Illumination device and control method

Abstract

To provide an illumination device and the like capable of improving an illumination presentation effect on a projection surface.SOLUTION: An illumination device 100 includes: a light source 110 that has multiple light emitting elements 111 arranged in an array; a projection lens 120 that projects a lighting pattern of the light source 110 onto a projection surface 30; an acquisition unit 130 that acquires the lighting pattern and a surface shape of the projection surface 30; and a control unit 140. The control unit 140 is configured to control an individual illumination state of the multiple light-emitting elements 111 based on the lighting pattern acquired by the acquisition unit 130 and to control fluctuations that give light and dark fluctuations within the lighting pattern based on the surface shape acquired by the acquisition unit 130.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a lighting device and a method for controlling a lighting device. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art There is known a lighting control system that uses a projector to project an image onto a projection surface for lighting effects (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2017-16021 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] An object of the present invention is to provide an illumination device and the like that can improve the illumination effect on a projection surface. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] An illumination device according to one aspect of the present invention includes a light source having a plurality of light-emitting elements arranged in an array, a projection lens that projects an emission pattern of the light source onto a projection surface, an acquisition unit that acquires the emission pattern and the surface shape of the projection surface, and a control unit that individually controls the emission state of the plurality of light-emitting elements based on the emission pattern acquired by the acquisition unit, and performs fluctuation control to impart light and dark fluctuations in the emission pattern based on the surface shape acquired by the acquisition unit.

[0006] Moreover, a control method according to one aspect of the present invention is a control method for an illumination device including a light source having a plurality of light-emitting elements arranged in an array, and a projection lens that projects an emission pattern of the light source onto a projection surface, the control method acquiring the emission pattern and the surface shape of the projection surface, individually controlling the emission state of the plurality of light-emitting elements based on the acquired emission pattern, and performing fluctuation control that imparts light and dark fluctuations within the emission pattern based on the acquired surface shape. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an illumination device or the like that can improve the illumination effect on a projection surface. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a typical usage state of an illumination device according to an embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the lighting device according to the embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining a change in the light emission pattern of the light source due to fluctuation control. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a schematic view of a state in which light is projected onto a projection surface at a small projection angle. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a schematic view of a state in which light is projected onto a projection surface from the front. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a schematic view of a state in which light is projected onto a projection surface at an intermediate projection angle. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of the lighting device according to the embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of the correspondence between the material of the projection surface and the noise generation algorithm. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, the embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that each of the embodiments described below shows a specific example of the present invention. Therefore, the numerical values, shapes, materials, components, arrangement and connection of the components, steps, order of steps, etc. shown in the following embodiments are merely examples and are not intended to limit the present invention. Therefore, among the components in the following embodiments, components that are not described in the independent claims will be described as optional components.

[0010] In addition, each figure is a schematic diagram and is not necessarily illustrated precisely. Therefore, for example, the scales in each figure do not necessarily match. In addition, in each figure, substantially the same configurations are given the same reference numerals, and duplicated explanations are omitted or simplified.

[0011] Furthermore, in this specification, terms indicating relationships between elements, terms indicating the shapes of elements, and numerical ranges are not expressions that only express a strict meaning, but are expressions that include a substantially equivalent range, for example, a difference of about a few percent.

[0012] (Embodiment) [overview] First, an overview of an illumination device according to an embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic diagram of a usage state of an illumination device 100 according to the present embodiment.

[0013] As shown in Fig. 1, the lighting device 100 projects an emission pattern of a light source, the shape of which can be changed by light emission control, onto the projection surface 30. Fig. 1 shows a light pattern P that is projected onto the projection surface 30 by projecting the emission pattern of the light source onto the projection surface 30. The lighting device 100 is disposed at a distance from the projection surface 30. The distance between the lighting device 100 and the projection surface 30 is set according to the focal length of a projection lens of the lighting device 100, which will be described later, and is, for example, 1 m or more.

[0014] In the example shown in FIG. 1, the projection surface 30 is a wall surface (exterior wall surface) of the building 20. The projection surface 30 is not limited to the wall surface of the building 20, and is not particularly limited. The projection surface 30 may be a wall surface, a floor surface, a stage, a screen, or the like of a room. In addition, the projection surface 30 is, for example, an uneven surface having unevenness (not shown in FIG. 1). The lighting device 100 projects an emission pattern of a light source onto the projection surface 30, thereby performing lighting effects on the projection surface 30.

[0015] Although details will be described later, the lighting device 100 performs fluctuation control that gives light and dark fluctuations in the light emission pattern. The lighting device 100 can enhance the lighting effect on the projection surface 30, for example, by giving light and dark fluctuations in the light emission pattern and projecting it onto the projection surface 30, making the projection surface 30 look beautiful. Specifically, since the lighting device 100 is disposed at a certain distance from the projection surface 30, it is difficult to produce a lighting effect that shades the unevenness of the projection surface 30, but by using fluctuation control, it is possible to obtain a lighting effect similar to that obtained when shading the unevenness of the projection surface 30.

