Sensor device for controlling an electrical device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12200843-B2
Application number	US-202017790558-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 21, 2020
Priority date	Jan 2, 2020
Publication date	Jan 14, 2025
Grant date	Jan 14, 2025

Abstract

The invention provides a sensor device for controlling an electrical device, wherein the sensor device comprises a controller and a range sensor; wherein sensor device is configured to be mounted in an orientation relative to gravity; wherein the range sensor is configured to: obtain the orientation of the sensor device relative to gravity; operate in a first detection mode for detecting an object within a first predetermined distance range from the range sensor when the orientation is in a first predetermined orientation; wherein the controller is configured to output a control signal arranged for controlling the electrical device upon the range sensor detecting the object.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A sensor device for controlling an electrical device, the sensor device configured to be mounted in an orientation relative to gravity, the sensor device comprising:
a controller; and
a range sensor;
wherein the range sensor is configured to:
obtain the orientation of the sensor device relative to gravity;
operate in a first detection mode for detecting an object within a first predetermined distance range from the range sensor when the orientation is in a first predetermined orientation; and
operate in a second detection mode for detecting the object within a second predetermined distance range from the range sensor when the orientation is in a second predetermined orientation;

wherein the first predetermined orientation is different to the second predetermined orientation, the first detection mode is different to the second detection mode, and the controller is configured to output a control signal arranged for controlling the electrical device upon the range sensor detecting the object.

2. The sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor device is a wall-plug.

3. The sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein the range sensor is a Time-of-Flight sensor.

4. The sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein the first predetermined orientation is within 30 degrees of a gravitational direction.

5. The sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor device comprises a projection unit configured to project a first user interface on a surface; and
wherein the first user interface is indicative of the first predetermined distance range from the range sensor.

6. The sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein the first predetermined distance range is discontinuous and consists of a plurality of first predetermined distance subranges.

7. The sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein the second predetermined orientation is within 30 degrees of a plane perpendicular to the gravitational direction.

8. The sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein the first detection mode is related to a user interface function for controlling the electrical device, and
wherein the second detection mode is related to a presence detection function.

9. The sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor device comprises a sensing means for measuring the orientation of the sensor device; and
wherein the sensing means is configured to convey the orientation of the sensor device to the range sensor.

10. The sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein the control signal comprises an instruction for the electrical device to adapt a lighting characteristic of a light source; and
wherein the lighting characteristic is at least one of: an on/off sequence, an intensity, a color, a color temperature, a modulation, and a light scene.

11. The sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein the controller comprises a wireless communication circuit, and
wherein the wireless communication circuit is configured to output the control signal via at least one of: Bluetooth, ZigBee, Wi-Fi, Near Field Communication (NFC), Radio-frequency identification (RFID), Infrared Radiation (IR), Long Range (Lo-Ra), Light Fidelity (Li-Fi), Visible Light Communication (VLC), Radio-Frequency (RF), and IEEE 802.15.1.

12. The sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein the object is at least one of: a person, a body part, an arm, a hand, a finger, a fingertip, a leg, a foot, a figurine, a gesture, a drone, a door, a window, a furniture, a portable device, or a portable object.

13. A control system comprising the sensor device according to claim 1 and an electrical device, wherein the sensor device is configured to control the electrical device in operation.

14. The sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein the first predetermined orientation is parallel to the gravitational direction.

15. The sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein the second predetermined orientation is perpendicular to the gravitational direction.

16. A method performed by a sensor device for controlling an electrical device, the sensor device having a controller and a range sensor, the method comprising:
orienting the sensor device, by the sensor device, relative to gravity;
obtaining an orientation of the sensor device, by the range sensor, relative to gravity;
operating the range sensor in a first detection mode for detecting a object within a first predetermined distance range from the range sensor when the orientation of the sensor device is in a first predetermined orientation;
operating the range sensor in a second detection mode for detecting the object within a second predetermined distance range from the range sensor when the orientation of the sensor device is in a second predetermined orientation, wherein the first predetermined orientation is different to the second predetermined orientation, and the first detection mode is different to the second detection mode;
outputting a control signal, by the controller, arranged for controlling the electrical device upon the range sensor detecting the object.

17. A sensor device for controlling an electrical device, the sensor device comprising:
a controller,
a pivotable head, and
a range sensor;
wherein the pivotable head houses the range sensor, and the pivotable head is configured to be oriented relative to a surface to which the sensor device is mounted in operation;
wherein the range sensor is configured to:
obtain an orientation of the pivotable head;
operate in a first detection mode for detecting an object within a first predetermined distance range from the range sensor when the orientation of the pivotable head is in a first predetermined orientation; and
operate in a second detection mode for detecting the object within a second predetermined distance range from the range sensor when the orientation of the pivotable head is in a second predetermined orientation;

wherein the first predetermined orientation is different to the second predetermined orientation, the first detection mode is different to the second detection mode, and the controller is configured to output a control signal arranged for controlling the electrical device upon the range sensor detecting the object.

Assignees

• Signify Holding Bv

Inventors

• Broers Harry
• Ekkel Jan
• Draaijer Maurice Herman Johan

Classifications

• H05B47/19 Primary

  via wireless transmission · CPC title

• H05B47/196

  characterised by user interface arrangements · CPC title

• H05B47/199

  Commissioning of light sources · CPC title

• G01S17/10

  using transmission of interrupted, pulse-modulated waves (determination of distance by phase measurements G01S17/32) · CPC title

• Y02B20/40

  Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection · CPC title