US 2013/0257312 A1 · SYSTEM FOR GENERATING NON-HOMOGENOUS BIOLOGICALLY-ADJUSTED LIGHT AND ASSOCIATED METHODS

Abstract

A lighting system including a plurality of luminaires capable of generating polychromatic light having a dominant wavelength in the visible spectrum and arranged into an array and a computerized device electrically coupled to the plurality of luminaires so as to selectively operate each individual luminaire to produce source light varying with each other and with time. The computerized device operates the luminaire such that each luminaire emits a source light, the source lights combining to form a combined light having selected characteristics. Each of the plurality of luminaires may be operable to emit light having increased spectral opponency, thereby reducing melatonin suppression. The source lights, when perceived directly, recreate a lighting scenario having varying lighting characteristics.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A lighting apparatus comprising:

a computerized device;
and
a plurality of luminaires, each luminaire comprising a controller configured to operate the luminaire and positioned in communication with the computerized device;
wherein each luminaire is selectively operable to emit polychromatic source light, each source light having a dominant source light wavelength within a range from about 390 nanometers to about 750 nanometers;
wherein the plurality of luminaires are arrangeable so as to form an array;
wherein the computerized device is programmable to operate the plurality of luminaires such that at least two of the plurality of luminaires emit source lights with different dominant source light wavelengths, and such that the one or more source lights emitted by the plurality of luminaires combine to form a combined light at a distance from the plurality of luminaires defined as a combining distance;
wherein the computerized device is configurable to vary the dominant source light wavelength of each luminaire with time;
and
wherein the plurality of luminaires are configured to be operated to selectively emit light having a spectral power distribution that increases spectral opponency to thereby minimize melatonin suppression.

6 more elements

A method of operating a lighting system that includes a computerized device and a plurality of luminaires operably coupled to the computerized device being arranged in an array and operable to emit polychromatic source lights having a dominant wavelength within a range from about 390 nanometers to about 750 nanometers, the method comprising the steps of:

operating the plurality of luminaires to each emit a source light having respective first dominant wavelengths, the source lights of the plurality of luminaires combining to form a first combined light;
and
operating the plurality of luminaires to each emit a source light having respective second dominant wavelengths, the source lights of the plurality of luminaires combining to form a second combined light;
wherein the first dominant wavelength of the source light for one luminaire of the plurality of luminaires is different from the second dominant wavelength of the source light for that luminaire;
wherein the first dominant wavelength of the source light for one luminaire of the plurality of luminaires may be different from the first dominant wavelength of the source light of another luminaire of the plurality of luminaires;
wherein the combined light has a spectral power distribution configured to increase spectral opponency to thereby reduce melatonin suppression.

3 more elements

determining a lighting scenario, wherein the lightning scenario comprises a plurality of pixels arranged into an array, each pixel corresponding to one of the luminaires of the plurality of luminaires, and each pixel having a pixel light having a dominant wavelength;
determining a selected combined light;
assigning the dominant wavelength of each pixel to the corresponding luminaire, defining a pixel light for each luminaire;
determining whether a metamer comprising the dominant wavelengths of each of the luminaires produces the selected combined light;
wherein the determination that the metamer produces the selected combined light results in the step of operating the plurality of luminaires according to their respective pixel lights;
and
wherein the determination that the metamer does not produce the selected combined light results in the steps of:
determining a first subordinate light that combines with the metamer to produce the selected combined light;
identifying a pixel light of one of the pixels that can be adjusted to include the first subordinate light;
determining a first modified pixel light for the identified pixel that will produce both the dominant wavelength of the pixel light of the identified pixel and the first subordinate light;
and
operating the plurality of pixels according to their respective pixel light or the first modified pixel light;
wherein the metamer has a spectral power distribution configured to increase spectral opponency to thereby reduce melatonin suppression.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

System for generating non-homogenous biologically-adjusted light and associated methods

Life of this patent

System for generating non-homogenous biologically-adjusted light and associated methods

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20