Ambient light detector and induction lighting device comprising same

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of induction lamps, and discloses an ambient light detector and an induction lighting device comprising same. The ambient light detector comprises: a light concentrating member, which is a reflector cup, wherein a concave surface of the reflector cup is a reflective surface, and the edge of a large end of the reflector cup is parallel to the main axis of the reflector cup; and a light sensing receiver, which is mounted at a small end of the reflector cup, wherein a light receiving surface of the light sensing receiver faces the reflector cup. By means of the cooperation of the light converging member and the light sensing receiver, light within a detection angle can be converged and enhanced, and light outside the detection range can be automatically blocked and is not received, so that a clear detection boundary is realized. The light sensing receiver can accurately detect a change in external ambient light by receiving a light signal that is converged and enhanced and has a clear boundary within a large angle range, thereby greatly reducing an environmental error when the brightness of a lamp is adjusted on the basis of the light signal received by the light sensing receiver.

Description

An ambient light detector and a sensing lighting device having the same.

[0001] Cross-references to related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202411987843.5, filed on December 31, 2024, entitled "An Ambient Light Detector and a Sensing Lighting Device Having the Same", the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] This application relates to the field of sensor lighting technology, specifically to an ambient light detector and a sensor lighting device having the same. Background Technology

[0004] An ambient light sensor is a device that senses the intensity of surrounding light and is typically used to adjust the brightness of a device's display to enhance the user experience. Common applications include brightness adjustment on displays of smartphones, tablets, and laptops. Additionally, in e-readers and televisions, ambient light sensors can be used to adjust the screen's color temperature, providing a more comfortable reading or viewing experience.

[0005] In indoor lighting systems, ambient light sensors detect the brightness of the surrounding environment to control indoor lighting and achieve automatic lighting adjustment. As ambient light sensors have evolved, their size has decreased. However, when applied in indoor lighting systems, the area of ​​ambient light they can capture is relatively small. Indoor ambient light includes not only light emitted by lamps but also natural light such as sunlight and reflections from shiny objects. Because of the narrow detection area of ​​ambient light sensors, the collected light signal error is relatively large when used in large spaces such as indoor lighting systems. In actual operation, the ambient light sensor may incorrectly guide lamps to turn off or dim when object reflections are strong, resulting in overall dim ambient light in public places and affecting the normal activities of people in these areas. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In view of this, this application provides an ambient light detector and a sensing lighting device having the same, to solve the problem in the prior art that when the reflection of objects is strong, the signal collected by the ambient light detector will cause the lamps to be turned off or dimmed incorrectly, resulting in the overall dimness of the ambient light in public places and affecting the normal activities of people in public places.

[0007] In a first aspect, this application provides an ambient light detector, comprising:

[0008] The focusing element is a reflector cup, with the concave side of the reflector cup being the reflective surface, and the edge of the large opening of the reflector cup being parallel to the main axis of the reflector cup;

[0009] A light sensor is installed at the small end of the reflector, with the light-receiving surface of the light sensor facing the reflector.

[0010] During ambient light detection, light is focused by a beam concentrater before striking the photosensitive receiver. To achieve the maximum angle of incident light and thus the largest ambient light detection range, the edge of the reflector cup (acting as the beam concentrater) is parallel to its main axis. This ensures that light incident on the edge of the reflector cup within the preset detection range is still reflected onto the photosensitive receiver. Light outside the preset detection range is reflected off the photosensitive receiver after being focused by the reflector cup. By working together, the beam concentrater and photosensitive receiver focus and amplify light within the detection angle, automatically shielding light outside the detection range and ensuring a clear detection boundary. By receiving the focused, amplified, and clearly defined light signal within a large angle range, the photosensitive receiver can accurately detect changes in external ambient light, significantly reducing environmental errors when adjusting the brightness of the luminaire based on the light signal received by the photosensitive receiver.

[0011] In one optional embodiment, the light-concentrating element is a light-concentrating lens, and the light-sensing receiver is installed at or near the focal point of the light-concentrating lens, with the light-receiving surface of the light-sensing receiver facing the light-concentrating lens.

