Lighting apparatus and method

Abstract

A lighting apparatus, particularly for home or domestic and work environments, has one or more light sources powered by a control unit configured to modify the spectrum and / or intensity of the light produced by the light sources, according to the time of day and season and / or month of the year; the apparatus has one or more spectrophotometric sensors taking a reading of the spectrum and intensity of the light present at any instant in each individual room, and transmitting said data to the control unit; the control unit controls the intensity and spectrum of the light sources. According to the present invention, the spectrophotometric sensors are able to read the spectrum and intensity of the light, and thus also to calculate the melanopic index, present at each instant in each individual environment, and then send this data to the control unit which, by means of an algorithm, controls the intensity and spectrum of the light sources connected thereto, thus allowing to be simultaneously circadian and ecofriendly.

Description

[0001] LIGHTING APPARATUS AND METHOD

[0002] The present invention relates to a lighting apparatus and method, particularly for home, work and similar environments.

[0003] As is known in chronobiology, the biological, or circadian, rhythm is a physiological rhythm characterized by a period of approximately 24 hours, which regulates the release of hormones at certain times; the circadian rhythm also determines peaks and valleys for important endogenous molecules such as insulin, cholesterol, etc. Many physiological functions are therefore also determined by biological rhythms, such as urinary flow, hepatic glycogen synthesis, etc.

[0004] It is also known how the symptoms of some diseases can manifest themselves more markedly depending on the time of day, and thus on the biological rhythm, as is the case, for example, with the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, allergic rhinitis or ischemic heart disease.

[0005] According to chronobiological studies, it is believed that there are external, or exogenous, factors that can interfere with and disrupt biological rhythms, negatively affecting a subject's health. Such external factors are also called 'zeitgebers'.

[0006] One of the main external factors disrupting biological rhythms is the light: the circadian rhythm, under physiological conditions, is synchronized with the solar day and the earth's seasons, so the presence of light at night, or the presence of darkness during daylight hours, inevitably causes a disruption of physiological and natural circadian rhythms.

[0007] An example of how light can disrupt circadian rhythms is the phenomenon of jet lag, which occurs when one crosses several time zones during the same long journey, typically by plane, and thus in a relatively short period of time compared to the distance travelled and the time zones crossed.

[0008] This phenomenon causes drowsiness, tiredness and / or confusion.

[0009] It has been studied that 'zeitgebers', and in particular the light, interfere with circadian rhythms and are capable of causing disturbances far more serious than those attributable to jet lag.

[0010] As an example, studies have been conducted on the long-term effects caused by the continuous exposure of certain subjects to artificial light during the night hours. Those studies are based on the observation of the health status of nurses who have worked long hours in night shifts. The results of these studies indicated that there is a relationship between prolonged exposure to light at night and a higher incidence of breast cancer than in a comparable sample of comparison subjects.

[0011] From this, it can be understood that it is beneficial for health, both in the short and long term, to avoid external stimulus that may disturb circadian rhythms, in particular to avoid light, one of the most frequent factors causing an alteration of circadian rhythms.

[0012] However, it is clear that light and artificial forced lighting are essential for the performance of many activities.

[0013] For this reason, it is necessary to provide the means which allow to obtain illumination that is suitable for the proper performance of any activity, but such that it does not disrupt the circadian rhythm of those exposed to it, or at the very least causes minimal alterations to it, in order not to damage their health.

[0014] EP2635093A2 discloses a lighting system including a lighting load and a lighting control device. The lighting control device is configured to adjust a light output of the lighting load to a first light output corresponding to a first correlated color temperature and a first luminance in a first time slot, and to decrease the light output of the lighting load up to a second light output corresponding to a second correlated color temperature and a second luminance with the passage of time in a second time slot after the first time slot.

[0015] WO2015 / 054611A1 discloses a lighting system including lighting fixtures communicatively coupled to processors and memory to a custom-tailored lighting to meet the needs and preferences of a given user or application. A gateway device provides connectivity linking lighting fixtures to the cloud to enhance data collection, analysis, and lighting control. Configuration profiles along with identification sensing provide object specific and person specific lighting conditions within intelligent lighting system environments. Configuration, control, monitoring, and reporting related to intelligent lighting systems are simplified with cloud-based and mobile applications compared to legacy lighting system technologies. US2021 / 315083A1 discloses a computer implemented method that includes obtaining information about a photic environment, the information including a light metric, tracking the metric over a period of time, generating a dosage level based on information about the photic environment, the tracked metric, and an intended circadian response, wherein the dosage level includes a light level and outputting the dosage level on a lightemitting device.

