Adaptable Lighting System with Automatic Illumination Pattern Healing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current color adjustable lighting systems require technical expertise to control brightness, color, and saturation, making it difficult for non-experts to create and maintain application-specific lighting scenes, especially when light sources fail or change.
Innovation Solution
A lighting system with individually controllable light sources and a control unit that detects and adapts illumination patterns by comparing initial and subsequent sets of parameters, allowing automatic adjustment to maintain a consistent illumination pattern even when light sources fail or change, using sensors and potentially coded light for identification.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If color adjustable light sources are used to create application-specific lighting scenes, then lighting scene customization capability is improved, but control complexity increases requiring technical expertise
Solution Approach 1:
The lighting system automatically detects light source failures and recalibrates illumination parameters without user intervention. The control unit monitors light source status and autonomously adjusts brightness and color parameters to maintain desired lighting scenes, eliminating the need for users to manually troubleshoot or recalibrate the system.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements continuous feedback by detecting actual light output from individual light sources and comparing it against target parameters. When deviations are detected (such as bulb failures or dimming), the control unit automatically adjusts other light sources to compensate and maintain the intended illumination pattern, creating a self-correcting system.
2Manufacturing precision
If manual control of brightness, color and saturation parameters is required, then lighting scene precision is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates for non-expert users
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs automatic calibration and maintenance of lighting scene precision without requiring user expertise. The control unit autonomously monitors and adjusts light source parameters to maintain precise illumination patterns, freeing users from needing to understand complex color and brightness control.
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-calibrates lighting scenes during installation or setup phases, storing optimal parameter configurations. When light sources are replaced or fail, the system automatically retrieves and applies pre-stored calibration data, maintaining precision without requiring users to manually recreate settings.
3Reliability
If light source failures occur in the lighting system, then system reliability deteriorates, but automatic healing capability can restore illumination patterns
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit continuously monitors light source status and detects failures through feedback signals. When a failure is detected, the system automatically recalibrates remaining light sources to compensate for the failure and restore the intended illumination pattern, maintaining system reliability through adaptive response.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts illumination parameters in real-time based on light source availability. When light sources are added, removed, or fail, the control unit automatically recalculates and redistributes lighting loads across available sources, maintaining functional reliability through dynamic adaptation.
4Adaptability or versatility
If multiple individually controllable light sources are used, then lighting system adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit serves multiple functions: it controls individual light source parameters, detects light source status, performs calibration, and implements failure recovery. This multi-functionality consolidates complex operations into a single intelligent controller, managing adaptability without proportionally increasing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The lighting system is segmented into individually addressable light sources, each with independent control capability. This segmentation enables flexible configuration and adaptability while the centralized control unit manages complexity through standardized communication protocols with each segment.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a control unit (108) for a lighting system (100) comprising at least two individually controllable light sources (102, 104), wherein the control unit (108) is connectable to the at least two individually controllable light sources (102, 104) and configured to control the at least two individually controllable light sources (102, 104), wherein the control unit (108) is further configured to control a first lighting system configuration comprising the at least two individually controllable light sources (102, 104) so as to cause it to emit a first illumination pattern (120) provided jointly by the at least two light sources (102, 104) of the first lighting system configuration, detect and store an initial set of illumination parameters being indicative of the first illumination pattern (120), determine a subsequent set of illumination parameters being indicative of a second illumination pattern (122) provided by a second lighting system configuration comprising individually controllable light sources (102, 106), the second lighting system configuration being different from the first lighting system configuration, and control, in dependence on the initial set and the subsequent set of illumination parameters, the second lighting system configuration so as to cause it to emit a third illumination pattern (124), the third illumination pattern (124) being an approximation of the first illumination pattern (120). The present invention provides advantages in respect of e.g. automatic "healing" of the lighting system (100), for example in the case where a light source (102, 104) of the lighting system (100) fails or is only capable of providing less than the normal rated light output.