[0016] [composition] Next, a specific configuration of the lighting device 100 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

[0017] Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the illumination device 100 according to the present embodiment. As shown in Fig. 2, the illumination device 100 includes a light source 110, a projection lens 120, an acquisition unit 130, a control unit 140, a reception unit 150, a storage unit 160, and a laser scanner 170.

[0018] The light source 110 has a plurality of light-emitting elements 111 arranged in an array. The light source 110 emits light when a current is supplied by the control unit 140. The light-emitting state of each of the plurality of light-emitting elements 111 is individually controlled by the control unit 140. For example, the control unit 140 controls the turning on and off of each of the plurality of light-emitting elements 111 independently of each other. This allows the light source 110 to emit light in an arbitrary shape of light-emitting pattern. The light-emitting pattern may be a still image (i.e., a light-emitting pattern that is constant over time) or a moving image (i.e., a light-emitting pattern that changes over time).

[0019] Each of the multiple light-emitting elements 111 is, for example, a μLED (Light Emitting Diode). The μLED is a minute LED with a size of 100 μm×100 μm or less. The μLED emits light by a current supplied from the control unit 140. The μLED includes, for example, a blue LED and a yellow phosphor arranged on the light emission side of the blue LED. The yellow phosphor is excited by a portion of the blue light emitted by the blue LED to emit yellow light. The μLED emits white light as a mixture of blue light and yellow light. The color of the light emitted by the μLED is not particularly limited.

[0020] The light emitting elements 111 are arranged in a two-dimensional array on a substrate. The substrate is a rigid substrate, but may be a flexible substrate. The substrate is provided with, for example, pattern wiring for supplying a current from the control unit 140 to each of the light emitting elements 111.

[0021] The multiple light emitting elements 111 are arranged, for example, in a planar area of ​​a predetermined size on a substrate, with tens to hundreds of elements arranged in each row and column. The planar area in which the light emitting elements 111 are arranged is, for example, a rectangular area with a side of several mm. The number of the light emitting elements 111 and the size of the area in which they are arranged are not particularly limited. By arranging the multiple light emitting elements 111 in a narrow area, it is possible to reduce the size of the projection lens 120 or improve the light capture efficiency.

[0022] The projection lens 120 projects the light emitted by the light source 110 onto the projection surface 30. As a result, the light emission pattern of the light source 110 is projected onto the projection surface 30 as the light emitted by the light source 110. The projection lens 120 is composed of multiple lenses, but may be composed of a single lens.

[0023] The acquisition unit 130 acquires information for the control unit 140 to control the light source 110. Specifically, the acquisition unit 130 acquires the light emission pattern of the light source 110 (for example, the luminance of each of the multiple light emitting elements 111) and the surface shape of the projection surface 30. The acquisition unit 130 may further acquire at least one of a virtual projection angle of light onto the projection surface 30, a projection angle onto the projection surface 30 by the projection lens 120, and a material of the projection surface 30. The acquisition unit 130 acquires, for example, these pieces of information via the reception unit 150. The acquisition unit 130 may acquire the light emission pattern of the light source 110 stored in the storage unit 160. The acquisition unit 130 may also acquire the surface shape of the projection surface 30 from the laser scanner 170.

[0024] The acquisition unit 130 is realized by, for example, a microcontroller. The microcontroller includes, for example, a non-volatile memory in which a program is stored, a volatile memory which is a temporary storage area for executing the program, an input / output port, a processor which executes the program, and the like. The program may be stored in the storage unit 160. Furthermore, the acquisition unit 130 may be a processing circuit dedicated to performing the processing performed by the acquisition unit 130.

[0025] The control unit 140 is a processing circuit that controls the driving of the light source 110. For example, the control unit 140 controls the light emission state of each of the plurality of light emitting elements 111 based on the light emission pattern of the light source 110 acquired by the acquisition unit 130. Thereby, the light emission pattern of the light source 110 is realized by controlling the light emission state of the plurality of light emitting elements 111, and the light emission pattern of the light source 110 is projected onto the projection surface 30 by the projection lens 120. In addition, the control unit 140 performs fluctuation control on the plurality of light emitting elements 111 based on the information acquired by the acquisition unit 130, to give light and dark fluctuations in the light emission pattern of the light source 110. The control unit 140 performs the fluctuation control using, for example, a noise generation algorithm. The details of the control performed by the control unit 140 will be described later.

[0026] The control unit 140 controls the turning on and off of each of the multiple light-emitting elements 111 and the light emission intensity (in other words, brightness) when turned on. The control unit 140 supplies, for example, a current modulated by PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) to each of the multiple light-emitting elements 111. By adjusting the pulse width of the current to be supplied (i.e., adjusting the duty ratio) for each light-emitting element 111 to adjust the amount of current to be supplied, the light emission intensity of each light-emitting element 111 can be changed, thereby achieving a dimming function. The dimming method is not particularly limited, and may be an amplitude modulation method, a phase modulation method, or the like.

