Intelligent Lighting Control via Wireless Signal Modulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing home lighting control systems are often complex and require expert installation, with smart light bulbs being limited by the light switch and fixture they are associated with, and lack intuitive control methods.
Innovation Solution
A lighting control system that includes a light switch actuator with a tactile display and a base module, allowing for wireless communication with mobile devices to control lighting settings, including scheduling, ambient light adjustment, and sensor-driven responses, enabling intuitive and automated lighting adjustments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If automated home lighting control systems include large, complex, expensive central hubs, then automation capability is improved, but device complexity and installation difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the intelligence and control capabilities from a centralized hub and distributes them to individual lighting fixtures. Each fixture contains its own controller that can independently process sensor data, interpret alarm signals, and execute lighting adjustments without requiring a complex central hub, thereby maintaining automation while reducing system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
Each lighting fixture operates autonomously by self-processing alarm signals and sensor inputs locally. The fixtures independently determine when and how to adjust lighting based on received signals, eliminating the need for expert-configured central hubs and simplifying both installation and operation
2Adaptability or versatility
If smart light bulbs are associated with light switches and fixtures, then integration is improved, but operational flexibility deteriorates when the switch is turned off
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces wireless communication as an intermediary between the light switch and the smart bulb. The bulb receives control signals and status information wirelessly, allowing it to maintain operability and respond to alarm signals even when the physical light switch is in the off position, thus decoupling the bulb's intelligence from the switch's mechanical state
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the relationship between the light switch and smart bulb. Rather than a fixed dependency where the bulb must be on to function, the bulb can independently activate, adjust brightness, and respond to alarms based on wireless signals regardless of the switch position, making the system adaptable to different operational scenarios
3Adaptability or versatility
If lighting switches are inundated with light switches confusingly mapped to respective fixtures, then control coverage is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where each lighting fixture provides visual or digital identification of its status and associated controls. Users can see which fixture is currently active or which alarm signal is being received, making it clear which switch or control corresponds to which fixture, thereby eliminating confusion while maintaining comprehensive coverage
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a simplified digital or visual representation of the lighting layout that mirrors the physical arrangement but presents it in an intuitive, non-confusing manner. This copied interface shows clear mappings between controls and fixtures, allowing users to operate the system easily without dealing with the complexity of multiple similarly-appearing switches
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides an intelligent lighting control apparatus for automated lighting adjustments based on sensor and alarm signals. A light control apparatus detects a signal, such as an alarm signal and a sensor signal, from an electronic device, such as a mobile electronic device and a security system, or a sensor device, such as a motion detector. The light control apparatus is configured to select a scene based on the detected signal and modulate a flow of electrical current to a lighting circuit controlled by the light control apparatus according to one or more parameters of the selected scene.