Switchable Day-Night Lighting Device Using Wavelength Filtering

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional night lamps and reading lamps emit light with short-wavelength components that can inhibit melatonin secretion, leading to potential insomnia and mood disorders, as they excite the sympathetic nervous system, making them unsuitable for use before bedtime.

Innovation Solution

A lighting device with a switchable day/night illumination mode that employs a light filtering or converting unit to output light with a specific wavelength, such as orange light at 617 nm, which causes minimal excitation to the sympathetic nervous system, allowing for reading without suppressing melatonin secretion.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Illumination intensity

If conventional night lamps and reading lamps are used to provide illumination for reading, then reading assistance is achieved, but short-wavelength light components inhibit melatonin secretion and excite the sympathetic nervous system

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveillumination for readingVSAvoidmelatonin suppression and sympathetic excitation

Core Design Contradiction:

Illumination intensityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the wavelength parameter of the light source from conventional short-wavelength blue light to long-wavelength orange light (600-650nm, preferably 617nm). This parameter change eliminates the harmful short-wavelength components while maintaining sufficient illumination intensity for reading, thereby resolving the contradiction between providing reading illumination and avoiding melatonin suppression.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Illumination intensity

If blue light is used in white light sources to achieve bright illumination, then illumination intensity is improved, but melatonin secretion is inhibited due to high sensitivity to blue light

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebrightness of white lightVSAvoidmelatonin suppression

Core Design Contradiction:

Illumination intensityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and removes the harmful blue light component (450-495nm) from the white light spectrum. By using orange light with wavelength 600-650nm instead of conventional white light containing blue light, the invention eliminates the harmful factor while maintaining illumination functionality, thus resolving the contradiction between brightness and melatonin suppression.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Ease of operation

If artificial light is used during night to assist reading, then reading capability is improved, but sympathetic nervous system is excited and sleep-wake cycles are disrupted

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereading capabilityVSAvoidsympathetic excitation and circadian rhythm disruption

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the spectral parameter of night lighting from conventional short-wavelength light to long-wavelength orange light (600-650nm). Research cited in the patent indicates that orange light at 617nm causes minimal sympathetic excitation and has the lowest impact on melatonin secretion among visible wavelengths. This parameter change enables reading assistance while preserving natural sleep-wake cycles.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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

The device provides suitable illumination for reading at night while minimizing melatonin suppression by filtering or converting light to a wavelength that does not excite the sympathetic nervous system, thus aiding users in reading without disrupting their sleep-wake cycles.

Implementation Method 1

a light filtering unit, disposed over a light-emitting surface of the lighting unit, used for filtering the visible light and making the visible light become a visible light with a specific wavelength

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLight filtering: Filter (optical)

Implementation Method 2

a light converting unit, disposed over a light-emitting surface of the lighting unit, used for converting the visible light to a visible light with a specific wavelength

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLight conversion: Photoluminescence

Data Source

PatentUS8643287B2Lighting device with switchable day/night illumination mode

Publication Date: 2014.02.04 NATIONAL TSING HUA UNIVERSITY

AI summary

The present invention relates to a lighting device with switchable day/night illumination mode, comprising: a main controlling unit, a driving unit, a lighting unit, a light filtering unit, an illumination mode switching unit, and a power management unit, wherein the lighting unit is coupled to the driving unit and has a plurality of light-emitting devices. Moreover, the main controlling unit is used for controlling the driving unit, so as to drive the lighting unit output a visible light. In addition, the illumination mode switching unit is used for controlling the light filtering unit to show and cover the light-emitting surface of the lighting unit, so as to filter the visible light and make the visible light become a visible light with a specific wavelength; wherein the visible light with specific wavelength causes the smallest excitation to human sympathetic. Thus, using the visible light with specific wavelength as illumination light at night can not only assist users in reading, but also avoid from exciting users' sympathetic and causing melatonin suppression.