[0027] The control unit 140 is realized by, for example, an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) and a microcontroller. The microcontroller includes, for example, a non-volatile memory in which a program is stored, a volatile memory which is a temporary storage area for executing the program, an input / output port, a processor for executing the program, and the like. The program may be stored in the storage unit 160. The microcontroller for realizing the acquisition unit 130 and the microcontroller for realizing the control unit 140 may be the same or may be separate. Furthermore, the control unit 140 may be a dedicated processing circuit for performing the processing performed by the control unit 140.

[0028] The reception unit 150 receives user input related to at least one of the light emission pattern of the light source 110, the surface shape of the projection surface 30, the virtual projection angle of light onto the projection surface 30, the projection angle onto the projection surface 30 by the projection lens 120, and the material of the projection surface 30. The reception unit 150 receives, for example, an input operation from the user as the user input. In this case, the reception unit 150 is realized, for example, by an input device that acquires an input operation from the user. The input device is, for example, a touch panel, an operation switch, or an operation button. The reception unit 150 may also receive, as the user input, an input from an external device such as a remote controller operated by the user, an information processing terminal, or a computer. In this case, the reception unit 150 is realized by a communication interface (communication circuit) for communicating with the external device.

[0029] The storage unit 160 stores information and data necessary for processing performed by the control unit 140. The storage unit 160 is, for example, a non-volatile storage device such as a hard disk drive (HDD) or a flash memory.

[0030] The laser scanner 170 acquires the surface shape of the projection surface 30 by scanning the projection surface 30. The laser scanner 170 outputs the acquired surface shape of the projection surface 30 to the acquisition unit 130. It is to be noted that the lighting device 100 does not necessarily have to include the laser scanner 170.

[0031] The light source 110, the projection lens 120, the acquisition unit 130, the control unit 140, the reception unit 150, the storage unit 160, and the laser scanner 170 are housed in, for example, a housing. The housing includes, for example, a shell housing forming the outer shell of the lighting device 100, and a plurality of components such as a heat sink, but is not particularly limited thereto. The components constituting the housing are formed using resin or metal. At least one of the acquisition unit 130, the control unit 140, the reception unit 150, the storage unit 160, and the laser scanner 170 may be disposed outside the housing.

[0032] [Fluctuation control] Next, the fluctuation control performed by the control unit 140 will be described.

[0033] Fig. 3 is a diagram for explaining a change in the light emission pattern of the light source 110 due to fluctuation control. Fig. 3(a) shows an example of the light emission pattern of the light source 110 when fluctuation control is not performed. Fig. 3(b) shows an example of the light emission pattern of the light source 110 when fluctuation control is performed.

[0034] As shown in (a) of FIG. 3, when the fluctuation control is not performed, the light emission pattern of the light source 110 has spatially uniform brightness, and the luminance of the lit light-emitting elements 111 is the same. On the other hand, when the fluctuation control is performed on the light emission pattern of the light source 110 shown in (a) of FIG. 3, the light emission pattern of the light source 110 fluctuates spatially between bright and dark as shown in (b) of FIG. 3. That is, due to the fluctuation control, the luminance fluctuates between the lit light-emitting elements 111, and a repetition of bright and dark areas (repeated changes between bright and dark) occurs in the light emission pattern in a planar view. Therefore, a plurality of dark areas are formed in the light emission pattern. The control unit 140 performs the fluctuation control by, for example, applying individual coefficients to the luminance of the plurality of light-emitting elements 111 to adjust the luminance of each light-emitting element 111. In addition, the light emission pattern of the light source 110 before the fluctuation control is performed is not limited to the example shown in (a) of Figure 3 in which the luminance of the lit light-emitting elements 111 is the same, but there may be a distribution in the luminance of the lit light-emitting elements 111, such as the luminance of the light-emitting elements 111 decreasing as it moves in a specified direction.

[0035] In the lighting device 100, such fluctuation control is performed, thereby making the projection surface 30 look beautiful and improving the lighting effect on the projection surface 30. Here, in order to explain why fluctuation control is necessary in the lighting device 100 to improve the lighting effect on the projection surface 30, a difference in the shadows formed on the projection surface 30 depending on the projection angle of the light projected onto the projection surface 30 will be explained.

[0036] Fig. 4 is a diagram showing a schematic diagram of a state where light is projected onto the projection surface 30 at a small projection angle. Fig. 5 is a diagram showing a schematic diagram of a state where light is projected onto the projection surface 30 from the front.

[0037] FIG. 4 shows how light L1 is projected onto the projection surface 30 at a projection angle θ1, and FIG. 5 shows how light L2 is projected onto the projection surface 30 at a projection angle θ2. The projection angle θ1 is smaller than the projection angle θ2. The projection angle θ2 is 90°. The projection angles θ1, θ2, etc. are angles formed between the projection surface 30 and the optical axis direction of the light emitted by the light source (for example, the optical axis direction of an optical system such as a projection lens for projecting the light L1, L2). Although the projection surface 30 has irregularities, as shown by the dashed lines in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, the projection angles θ1, θ2, etc. are angles formed between an average plane and the optical axis direction when it is assumed that the projection surface 30 has no irregularities.

