Directional lighting system and method

• US 9,635,737 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2015
• Issued: 04/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Feit Electric Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: LiFi Labs, Inc. (Buddy Technologies Ltd.)
• Inventors: Bosua, Phillip Anthony, Alexander, Marc
• Primary Examiner(s): Tan, Vibol
• Application Number:
  US14/920,020
• Publication Number:
  US 20160044766A1
• Time in Patent Office: 551 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/232 specially adapted for generating an essentially omnidirectional light distribution, e.g. with a glass bulb
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/235 Details of bases or caps, i.e. the parts that connect the light source to a fitting; Arrangement of components within bases or caps F21K9/238 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/238 Arrangement or mounting of circuit elements integrated in the light source
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2113/13 comprising an assembly of point-like light sources
• 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 45/14 using electrical feedback from LEDs or from LED modules
• 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 45/60 Circuit arrangements for operating LEDs comprising organic material, e.g. for operating organic light-emitting diodes [OLED] or polymer light-emitting diodes [PLED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/115 by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/155 Coordinated control of two or more light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/17 Operational modes, e.g. switching from manual to automatic mode or prohibiting specific operations
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/175 by remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/18 via data-bus transmission
• 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

The method of spatial lightbulb operation includes determining the position of the lightbulb relative to a physical space, detecting a contextual event, determining a spatial lighting pattern associated with the contextual event, and selectively controlling lightbulb light emitting elements based on the position of the lightbulb and the spatial lighting pattern. A lightbulb including: a plurality of individually controlled light emitting elements mounted in fixed, predetermined positions on the substrate; a light sensor mounted to the substrate; a wireless communication module; and a processor configured to: index each light emitting element; progress each of the plurality of light emitting elements through an orientation pattern; associate a reference point on the lightbulb with an external reference point; and selectively operate individual light emitting elements of the plurality according to lighting instructions, based on a relationship between the reference point on the lightbulb and the external reference point.

Claims

1. A method for controlling device operation, the method comprising:

receiving power at a connected lighting system from an external power source, the connected lighting system comprising a microphone, a wireless communication module, and a processor electrically connected to the microphone and the wireless communication module;

while power is being received at the connected lighting system from the external power source;

receiving, at the microphone, an audio input from a user;

detecting, at the processor, an audio pattern from the audio input; and

in response to detecting the audio pattern, transmitting, at the wireless communication module, the audio pattern to a remote server;

receiving operation instructions, determined based on the audio pattern, at the connected lighting system; and

operating the connected lighting system based on the operation instructions, wherein the operation instructions comprise a reset trigger event, and wherein operating the connected lighting system comprises initiating a reset routine in response to receiving the reset trigger event.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the connected lighting system comprises a connected lightbulb.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining an identifier for the connected lightbulb; and

determining to a geographic location associated with the identifier of the connected lightbulb;

wherein the operation instructions are determined based on the geographic location of the connected lightbulb.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein operating the connected lighting system comprises operating the connected lighting system to control a television proximal the connected lighting system and wirelessly connected to the connected lighting system.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein:

receiving the operation instructions comprises receiving the operation instructions from the remote server the wireless communication system; and

operating the connected lightbulb comprises;

determining, at the processor of the connected lighting system, a lighting parameter based on the operation instructions; and

emitting, at the connected lightbulb, light based on the lighting parameter.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting user proximity to the connected lightbulb based on the audio input;

wherein the operation instructions are determined based on the user proximity.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein initiating the reset routine comprises:

erasing information from the connected lighting system; and

reconnecting the connected lighting system to the remote server using the wireless communication module of the connected lighting system.

8. A method for controlling operation of a remote device, the method comprising:

receiving power at a first connected lightbulb from an external power source, the first connected lightbulb comprising a microphone, a wireless communication module, and a processor electrically connected to the microphone and the wireless communication module;

while power is being received at the first connected lightbulb from the external power source;

receiving, at the microphone, an audio input from a user;

detecting, at the processor, an audio pattern based on the audio input;

in response to detecting the audio pattern, transmitting, at the wireless communication module, the audio pattern to a remote server;

receiving, at the wireless communication system, operation instructions from the remote server, wherein the operation instructions are determined from the audio pattern; and

in response to receiving the operation instructions, controlling operation of the remote device using the operation instructions, wherein the remote device is a second connected lightbulb, and wherein the first and the second connected lightbulbs comprise a first and a second set of light emitting elements, respectively, wherein the operation instructions comprise a spatial lighting pattern, and wherein controlling operation of the remote device comprises operating the second light emitting element based on a first lighting parameter determined from the spatial lighting pattern.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the spatial lighting pattern comprises directing light toward a geographic location, wherein operating the second light emitting element comprises controlling the second light emitting element to direct light towards the geographic location, the method further comprising, in response to receiving the spatial lighting pattern from the remote server, controlling a first light emitting element of the first connected lightbulb to direct light towards the geographic location based on a second lighting parameter determined from the spatial lighting pattern.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the second connected lightbulb comprises a light sensor, and wherein transmitting the operation instructions to the remote device comprises:

emitting incident light at the first lighting element of the first connected lightbulb;

measuring the incident light at the light sensor of the second connected lightbulb; and

determining a position of the first connected lightbulb based on the measurement of the incident light, wherein directing the second light emitting element towards the geographic location is based on the position of the first connected lightbulb.