[0016] The prior art of record does not provide for modifying the light spectrum, i.e. the range of electromagnetic radiation, organized by frequency or wavelength.

[0017] The aim of the present invention is to provide a lighting apparatus and method capable of eliminating or significantly reducing the above-mentioned problems.

[0018] Within the scope of this aim, an object of the invention is to provide a lighting system that ensures an effective illumination of indoor and / or outdoor environments, and that disturbs the circadian rhythm of subjects exposed to such lighting, as little as possible.

[0019] A further object of the invention is to provide a lighting system that minimizes negative interactions with the circadian rhythms of subjects exposed to such lighting.

[0020] A further object of the present invention is to provide a system that, due to its special design features, is able to ensure the broadest guarantees of reliability and safety in use.

[0021] The above aim and objects, and others which will better apparent hereinafter, are achieved by a lighting apparatus and method as claimed in the appended claims.

[0022] Further characteristics and advantages will become better apparent from the description of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment of the invention, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

[0023] Figure 1 illustrates a diagram of a sensor device of the lighting control system according to the present invention.

[0024] With reference to the above figure, a lighting apparatus, particularly for home, work, and similar environments, according to the invention, generally indicated by reference numeral 1 , comprises a plurality of light sources 2 powered by means of a control unit 3 configured to modify the spectrum and / or intensity of the light produced by the light sources 2, according to the time of day and to the season and / or month of the year.

[0025] According to the present invention, the apparatus comprises one or more spectrophotometric sensors 4 which take readings of the spectrum and intensity of the light present at each instant in each individual room, and transmit such data to the control unit 3 which controls the intensity and spectrum of the light sources 2.

[0026] Advantageously, the control unit 3 is connected to a user application 5 and the Internet network 6.

[0027] Advantageously, each sensor 4 is also configured to connect to the setting, preferably via Bluetooth.

[0028] Preferably, each sensor 4 communicates by exposing a server that is contacted by the control unit 3 via HTTP calls.

[0029] In the example shown in the figure, sensors 4 are connected to control unit 3 via a Wi-Fi connection, indicated by the reference numeral 7.

[0030] The Wi-Fi connection is also used between user application 5 and Internet 6 and between the control unit 3 and the Internet itself.

[0031] User application 5 is connected to control unit 3 via Bluetooth 8.

[0032] Advantageously, light sources 2 are connected to the control unit 3 via a DALI (Digital Addressable Lighting Interface) network, indicated by the reference numeral 9.

[0033] According to the present invention, spectrophotometric sensors are configured to read the spectrum and intensity of light and thus also to calculate the melanopic index, which is present at any given moment in any given environment. Such data is then sent to the control unit which, by means of an adapted algorithm, controls the intensity and spectrum of the light bodies connected to it, thus enabling it to be simultaneously circadian and ecofriendly.

[0034] The modulation of the spectrum and intensity of the light depends on the time of day and on the season and / or month of the year. Such modulation, carried out by automated means of control, allows for the least possible disruption to the circadian rhythm of the individual subjected to said light, irrespective of the time of day and the time of year in which said individual's exposure to artificial light occurs. In fact, the circadian rhythm of living beings, particularly humans, is less sensitive to perturbations when exposed to light at certain wavelengths and intensities.

[0035] Thus, the system according to the invention allows for the automatic production of artificial light with optimized spectrum and intensity, enabling an appropriate lighting to the performance of the required activities at a certain time of day and during a certain period / month of the year, reducing disturbance to the circadian rhythm.

[0036] For example, during the month of January, the system according to the invention produces, at night, light with a spectrum having a low blue content (460-490 nm) and therefore with a melanopic index <0.4, and an intensity of less than 300 lux, while, again by way of example, the light produced during the daytime hours of the same month of January, is of a wavelength between about 400 nm and 500 nm, and of an intensity between about 800 and 1000 lumens. These spectra and intensities can advantageously vary from season to season and / or from month of the year to month of the year. For example, the intensity of the light produced during daylight hours in winter is approximately 300 lumens lower than the light produced during the same daylight hours in summer.

[0037] The change in spectrum and intensity produced by the light sources according to the present invention is automatically controlled and modulated by automatic control means. The light thus produced is an optimized light, which disrupts as little as possible the circadian rhythms of the subjects exposed to, but which, at the same time, allows a lighting that is suitable and sufficient to perform any necessary activity.

