# US 11,310,888 B2 · Controller for controlling a lighting device and a method thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,310,888 B2 - Document ID: US11310888B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/960,178 - Filed: 2018-12-14 - Published: 2021-02-25 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2018-01-05 - Assignees: Signify Holding B.V. - Applicants: Signify Holding B.V. - Inventors: Jan Goor - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11310888B2 ## CPC - H05B 47/115: by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings - H05B 47/11: by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light - Y02B 20/40: Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection - H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL - Y02B: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS ## Abstract A method of controlling a lighting device is disclosed. The method comprises: detecting a first location of a user in an area, obtaining a second location of the lighting device and/or its light effect in the area, obtaining object information about an object, the object information comprising at least dimensions of the object and a third location of the object in the area, determining, based on the first, second and third location and the object dimensions, if the object is located between the user and the lighting device and/or its light effect, and controlling the lighting device based on the determination. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of controlling a lighting device, the method comprising: receiving a first location of a user in an area, obtaining a second location of the lighting device and/or its light effect in the area, obtaining object information about an object, the object information comprising a third location of the object in the area, wherein the object information further comprises transparency information about the object, determining, based on at least the first, second and third location, if the object is located between the user and the lighting device and/or its light effect, and if the object is determined to be located between the user and the lighting device and/or its light effect, determining if the lighting device and/or its light effect is visible for the user based, at least in part, on the transparency information, and controlling the lighting device based on at least one user-defined light setting if the lighting device and/or its light effect is visible for the user. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining if the object is located between the user and the lighting device and/or its light effect comprises: determining a level of light, emitted by the lighting device, being visible from the first location, and wherein the step of controlling the lighting device comprises controlling the lighting device based on the level of light being visible from the first location. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the step of controlling the lighting device comprises: switching the lighting device off if the object is located between the user and the lighting device and/or its light effect. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the step of controlling the lighting device comprises determining a dim level for the light emitted by the lighting device based on the determination. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of determining a distance between the user and the lighting device and/or its light effect, wherein step of controlling the lighting device further comprises: controlling the lighting device based on the distance. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving a fourth location of a second user in the area, determining, based on at least the fourth, second and third location, if the object is located between the second user and the lighting device and/or its light effect, and controlling the lighting device according to the at least one user-defined light setting associated with the user if the object is located between the second user and the lighting device and/or its light effect, or controlling the lighting device according to a light setting associated with the second user if the object is located between the user and the lighting device and/or its light effect. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, further comprising the steps of: determining a first distance between the user and the lighting device, determining a second distance between the second user and the lighting device, and controlling, if the object is not located between the user and the lighting device and/or its light effect and not located between the second user and the lighting device and/or its light effect, the lighting device according to the at least one user-defined light setting if the first distance is shorter than the second distance. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the at least one user-defined light setting has a higher priority value than the light setting associated with the second user, further comprising the steps of: controlling, if the object is not located between the user and the lighting device and/or its light effect and not located between the second user and the lighting device and/or its light effect, the lighting device according to the at least one user-defined light setting based on the higher priority value. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the object is located at a fixed location relative to the area. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the object is repositionable relative to the area. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A non-transitory computer-readable medium for a computing device, the computer-readable medium comprising computer program code to perform the method of claim 1 when the computer-readable medium is run on a processing unit of the computing device. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving a first location of a user in an area includes receiving an orientation of the user, and wherein the step of determining if the lighting device and/or its light effect is visible for the user is based, at least in part, on the transparency information and the orientation of the user. ### Claim 13 A controller for controlling a lighting device, the controller comprising: a receiver configured to receive a detected first location of a user in an area, a processor configured to: obtain a second location of the lighting device and/or its light effect in the area, to obtain object information about an object, the object information comprising at least a third location of the object in the area, wherein the object information further comprises transparency information about the object, determine, based on at least the first, second and third location, if the object is located between the user and the lighting device and/or its light effect, and if the object is determined to be located between the user and the lighting device and/or its light effect, determine if the lighting device and/or its light effect is visible for the user based, at least in part, on the transparency information, and control the lighting device based on at least one user-defined light setting if the lighting device and/or its light effect is visible for the user. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) A system comprising the controller of claim 13 and a lighting device configured to receive lighting control commands from the controller. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The controller of claim 14, wherein the receiver is further configured to receive an orientation of the user, and wherein the processor is further configured to determine if the lighting device and/or its light effect is visible for the user based, at least in part, on the transparency information and the orientation of the user.