Context-Aware Lighting Control via Sensor Fusion

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional lighting systems lack the ability to automatically adjust lighting conditions based on user activity, mental state, and social setting, which can impact productivity and comfort in various environments.

Innovation Solution

An interactive electronic device system that uses sensors and a processor to detect context signals, determining user activity, mental state, and social setting, and wirelessly transmits data signals to a light controller to adjust lighting settings, including intensity and color, in response to detected conditions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If conventional lighting systems use manual control methods, then users can adjust lighting settings, but the system cannot automatically adapt to user activity and mental state

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelighting adaptabilityVSAvoidmanual control requirement
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The lighting system automatically detects user context through sensors (accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity, ambient light) and adjusts lighting parameters without requiring manual user input. The system serves itself by interpreting sensor data to determine user activity, mental state, and social setting, then autonomously controlling light intensity and color temperature to match user needs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously monitors sensor signals from the interactive electronic device and uses this feedback to dynamically adjust lighting conditions. The feedback loop processes context information (user activity level, device usage patterns, environmental light levels) and translates it into appropriate lighting adjustments, creating a responsive adaptive system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Adaptability or versatility

If lighting systems automatically adjust based on multiple context factors, then personalized lighting is achieved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontext-aware lightingVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The lighting control system integrates multiple sensor types (accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity, ambient light sensor) into a single multi-functional platform that simultaneously detects various context factors. This universal approach allows the system to gather comprehensive user context information through one integrated system rather than separate independent components, managing complexity while enhancing adaptability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent combines multiple sensing functions and processing operations into an integrated lighting control system. The processor merges data from different sensors and combines multiple context factors (activity, mental state, social setting) into unified lighting decisions, reducing overall system complexity through consolidation while maintaining comprehensive context awareness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Measurement precision

If multiple sensors are used to detect user context, then detection accuracy improves, but device complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontext detection accuracyVSAvoidsensor quantity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The lighting control system segments the sensing function into distinct sensor components (accelerometer for motion detection, gyroscope for orientation, proximity sensor for distance, ambient light sensor for environmental lighting). Each sensor is optimized for its specific detection task, improving overall measurement precision while allowing independent selection and configuration of sensor types based on specific application needs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP2847745B1Lighting application for an interactive electronic device.
Publication Date: 2020.11.18 SIGNIFY HOLDING BV
  • EP2847745B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2847745B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for a lighting application for an interactive electronic device (12). A system (10) includes an interactive electronic device (12) remotely linked to a lighting system (14), the interactive electronic device (12) including a processor (16), a memory (18), the memory including an operating system (26), one or more user applications (28) and an interactive lighting process (100), a user interface (20), one or more sensors (22), a communications device (24), and the lighting system (14) including a light controller (50) linked to a light-emitting unit (52), the light controller (50) including a communications device (54) responsive to one or more lighting adjustment signals received from the interactive lighting process (100). The interactive lighting process (100) includes detecting (102) a context of the interactive electronic device (12), and transmitting (104) a lighting adjustment signal from the communications device (24) to a light controller (50) of a lighting system (14) in response to the detected context.