Method for controlling lighting element and associated system

• US 9,661,723 B2
• Filed: 08/27/2015
• Issued: 05/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xueshan Technologies Inc. (Wi-LAN Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MediaTek, Inc.
• Inventors: Liu, Shan, Liu, Chenghao
• Primary Examiner(s): Taningco, Alexander H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bahr, Kurtis R
• Application Number:
  US14/836,969
• Publication Number:
  US 20160174342A1
• Time in Patent Office: 635 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/10 Controlling the intensity of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/20 Controlling the colour of the light
• 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

A method for controlling at least one lighting element includes: setting a dimming speed; determining a dimming level according to the dimming speed; and using the dimming level to perform a stepped dimming operation to brighten or dim the lighting element.

Claims

1. A method for controlling at least one lighting element within a lighting device, comprising:

receiving a dimming speed from an electronic device outside the lighting device, wherein the dimming speed is represented by an unsigned integer without unit;

calculating a dimming level according to the dimming speed, wherein the dimming level is calculated by using a formula;

m=INT(|(x−

y)/(D_speed*k)|),

“

m”

is the dimming level, “

x”

is a current brightness of the lighting element, “

y”

is the target brightness of the lighting element, “

D_speed”

is the dimming speed, and “

k”

is a speed factor; and

using the dimming level to perform a stepped dimming operation to brighten or dim the lighting element.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is for controlling a plurality of lighting elements, and the lighting elements comprise a plurality of color components with different colors, and the steps of receiving the dimming speed, calculating the dimming level, and brightening or dimming the lighting element comprise:

receiving a plurality of dimming speeds for the color components, respectively;

calculating a plurality of dimming levels for the color components according to the dimming speeds, respectively; and

brightening or dimming the color components by using the dimming levels.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the dimming speeds are not all the same.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is arranged for controlling a plurality of lighting elements positioned in different places, and the steps of receiving the dimming speed, calculating the dimming level, and brightening or dimming the lighting element comprise:

receiving a plurality of dimming speeds for the lighting devices, respectively;

calculating a plurality of dimming levels for the lighting devices according to the dimming speeds, respectively; and

brightening or dimming the lighting devices by using the dimming levels, respectively.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the dimming speeds are not all the same.

6. A method for controlling at least one lighting element within a lighting device, comprising:

receiving a dimming speed from an electronic device outside the lighting device, wherein the dimming speed is represented by an unsigned integer without unit;

calculating a dimming level according to the dimming speed, wherein the dimming level is calculated by using a formula;

m=INT(|(L max−

L min)/(D_speed*k)|),

“

m”

is the dimming level, “

Lmax”

is a maximum dimming level, “

Lmin”

is a minimum dimming level, “

D_speed”

is the dimming speed, and “

k”

is a speed factor; and

using the dimming level to perform a stepped dimming operation to brighten or dim the lighting element.