Environmental simulation for indoor spaces

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019242539-A1
Application number	US-201916259491-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 28, 2019
Priority date	Feb 8, 2018
Publication date	Aug 8, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

A process for providing a desired environment in an indoor space includes providing light from one or more light sources suitable for meeting a set of general illumination parameters and dynamically adjusting the light from the one or more light sources based on a set of simulated environment illumination parameters while maintaining the light within the general illumination parameters. By dynamically adjusting the light from the one or more light sources, the feelings of the desired environment may be evoked within the indoor space. By maintaining the light output within the set of general illumination parameters, the effect of the dynamic adjustment may minimize distraction caused thereby.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for simulating a natural environment in an indoor space comprising:
providing light from one or more light sources based on general illumination parameters, wherein the general illumination parameters specify one or more light output characteristics that are suitable for general illumination; and dynamically adjusting the one or more light output characteristics of the light provided from the one or more light sources to simulate light provided in an outdoor environment while maintaining the light output characteristics of the light provided from the one or more light sources within the general illumination parameters.

2 . The method of claim 1 wherein the light output parameters include one or more of hue, saturation, brightness, color, color temperature, and color rendering index.

3 . The method of claim 1 wherein dynamically adjusting the one or more light output characteristics of the light provided from the one or more light sources to simulate the light provided in the outdoor environment while maintaining the light output characteristics of the light provided from the one or more light sources within the general illumination parameters comprises:
adjusting the light output of a first light source; and
compensating for the adjustment of the first light source with a second light source such that an average light output of the first light source and the second light source remains within the general illumination parameters.

4 . The method of claim 3 wherein the one or more light sources comprise lighting fixtures comprising a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs).

5 . The method of claim 4 further comprising measuring the one or more light output characteristics using sensors on each one of the lighting fixtures.

6 . The method of claim 5 wherein dynamically adjusting the one or more light output characteristics of the light provided from the one or more light sources to simulate the light provided in the outdoor environment while maintaining the light output characteristics of the light provided from the one or more light sources within the general illumination parameters is performed based on measurements obtained by the sensors on each one of the lighting fixtures.

7 . The method of claim 1 wherein dynamically adjusting the one or more light output characteristics of the light provided from the one or more light sources to simulate the light provided in the outdoor environment while maintaining the light output characteristics of the light provided from the one or more light sources within the general illumination parameters comprises ensuring that an average light output of the one or more light sources is within the general illumination parameters.

8 . The method of claim 7 wherein dynamically adjusting the one or more light output characteristics of the light provided from the one or more light sources to simulate the light provided in the outdoor environment while maintaining the light output characteristics of the light provided from the one or more light sources within the general illumination parameters comprises ensuring that an average light output of the one or more light sources within a predefined period of time is within the general illumination parameters.

9 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:
controlling one or more environmental conditions based on general environmental parameters, wherein the general environmental parameters specify one or more environmental parameters that are suitable for an indoor working environment; and
dynamically adjusting the one or more environmental conditions to simulate the environmental conditions of the outdoor environment while maintaining the environmental conditions within the general environmental parameters.

10 . The method of claim 9 wherein the one or more environmental parameters include sound, temperature, and air circulation.

11 . The method of claim 1 wherein dynamically adjusting the one or more light output characteristics of the light provided from the one or more light sources to simulate the light provided in the outdoor environment while maintaining the light output characteristics of the light provided from the one or more light sources within the general illumination parameters comprises independently adjusting the one or more light output characteristics of each of the one or more light sources.

12 . The method of claim 1 wherein dynamically adjusting the one or more light output characteristics of the light provided from the one or more light sources to simulate the light provided in the outdoor environment while maintaining the light output characteristics of the light provided from the one or more light sources within the general illumination parameters is performed based on sensor data describing the outdoor environment.

13 . An intelligent lighting network comprising:
a plurality of lighting fixtures, each one of the plurality of lighting fixtures comprising:
a light source;
processing circuitry; and
a memory storing instructions, which, when executed by the processing circuitry cause the lighting fixture to:
provide light based on general illumination parameters via the light source, wherein the general illumination parameters specify one or more light output characteristics that are suitable for general illumination; and
dynamically adjust the one or more light output characteristics of the light provided from the light source to simulate light provided in an outdoor environment while maintaining the light output characteristics in a space in which the lighting fixture is located within the general illumination parameters.

14 . The intelligent lighting network of claim 13 wherein the light output parameters include one or more of hue, saturation, brightness, color, color temperature, and color rendering index.

15 . The intelligent lighting network of claim 13 wherein dynamically adjusting the one or more light output characteristics of the light provided from the light source to simulate the light provided in the outdoor environment while maintaining the light output characteristics of a space in which the lighting fixture is located within the general illumination parameters comprises cooperating with one or more neighboring lighting fixtures to ensure that when the one or more light output characteristics of the light from the light source of the lighting fixture are adjusted, the one or more neighboring lighting fixtures compensate for the adjustment of the one or more light output characteristics of the light from the light source of the lighting fixture such that an average light output of the lighting fixture and the one or more neighboring lighting fixtures remains within the general illumination parameters.

16 . The intelligent lighting network of claim 13 wherein the light source comprises one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs).

17 . The intelligent lighting network of claim 13 wherein each one of the lighting fixtures further comprises sensor circuitry configured to measure the one or more light characteristics.

18 . The intelligent lighting network of claim 17 wherein dynamically adjusting the one or more light output characteristics of the light provided from the light source to simulate the light provided in the outdoor environment while maintaining the light output characteristics in the space in which the lighting fixture is located within the general illumination parameters is performed based on measurements of the one or more lighting characteristics from the s

Assignees

• Cree Inc

Inventors

• Roberts John

Classifications

• F21Y2115/10

  Light-emitting diodes [LED] · CPC title

• F21S8/026

  intended to be recessed in a ceiling or like overhead structure, e.g. suspended ceiling · CPC title

• H05B47/12

  by detecting audible sound · CPC title

• H05B47/11

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

• H05B37/0236

  Electricity · mapped topic