Architectural Lighting with Segmented Luminous Surface and Concealed Task Source
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Solution Overview
Problem
Architectural and historical lighting fixtures suffer from inefficient light distribution, leading to poor target area illumination due to their omni-directional light design, which results in wasted light and glare, and are unable to adapt to varying ambient conditions effectively, causing reduced visibility and increased energy consumption.
Innovation Solution
The use of a luminous transmissive surface and a separate task light source, where the task light is not directly visible, allowing the luminance of the target area to adapt the eye's sensitivity, while the luminous surface provides a reference glow within the scene adaptive range, reducing glare and improving illumination efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If architectural lighting fixtures use omni-directional light distribution design, then the fixtures maintain aesthetic appearance and provide reference illumination, but the target area illumination efficiency deteriorates due to wasted light and glare
Solution Approach 1:
The lighting system is divided into two separate functional components: a visible luminous surface for reference illumination and aesthetic appearance, and a concealed task light source for targeted area illumination. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function optimally without compromising the other, resolving the contradiction between aesthetic reference lighting and efficient target area illumination.
Solution Approach 2:
The task lighting function is extracted from the visible luminous surface and implemented through a separate concealed light source. This extraction eliminates the harmful glare and light waste associated with omni-directional distribution from visible fixtures, while the concealed source provides efficient, directed illumination to the target area without compromising aesthetic appearance.
2Illumination intensity
If architectural lighting fixtures provide visible luminous surface for reference illumination, then aesthetic appeal and location reference are maintained, but glare and light pollution increase reducing visibility
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful glare and light pollution effects are eliminated by extracting the task lighting function from the visible luminous surface. The concealed task light source provides necessary illumination without creating glare, while the visible luminous surface maintains its aesthetic and reference functions at appropriate luminance levels within the scene adaptive range.
Solution Approach 2:
Different parts of the lighting system are assigned different functional qualities: the visible luminous surface provides diffuse, low-level reference illumination with aesthetic appearance, while the concealed task light source provides concentrated, high-intensity illumination to the target area. This local differentiation of quality resolves the contradiction between reference illumination and glare reduction.
3Adaptability or versatility
If traditional architectural fixtures use single light source for both reference and task lighting, then device complexity is reduced, but adaptability to varying ambient conditions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The lighting system is segmented into independently controllable components: a visible luminous surface for reference illumination and a concealed task light source for area illumination. This segmentation enables independent control of each component's intensity and timing, allowing adaptation to varying ambient conditions while maintaining aesthetic appearance and functional illumination.
Solution Approach 2:
The lighting system incorporates dynamic control capabilities where the luminance of the visible surface and the intensity of the concealed task light can be independently adjusted based on ambient light levels and operational requirements. This dynamic adaptability allows the system to respond to changing environmental conditions while maintaining optimal performance.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus, system and method for lighting an area, for example, an outdoors pedestrian area or building façade or an auto traffic area, or an indoor large area, which provides indicator/guide light, reference light for structures, and task lighting for a target area. The method uses first lighting sources that are directly viewable by observers and which can be historical, architectural, or aesthetically selected sources, but which produce a relatively low level of light or luminance insufficient to effectively light the area but sufficient to act as an indicator or guide, as well as to provide reference illumination on buildings or structures. Second lighting sources are configured to produce directional light to light the area but hide the light sources from most conventional observer viewing angles and may be enclosed within the general outlines of the globe or transmissive surface area of the fixture.