# US 11,994,270 B2 · Method and apparatus for automatically focusing overhead light

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- Number: US 11,994,270 B2
- Document ID: US11994270B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/125,813
- Filed: 2023-03-24
- Published: 2023-10-05
- Granted: 2024-05-28
- Earliest claimed: 2022-03-30
- Assignees: Kayla Salasidis
- Applicants: Kayla Salasidis
- Inventors: Kayla Salasidis
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11994270B2

## CPC

- F21V 14/02: by movement of light sources {(in vehicle head lamps F21S41/657)}
- A61B 90/30: Devices for illuminating a surgical field, the devices having an interrelation with other surgical devices or with a surgical procedure
- F21V 23/0471: {the sensor detecting the proximity, the presence or the movement of an object or a person}
- H05B 47/105: in response to determined parameters
- H05B 47/115: by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
- F21Y 2115/10: Light-emitting diodes [LED]
- F21V: FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS THEREOF; STRUCTURAL COMBINATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES WITH OTHER ARTICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL
- F21Y: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES F21K, F21L, F21S and F21V, RELATING TO THE FORM OR THE KIND OF THE LIGHT SOURCES OR OF THE COLOUR OF THE LIGHT EMITTED

## Abstract

An overhead lighting system is set forth comprising a master module having a sensor for measuring distance to an area of interest, and at least one peripheral module pivotally connected to the master module, the at least one peripheral module having at least one lamp and a mechanism for pivoting the at least one peripheral module to an angle relative to the master module based on the distance to the area of interest, for focusing the at least one lamp on the area of interest.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An overhead lighting system, comprising:
a master module having a sensor for measuring distance to an area of interest;
at least one peripheral module pivotally connected to the master module, the at least one peripheral module having at least one lamp and a mechanism for pivoting the at least one peripheral module to an angle relative to the master module based on the distance to the area of interest, for focusing the at least one lamp on the area of interest; and
wherein the master module further includes at least one of an accelerometer and gyroscope for detecting movement of the master module in three dimensions and activating the sensor to measure the distance to the area of interest and in response cause the at least one peripheral module to pivot to the angle for focusing the at least one lamp on the area of interest.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The overhead lighting system of claim 1, wherein the master module further includes a laser crosshair that is activated by the at least one of an accelerometer and gyroscope detecting movement of the master module, for illuminating the area of interest.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The overhead lighting system of claim 1, wherein the mechanism for pivoting the at least one peripheral module is a stepper motor or servo motor.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The overhead lighting system of claim 1, comprising a plurality of peripheral module pivotally connected to the master module by respective pivoting mechanisms all controlled by one of either a single motor or independent motors for each pivoting mechanism.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The overhead lighting system of claim 3, wherein the at least one peripheral module further includes either a proximity sensor or an absolute encoder to set an initial position of the stepper motor.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The overhead lighting system of claim 4, further including a proximity sensor or absolute encoder to set an initial position of the single motor or independent motors.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The overhead lighting system of claim 1, wherein the at least one lamp is an LED lamp and the at least one peripheral module further includes circuitry to control brightness, kelvin temperature color and spot size of the LED lamp.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The overhead lighting system of claim 7, wherein the circuitry to control brightness generates a drive signal for varying intensity of the at least one lamp according to modulated pulse width of the drive signal.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The overhead lighting system of claim 1, wherein the at least one lamp comprises at least one row of light emitting diodes (LEDs).

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The overhead lighting system of claim 9, wherein the at least one row of light emitting diodes (LEDs) includes separate colored LEDs of different degrees Kelvin, respectively.

### Claim 11

A method of operating an overhead lighting system having a master module, and at least one attached tiltable peripheral module having at least one lamp, the method comprising:
detecting motion of the master module;
illuminating an area of interest with a laser crosshair;
after the master module has stopped moving for a first time period then measuring distance to an area of interest;
calculating a pivot angle between the master module and the at least one peripheral module based on the measured distance;
repositioning the at least one peripheral module at the calculated pivot angle to focus the at least one lamp on the area of interest;
ceasing illumination of the area of interest with the laser crosshair.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the area of interest is illuminated with the laser crosshair to pinpoint the area of interest during the first time period.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein ceasing illumination of the area of interest with the laser crosshair occurs after a second time period.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the first time period is shorter than the second time period.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the first time period is approximately 0.5 seconds and the second time period is approximately 10 seconds.

### Claim 16 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein measuring the distance to the area of interest comprises taking multiple distance measurements during the first time period and averaging the multiple distance measurements.

### Claim 17 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, further comprising setting an initial position of the at least one peripheral module based on proximity of the at least one peripheral module to the master module.

### Claim 18 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, further comprising controlling control brightness, kelvin temperature color and spot size of the at least one lamp.

### Claim 19 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, where A is the measured distance, O is perpendicular to and is the distance from an edge of the master module to A and is , L is the width of the at least one peripheral module, and wherein O is opposite of an angle α=tan−1(O+L/A), and α=180−(90+β), such that α=90−β and θ=90−β, and α=θ is the pivot angle necessary for the peripheral module to focus the at least one lamp on the area of interest.