METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR GENERATING AND MODULATING WHITE LIGHT ILLUMINATION CONDITIONS

• US 20070115665A1
• Filed: 01/22/2007
• Published: 05/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Signify North America Corporation (Signify N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Color Kinetics Incorporated (Signify N.V.)
• Inventors: Morgan, Frederick, Lys, Ihor, Dowling, Kevin, Mueller, George, Ducharme, Alfred, Cella, Charles
• Granted Patent: US 7,572,028 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/276
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 42/10 illuminated
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 44/02 Furniture or other equipment specially adapted for hairdressers' rooms and not covered elsewhere hairdressers' chairs A47C1/04
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/00 Light sources using semiconductor devices as light-generating elements, e.g. using light-emitting diodes [LED] or lasers
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/406 for theatres, stages or film studios
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2103/10 comprising a linear array of point-like light-generating elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• 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 45/22 using optical feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/325 Pulse-width modulation [PWM]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/3577 Emulating the dimming characteristics, brightness or colour temperature of incandescent lamps
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/3578 Emulating the electrical or functional characteristics of discharge lamps
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/38 using boost topology
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/155 Coordinated control of two or more light sources
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for generating and modulating white light illumination conditions. Examples of applications in which such methods and apparatus may be implemented include retail environments (e.g., food, clothing, jewelry, paint, furniture, fabrics, etc.) or service environments (e.g., cosmetics, hair and beauty salons and spas, photography, etc.) where visible aspects of the products/services being offered are significant in attracting sales of the products/services. Other applications include theatre and cinema, medical and dental implementations, as well as vehicle-based (automotive) implementations. In another example, a personal grooming apparatus includes one or more light sources disposed in proximity to a mirror and configured to generate variable color light, including essentially white light, whose color temperature may be controlled by a user.

Claims

1. A method of providing illumination in a marketplace, comprising:

a) generating radiation using a plurality of LEDs including at least one white LED, the radiation comprising essentially white light and having an adjustable spectral content;

b) illuminating at least one article in the marketplace with the generated radiation, the marketplace comprising a consumer environment configured for the sale or purchase of goods or services; and

c) controlling the spectral content of the generated radiation.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step c) comprises controlling a color temperature of the generated radiation.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step c) comprises controlling one of a UV component and an IR component of the generated radiation.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step c) comprises controlling the spectral content in response to at least one sensed condition.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step c) comprises controlling the spectral content in response to at least one action of a person in the vicinity of the at least one article.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step c) comprises controlling the spectral content in response to execution of a program.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step c) comprises a step of controlling the spectral content so as to simulate at least one indoor lighting condition.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step c) comprises a step of controlling the spectral content so as to simulate at least one outdoor lighting condition.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the marketplace comprises an environment configured for the provision of personal grooming or beauty-related goods or services.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one article comprises at least one of a food item, an item of jewelry, an article of clothing, a cosmetic item, an item associated with home dé

cor, an item of furniture, a vehicle, a personal body part, a photograph, and a piece of artwork.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the step c) comprises controlling the spectral content of the radiation in response to the at least one network control signal that includes address information and lighting instructions for the plurality of LEDs.

12. An illumination system for a marketplace that comprises a consumer environment configured for the sale or purchase of goods or services, the system comprising:

at least one LED-based light source including at least one white LED and configured such that radiation comprising essentially white light, when generated by the source, impinges on at least one article disposed within the consumer environment for sale to a purchaser; and

at least one controller coupled to the at least one LED-based light source and configured to control a spectral content of the radiation.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the marketplace comprises an environment configured for the provision of personal grooming or beauty-related goods or services.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one controller is adapted to control a color temperature of the essentially white light.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the least one controller is adapted to dynamically vary the color temperature of the essentially white light.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one controller is adapted to control the spectral content of the radiation so as to simulate at least one indoor lighting condition.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one controller is adapted to control the spectral content of the radiation so as to simulate at least one outdoor lighting condition.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one article comprises a food item.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one article comprises an article of jewelry.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one article comprises an article of clothing.

21. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one article comprises an article of furniture.

22. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one article comprises an automobile.

23. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one article comprises an item of home dé

cor.

24. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one article comprises a cosmetic item.

25. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one article comprises a still graphic image.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the at least one article comprises one of a photograph, a slide, and a painting.

27. The system of claim 12, wherein the marketplace comprises a dressing room and wherein the article is disposed in the dressing room.

28. The system of claim 12, wherein the marketplace comprises a display case and wherein the article is disposed in the display case.

29. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one controller is configured to control the spectral content of the radiation in response to at least one sensed condition.

30. The system of claim 29, further comprising at least one sensor coupled to the at least one controller to detect the at least one sensed condition.

31. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one controller is configured to control the spectral content of the radiation in response to at least one action of a person in the vicinity of the at least one article.

32. The system of claim 31, further comprising at least one user interface coupled to the at least one controller and configured to allow the person in the vicinity of the at least one article to control the spectral content of the radiation.

33. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one LED-based light source comprises a first LED-based light source and a second LED-based light source, the first LED-based light source and the second LED-based light source constituting a networked lighting system and each being adapted to be controlled by at least one network control signal.

34. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one article comprises a first article and a second article, wherein the at least one LED-base light source comprises a first LED-based light source and a second LED-based light source, and wherein the first LED-based light source is arranged to illuminate the first article and the second LED-based light source is arranged to illuminate the second article.

35. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one controller is configured to control at least one of a UV component and an IR component of the radiation.

36. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one controller comprises at least one addressable controller configured to receive and process lighting instructions that are formatted as at least one network control signal, the at least one addressable controller configured to control the spectral content of the radiation in response to the at least one network control signal.