[0038] As shown in FIG. 4, when light L1 is projected onto the projection surface 30 at a small projection angle θ1 such that the projection surface 30 and the optical axis direction are nearly parallel, a shadow Sd is formed on the projection surface 30 due to unevenness. By forming the shadow Sd on the projection surface 30, the unevenness of the projection surface 30 onto which the light is projected is emphasized, improving the design, and the light projected onto the projection surface 30 provides a lighting effect. The state shown in FIG. 4 is realized by projecting light along the projection surface 30 from a position close to the projection surface 30 using a spotlight or the like that projects normal illumination light, rather than using the illumination device 100 that projects an illumination pattern from a position distant from the projection surface 30. Such a lighting method using light L1 is also called wall washer lighting, and can improve the design of the projection surface 30 without performing fluctuation control. However, because the projection angle θ1 is small, it is difficult to control the shape of the light projected onto the projection surface 30, and the shape of the light projected onto the projection surface 30 is limited. In addition, if an attempt is made to change the shape of the light projected onto the projection surface 30 by changing the projection direction of the light, it becomes necessary to relocate spotlights, etc.

[0039] On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 5, when the light L2 is projected onto the projection surface 30 at a projection angle θ2 that is in front of the projection surface 30, the shadow Sd as shown in FIG. 4 is not formed on the projection surface 30. Therefore, the design of the projection surface 30 onto which the light is projected cannot be improved by the shadow Sd. The state shown in FIG. 5 is realized by projecting light from a position away from the projection surface 30 to project an emission pattern, as in the case of the lighting device 100. In other words, even if the light is projected onto the projection surface 30 using the lighting device 100, the shadow Sd is not formed on the projection surface 30, and the emission pattern as shown in FIG. 3(a) is projected onto the projection surface 30 as it is when the fluctuation control is not performed. Therefore, by shaping the light emission pattern as shown in (a) of Figure 3, it is possible to project light onto the projection surface 30 in a shape similar to that in the case where light L1 is projected onto the projection surface 30 at a projection angle θ1; however, since the unevenness of the projection surface 30 is not emphasized, the projection surface 30 gives the impression of being flat.

[0040] Therefore, the lighting device 100 performs the fluctuation control as described with reference to FIG. 3B, and projects an illumination pattern in which a dark area similar to the shadow Sd is formed on the projection surface 30. As a result, light similar to the case where the shadow Sd is formed on the projection surface 30 is projected, and the design of the projection surface 30 can be improved. In addition, since the shape of the illumination pattern of the light source 110 can be changed by controlling which light emitting element 111 is turned on, the degree of freedom of the shape of the light projected on the projection surface 30 is high, and the shape of the light projected on the projection surface 30 can also be easily changed. Therefore, the lighting device 100 can improve the illumination effect on the projection surface 30.

[0041] The shadow Sd also changes depending on the surface shape of the projection surface 30. For example, as can be seen from Fig. 4, the greater the difference in height of the projection surface 30 or the greater the size of the projection surface 30 in plan view, the greater the size of the shadow Sd in plan view. Therefore, by the control unit 140 setting the fluctuation control conditions based on the surface shape of the projection surface 30, the state of the shadow Sd can be more easily reproduced by the fluctuation control, and the lighting effect on the projection surface 30 can be improved. Note that a large difference in height of the projection surface 30 means that the depth of the recesses and the height of the protrusions in the projection surface 30 are large.

[0042] The shadow Sd also changes depending on the projection angle of the light with respect to the projection surface 30. Fig. 6 is a diagram that shows a schematic diagram of a case where light is projected onto the projection surface 30 at an intermediate projection angle. Fig. 6 shows a state where light L3 is projected onto the projection surface 30 at a projection angle θ3. The projection angle θ3 is larger than the projection angle θ1 and smaller than the projection angle θ2.

[0043] As shown in FIG. 6, when the light L3 is projected onto the projection surface 30 at a projection angle θ3 larger than that shown in FIG. 4, the size of the shadow Sd in plan view becomes smaller than that shown in FIG. 4, and the spatial frequency of the formation of the shadow Sd also becomes lower. Therefore, the control unit 140 sets the conditions for the fluctuation control based on the virtual projection angle of the light, so that the state of the shadow Sd is more easily reproduced by the fluctuation control. The virtual projection angle of the light is the projection angle when the light is virtually projected onto the projection surface 30 to illuminate the projection surface 30. In other words, the virtual projection angle of the light is the projection angle of the light for realizing the shadow Sd that the user wants to imitate. In addition, the virtual projection angle of the light is the angle formed between an average plane when it is assumed that the projection surface 30 has no unevenness and the optical axis direction of the virtual light. For example, if the user wishes to model a shadow Sd as shown in FIG. 4, the user inputs a projection angle θ1 into the reception unit 150 as the virtual projection angle of light, and if the user wishes to model a shadow Sd as shown in FIG. 6, the user inputs a projection angle θ3 into the reception unit 150 as the virtual projection angle of light.

[0044] [Operation] Next, the operation of the lighting device 100 according to the present embodiment will be described using FIGS. 7 and 8 while also referring to FIGS. 3 to 6 as appropriate.

[0045] FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of lighting device 100 according to the present embodiment.

