Lighting System With Grid Cell Light Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current artificial lighting systems fail to efficiently and cost-effectively emulate the dynamic color temperature of natural daylight, which is essential for creating a convincing daylight impression in indoor environments, as they require complex light sources and control systems.
Innovation Solution
A lighting system featuring an electrically controllable light processing arrangement with a grid of cells that can switch between different modes to control light color and intensity, using electrophoretic filters or reflectors to manage light emitted at angles greater than a threshold, allowing for ambient lighting while maintaining direct task lighting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a complex light source and control system are used to enable selectable or evolving color temperature, then the ability to emulate natural daylight is improved, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The light processing arrangement is segmented into a grid of cells, where each cell contains a cell wall with electrically switchable elements. This segmentation allows independent control of different light paths (direct vs. ambient) and enables color temperature adjustment through simple switching between predefined modes in each cell, rather than requiring complex continuous control of the entire light source
Solution Approach 2:
Different parts of the light output are treated differently: direct light (within threshold angle) passes through unprocessed to maintain bright task lighting, while ambient light (above threshold angle) is processed by cell walls to adjust color temperature. This local quality approach allows selective color control only where needed for ambient illumination, simplifying the overall system while achieving daylight emulation
2Adaptability or versatility
If color filtering is applied to all light output, then the ability to control ambient light color is improved, but the quality of direct task lighting deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The cell walls are made dynamically switchable between different processing modes using electrically controllable elements. This allows the system to adaptively control whether light is processed or passed through based on real-time requirements, enabling seamless transition between different lighting scenarios and maintaining both ambient color control and direct lighting quality
Solution Approach 2:
The angular space of light output is segmented into two distinct zones: a central cone within the threshold angle for direct task lighting that remains unprocessed, and peripheral regions above the threshold angle for ambient illumination that undergo color processing. This spatial segmentation ensures that color control is applied only to ambient light without degrading direct task lighting quality
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution enables efficient and cost-effective control of light color and intensity, replicating natural daylight conditions such as sky colors and simulating different sky conditions like clear skies, overcast, sunrise, or sunset, while maintaining bright direct task lighting.
Implementation Method 1
the particles are adapted to move within the cell wall between an in-view area and a reservoir area
Implementation Method 2
a reflector can be used to change the intensity
Data Source
AI summary
A lighting system comprises a light source having an exit window and an electrically controllable light processing arrangement, in the form of a grid of cells lying in a plane parallel to the exit window. Each cell has a cell wall formed as electrically switchable element which is switchable between at least two processing modes. The cell wall surrounds an opening, such that light emitted in a normal direction from the light source exit window is not processed, and light passing at an angle to the normal direction greater than a threshold angle is processed by the cell wall for color and/or intensity control.