Apparatus for controlling lighting parameters based on time of day and/or ambient light conditions and related methods

• US 9,936,556 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2014
• Issued: 04/03/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Original Assignee: Philips Lighting Holding BV (Signify N.V.)
• Inventors: Chraibi, Sanae, Newton, Philip Steven, Mason, Jonathan David, Rigot, Bertrand, Aliakseyeu, Dzmitry Viktorovich, Clout, Ramon Antoine Wiro, Knaapen, Bram, Dekker, Tim, Van de Sluis, Bartel Marinus, Verbucken, Maria Hendrica
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Tung X
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chai, Raymond R
• Application Number:
  US15/032,375
• Publication Number:
  US 20160295658A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,264 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/23 Retrofit light sources for lighting devices with a single fitting for each light source, e.g. for substitution of incandescent lamps with bayonet or threaded fittings
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/238 Arrangement or mounting of circuit elements integrated in the light source
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/006 of point-like light sources, e.g. incandescent or halogen lamps, with screw-threaded or bayonet base of sources having contact pins, wires or blades F21V19/0005; of LEDs or sources mounted on printed-circuit board F21V19/001
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2101/00 Point-like light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/12 using optical feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/20 Controlling the colour of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/105 in response to determined parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/16 by timing means
• 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

Disclosed is a lighting unit (10) that utilizes sensor data to select a fade-in or fade-out profile for one or more light sources (12). The lighting unit includes a clock module (20), an ambient light level sensor (18), and a controller (16). The controller receives ambient light level data from the ambient light level sensor and time of day data from the clock module, and utilizes the received information to automatically select a fade-in or fade-out profile. The controller can also use the received ambient light level data to calibrate the clock module.

Claims

1. A method for calibrating a clock module using a lighting unit comprising at least one LED-based light source, an ambient light level sensor, the clock module, and a controller operably connected between said light source and both of the said ambient light level sensor and the clock module, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving ambient light level data at said controller from said ambient light level sensor;

receiving time data at said controller from said clock module;

receiving a request to turn the at least one light source on;

receiving a request to turn the at least one light source off;

receiving ambient light level data at said controller from said ambient light level sensor;

determining, using data from said clock module, how much time has elapsed between the request to turn the at least one light source on and the request to turn the at least one light source off;

determine the approximate time of day based at least in part on how much time has elapsed and any change in ambient light level data from when the request to turn the at least one light source on was received and when the request to turn the at least one light source off was received; and

adjusting the clock module based on the determined approximate time of day.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of initializing the clock module with initial time data.