Lighting Controller Using Single Control Element for Luminous Flux and Color Temperature
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current lighting systems that adjust luminous flux, color temperature, and output color are complex and difficult for average users to control, lacking a flexible and easy method to manage these parameters using a single user control element.
Innovation Solution
A controller connected to multiple light sources of different colors and/or color temperatures, which receives user input to adjust the combined light's luminous flux and color temperature/output color using a single control element, allowing independent adjustment of intensity and color temperature while maintaining constant color or varying it in defined intervals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If multiple separate control elements are used to adjust luminous flux, color temperature, and output color, then precise control of each parameter is achieved, but device complexity and ease of operation deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple control functions (luminous flux adjustment, color temperature adjustment, and output color adjustment) into a single control element. This single element generates a control signal that simultaneously controls all three parameters, eliminating the need for multiple separate controls and simplifying the user interface while maintaining precise control capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The control element is designed to perform multiple functions: it can adjust luminous flux, color temperature, and output color all through one interface. This multi-functional approach reduces the number of components needed and simplifies the overall control system architecture.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple separate control elements are used to adjust luminous flux, color temperature, and output color, then independent control of each parameter is achieved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple control operations into a single control element that can independently adjust luminous flux, color temperature, and output color. This integration maintains the flexibility to control each parameter independently while significantly improving ease of operation by reducing the number of controls the user must manage.
3Ease of operation
If a single control element is used to adjust luminous flux and color temperature, then ease of operation improves, but control precision may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes parameter changes in the control signal to encode multiple control dimensions. By varying different characteristics of the control signal (such as duration, amplitude, or frequency), the system can precisely control multiple parameters (luminous flux, color temperature, output color) through a single control element, maintaining both simplicity and accuracy.
Data Source
AI summary
A controller (110) for a lighting system (100) is provided. The controller is connectable to a plurality of light sources (120, 122) of different colors and/or different color temperatures, and to a user control element (130) configured to generate a user selected value from a range of user selectable values. The controller is configured to receive a change of the user selected value, and as a response to and corresponding to this change adjust a combined output of the plurality of light sources to produce a change in output color, color temperature and/or luminous flux of a combined light of the plurality of light sources. The change is such that, as function of the user selected value in separate first intervals of the user selectable values, the output color and/or color temperature is kept approximately constant while the luminous flux obtains a local minimum or local maximum in each first interval. Similarly, in at least one second interval in between the first intervals, the output color at least changes from a first color to a second color and/or the color temperature increases or decreases while the luminous flux is kept approximately constant. A lighting system including the controller, and a method of operating a lighting system having such a controller are also provided.