Osram Sylvania Inc.

Nancy H Chen

Joseph Allen Olsen

John H Selverian

Walter Peter Lapatovich

Scott J Butler

A Bowman Budinger

Fred L Palmer

James A Avallon

Charles A Brunault

Joanne M Browne

Maria Thompson

Edgar G Estupiñán

Julie Pereyra

Techniques are disclosed herein for a lighting interface system configured to adjust tunable lighting characteristics output by one or more lighting devices based on a plurality of simple, intuitive touch-gestures without necessarily providing visual indicators via a display screen or other feedback elements. The lighting interface system is implemented as a relatively simple touchpad device that is wall-mounted or portable depending on a desired configuration. The lighting interface system is configured to capture user-gestures via the touchpad device and translate the same into target lighting characteristics and an adjustment value to adjust each of the target lighting characteristics thereby. User gestures are adjustably mapped to lighting characteristics including, for example, intensity, color temperature, hue and color saturation. The lighting interface system is also configured to recognize navigation gestures, which allow a user to target one or more specific lighting devices to make adjustments thereto.

Techniques for gesture-based control of color-tunable lighting

A system for providing spatially and temporally smooth occupancy lighting includes a sensor and a controller. The sensor is configured to determine a precise location of the occupant. The controller determines a number of lighting fixtures that are relevant to the location of the occupant. The light output of the lighting fixtures is controlled by the controller using a function that varies the light output depending on the location of the occupant. The function can change the light output based upon a distance between the occupant and the one or more lighting fixtures. For example, the function can increase the light output as the occupant moves closer to a fixture, and likewise decrease the light output as the occupant moves away from a fixture. In another example, the function can maintain a target illuminance at a particular spot within the space or an overall illuminance for all lighting fixtures.

Spatially and temporally smooth occupancy lighting

Systems and methods are disclosed that allow a lighting system to self-determine the relative positions of its different light sources. Direct light source to light source distances are measured and trilateration is used to locate each light source in three dimensional space. The relative position of each light source is provided with regard to the lighting system itself and does not need to refer to a GPS system or to the position or orientation of the installation. The self-determining system allows lighting systems to be quickly installed and later commissioned using the positioning information provided by the lighting system itself.

Lighting system that self detects the relative physical arrangement of its sources

Techniques are disclosed herein for a lighting interface system configured to adjust tunable lighting characteristics output by one or more lighting devices based on a plurality of simple, intuitive touch-gestures without necessarily providing visual indicators via a display screen or other feedback elements. The lighting interface system is implemented as a relatively simple touchpad device that is wall-mounted or portable depending on a desired configuration. The lighting interface system is configured to capture user-gestures via the touchpad device and translate the same into target lighting characteristics and an adjustment value to adjust each of the target lighting characteristics thereby. User gestures is adjustably mapped to lighting characteristics including, for example, intensity, color temperature, hue and color saturation. The lighting interface system is also configured to recognize navigation gestures, which may allow a user to target one or more specific lighting devices to make adjustments thereto.

Techniques are disclosed for manipulating both colored and tunable white lighting systems in order to enhance visual comfort and allow an observer's eyes to recover from exposure to colored light. A lighting system may gradually adjust the color, color temperature, and intensity of various multi-chip LED panels in order to provide pleasant and acceptable changes in light settings. Instead of abruptly switching from one light setting to another, a lighting system may fade to an intermediate transition setting and subsequently fade to the final light setting, allowing an observer's eyes time to adapt to the new light settings. In one example, switching from blue light to a neutral white light may involve a gradual fading from blue light, to a cool white light, and then to a neutral white light, thus allowing the end user's eyes to adapt to the new light settings.

Lighting control techniques considering changes in eye sensitivity

Techniques are disclosed for controlling object appearance while maintaining a lighting function without noticeable changes in illumination. The techniques may be implemented to illuminate a given target with a first light source so as to cause the target to have a first appearance, and to illuminate the target with a second light source so as to cause the target to have a second appearance different from the first appearance. The first and second light sources have a chromaticity within a common MacAdam ellipse. The MacAdam ellipse size may range, for example, from a 7-step ellipse (for relaxed constancy in chromaticity) to a 1-step ellipse (for high constancy in chromaticity). In some cases, one of the first or second light sources includes a spectral feature not included in the other light source, and an optical response property of the target reacts to changes in the spectral feature thereby causing appearance changes.

Controlling object appearance with variable spectral distribution of lighting having constant chromaticity

The present disclosure describes metal halide lamps having a discharge vessel, a discharge space, and at least one electrode extending into the discharge vessel in a sealed fashion so as to be in contact with the discharge space. A fill gas, at least one fill material, and optionally at least one volatile material are present in the discharge space. In some cases, the lamps can exhibit at least one of reduced run-up time, increased initial light output, and long life, while remaining useful for general lighting applications. Also described are methods for operating such metal halide lamps.

Metal halide lamps with fast run-up and methods of operating the same

Techniques are disclosed for controlling the light output of a lamp, where lamp efficacy is estimated as a function of estimated lamp temperature and instantaneous input power, or as a function of estimated lamp temperature only. Whether efficacy is estimated as a function of temperature and power, or as a function of temperature only can depend on changes in the lamp operating scenario. The techniques estimate lamp temperature by tracking energy input to and losses from (losses such as radiation, conduction, emission) the lamp arc tube, and determine the corresponding instantaneous light producing ability. The techniques may further be implemented to deliver the appropriate power command to obtain a desired light output. The techniques can be applied towards a general control in which arbitrary or custom light output vs. time paths are produced, and may be implemented by a processor programmed or otherwise configured to execute the desired control scheme.