[0038] It should be noted that the light produced by the system according to the invention is not intended to mimic natural light at a given place and time. In fact, artificial light according to the invention may, at certain times of the day, and depending on the particular season, appear to be anything but natural, for example at night, due to its peculiar wavelengths selected and modulated by the automatic control means.

[0039] The aim of the present invention is to produce optimized artificial light, adapting to solar and seasonal rhythms, disrupting the circadian rhythm of those exposed to it as little as possible, while providing the best possible illumination.

[0040] This adjustment makes it possible to limit the potential harmfulness of conventional artificial lighting which, as already mentioned, is an important external factor (or 'zeitgeber'), potentially harmful to the circadian rhythm and therefore to health.

[0041] The apparatus according to the invention can replace the artificial light of entire buildings, streets, flats, etc., allowing all individuals exposed to improved lighting to preserve their physiological circadian rhythms, i.e. the rhythms dictated by the day / night cycles according to the different seasons, resulting in a maintained state of good health.

[0042] Advantageously, the system according to the invention is effective also on a smaller scale, e.g. for bedside lamps, or for illuminating rooms, small rooms, etc.

[0043] Changing the spectrum and / or intensity of the light produced as the season and / or month of the year changes is also a key aspect of the system according to the invention.

[0044] In fact, the circadian rhythm of individuals is also perturbed by lights that are not appropriate to the season and / or month of the current year, and therefore seasonal control over wavelength and / or intensity is as important as that exerted on the time of day.

[0045] According to an aspect of the present invention, as the season and / or month of the year changes, only the intensity, and not the wavelength, of the light produced by the apparatus varies.

[0046] As already expressed, the intensity and / or spectrum of the light produced by the system according to the invention may change according to the season, e.g. summer and winter, and / or the month of the year, e.g. August and December, as well as the day of the year, e.g. 31 August and 16 December, and therefore they will have annual cycles as well as daily cycles.

[0047] According to an aspect of the invention, only the intensity of the light produced varies according to the season and / or the month of the year and / or the day of the year, and not the spectrum. In other words, the automatic control means automatically control and change the spectrum and intensity of the light produced by one or more light sources based on the time of day, and the intensity of the light produced based on the season and / or month of the year.

[0048] For example, the apparatus according to the invention is advantageously installed in rooms where there is a constant need for light, such as in reception rooms, hospital corridors, operating theatres, and school classrooms.

[0049] The light produced by light sources automatically has a spectrum and intensity suitable to cause the least possible disturbance to the circadian rhythms of healthcare workers, patients and students: at night, this light has a certain intensity and spectrum, and automatically this spectrum and intensity changes, gradually or not at all, during daylight hours.

[0050] Advantageously, the light produced can also vary automatically in the afternoon hours, evening hours, morning hours, etc.

[0051] The intensity and spectrum of the light produced also changes automatically depending on the season or month.

[0052] The apparatus according to the present invention is advantageously employed in factories and all workplaces where shifts and continuous work have to be carried out 24 hours a day.

[0053] According to the present invention, "one or more light sources" are any source capable of producing light at any wavelength within the visible spectrum, i.e. at any wavelength between about 380 nm and about 750 nm. For example, light sources may be one or more incandescent lamps having multiple optical filters that selectively allow light at different wavelengths to pass through, and any wavelength between about 380 nm and about 750 nm is producible by said one or more lamps by selective use of only some of said filters.

[0054] The sources can be a set of LED lamps each emitting light at different wavelengths, and each wavelength between about 380 nm and about 750 nm can be produced by said set of LED lamps by selectively switching on only some of said LED lamps.

[0055] Light sources can also be RGB LEDs.

[0056] The function of light sources is to produce light at any wavelength within the visible spectrum, at varying times of day and season, regardless of how it is produced.

[0057] The wavelengths produced by light sources can vary across the entire visible spectrum, i.e. they can produce light at any wavelength between about 380 nm and about 750 nm.

[0058] Light sources are also any source capable of producing light, e.g. at intensities between approximately 200 and 3000 lumens, e.g. between approximately 600 and 1500 lumens.

[0059] The intensity of the light produced enormously varies depending on location, and the intensity of the light produced by light sources is the optimum intensity to achieve the least possible disruption to the circadian cycle of a subject exposed to light at any given time and season and / or month.

