Ambient light adjustment apparatus, method and system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9423665-B2
Application number	US-201414222693-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 24, 2014
Priority date	Mar 24, 2014
Publication date	Aug 23, 2016
Grant date	Aug 23, 2016

Abstract

An ambient light adjustment (ALA) apparatus, a method and a system therewith are proposed. The ALA apparatus includes a main body having a plurality of edges, one or more light sources, a light blocking layer and a controller. The light source is mounted on at least one edge of the ALA apparatus. The main body comprises at least one light guide plate. The light blocking layer is disposed over a surface of the main body. The controller is coupled to the light source and the light blocking layer. The ALA apparatus further comprises at least one sensor coupled to the controller. The controller controls the light characteristics of the light source and/or the light blockage levels of the light blocking layer to adjust ambient light characteristics, according to a sensed result by the sensor or sensors.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An Ambient light adjustment (ALA) apparatus, comprising:
a main body, having a plurality of edges, a first surface and a second surface opposing to the first surface, wherein the main body comprises a light guide plate;
at least one light source, mounted on at least one edge of the main body, wherein the light guide plate receives a side light from the at least one light source and guides the side light into a planar light emitted from the light guide plate;
a first light blocking layer, disposed over the first surface of the main body;
a controller, coupled to the light source and the first light blocking layer, the controller controlling light characteristics of the light source and light blockage levels of the first light blocking layer to adjust ambient light characteristics; and
a second light blocking layer disposed over the second surface of the main body,
wherein at least one of the first light blocking layer and the second light blocking layer having a plurality of controllable blocking areas is a decodable light blocking layer for programming spaces, frequencies and degrees of light blockage.

2. The ambient light adjustment apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the light guide plate has a first surface and a second surface.

3. The ambient light adjustment apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the material of the light guide plate comprises acrylic resin, polycarbonate, epoxy, or glass.

4. The ambient light adjustment apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the main body further comprises at least one diffusion layer formed on the first surface of the light guide plate.

5. The ambient light adjustment apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the diffusion layer is selected from one of the group consisting of a self-assembled monolayer, a particle-embedded layer, a micro-machined structure layer and a printed dot-pattern layer.

6. The ambient light adjustment apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the light guide plate is embedded or imprinted with light diffusible particles.

7. The ambient light adjustment apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first light blocking layer and the second light blocking layer are electro-chromatic layers or electro-wetting layers.

8. The ambient light adjustment apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first and second light blocking layers are selected from the group consisting of an electro-chromatic layer and an electro-wetting layer.

9. The ambient light adjustment apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a third light blocking layer is forming on the second surface of the main body.

10. The ambient light adjustment apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a sensor, coupled to the controller, wherein the controller controlling the light characteristics of the light source and/or the light blockage levels of the first light blocking layer according to a sensed result by the sensor.

11. The ambient light adjustment apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the sensor comprises a plurality of multiple spectrum sensing units.

12. The ambient light adjustment apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller further integrated with a sensor, wherein the controller controlling the light characteristics of the light source and/or the light blockage levels of the first light blocking layer according to a sensed result by the sensor.

13. The ambient light adjustment apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the sensor comprises a plurality of multiple spectrum sensing units.

14. The ambient light adjustment apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the light characteristics comprise light intensity and light color temperature.

15. The ambient light adjustment apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the light source comprises a plurality of multiple spectrum light sources.

16. The ambient light adjustment apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a second main body having a plurality of edges, a first surface and an second surface opposing to the first surface, wherein the second main body, dispose on a surface of the first light blocking layer opposing to another surface of the first light blocking layer facing the main body, wherein at least one of the light sources mounted on at least one edge of the second main body.

17. The ambient light adjustment apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the second main body comprises a second light guide plate with a first and a second surface.

18. The ambient light adjustment apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the second main body further comprises at least one diffusion layer formed on the second surface of the second light guide plate.

19. A method for the ambient light adjustment apparatus as claimed in claim 1 to adjust indoor ambient light characteristics, the method comprising:
sensing indoor light characteristics;
comparing the sensed indoor light characteristics with a pre-set threshold; and
adjusting the indoor ambient light characteristics based on the at least one pre-set threshold by performing at least one of the following steps:
adjusting a degree of blockage of the first and second light blocking layers;
adjusting light characteristics of the light source; and
adjusting light characteristics of an indoor light source.

20. An transparent ambient light adjustment (ALA) apparatus, comprising:
a main body having a plurality of edges, a first surface and an opposing second surface, wherein the main body comprises a light guide plate;
at least one light source mounted on at least one edge of the main body, wherein the light guide plate receives a side light from the at least one light source and guides the side light into a planar light emitted from the light guide plate;
a first light blocking layer formed on the first surface of the main body;
a second light blocking layer formed on the second surface of the main body;
a sensor; and
a controller coupled to the sensor, the main body, the light source and the light blocking layer, the controller controlling ambient light characteristics by controlling the at least one light source and by adjusting light transmittance ratio and reflection ratio of the main body and the light blocking layer in response to a sensed result of the sensor, wherein the light transmittance ratio is ranged from 95% to 0%, and the reflection ratio is ranged from 5% to 100%,
wherein at least one of the first light blocking layer and the second light blocking layer having a plurality of controllable blocking areas is a decodable light blocking layer for programming spaces, frequencies and degrees of light blockage.

21. The transparent ambient light adjustment apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the light guide plate having a first surface and a second surface is attached on the main body spatially.

22. A system for adjusting indoor ambient light characteristics, the system comprising:
an indoor ambient light adjustment (ALA) apparatus comprising:
a main body, having a plurality of edges, a first surface and a second surface opposing to the first surface, wherein the main body comprises a light guide plate;
at least one light source, mounted on at least one edge of the main body, wherein the light guide plate receives a side light from the at least one light source and guides the side light into a planar light emitted from the light guide plate;
a first light blocking layer, disposed over the first surface of the main body;
a second light blocking layer, disposed over the second surface of the main body;
a controller, coupled to the light source and the first light blocking layer and the second light blocking layer; and
an outdoor sensor

Assignees

• Ind Tech Res Inst

Inventors

• Lin Hsueh-Chin
• Tsai Yi-Shou
• Chang Chih-Chia
• Pao Wei-Chen
• Huang Kuo-Chung
• Lin Ya-Hui
• Chu Man-Chun
• Hsu Louis Lu-Chen

Classifications

• E06B2009/2464

  featuring transparency control by applying voltage, e.g. LCD, electrochromic panels · CPC title

• Y10T29/49002

  Electrical device making · CPC title

• G02B26/005

  based on electrowetting · CPC title

• G02F1/163 Primary

  Operation of electrochromic cells, e.g. electrodeposition cells; Circuit arrangements therefor · CPC title

• G02F1/157

  Structural association of cells with optical devices, e.g. reflectors or illuminating devices · CPC title