Image sensor controlled lighting fixture

• US 9,930,752 B2
• Filed: 11/10/2015
• Issued: 03/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Current Lighting Solutions, LLC (f/k/a GE Lighting Solutions, LLC) (American Industrial Partners)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Balazs, Laszlo, Both, Tamas, Naud, Jean-Marc
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Tung X
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHAI, RAYMOND REI-YANG
• Application Number:
  US14/937,408
• Publication Number:
  US 20170135179A1
• Time in Patent Office: 868 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 8/12 using one transmitter and one receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/698 for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/00 Circuitry of solid-state image sensors [SSIS]; Control thereof
• 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

Methods and systems for controlling lighting fixtures independently with image sensors. In an embodiment, a luminaire includes a controller, an image sensor and wide-angle lens component, and a light source. The controller receives detection signal data from the image sensor and wide-angle lens component when a user is within a detection area associated with a view angle of the wide angle lens, and then determines the position of the user. The controller then controls the illuminance of the light source based on the position of the user. In particular, illuminance is increased as the user approaches a center portion of the detection area, and decreased as the user moves away from the center portion.

Claims

1. A lighting system for providing illumination to an area comprising a plurality of independent lighting fixture, each lighting fixture comprising:

a controller;

an image sensor and wide-angle lens component operably connected to the controller and having a viewing angle that covers a detection area encompassing an entire predefined space; and

a light source operably connected to the controller;

wherein the controller

receives a detection signal data from the image sensor and wide-angle lens component when a user is within the predefined space,

determines the position of the user from a center line associated with the light source based on the detection signal data, and

controls the light source based on the position of the user to thus increase light source illuminance as the user approaches the center line and to decrease light source illuminance as the user moves away from the center line.

2. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein the controller controls the light source to gradually increase illuminance when the image sensor and wide angle lens component detects the presence of the user approaching a center portion of the detection area.

3. The lighting system of claim 2, wherein the controller controls the light source to increase illuminance to a maximum value when the image sensor and wide angle lens component detects the presence of the user at the center portion of the detection area.

4. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein the viewing angle of the image sensor and wide-angle lens component is in the range of from 100°

to 175°

.

5. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein the viewing angle of the image sensor and wide-angle lens component is in the range of from 160°

to 175°

.

6. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein the viewing angle of the image sensor and wide-angle lens component is 140°

.

7. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein a sampling rate of the image sensor and wide-angle lens component and controller is greater than one Hertz.

8. A method for controlling illumination of an area comprising:

monitoring, by a plurality of independent luminaires, a predefined area for a presence of at least one user, wherein each luminaire comprises;

a controller;

an image sensor and wide-angle lens component operably connected to the controller and having a viewing angle that covers a detection area encompassing the entire predefined area; and

a light source operably connected to the controller;

detecting, by each of the plurality of independent luminaires, a user when the user is in the predefined area; and

controlling, by each controller of the plurality of independent luminaires, the illuminance of its light source based on a detection signal data from its image sensor and wide-angle lens component,

wherein when the detection signal data indicates that the user is approaching a center line associated with its light source of the luminaire the controller controls the light source to increase illuminance, and wherein when the detection signal data indicates that the user is moving away from the center line the controller controls the light source to decrease illuminance.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein controlling the illuminance of the light source further comprises gradually increasing, by the controller of the luminaire, the illuminance of the light source when the image sensor and wide angle lens component detects the presence of a user approaching the center line.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein controlling the illuminance of the light source further comprises increasing, by the controller of the luminaire, the illuminance of the light source to a maximum value when the image sensor and wide angle lens component detects the presence of the user at the center line.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the image sensor and wide-angle lens component operates with the viewing angle in the range of from 160°

to 175°

.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the image sensor and wide-angle lens component operates with the viewing angle in the range of from 160°

to 175°

.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the image sensor and wide-angle lens component operates with the viewing angle of 165°

.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the image sensor and wide-angle lens component and controller operate with a sampling rate of greater than one Hertz.