[0046] 7, first, the acquisition unit 130 acquires the emission pattern of the light source 110 (step S11). The acquisition unit 130 acquires information indicating the emission pattern of the light source 110 transmitted from an external device via, for example, the reception unit 150. In addition, when data on the emission pattern of the light source 110 is stored in the storage unit 160, the reception unit 150 may accept a user's operation to select the emission pattern of the light source 110, and the acquisition unit 130 may acquire the selected emission pattern of the light source 110 from the storage unit 160.

[0047] Next, the acquisition unit 130 acquires the surface shape of the projection surface 30 (step S12). For example, the reception unit 150 receives an input regarding the surface shape of the projection surface 30 from a user, and the acquisition unit 130 acquires the surface shape of the projection surface 30 received by the reception unit 150. The acquisition unit 130 may acquire the surface shape of the projection surface 30 obtained by the laser scanner 170 scanning the projection surface 30.

[0048] The surface shape of the projection surface 30 includes, for example, as a plurality of parameters, the height difference of the unevenness of the projection surface 30, the size of the unevenness of the projection surface 30 in a planar view (in other words, the area), and the frequency of the unevenness of the projection surface 30 (in other words, the number of unevenness per unit area). The parameters of the surface shape of the projection surface 30 acquired by the acquisition unit 130, such as the height difference of the unevenness of the projection surface 30, the size of the unevenness of the projection surface 30 in a planar view, and the frequency of the unevenness of the projection surface 30, may be various roughness parameters defined in JIS B 0601, ISO 25178, etc.

[0049] Next, the acquisition unit 130 acquires the virtual projection angle of the light onto the projection surface 30 (step S13). For example, the reception unit 150 receives an input regarding the virtual projection angle of the light from the user, and the acquisition unit 130 acquires the virtual projection angle of the light received by the reception unit 150.

[0050] Next, the acquisition unit 130 acquires the projection angle of the projection lens 120 onto the projection surface 30 (step S14). The projection angle of the projection lens 120 onto the projection surface 30 is the angle between an average plane and the optical axis direction of the projection lens 120 when it is assumed that the projection surface 30 is free of irregularities.

[0051] For example, the reception unit 150 receives an input regarding the projection angle of the projection lens 120 onto the projection surface 30 from a user, and the acquisition unit 130 acquires the projection angle of the projection lens 120 onto the projection surface 30 accepted by the reception unit 150. The acquisition unit 130 may also acquire the projection angle of the projection lens 120 onto the projection surface 30 by detecting the attitude of the lighting device 100 and the orientation of the projection surface 30 using various sensors not shown, and calculating the projection angle of the projection lens 120 onto the projection surface 30 from the detection results.

[0052] Next, the acquisition unit 130 acquires the material of the projection surface 30 (step S15). For example, the reception unit 150 receives an input regarding the material of the projection surface 30 from a user, and the acquisition unit 130 acquires the material of the projection surface 30 received by the reception unit 150. The acquisition unit 130 may acquire the material of the projection surface 30 by determining the material of the projection surface 30 from an image of the projection surface 30.

[0053] Next, the control unit 140 selects a noise generation algorithm to be used for fluctuation control based on the material of the projection surface 30 acquired by the acquisition unit 130 (step S16). For example, a plurality of different types of noise generation algorithms are stored in the storage unit 160, and the control unit 140 selects one noise generation algorithm from the plurality of noise generation algorithms stored in the storage unit 160.

[0054] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of the correspondence between the material of the projection surface 30 and the noise generation algorithm. The storage unit 160 stores a data table in which the material of the projection surface 30 and the noise generation algorithm are associated, as shown in FIG. 8. The control unit 140 refers to the data table in which the material of the projection surface 30 and the noise generation algorithm are associated, and selects a noise generation algorithm corresponding to the acquired material of the projection surface 30. In the example shown in FIG. 8, as the correspondence between the material of the projection surface 30 and the noise generation algorithm, stone is associated with solid noise, mortar is associated with simplex noise, and paper is associated with white noise. The impression of the light emission pattern projected on the projection surface 30 changes depending on the type of noise generation algorithm used in the fluctuation generation algorithm. For example, when fluctuation control is performed using solid noise, the light emission pattern looks like a stone. Therefore, by selecting a noise generation algorithm according to the material of the projection surface 30, the lighting effect on the projection surface 30 can be improved. It should be noted that the types of noise generation algorithms and the association between the material of the projection surface 30 and the noise generation algorithms are not limited to the example shown in FIG.

[0055] Next, the control unit 140 sets the conditions for the fluctuation control (step S17). The control unit 140 sets the conditions for the fluctuation control based on the surface shape of the projection surface 30 acquired by the acquisition unit 130, the virtual projection angle of light onto the projection surface 30, and the projection angle onto the projection surface 30 by the projection lens 120. For example, in the fluctuation control, the control unit 140 sets at least one of the size, frequency, and brightness (darkness) of the area to be darkened in the light emission pattern. For example, in setting the conditions for the fluctuation control, a parameter corresponding to at least one of the size, frequency, and brightness of the area to be darkened in the noise generation algorithm selected in step S16 is set.

