Lighting system having a controller that contributes to a selected light scene, and a method for controlling such a system

• US 9,565,736 B2
• Filed: 01/27/2014
• Issued: 02/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Signify Holding B.V. (Signify N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Philips Lighting Holding BV (Signify N.V.)
• Inventors: Sinitsyn, Alexandre Georgievich, Bagheri, Saeed Reza, Aliakseyeu, Dzmitry Viktorovich, Holenderski, Leszek, Patel, Maulin Dahyabhai
• Primary Examiner(s): Philogene, Haissa
• Application Number:
  US14/765,589
• Publication Number:
  US 20150373810A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,107 Days
• Field of Search: 315391-295, 315/297, 315/307, 315/312, 315/316, 315/360
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/10 Controlling the light source
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/155 Coordinated control of two or more light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/175 by remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/1965 using handheld communication devices

Abstract

A lighting system comprising light sources for illuminating an area and a control unit adapted to control the light sources. The control unit has a user interface allowing a user to select a light scene. The user interface has a screen for displaying information to the user. The control unit is adapted to control the user interface to display selected content on the screen, which content is selected such that light emitted from the screen during display of the content contributes to the selected light scene. When the screen is used in this way, i.e. as a part of the light scene created by the lighting system, the screen enhances the light scene and the risk of the screen interfering with the light scene is reduced, resulting in an improved user experience.

Claims

1. A user control arrangement for a lighting system having a plurality of light sources, the user control arrangement comprising a control unit and a user interface allowing a user to select a light scene, said user interface having a screen for displaying information to the user,

said control unit being adapted to determine settings for at least one of said light sources, wherein said settings cause the lighting system to provide an illumination corresponding to the selected light scene,

said control unit further being adapted to control said user interface to display selected content on said screen, said content being selected such that light emitted from the screen during display of said content contributes to the selected light scene,

wherein said user interface has a first state, in which said user interface is configured to receive input from said user, and a second state, in which said user interface is configured not to receive input from said user, and wherein said user interface is adapted to display said content only in said second state.

2. The user control arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said content comprises an image.

3. The user control arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said content comprises an advertisement.

4. The user control arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said content is based on a parameter chosen from a group consisting of current date, current time of day, weather and location of the user in relation to the system.

5. The user control arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to select the content based on the selected light scene in response to the user selection of the light scene.

6. The user control arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said user interface is further adapted to allow the user to define said light scene.

7. The user control arrangement according to claim 6, wherein the screen is a touch screen.

8. The user control arrangement according to claim 7, wherein the touch screen is capable of forming a three-dimensional surface structure.

9. The user control arrangement according to claim 8, wherein said user interface is a mobile device, in wireless communication with said control unit.

10. A lighting system, comprising a plurality of light sources for illuminating an area and a user control arrangement according to claim 9.

11. A method for controlling a lighting system having a plurality of light sources for illuminating an area, said method comprising the steps of:

displaying a user interface on a screen, wherein said user interface allows a user to select a light scene,

receiving a user selection of the light scene,

determining settings for at least one of said light sources, wherein said settings are based on the selected light scene,

identifying content to display on the screen, said content being selected such that light emitted from the screen when the content is displayed on the screen contributes to the light scene, and

displaying said content on the screen,

wherein said user interface has a first state, in which said user interface is configured receive input from said user, and a second state, in which said user interface is configured not to receive input from said user, and wherein said content is displayed only when said user interface is in said second state.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein said user selection includes information defining said light scene.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein said identifying is performed in response to said receiving and is based on the user selected light scene.