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

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016295658-A1
Application number	US-201415032375-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 17, 2014
Priority date	Oct 28, 2013
Publication date	Oct 6, 2016
Grant date	—

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.

First claim

1 . A lighting unit comprising:
at least one light source, wherein a property of light emitted from said at least one light source is adjustable; a clock module; and a controller operably connected between said light source and said clock module; an ambient light level sensor configured to sense ambient light level, wherein the controller is operably connected between said light source and both of the said ambient light level sensor and the dock module; wherein the controller is configured to receive time of day data from said clock module; wherein the controller is configured to automatically select a fade-in or fade-out profile for said property of light based at least in part on said time of day data, and wherein said controller is configured to utilize ambient light data from said ambient light level sensor to calibrate said clock module.

2 . The lighting unit of claim 1 ,
wherein the controller is configured to receive the ambient light data from said ambient light level sensor and time of day data from said clock module; and wherein the controller is configured to automatically select the fade-in or fade-out profile for said property of light based at least in part upon said ambient light data or said time of day data.

3 . (canceled)

4 . The lighting unit of claim 2 , further comprising a communications module configured to receive ambient light level data from a remote ambient light level sensor and/or to receive time of day data from a remote clock module

5 . The lighting unit of claim 4 , wherein said communications module is a near field communication module.

6 . The lighting unit of claim 1 , wherein said property is intensity of light emitted by said at least one light source.

7 . The lighting unit of claim 1 , wherein said property is a color or color temperature of light emitted by said at least one light source.

8 . The lighting unit of claim 1 , further comprising a light source driver operably connected between said controller and said at least one light source.

9 . (canceled)

10 . The lighting unit of claim 1 , further comprising an energy store operably connected to the clock module and the controller.

11 . (canceled)

12 . (canceled)

13 . The lighting unit of claim 1 , wherein said at least one light source is an LED-based light source.

14 . A method for determining a fade-in profile for a property of light, using a lighting unit comprising at least one light source, an ambient light level sensor, a 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; the controller utilizing the ambient light level data from said ambient light level sensor to calibrate the clock module; receiving time of day data at said controller from said clock module; receiving a request for a fade-in profile;
determining, using said controller, the fade-in profile for said property of light based at least in part on said received ambient light data or said time of day data; and
performing the determined fade-in profile.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein said at least one light source is an LED-based light source.

16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein said property is intensity or a color of light emitted from said at least one light source.

17 . (canceled)

18 . The method of claim 14 , wherein said lighting unit comprises a light source driver operably connected between said controller and said at least one light source.

19 . (canceled)

20 . The method of claim 14 , wherein said lighting unit comprises a global positioning system device (GPS), and wherein said determining step further comprises determining the fade-in profile based at least in part on global positioning information.

21 . A method for determining a fade-out profile for a property of light using a lighting unit comprising at least one light source, a clock module, and a controller operably connected between said light source and the clock module, the method comprising the steps of:
the controller utilizing ambient light level data from an ambient light level sensor to calibrate the clock module; receiving time of day data at said controller from said clock module; receiving a request for a fade-out profile;
determining, using said controller, a fade-out profile for said property of light based at least in part on said time of day data; and
performing the determined fade-out profile.

22 . The method of claim 21 , wherein said at least one light source is an LED-based light source.

23 . The method of claim 21 , wherein said property is intensity or a color of light emitted from said at least one light source.

24 . (canceled)

25 . (canceled)

26 . (canceled)

27 . (canceled)

28 . 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.

29 . The method of claim 28 , further comprising the step of initializing the clock module with initial time data.

30 . A method for determining a lighting scene using a lighting system comprising at least one light source, wherein a property of light emitted from said at least one light source is adjustable, a clock module, a memory, and a controller operably connected to said at least one light source, said clock module and said memory, the method comprising the steps of:
storing in said memory executable instructions for each of a plurality of lighting scenes; receiving a request for a lighting scene;
an ambient light level sensor sensing an ambient light level, said controller being operably connected to said at least one light source and both of the said ambient light level sensor and the dock module;
said controller utilizing said ambient light data from said ambient light level sensor to calibrate said clock module;
receiving time of day data at said controller from said clock module;
selecting, using said controller, executable instructions for one of the plurality of lighting scenes based at least in part on said time data; and
performing said

Assignees

• Philips Lighting Holding Bv

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

Classifications

• F21K9/23

  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 title

• F21Y2101/00

  Point-like light sources · CPC title

• H05B47/19

  via wireless transmission · CPC title

• H05B47/11

  by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light · CPC title

• H05B47/105

  in response to determined parameters · CPC title