[0056] Specifically, the control unit 140 sets the size of the area to be darkened in the light emission pattern in the fluctuation control, for example, based on the height difference of the unevenness of the projection surface 30 among the surface shape of the projection surface 30. For example, as described with reference to Fig. 4, the greater the height difference of the unevenness of the projection surface 30, the greater the size of the shadow Sd in a planar view, so the control unit 140 increases the size of the area to be darkened in the light emission pattern the greater the height difference of the unevenness of the projection surface 30. Also, the control unit 140 may lower the luminance of the area to be darkened in the light emission pattern in the fluctuation control, the greater the height difference of the unevenness of the projection surface 30.

[0057] Furthermore, the control unit 140 sets the size of the darkened area in the light emission pattern in the fluctuation control, for example, based on the size of the unevenness of the projection surface 30 in a planar view of the surface shape of the projection surface 30. As described with reference to Fig. 4, the larger the unevenness of the projection surface 30 in a planar view, the larger the size of the shadow Sd in a planar view, so the control unit 140 increases the size of the darkened area in the light emission pattern, for example, the larger the unevenness of the projection surface 30 in a planar view.

[0058] Furthermore, the control unit 140 sets the frequency of darkened areas in the light emission pattern in the fluctuation control, for example, based on the frequency of unevenness of the projection surface 30 in the surface shape of the projection surface 30. In the fluctuation control, the frequency of darkened areas in the light emission pattern is, in other words, the number of darkened areas per unit area. For example, the control unit 140 increases the frequency of darkened areas in the light emission pattern as the frequency of unevenness of the projection surface 30 increases.

[0059] Furthermore, the control unit 140 sets at least one of the size and frequency of the darkened area in the light emission pattern in the fluctuation control, for example, based on the virtual projection angle of light onto the projection surface 30. As described with reference to Figs. 4 and 6, the larger the virtual projection angle of light, the smaller the size of the shadow Sd in the planar view becomes and the less frequently the shadow Sd is formed. Therefore, for example, the control unit 140 reduces the size of the darkened area in the light emission pattern and / or reduces the frequency of the darkened area in the light emission pattern as the virtual projection angle of light becomes larger. Furthermore, the control unit 140 may lower the luminance of the darkened area in the light emission pattern in the fluctuation control as the virtual projection angle of light onto the projection surface 30 becomes smaller.

[0060] In addition, the control unit 140 sets at least one of the size and frequency of the darkened area in the light emission pattern in the fluctuation control, for example, based on the projection angle of the projection lens 120 on the projection surface 30. For example, as described with reference to FIG. 5, when the projection angle of the light on the projection surface 30 is large, the shadow Sd is not formed, but as shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 6, when the projection angle of the light on the projection surface 30 is reduced, the shadow Sd is formed. Therefore, even when the lighting device 100 projects the light emission pattern on the projection surface 30, the shadow Sd may be generated depending on the projection angle of the projection lens 120 on the projection surface 30. Therefore, the control unit 140, for example, reduces the size of the darkened area in the light emission pattern and / or reduces the frequency of the darkened area in the light emission pattern as the projection angle of the projection lens 120 on the projection surface 30 is smaller.

[0061] In this way, the control unit 140 can set the conditions for fluctuation control according to the information acquired by the acquisition unit 130, thereby providing the light emission pattern with light and dark fluctuations that reflect the shadows Sd that may occur due to the unevenness of the projection surface 30.

[0062] Next, the control unit 140 performs fluctuation control under the conditions set in step S17 (step S18). The control unit 140 performs fluctuation control using the noise generation algorithm whose parameters were set in step S17. This makes it possible to give light and dark fluctuation to the light emission pattern simply by setting the parameters of the noise generation algorithm, and therefore makes it possible to easily realize fluctuation control.

[0063] The control unit 140 calculates the luminance (light emission intensity) of each light emitting element 111 by, for example, a noise generation algorithm, and supplies a current to each light emitting element 111 so as to achieve the calculated luminance. In other words, the control unit 140 adds luminance noise to the luminance of each light emitting element 111 by calculation so as to reduce the luminance, and causes each light emitting element 111 to emit light at the calculated luminance.

[0064] Then, the light emission pattern of the light source 110 that has been subjected to the fluctuation control is projected onto the projection surface 30 by the projection lens 120. As a result, even if a light emission pattern such as that shown in (b) of FIG. 3 is projected onto the projection surface 30 and a shadow Sd is not formed on the projection surface 30, the lighting effect on the projection surface 30 can be improved.

[0065] In addition, in the operation of the lighting device 100 described above, the order of each step may be changed or the steps may be performed in parallel, as long as there is no contradiction. For example, the order in which the acquisition unit 130 acquires various pieces of information may be changed, and multiple pieces of information may be acquired simultaneously by the acquisition unit 130. In addition, for example, in the operation of the lighting device 100, at least one of steps S13 to S16 may be omitted. In this case, the processes of steps S16 and S17 corresponding to the omitted step are also omitted.