[0012] The relationship between the width of the light-receiving surface, the focal length of the condenser lens, and the angle between the incident ray and the principal axis of the condenser lens is as follows:

[0013] Where: a is the width of the light receiving surface, f is the focal length of the condenser lens, and ω is the angle between the incident ray and the principal axis of the condenser lens.

[0014] During ambient light detection, light is focused by a condenser before hitting the photosensitive receiver. To achieve the maximum angle of incident light and thus the largest ambient light detection range, the focal length of the condenser lens is controlled to ensure that incident light within the preset detection range is focused onto the photosensitive receiver. Light outside the preset detection range, after being focused by the condenser lens, will be outside the photosensitive receiver and not received. Through the cooperation of the condenser and the photosensitive receiver, light within the detection angle is focused and amplified, while light outside the detection range is automatically shielded, resulting in a clear detection boundary. By receiving the focused, amplified, and clearly defined light signal over a large angle range, the photosensitive receiver can accurately detect changes in external ambient light, significantly reducing environmental errors when adjusting the brightness of the luminaire based on the light signal received by the photosensitive receiver.

[0015] In one alternative embodiment, the angle between the reflective surface of the reflector cup and the light-receiving surface of the light sensor is not less than 90°.

[0016] In one alternative embodiment, a mounting bracket, which is tapered, is further included, with a focusing lens fixedly mounted at the open end of the mounting bracket and a light-sensing receiver fixedly mounted in the inner cavity of the mounting bracket.

[0017] In one optional embodiment, a mounting housing is further included, on which a light receiving port is provided. The light sensor is mounted inside the mounting housing, and a focusing element is mounted on the light receiving port. By mounting the light sensor inside the mounting housing, the light sensor can only receive light from the focusing element, thereby reducing the influence of ambient light on the light sensor and reducing environmental errors in ambient light detection.

[0018] In one alternative embodiment, a mounting element is pivotally mounted on the mounting housing. The mounting element is adapted to cooperate with and connect with an external mounting component, so that the mounting housing can swing around the mounting element after installation, thereby adjusting the orientation of the light-sensing receiver and changing the light detection area. This facilitates in-situ adjustment of the light detection area after the mounting housing is installed in place.

[0019] In one alternative embodiment, the mounting component and the optical receiver are respectively located on opposite sides of the mounting housing.

[0020] Secondly, this application also provides a sensor-activated lighting device having the ambient light detector described in this application. Since the sensor-activated lighting device includes an ambient light detector and has the same effect as an ambient light detector, it will not be described further here.

[0021] In one alternative implementation, it further includes:

[0022] An illumination component, electrically connected to an ambient light detector, is adapted to adjust its brightness according to the ambient light signal detected by the ambient light detector;

[0023] The mounting components, lighting components, and ambient light detectors are all mounted on the mounting components.

[0024] In one alternative implementation, the mounting assembly is a cable tray, on which both the lighting assembly and the ambient light detector are fixedly mounted.

[0025] In one alternative implementation, the mounting component is a conductive slide rail, on which the ambient light detector is slidably mounted. Attached Figure Description

[0026] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the specific embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the specific embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0027] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the ambient light detector provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0028] Figures 2 to 8 are schematic diagrams illustrating the design concept of the ambient light detector provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0029] Figures 9 and 10 are schematic diagrams illustrating the design concept of an ambient light detector provided in another embodiment of this application.

[0030] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the induction lighting device provided in the embodiment of this application.

[0031] Figure 12 is a schematic diagram of the structure of an induction lighting device provided in another embodiment of this application.

[0032] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: 1. Light sensor receiver; 2. Reflector cup; 3. Condenser lens; 4. Mounting bracket; 5. Mounting housing; 6. Mounting component; 7. Lighting assembly; 8. Cable tray; 9. Conductive slide rail. Detailed Implementation

[0033] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this application clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0034] The embodiments of this application are described below with reference to Figures 1 to 10.

[0035] According to an embodiment of this application, an ambient light detector is provided, including a focusing element and a light-sensing receiver 1.

[0036] The focusing element is a reflector cup 2, with its concave side serving as the reflective surface. The edge of the larger end of the reflector cup 2 is parallel to its main axis. A light sensor receiver 1 is installed at the smaller end of the reflector cup 2, with its light-receiving surface facing the reflector cup 2.

