic object, in such a manner that the light output and operation of the at least one other controllable feature together provide a presentation for the occupant as a perceptible instance of the persona.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the anthropomorphic object comprises persona defining data, including at least one of:

information related to movement;

information related to sound;

information related to at least one lighting parameter;

information related to physical shape; and

information related to a personality.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the presentation for the occupant as a perceptible instance of the persona includes at least one of:

movement;

sound;

manipulation of at least one lighting parameter;

manipulation of physical shape;

power control; and

local or remote message output personalized in accordance with the anthropomorphic object.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the program includes a learning module configured to cause the processor to:

implement the manipulation of the control functions based upon previously received input in response to previously implemented manipulation of the control functions;

modify the anthropomorphic object based upon the received input and previously received inputs in response to previously implemented manipulation of the control functions; and

modify the presentation based upon previously received inputs in response to previous presentations.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the learning module is further configured to cause the processor to:

further modify the anthropomorphic object based upon previously received inputs in response to previous presentations; and

further modify the presentation based upon previously received inputs in response to previously implemented manipulation of the control functions.

23. The system of claim 18, wherein the sensor is configured to detect, as the condition, one or more conditions selected from the group consisting of:

an image of the space;

audio within the space;

motion of the occupant within the space; and

light from the occupant within the space.