[0066] As described above, the lighting device 100 includes the light source 110 having a plurality of light-emitting elements 111 arranged in an array, the projection lens 120 that projects the light emission pattern of the light source 110 onto the projection surface 30, the acquisition unit 130 that acquires the light emission pattern and the surface shape of the projection surface 30, and the control unit 140. The control unit 140 individually controls the light emission state of the plurality of light-emitting elements 111 based on the light emission pattern acquired by the acquisition unit 130, and also performs fluctuation control that imparts light and dark fluctuations in the light emission pattern based on the surface shape acquired by the acquisition unit 130.

[0067] As described above with reference to FIG. 5, when the light emission pattern of the light source 110 is projected onto the projection surface 30 by the projection lens 120, the shadow Sd is unlikely to be formed on the projection surface 30. In response to this, the control unit 140 performs fluctuation control based on the surface shape of the projection surface 30, so that the light emission pattern in which a dark area similar to the shadow Sd is formed can be projected onto the projection surface 30. As a result, light similar to that in the case where the shadow Sd is formed on the projection surface 30 is projected, and the design of the projection surface 30 can be improved. In addition, by changing the shape of the light emission pattern of the light source 110 acquired by the acquisition unit 130, the shape of the light projected onto the projection surface 30 can be changed, and the degree of freedom of the shape of the light projected onto the projection surface 30 is high. Therefore, the lighting device 100 can improve the lighting effect on the projection surface 30.

[0068] Furthermore, the control unit 140 sets the conditions for fluctuation control based on at least one of the height difference of the projection surface 30's unevenness among the surface shape, the size of the projection surface 30's unevenness in a planar view, and the frequency of the projection surface 30's unevenness.

[0069] This gives the light emission pattern a fluctuation in brightness according to the uneven shape of the projection surface 30, making it possible to provide a lighting effect that reflects the uneven shape of the projection surface 30.

[0070] (others) Although the lighting device and the lighting device control method according to the present invention have been described based on the above-mentioned embodiment, the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment.

[0071] For example, in the above embodiment, the light emitting element 111 is a μLED, but the present invention is not limited to this. The light emitting element 111 may be an LED that is larger than a μLED, such as an LED of a general size. The light emitting element 111 may be an organic EL element or a laser element.

[0072] Also, for example, in the above embodiment, the control unit 140 performs fluctuation control using a noise generation algorithm, but this is not limited to this. The control unit 140 may use a method other than the noise generation algorithm, such as a method using various random numbers, as long as it can impart light and dark fluctuations to the light emission pattern of the light source 110.

[0073] In the above embodiment, the process executed by a specific processing unit may be executed by another processing unit. The order of multiple processes may be changed, or multiple processes may be executed in parallel.

[0074] For example, the processes described in the above embodiments may be realized by centralized processing using a single processing circuit or device, or may be realized by distributed processing using multiple processing circuits or devices. Also, the processor that executes the above program may be single or multiple. That is, centralized processing or distributed processing may be performed.

[0075] In the above embodiment, all or part of the components such as the control unit may be configured with dedicated hardware, or may be realized by executing a software program suitable for each component. Each component may be realized by a program execution unit such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or a processor reading and executing a software program recorded on a recording medium such as a HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or a semiconductor memory.

[0076] Furthermore, components such as the control unit may be configured with one or more electronic circuits. Each of the one or more electronic circuits may be a general-purpose circuit or a dedicated circuit.

[0077] The one or more electronic circuits may include, for example, a semiconductor device, an IC, or an LSI. The IC or LSI may be integrated into one chip or into multiple chips. Here, we refer to it as an IC or an LSI, but depending on the degree of integration, it may be called a system LSI, a VLSI (Very Large Scale Integration), or an ULSI (Ultra Large Scale Integration). Also, an FPGA that is programmed after the LSI is manufactured can be used for the same purpose.

[0078] Furthermore, the general or specific aspects of the present invention may be realized as a system, an apparatus, a method, an integrated circuit, or a computer program. Alternatively, the present invention may be realized as a computer-readable non-transitory recording medium such as an optical disk, a HDD, or a semiconductor memory in which the computer program is stored. Furthermore, the present invention may be realized as any combination of a system, an apparatus, a method, an integrated circuit, a computer program, and a recording medium.

[0079] In addition, the present invention also includes forms obtained by applying various modifications to each embodiment that a person skilled in the art may think of, and forms realized by arbitrarily combining the components and functions of each embodiment within the scope that does not deviate from the spirit of the present invention.

[0080] An example of the lighting device and the control method according to the present invention described based on the above embodiment will be described below. The lighting device and the control method according to the present invention are not limited to the following examples.

[0081] An illumination device according to a first aspect of the present invention includes a light source having a plurality of light-emitting elements arranged in an array, a projection lens that projects an emission pattern of the light source onto a projection surface, an acquisition unit that acquires the emission pattern and a surface shape of the projection surface, and a control unit that individually controls an emission state of the plurality of light-emitting elements based on the emission pattern acquired by the acquisition unit, and performs fluctuation control to impart light and dark fluctuations in the emission pattern based on the surface shape acquired by the acquisition unit.

[0082] A lighting device according to a second aspect of the present invention is the lighting device according to the first aspect, wherein the surface shape includes a height difference of the unevenness of the projection surface, and the control unit sets the size of the area to be darkened in the light emission pattern in the fluctuation control based on the height difference of the unevenness.