[0037] During ambient light detection, light is focused by a beam concentrater before striking the light sensor 1. To achieve the maximum angle of incident light and thus the largest ambient light detection range, the edge of the reflector cup 2 (acting as the beam concentrater) is parallel to its main axis. This ensures that light incident on the edge of the reflector cup 2 within the preset detection range is still reflected onto the light sensor 1. Light outside the preset detection range is focused by the reflector cup and reflected away from the light sensor 1. The beam concentrater and light sensor 1 work together to focus and amplify light within the detection angle, automatically shielding light outside the detection range, resulting in a clear detection boundary. By receiving the focused, amplified, and clearly defined light signal within a large angle range, the light sensor 1 can accurately detect changes in external ambient light, significantly reducing environmental errors when adjusting the brightness of the luminaire based on the light signal received by the light sensor 1.

[0038] Specifically, in this embodiment, the light-sensing receiver 1 uses a diode detector. The area of ​​the light-sensing receiver 1 is relatively small, and it cannot fill the entire small opening of the reflector cup 2 like the receiving surface of a traditional composite parabolic concentrator. To achieve focused light radiation over the largest possible area, that is, to transmit as much energy as possible to the small opening CD of the reflector cup 2 through the reflector cup 2, as shown in Figures 2 to 4, the small opening CD of the reflector cup 2 is designed as the exit aperture of the device. Reflectors are placed at points A and B. This can start with simple plane mirrors, placing one plane mirror horizontally on the CD surface and another mirror at point A. Since point O is the midpoint of AB, the light-sensing receiver 1 is symmetrical about the perpendicular line passing through point O, and the reflectors on both sides are also symmetrical about this perpendicular line. To ensure that the light-sensing receiver 1 can receive light deflected to CD to the maximum extent, the angle β must be as small as possible to make the aperture AB sufficiently large. However, there is a limit to the minimum value of angle β, which is the angle β value that satisfies the condition when light ray r1 is reflected from point A1 to point D. If angle β is smaller, the light will be reflected by AA1 towards BB1 or the bottom surface, and will not be reflected to the CD area where the light sensor 1 is located, thus failing to reach the light sensor 1. After the first set of reflectors is placed, the second set of reflectors can be placed on top of it. In this case, the slope of the reflector is selected to maximize the entrance aperture, which means that the reflector must reflect the light r2 coming from the left at point A2 to point D. This allows reflectors to be placed one after another upwards. These reflectors have finite dimensions and can be made as small as possible, allowing us to place more and more small reflectors. These small reflectors together tend to form a curve. The angle between the reflective surface of the reflector cup and the light-receiving surface of the light sensor is not less than 90°, that is, the angle between the side of the reflector cup facing the light sensor at any position and the light-receiving surface of the light sensor is an obtuse angle. To obtain the maximum angle of incident light, the edge of the large opening of the reflector cup 2 is parallel to the main axis of the reflector cup 2. As shown in Figure 5, when the incident angle is greater than θ max When the curve slopes inward (blue line in Figure 5), the incident aperture becomes smaller, the area of ​​the incident aperture of the reflector becomes smaller, and more light is blocked at the end of the reflector cup 2, which weakens the light-gathering ability of the reflector.

[0039] In summary, as shown in Figures 6 to 8, when the incident ray travels along θ... max When incident at an angle, part of the light directly illuminates the light sensor 1 or the bottom surface of the reflector 2, while the other part is reflected by the reflector and converges at point D on the light sensor 1. When the incident light ray is less than θ... max When incident at an angle, part of the light directly illuminates the light sensor 1 or the bottom surface of the reflector 2, while the other part is reflected by the reflector and converges onto the light sensor 1. When the incident light is greater than θ...max When incident at an angle, no light rays will reach the light sensor 1.

[0040] When ambient light detectors are used for pedestrian flow sensing, all light rays within the detection range must reach the detector. Changes in pedestrian flow cause changes in ambient light. Based on the detected changes in light, it is possible to detect whether pedestrians have passed by, pedestrian density, etc., thereby controlling lighting and other equipment.