Light output control technique by estimating lamp efficacy as a function of temperature and power

Techniques are disclosed that allow for the use of metal halide lamps in dimming applications, as well as other discharge lamps susceptible to dimming-induced chromaticity drift. Examination of such lamps reveals that some of the spectral changes that cause chromaticity drift during dimming are localized in narrow band regions of the spectrum, and lamp emission in these regions is enhanced (either increased or decreased) relative to the rest of the spectrum. Selective filtering of the enhanced emission caused by dimming can be used to reduce chromaticity shift. For instance, a filter deposited on and/or integrated into a lamp component (such as the arc tube, shroud, and/or outer jacket) operates to block transmission of those regions of the spectrum.

Method and gas discharge lamp with filter to control chromaticity drift during dimming

A method of controlling run-up of a metal halide lamp that has a nominal (full) light output during steady state operation and that has a current limit I, includes, during run-up of the metal halide lamp to steady state operation, evaluating requested power Pand requested current Ito operate the lamp at the nominal light output Lduring the run-up, supplying Ito operate the lamp so long as I&#x2267;Iand supplying Pto operate the lamp when I&#x3c;I, and modulating power P supplied to the lamp. The power modulation is preferably at an acoustic resonance frequency of the lamp, such as the first azimuthal resonance mode of the lamp. Power modulation may include sweeping a sine wave ripple on top of an input voltage waveform, wherein a frequency range of the sine wave ripple includes an acoustic resonance frequency.

Fast run-up of metal halide lamp by power modulation at acoustic resonance frequency

A method of detecting a leak in an outer jacket of a metal halide lamp having an arc tube inside the outer jacket and operated by a ballast, where the ballast monitors an electrical characteristic of the lamp during start and detects a leak in the outer jacket when the electrical characteristic deviates from that of a corresponding metal halide lamp whose outer jacket does not have a leak. The electrical characteristic is one of six markers, namely (1) V'(E) at a predetermined E, where V&#x2032;(E) is a derivative of lamp voltage V as a function of cumulative energy E delivered to the ballast since ignition, (2) a value of E at which V&#x2032;(E) reaches a maximum, (3) V at a predetermined E, (4) a local maximum of V&#x2032;(E) up to a predetermined E, (5) a global maximum of V&#x2032;(E), and (6) E required to achieve a predetermined V.

Outer jacket leak detection method and ballast implementing the method

A method of controlling run-up of a metal halide lamp that has a nominal (full) light output during steady state operation and that has a current limit I, includes a lamp ballast sensing lamp current and voltage and calculating power, and evaluating requested power Pand requested current Ito operate the lamp at the nominal light output during run-up to steady state operation, supplying Ito operate the lamp when I&#x2267;I, and supplying Pto operate the lamp when I&#x3c;I. The method may determine Pin various ways, including determining a light output L of the lamp; comparing lamp voltage to a nominal voltage Vfor the lamp during steady state operation; determining energy E delivered to the lamp; and estimating lamp efficacy. The method may also be used to characterize an unknown lamp attached to the ballast.

Control method and ballast for run-up of metal halide lamp

Metal halide lighting with good color during dimming may be obtained. An appropriate balance of commonly used metal halides (NaI, DyI, CeI, CaI, TlI) is dosed in the lamp. No mercury is used. A higher than typical xenon fill pressure from 50 to 500 Kilopascals may be used to help control thermal properties and voltage. If necessary, modulation of the power at acoustic resonance frequencies may be used to straighten and center the arc. Efficient and pleasant white output is obtained. As the power is reduced, the chromaticity either (1) remains fairly constant or (2) drifts acceptably towards warm pinkish colors. Large factors of attenuation in output can be realized. The lumen output was reduced by at least a factor of twenty in one sample as the power was dimmed from 70 to 20 watts.

Dimmable metal halide HID lamp with good color consistency

A discharge lamp system and method of operating a discharge lamp system in which vertical segregation of vapor phase species is reduced. Lamp power is modulated with an arc-straightening frequency and with a frequency that excites a combination radial plus longitudinal acoustic mode of the lamp. The combination radial plus longitudinal acoustic mode may be a combination first radial mode and nth longitudinal acoustic mode and may be excited with a single power frequency or a swept power frequency range. The two frequencies may be provided at the same time, or separately where the modulation at the arc-straightening frequency is 2 to 16 times longer than a subsequent modulation at the combination radial plus longitudinal acoustic mode.

Method of operating a discharge lamp system and a discharge lamp system using a combination radial and longitudinal acoustic mode to reduce vertical segregation

A method of operating a discharge lamp includes modulation of lamp power with a first longitudinal mode frequency to reduce segregation of the vapor phase species within the arc tube. The first longitudinal mode excitation frequency is determined by the acoustic response spectrum observed at an upper region of the arc tube when operated vertically. A frequency in an arc-straightening frequency range may also be added to the input power to straighten and center the arc.

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Salem, MA, United States of America

Nancy H Chen