Overlay Image Creator for Lighting System Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing user interaction systems for controlling lighting systems are not user-friendly, as users are unsure whether requested lighting effects are obtainable, leading to disappointment when effects cannot be achieved due to limited capabilities of the lighting system, and they require extensive knowledge of lighting systems and their operation.

Innovation Solution

A user interaction system that analyzes the capabilities of multiple controllable light sources and translates them into obtainable lighting effects for specific locations, providing users with pre-emptive information on achievable effects, allowing them to select feasible options and generating control signals to achieve desired effects based on a lighting system model, with an overlay image for virtual evaluation before actual control.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the system provides feedback only after updating the scene image and controlling light sources, then the lighting effect can be achieved, but the user experience is poor because users cannot know a priori whether the requested effect is obtainable

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser-friendlinessVSAvoidinformation about obtainable effects
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary analysis of lighting system capabilities and pre-calculates obtainable lighting effects for each location before the user provides input. This allows the system to present information about achievable effects in advance, enabling users to make informed decisions without trial-and-error attempts.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system provides feedback to users about obtainable lighting effects through the display device, showing which effects can be achieved at selected locations. This feedback mechanism informs users about system capabilities before they commit to a specific effect, improving the overall user experience.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Measurement precision

If the system requires users to have extensive knowledge of lighting systems, then precise control can be achieved, but the ease of operation deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol precisionVSAvoiduser-friendliness
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs self-analysis of its own capabilities by automatically evaluating which lighting effects can be achieved at each location based on the lighting system model. This eliminates the need for users to manually assess system capabilities or have specialized knowledge, while still providing precise control over achievable effects.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the parameter representation from technical lighting system parameters to user-friendly descriptions of obtainable effects. By translating complex lighting system capabilities into understandable effect descriptions, the system maintains control precision while improving ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Ease of operation

If the system provides detailed information about lighting effects for each location, then user decision-making is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser decision-makingVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the environment into discrete locations and analyzes lighting capabilities for each location separately. This segmentation allows the system to provide targeted information about obtainable effects at each location without overwhelming the user with global system complexity, making decision-making easier while managing computational complexity through modular processing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP2628363B1A method, a user interaction system and a portable electronic devicefor controlling a lighting system
Publication Date: 2021.05.05 SIGNIFY HOLDING BV
  • EP2628363B1 patent drawingFigure 1a~1b
  • EP2628363B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2628363B1 patent drawingFigure 3a~3d

AI summary

The invention provides a user interaction system (100) and a method of controlling a lighting system. The user interaction system (100) comprises a display (106), a means for receiving a location indication (102), a location identification means (104) and an overlay image creator (108). The display (106) displays a subarea image and an overlay image. The subarea image is an image of a specific subarea of the environment. The location identification means (104) detects which specific location in the environment is indicated by the location indication. The overlay image creator (108) generates the overlay image. The overlay image comprises information related to a lighting effect which is obtainable by the lighting system at the specific location. The obtainable effect is an effect of at least two controllable light sources of the lighting system. The information which is related to the obtainable lighting effect is based on a lighting system model (110) which represents effects that are obtainable in the environment by controllable light sources of the lighting system.