[0041] In some other embodiments, the light-collecting element may also be a light-collecting lens 3, and the light-sensing receiver 1 is installed at the focal point of the light-collecting lens 3 or near the focal point of the light-collecting element, with the light-receiving surface of the light-sensing receiver 1 facing the light-collecting lens 3.

[0042] The relationship between the width of the light-receiving surface, the focal length of the condenser lens 3, and the angle between the incident ray and the principal axis of the condenser lens 3 is as follows:

[0043] Where: a is the width of the light receiving surface, f is the focal length of the light-collecting element, and ω is the angle between the incident ray and the principal axis of the light-collecting lens 3.

[0044] During ambient light detection, light is focused by a condenser before hitting the light sensor 1. To achieve the maximum angle of incident light and thus the largest ambient light detection range, the focal length of the condenser lens 3 is controlled to ensure that incident light within the preset detection range is focused onto the light sensor 1. Light outside the preset detection range, after being focused by the condenser lens 3, will be directed away from the light sensor 1 and not received. Through the cooperation of the condenser and the light sensor 1, light within the detection angle is focused and amplified, while light outside the detection range is automatically shielded, resulting in a clear detection boundary. By receiving focused, amplified, and clearly defined light signals over a wide angle, the light sensor 1 can accurately detect changes in external ambient light, significantly reducing environmental errors when adjusting the brightness of the luminaire based on the light signals received by the light sensor 1.

[0045] Specifically, the light-sensing receiver 1 in this embodiment also uses a small diode detector. A certain range of ambient light is focused onto the detector through a lens. According to boundary theory, it is only necessary to project the boundary light from the environment onto the boundary of the detector. As shown in Figure 9, since the ambient light can be considered as light from infinity relative to the lens, these rays are parallel to the optical axis at a certain angle ω. According to the imaging law of thin lenses, two special rays are found: one is a ray passing through the object-side focal point and exiting parallel to the optical axis after passing through the lens; the other is an incident ray passing through the optical center, with the exit direction being the same as the incident direction. Since these two rays must intersect at a certain point on the image-side focal plane, this point is the conjugate image point of the infinity-off-axis object point. When the light-sensing receiver 1 is located on the image-side focal plane, the relationship between the width a of the light-receiving surface, the focal length f of the focusing element, and the angle ω between the incident ray and the principal axis of the focusing element satisfies:

[0046] As shown in Figure 10, when the incident angle is less than ω, the light will still converge onto the photosensitive receiver 1. When the incident angle is greater than AB, the convergence point is outside the photosensitive receiver 1. When used for pedestrian flow sensing, the light within the detection range needs to reach the detector through the lens, and the incident angle needs to satisfy the condition that the convergence point is within the photosensitive receiver 1, i.e., satisfying the above formula.

[0047] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 1, a conical mounting bracket 4 is provided for fixing the condenser lens 3 and the light sensor receiver 1. The condenser lens 3 is fixedly installed at the open end of the mounting bracket 4, and the light sensor receiver 1 is fixedly installed in the inner cavity of the mounting bracket 4.

[0048] In one embodiment, to prevent ambient light outside the detection range from affecting the light signal received by the light sensor 1, a mounting housing 5 is also provided. The mounting housing 5 has a light receiving port, the light sensor is mounted inside the mounting housing 5, and a focusing element is mounted on the light receiving port. By mounting the light sensor 1 inside the mounting housing 5, the light sensor 1 can only receive light from the focusing element, reducing the influence of ambient light on the light sensor 1 and minimizing environmental errors in ambient light detection.

[0049] In one embodiment, to facilitate adjustment of the detection area after the ambient light detector is installed, a mounting member 6 is pivotally mounted on the mounting housing 5. The mounting member 6 is adapted to connect with external mounting components, allowing the mounting housing 5 to swing around the mounting member 6 after installation, thereby adjusting the orientation of the light-sensing receiver 1 and changing the light detection area. This facilitates in-situ adjustment of the light detection area after the mounting housing 5 is in place. Specifically, the mounting member 6 and the light receiving port are respectively located on opposite sides of the mounting housing 5, so that the orientation of the light receiving port can be adjusted by swinging the mounting housing 5, thereby changing the detection area of ​​the light-sensing receiver 1.

