Lighting Scene Controller for Dynamic User-Defined Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing lighting control systems become impractical with increasing numbers of independently controllable light units, and users are limited by predefined lighting scenes, making it time-consuming to create or modify scenes.

Innovation Solution

A user-defined lighting scene descriptor system allows users to easily create and modify lighting scenes by inputting abstract descriptors, such as 'cozy' or 'cheerful', which are processed to adjust light source properties, enabling quick creation and modification of complex lighting scenarios through a user interface and processing means that output control signals.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If individual light sources are controlled separately to achieve fine control over each light's state, then control precision is improved, but device complexity and ease of operation deteriorate as the number of light sources increases to dozens or hundreds

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol precisionVSAvoidease of operation
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the control task into two levels: scene-level control (grouping multiple light sources) and individual light control. Users control scenes rather than individual lights, while the system internally manages individual light adjustments, resolving the contradiction between fine control and ease of operation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces 'lighting scenes' as an intermediary layer between the user and individual light sources. This intermediary allows users to control groups of lights through a single interface element, maintaining control precision while dramatically improving ease of operation with dozens or hundreds of light sources

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If lighting scenes are predefined and stored for quick recall, then ease of operation is improved, but adaptability deteriorates as users are limited to preexisting scenes and cannot easily create or modify them

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of operationVSAvoidadaptability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent makes the lighting scene system dynamic by allowing users to create, modify, and delete scenes on-the-fly. Scenes are not static predefinitions but can be adapted in real-time based on user needs, combining the ease of preset recall with the flexibility of custom creation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent provides preconfigured scene templates that users can select and then customize. This preliminary preparation gives users immediate ease of operation with ready-made scenes while maintaining adaptability through subsequent modification capabilities

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Adaptability or versatility

If users manually adjust each light source to create a new lighting scene, then adaptability is improved, but time consumption increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveadaptabilityVSAvoidtime consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the control of multiple individual light sources into a single scene entity. When users create or modify a scene, adjustments to individual lights are batched and applied together, dramatically reducing the time required to create lighting scenes while maintaining full adaptability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary calculations and preparations when scenes are created or modified, pre-processing the adjustments needed for multiple lights before applying them. This preliminary action reduces the actual time users need to spend creating scenes while maintaining adaptability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP2266373B1Light system controller and method for controlling a lighting scene
Publication Date: 2018.08.15 SIGNIFY HOLDING BV
  • EP2266373B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2266373B1 patent drawingFigure 2a
  • EP2266373B1 patent drawingFigure 2b

AI summary

The invention relates to the control, for example the creation or modification of a lighting scene with a lighting system, and the invention particularly relates to a more easily and user oriented controlling of the creation and modification of the lighting scene. An embodiment of the invention provides a light system controller (10) for controlling a lighting scene created with a lighting system (12) comprising an user interface (14) for receiving at least one user defined lighting scene descriptor as an user input (16), processing means (18) being adapted for modifying the properties of the actual lighting scene created with the lighting system in accordance with a received user defined lighting scene descriptor and outputting an appropriate modification output (20), and a lighting system interface (22) being adapted for receiving the modification output from the processing means and for outputting appropriate control signals (24) for light sources (26) of the lighting system for creating a lighting scene in accordance with the input received from the processing means. The light system controller allows a user to easily create and modify lighting scenes, which are created with a complex lighting system.