[0083] An illumination device according to a third aspect of the present invention is the illumination device according to the first or second aspect, wherein the surface shape includes a size of unevenness of the projection surface in a planar view, and the control unit sets a size of an area to be darkened in the light emission pattern in the fluctuation control based on the size of the unevenness.

[0084] An illumination device according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is the illumination device according to any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the surface shape includes a frequency of concaves and convexes on the projection surface, and the control unit sets a frequency of darkened areas in the light emission pattern in the fluctuation control based on the frequency of the concaves and convexes.

[0085] A lighting device according to a fifth aspect of the present invention is the lighting device according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, wherein the acquisition unit further acquires a virtual projection angle of light onto the projection surface, and the control unit sets at least one of a size and a frequency of an area to be darkened in the light emission pattern in the fluctuation control based on the virtual projection angle.

[0086] A lighting device according to a sixth aspect of the present invention is the lighting device according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, wherein the acquisition unit further acquires a projection angle by the projection lens onto the projection surface, and the control unit sets at least one of a size and a frequency of an area to be darkened in the light emission pattern in the fluctuation control based on the projection angle.

[0087] An illumination device according to a seventh aspect of the present invention is the illumination device according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, wherein the control unit performs the fluctuation control by using a noise generation algorithm.

[0088] An illumination device according to an eighth aspect of the present invention is the illumination device according to the seventh aspect, wherein the acquisition unit further acquires a material of the projection surface, and the control unit selects the noise generation algorithm to be used for the fluctuation control based on the material acquired by the acquisition unit.

[0089] A lighting device according to a ninth aspect of the present invention is a lighting device according to any one of the first to eighth aspects, further comprising a laser scanner that scans the projection surface, and the acquisition unit acquires the surface shape obtained by the laser scanner scanning the projection surface.

[0090] A control method according to a tenth aspect of the present invention is a control method for an illumination device including a light source having a plurality of light-emitting elements arranged in an array, and a projection lens that projects an emission pattern of the light source onto a projection surface, the control method acquiring the emission pattern and a surface shape of the projection surface, individually controlling the emission state of the plurality of light-emitting elements based on the acquired emission pattern, and performing fluctuation control that imparts light and dark fluctuations in the emission pattern based on the acquired surface shape. [Explanation of symbols]

[0091] 30 Projection surface 100 Lighting Equipment 110 Light source 111 Light emitting element 120 Projection Lens 130 Acquisition Department 140 Control section 170 Laser Scanner

Claims

1. a light source having a plurality of light emitting elements arranged in an array; a projection lens that projects the light emission pattern of the light source onto a projection surface; an acquisition unit that acquires the light emission pattern and a surface shape of the projection surface; and a control unit that individually controls the light emission state of the plurality of light emitting elements based on the light emission pattern acquired by the acquisition unit, and performs fluctuation control that imparts light and dark fluctuations in the light emission pattern based on the surface shape acquired by the acquisition unit. Lighting equipment.

2. the surface shape includes height differences of projections and recesses on the projection surface, The control unit sets a size of a region to be darkened in the light emission pattern in the fluctuation control based on a height difference of the unevenness.

10. The lighting device of claim 1.

3. the surface shape includes a size of unevenness of the projection surface in a plan view, The control unit sets a size of a region to be darkened in the light emission pattern in the fluctuation control based on the size of the unevenness.

10. The lighting device of claim 1.

4. the surface shape includes a frequency of projections and recesses on the projection surface, The control unit sets a frequency of darkening areas in the light emission pattern in the fluctuation control based on a frequency of the concaves and convexes.

10. The lighting device of claim 1.

5. The acquisition unit further acquires a virtual projection angle of the light onto the projection surface, the control unit sets at least one of a size and a frequency of a region to be darkened in the light emission pattern in the fluctuation control based on the virtual projection angle. The lighting device according to claim 1 .

6. the acquisition unit further acquires a projection angle onto the projection surface by the projection lens, The control unit sets at least one of a size and a frequency of a region to be darkened in the light emission pattern in the fluctuation control based on the projection angle. The lighting device according to claim 1 .

7. The control unit performs the fluctuation control using a noise generation algorithm. The lighting device according to claim 1 .

8. The acquisition unit further acquires a material of the projection surface, The control unit selects the noise generation algorithm to be used for the fluctuation control based on the material acquired by the acquisition unit.

8. An illumination device according to claim 7.

9. Further comprising a laser scanner for scanning the projection surface, The acquisition unit acquires the surface shape obtained by scanning the projection surface with the laser scanner. The lighting device according to claim 1 .

10. A method for controlling a lighting device including a light source having a plurality of light-emitting elements arranged in an array and a projection lens that projects a light emission pattern of the light source onto a projection surface, comprising the steps of: acquiring the light emission pattern and the surface shape of the projection surface; controlling the light emission states of the plurality of light emitting elements individually based on the acquired light emission pattern, and performing fluctuation control to impart light and dark fluctuations in the light emission pattern based on the acquired surface shape; Control methods.

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