[0050] To facilitate the conversion of the optical signal received by the photosensitive receiver 1 into an electrical signal, a photoelectric conversion circuit board is installed inside the mounting housing 5, on which a photoelectric conversion circuit is configured. The optical signal collected by the photosensitive receiver 1 is converted into a voltage signal through the sampling resistor R1. After passing through a subsequent 100Hz notch filter circuit to remove power frequency interference, a voltage signal varying with the light intensity within the detection range can be obtained at point OUT. Then, after passing through a two-stage resistor-capacitor (RC) filter circuit to remove high-frequency signals, a smooth DC signal can be obtained at point A, which reflects the average illuminance of the current environment.

[0051] According to an embodiment of this application, another aspect provides a sensor-activated lighting device having the ambient light detector of this application. It also includes a lighting component 7 and a mounting component. The lighting component 7 is electrically connected to the ambient light detector and is adapted to adjust its brightness according to the ambient light signal detected by the ambient light detector. Both the lighting component 7 and the ambient light detector are mounted on the mounting component. The lighting component 7 can be any type of lamp, such as an LED lamp, fluorescent lamp, ultraviolet lamp, or full-spectrum lamp. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG11, the mounting component is a cable tray 8, and both the lighting component 7 and the ambient light detector are fixedly mounted on the cable tray 8. In some other embodiments, as shown in FIG12, the mounting component can also be a conductive slide rail 9, and the ambient light detector is slidably mounted on the conductive slide rail 9 so that the ambient light detector can adjust its detection area in the horizontal direction.

[0052] Although embodiments of this application have been described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations without departing from the spirit and scope of this application, and all such modifications and variations fall within the scope defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An ambient light detector, characterized in that, include: The light-concentrating element is a reflector cup (2), the concave side of the reflector cup (2) is the reflective surface, and the edge of the large opening end of the reflector cup (2) is parallel to the main axis of the reflector cup (2); A light sensor (1) is installed at the small end of the reflector (2), with the light receiving surface of the light sensor (1) facing the reflector (2). or, The light-collecting element is a light-collecting lens (3), and the light-sensing receiver (1) is installed at the focal point of the light-collecting lens (3) or near the focal point of the light-collecting lens (3), with the light-receiving surface of the light-sensing receiver (1) facing the light-collecting lens (3). The relationship between the width of the light-receiving surface, the focal length of the condenser lens (3), and the angle between the incident ray and the principal axis of the condenser lens (3) is as follows: Where: a is the width of the light receiving surface, f is the focal length of the condenser lens (3), and ω is the angle between the incident light ray and the principal axis of the condenser lens (3).

2. The ambient light detector according to claim 1, characterized in that, The angle between the reflective surface of the reflector cup (2) and the light-receiving surface of the light-sensing receiver (1) is not less than 90°.

3. The ambient light detector according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a mounting bracket (4) which is conical, the condenser lens (3) is fixedly installed at the open end of the mounting bracket (4), and the light sensor (1) is fixedly installed in the inner cavity of the mounting bracket (4).

4. The ambient light detector according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, It also includes a mounting housing (5), on which a light receiving port is provided, the light sensing receiver is installed inside the mounting housing (5), and the light focusing element is installed on the light receiving port.

5. The ambient light detector according to claim 4, characterized in that, An mounting component (6) is pivotally mounted on the mounting housing (5), and the mounting component (6) is adapted to be connected with an external mounting assembly.

6. The ambient light detector according to claim 5, characterized in that, The mounting component (6) and the optical receiving port are respectively located on opposite sides of the mounting housing (5).

7. A sensor-activated lighting device, characterized in that, An ambient light detector having any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. The sensor-activated lighting device according to claim 7, characterized in that, Also includes: An illumination component (7) is electrically connected to the ambient light detector, and the illumination component (7) is adapted to adjust its brightness according to the ambient light signal detected by the ambient light detector; The lighting component (7) and the ambient light detector are both mounted on the mounting assembly.

9. The sensor-activated lighting device according to claim 8, characterized in that, The mounting component is a cable tray (8), and the lighting component (7) and the ambient light detector are both fixedly mounted on the cable tray (8).

10. The sensor-activated lighting device according to claim 8, characterized in that, The mounting component is a conductive slide rail (9), on which the ambient light detector is slidably mounted.

Images