[0060] Light sources can be mounted or set up on any fixture, plant, equipment, etc.

[0061] The control means of the system control the intensity and wavelength of the light, selectively switching on, depending on the time of day and season or month, only some of the LEDs that may be present in the light sources. The LEDs emit light, each at certain wavelengths, in order to collectively produce light of the desired wavelength and intensity.

[0062] As an example, at night, the control unit allows the production of light at certain wavelengths and intensities by selectively switching on only some of the LEDs of the light sources, resulting in the emission of light with a spectrum with a low blue light content (460-490 nm) and therefore with a low melanopic index, while during the day this control unit allows the emission of a spectrum with a high blue light content and a high melanopic index.

[0063] Automatic control means can be programmed by any user. In other words, it is possible to control the spectrum and intensity at each hour and season and / or month upstream, thanks to the prior programming of the automatic control means. Such programming allows, for example, the setting of the spectrum and / or intensities for each hour, or hourly intervals, and for each season or month, or month intervals.

[0064] Thus, the system according to the invention can cyclically produce light at pre-set wavelengths and / or intensities for indefinite periods of time, or until the automatic control means are programmed again.

[0065] The possibility of programming automatic control means is useful, for example, if new scientific evidence shows that different wavelengths and / or intensities cause less disruption to circadian rhythms than currently known wavelengths and / or intensities.

[0066] Advantageously, the system further comprises manual means for switching the light sources on and off. This embodiment is useful if, for example, the system according to the invention is installed in apartments, houses, or in general in places requiring occasional, i.e. not constant, lighting. In fact, the manual means allow to switch the system according to the invention on or off, illuminating or dimming the room requiring such occasional illumination.

[0067] The light produced by the system according to the invention, when switched on, is automatically the one which is best suited not to disturb the user's circadian rhythm, whatever time of day and season or month of the year it is switched on. For example, the system allows the occasional night lighting of a room in a flat. Should an individual need light at night for any need, he or she simply operates the manual means, which may be a switch, for example, to illuminate a room with light of an appropriate spectrum and / or intensity so as not to disrupt the circadian rhythm. The individual, again operating the manual means, can switch off the system by darkening the previously lit room. The illumination produced by the system according to the invention does not cause any "shock" to the person, unlike conventional illumination produced by conventional light sources, thus allowing the individual to physiologically resume sleep.

[0068] This embodiment can be useful in the evening hours, for example, as it allows a subject to perform playful activities that require light, such as reading, without the light altering the subject's circadian cycle. Thanks to this, in addition to the preservation of long-term health, the user can enjoy a physiological sleep without disturbance once this playful activity is over. It should be noted that, by operating the manual means at night, a light with a certain wavelength and intensity is obtained, whereas operating the same manual means mentioned above during daylight hours, as well as during the morning, afternoon, evening hours, etc., results in a light with a different wavelength and intensity than that obtained at night. Similarly, this is also the case when manual means are operated in January, or winter, and in July, or summer: the light produced, in terms of spectrum and / or intensity, will be different between the two aforementioned months or seasons. According to an embodiment of the invention, the system further comprises manual control means for manually controlling the spectrum and / or emission intensity of said one or more light sources. This embodiment is useful if there are activities, for example at night, which require a greater intensity of light than that produced by the system according to the invention, which is normally optimized in order to disrupt as little as possible the circadian rhythm of the subjects exposed thereto at a given time and season. This embodiment offers the possibility of manually modifying the spectrum and intensity of the light produced in view of tasks requiring a different light, for example a light having a higher intensity than the optimal light normally produced by the system according to the invention. Indeed, it is sufficient for the user to maneuver the manual control means, which may be, for example, a remote control, to manually change the intensity and / or spectrum of the light produced by the system according to the invention, thus allowing the system according to the invention to produce light that allows all the tasks to be performed, while at the same time allowing circadian rhythms not to be disrupted. Also, according to this embodiment, once the spectrum and / or intensity have been manually altered, it is contemplated that the optimal spectrum and / or intensity, i.e. those normally obtained by the system according to the invention, can be returned to by manual action of the user on the manual control means. According to this embodiment, the manual control means may be any means by which the intensity and / or spectrum of a light may be changed by manually operable controls, such as switches or remote controls.

[0069] Such manual control means can function or operate in the same ways as automatic control means, the difference being that the former can be controlled by manual actions, e.g. manual actions on switches or remote controls, performed by users.

