Method for controlling lighting with a portable pointer device

• US 9,560,721 B2
• Filed: 01/28/2014
• Issued: 01/31/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Merivaara Oy (Lojer Oy)
• Original Assignee: Merivaara Oy (Lojer Oy)
• Inventors: Luostarinen, Markku
• Primary Examiner(s): Philogene, Haissa
• Application Number:
  US14/764,261
• Publication Number:
  US 20150366036A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,099 Days
• Field of Search: 315/129, 315/158, 315/294, 315/307, 315/308, 315/312, 362/33, 362/233, 340/12.22, 340/12.23
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2048 using an accelerometer or inertia sensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 50/28 suspended from the ceiling
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/30 Devices for illuminating a surgical field, the devices having an interrelation with other surgical devices or with a surgical procedure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/35 Supports therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0383 Signal control means within the pointing device
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/105 in response to determined parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission

Abstract

A method (100) for controlling lighting includes using a portable pointer device, intended for the focusing of lighting, to determine (310) its position for establishing position data, and transmitting (150) the position data to a control unit, which is intended for controlling a lighthead and which controls the lighthead in such a way that the lighthead produces lighting for an object from a direction determined by the position data and location data, the location data having been established by determining a location of the pointer device in relation to the lighthead.

Claims

1. A method for controlling lighting of an operating room with a portable pointer device, comprising:

indicating, by the pointer device, a light element which is used for illuminating an object, to a control unit, the pointer device being configured for focusing of the lighting, the control unit being configured for controlling a light head, and the light head comprising a plurality of light elements;

determining, in the pointer device a position for establishing position data, and

transmitting by the pointing device the position data to the control unit, which controls the lighthead in such a way that the lighthead produces lighting, which is co-directional with a body of the pointer device, to the object by at least one light element by means of the position data and location data,

wherein the pointer device and the control unit are separate entities,

wherein the at least one light element comprises the indicated light element, and

said location data having been established by determining a location of the pointer device in relation to the lighthead.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising determining a position of the pointer device with at least one acceleration sensor.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising determining, in the pointer device, the intensity of lighting on the basis of a command, obtained by way of a control button intended for its adjustment, for establishing intensity data.

4. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising determining, in the pointer device, its distance to the object of illumination for establishing distance data.

5. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising determining, in the pointer device, the size and/or shape of an area of intended illumination on the basis of a command obtained by way of a control button intended for the adjustment thereof, and on the basis of the position data of the pointer device, for establishing area-related data.

6. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising determining, in the pointer device, the color temperature of lighting on the basis of a command, obtained by way of a control button intended for its adjustment, for establishing color temperature data.

7. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising transmitting wirelessly, along with the position data, to the control unit at least one of the following:

intensity data, distance data, and color temperature data, and the control unit controls the lighthead on the basis of data received thereby.

8. The method as set forth in claim 2, further comprising transmitting wirelessly, along with the position data, to a control unit at least one of the following:

intensity data, distance data, and color temperature data, and the control unit controls the lighthead on the basis of data received thereby.

9. A computer program embodied in a non-transient storage medium, which is adapted to carry out a method as set forth in claim 1 when executed in a computer.

10. A lighting control system, which is adapted to carry out a method as set forth in claim 1.

11. The method as set forth in claim 2, further comprising determining, in the pointer device, the intensity of lighting on the basis of a command, obtained by way of a control button intended for adjustment, for establishing intensity data.

12. The method as set forth in claim 2, further comprising determining, in the pointer device, a distance of the pointing device to an object of illumination for establishing distance data.

13. The method as set forth in claim 2, further comprising determining, in the pointer device, a size and/or shape of an area of intended illumination on the basis of a command obtained by way of a control button configured for an adjustment thereof, and on the basis of the position data of the pointer device, for establishing area-related data.

14. The method as set forth in claim 2, further comprising determining, in the pointer device, a color temperature of lighting on the basis of a command, obtained by way of a control button intended for adjustment, for establishing color temperature data.

15. A portable pointer device for controlling lighting of an operating room, comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory comprising a computer program embodied in a non-transient storage medium, wherein

the at least one memory and the computer program, together with the at least one processor, are adapted to cause the pointer device at least to indicate a light element, which is used for illuminating an object, to a control unit,

the pointer device is intended for a focusing of the lighting,

the control unit is intended for controlling a light head),

the light head comprises a plurality of light elements,

the pointer device is further configured to determine a position for establishing position data and to transmit the position data to the control unit, which controls the lighthead in such a way that the lighthead produces lighting, which is codirectional with a body of the pointer device, to the object by at least one light element) by means of the position data and location data,

the pointer device and the control unit are separate entities,

the at least one light element comprises the indicated light element, and

said location data having been established by determining a location of the pointer device in relation to the lighthead.