[0070] By way of example, the manual action of a user on a remote control can increase the number of lit LEDs that may be present in the system according to the invention, thereby increasing the intensity of the light produced by the system according to the invention.

[0071] It is also an object of the present invention to use the system according to the invention for the illumination of indoor spaces. In the present invention, "indoor spaces" means any space bounded and circumscribed by walls, floor and ceiling, of any size. Such enclosed spaces include offices, flats, villas, houses, hospitals, laboratories, hotels, warehouses, workshops, rooms and storage rooms.

[0072] The apparatus according to the invention in indoor spaces is useful both for spaces which constantly need light, such as hospitals, hotel lobbies and corridors, etc., and for spaces which only need light on certain occasions, such as rooms in houses, flats and other private dwellings, or rooms in hotels and hospitals, etc. In both cases, the apparatus according to the invention makes it possible to maintain the circadian rhythm of subjects exposed to the light produced by it, with understandable advantages from the point of view of the subjects' health.

[0073] The apparatus according to the invention is advantageously usable for illuminating open-air spaces, wherein "open-air spaces" means any space not bounded and not circumscribed by walls, floor and ceiling, of any size. Such outdoor spaces include streets, parks, terraces and gardens.

[0074] The use of the apparatus according to the invention for the illumination of outdoor spaces, similarly to the case of indoor spaces, brings considerable advantages from the point of view of the health of the users by avoiding disturbance of the circadian rhythm.

[0075] Similarly to indoor spaces, outdoor spaces may be spaces that constantly need light at certain times, such as public streets or parks, but they may also be spaces that only need light on certain occasions, such as private gardens or terraces. In both cases, the apparatus according to the invention can advantageously be used in order to create lighting that is both effective and does not disrupt the circadian rhythm of the subjects.

[0076] The intensity and spectrum of the light produced, controlled by the automatic control means, can be programmed in advance based on the outdoor space to be illuminated. For example, for street lighting, it is possible to increase the intensity of the light produced should this be required, e.g. for safety reasons. In this way, the light produced will have greater 'functionality', as it will allow for more illumination, while disrupting the circadian cycles of those exposed to it to a lesser degree than conventional lighting. In practice, it was found that the invention achieves its task and purpose.

[0077] This application claims the priority of Italian Patent Application No. 102023000016890, filed on August 7, 2023, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference.

Claims

CLAIMS1 . A lighting apparatus, particularly for home or domestic and work environments, comprising one or more light sources (2) and a control unit (3); said one or more light sources (2) being powered by said control unit (3); said lighting apparatus being characterized in that said control unit (3) is configured to modify the spectrum and / or intensity of the light produced by said light sources (2), according to the time of day and season and / or month of the year; said apparatus comprising one or more spectrophotometric sensors (4) taking a reading of the spectrum and intensity of the light present at any instant in each individual room, and transmitting said data to said control unit (3); said control unit (3) controlling the intensity and spectrum of said light sources (2).

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , characterized in that said control unit (3) is configured to be connected to a user application (5) and to an Internet network (6).

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said sensors (4) are connected to said control unit (3) via a Wi-Fi connection.

4. The apparatus, according to any one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a Wi-Fi connection between said user application (5) and said Internet (6) and between said control unit (3) and said Internet (6).

5. The apparatus, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said user application (5) is connected to said control unit (3) via Bluetooth (8).

6. The apparatus, according to any one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said light sources (2) are connected to said control unit (3) via a DALI (Digital Addressable Lighting Interface) network (9).

7. The apparatus, according to any one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said spectrophotometric sensors (4) read the spectrum and intensity of light and calculate the melanopic index, present at any given time in any given environment, and then send this data to said control unit (3), which controls the intensity and spectrum of said light sources (2) connected to said control unit (3).

8. A lighting method, particularly for home and work environments, characterizedin that it comprises:- powering one or more light sources (2) via a control unit (3) configured to modify the spectrum and / or intensity of the light produced by said light sources (2), based on the time of day and the season and / or month of the year; - taking a reading of the spectrum and intensity of the light present at any given moment in each individual room, using spectrophotometric sensors (4);- transmitting this data to said control unit (3);- controlling the intensity and spectrum of said light sources (2), via said control unit (3).

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that each of said sensors(4) is connected during the setting phase of said apparatus.

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that each of said sensors (4) communicates by exposing a server which is contacted by said control unit (3) via HTTP calls.

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