# US 2021/0243873 A1 · Lighting control device, lighting control system, and lighting control method

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- Number: US 2021/0243873 A1
- Document ID: US20210243873A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/237,695
- Filed: 2021-04-22
- Published: 2021-08-05
- Earliest claimed: 2018-10-25
- Assignees: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Yoshihiko ISHIDA; Yoshinori OKAZAKI
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210243873A1

## CPC

- G06T 7/50: Depth or shape recovery
- G06T 7/73: using feature-based methods
- F21S 8/00: Lighting devices intended for fixed installation (F21S9/00, F21S10/00 take precedence; using a string or strip of light sources F21S4/00)
- G06F 3/04845: for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
- G06F 3/0488: using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
- G06F 3/04883: for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
- G06T 7/70: Determining position or orientation of objects or cameras (camera calibration G06T7/80)
- H04N 23/56: provided with illuminating means
- H04N 23/62: Control of parameters via user interfaces
- H04N 23/698: for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture
- H05B 45/20: Controlling the colour of the light
- H05B 47/155: Coordinated control of two or more light sources
- H05B 47/19: via wireless transmission
- H05B 47/1965: {using handheld communication devices}
- G06F 2203/04808: Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
- Y02B 20/40: Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection
- G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL
- F21S: NON-PORTABLE LIGHTING DEVICES; SYSTEMS THEREOF; VEHICLE LIGHTING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLE EXTERIORS
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- 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 lighting control device controls illumination of a lighting device using a plurality of light sources. The lighting control device includes a processing unit that executes processing related to control on the illumination. The processing unit acquires direction designation information for designating at least one illumination direction to which the lighting device illuminates, acquires light source information indicating a plurality of light source irradiation directions that are irradiation directions of the plurality of light sources, and based on (i) at least one designated illumination direction that is the at least one illumination direction designated by the direction designation information and (ii) the plurality of light source irradiation directions, causes part of the plurality of light sources to illuminate.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A lighting control device that controls illumination of a lighting device using a plurality of light sources, the lighting control device comprising:
a processing unit that executes processing related to control on the illumination,
wherein the processing unit
acquires direction designation information for designating at least one illumination direction to which the lighting device illuminates,
acquires light source information indicating a plurality of light source irradiation directions that are irradiation directions of the plurality of light sources, and
based on (i) at least one designated illumination direction that is the at least one illumination direction designated by the direction designation information and (ii) the plurality of light source irradiation directions, causes part of the plurality of light sources to illuminate.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The lighting control device according to claim 1, wherein the direction designation information includes information designating an angle of the at least one designated illumination direction with respect to a reference direction of the lighting device.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The lighting control device according to claim 1, wherein
the processing unit
determines at least one range of the at least one illumination direction to which the lighting device illuminates, based on the direction designation information, and
causes the part of the plurality of light sources to illuminate in a light source irradiation direction included in the at least one range of the at least one illumination direction, the light source irradiation direction being each of the plurality of light source irradiation directions.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The lighting control device according to claim 3, wherein
the processing unit
acquires size designation information for designating a size of the at least one range of the at least one illumination direction, and
determines the at least one range of the at least one illumination direction based on the direction designation information and the size designation information.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The lighting control device according to claim 3, wherein
the processing unit
acquires information on a diffusion range of illumination light of each of the plurality of light sources,
acquires information on an optical path length that is a distance from the lighting device to an illuminated part,
acquires a lighting region in the illuminated part, and
determines the at least one range of the at least one illumination direction based on the information on the diffusion range of the illumination light, the information on the optical path length, and the lighting region.

### Claim 6 (depends on 3)

The lighting control device according to claim 3, wherein
the processing unit
acquires shape designation information for designating a shape of the at least one range of the at least one illumination direction, and
determines the at least one range of the at least one illumination direction based on the direction designation information and the shape designation information.

### Claim 7 (depends on 3)

The lighting control device according to claim 3, wherein brightness of the part of the plurality of light sources is uniform.

### Claim 8 (depends on 3)

The lighting control device according to claim 3, wherein brightness of the part of the plurality of light sources is higher in the light source irradiation direction closer to the at least one designated illumination direction.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The lighting control device according to claim 8, wherein the brightness of the part of the plurality of light sources is based on a Gaussian function.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The lighting control device according to claim 1, wherein the processing unit causes the plurality of light sources to illuminate to form a specific pattern, and adjusts the at least one illumination direction based on the specific pattern.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The lighting control device according to claim 10, further comprising a communication unit that communicates with a communication device other than the lighting device,
wherein the specific pattern is input by the communication device via the communication unit.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The lighting control device according to claim 10, further comprising a communication unit that communicates with an image capturing device other than the lighting device,
wherein the processing unit acquires adjustment captured image information generated as a result of the image capturing device capturing an image of the specific pattern of the lighting device via the communication unit, and adjusts the at least one illumination direction based on the adjustment captured image information.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The lighting control device according to claim 12, wherein the adjustment captured image information is an image captured by the image capturing device.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The lighting control device according to claim 1, wherein
the lighting device includes a measuring unit that detects an installation state of the lighting device, and
the processing unit adjusts the at least one illumination direction based on sensor information indicating the installation state of the lighting device,

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The lighting control device according to claim 14, wherein the measuring unit includes a geomagnetic sensor.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The lighting control device according to claim 15, wherein the measuring unit further includes a gyro sensor.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The lighting control device according to claim 1, further comprising:
an image capturing unit that captures an image of the lighting device; and
a measuring unit that measures an image capturing direction from the image capturing unit toward the lighting device,
wherein the processing unit
calculates a reference direction of the lighting device with respect to the image capturing direction of the image capturing unit based on a captured image captured by the image capturing unit, and
based on the image capturing direction of the image capturing unit measured, and the reference direction of the lighting device with respect to the image capturing direction of the image capturing unit calculated, identifies the reference direction of the lighting device with a cardinal direction in a real space.

### Claim 18 (depends on 14)

The lighting control device according to claim 14, wherein the direction designation information includes information for designating a cardinal direction in a real space corresponding to the at least one designated illumination direction.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The lighting control device according to claim 17, wherein the direction designation information includes information for designating a cardinal direction in the real space corresponding to the at least one designated illumination direction.

### Claim 20 (depends on 17)

The lighting control device according to claim 17, wherein
the processing unit
acquires an image of an installed area in which the lighting device is installed, the image including information on the cardinal direction, and
associates the cardinal direction in the image of the installed area with the reference direction of the lighting device identified.

### Claim 21 (depends on 18)

The lighting control device according to claim 18, wherein
the processing unit
acquires an image of an installed area in which the lighting device is installed, the image including information on the cardinal direction, and
associates the cardinal direction in the image of the installed area with the reference direction of the lighting device identified.

### Claim 22 (depends on 20)

The lighting control device according to claim 20, wherein
the processing unit
acquires information on an installation position of the lighting device in the image of the installed area,
acquires, as the direction designation information, information for designating a position in the image of the installed area, and
calculates, as a horizontal direction component of the at least one designated illumination direction, a direction from the installation position of the lighting device in the image of the installed area toward a designated position that is the position designated in the image of the installed area.

### Claim 23 (depends on 21)

The lighting control device according to claim 21, wherein
the processing unit
acquires information on an installation position of the lighting device in the image of the installed area,
acquires, as the direction designation information, information for designating a position in the image of the installed area, and
calculates, as a horizontal direction component of the at least one designated illumination direction, a direction from the installation position of the lighting device in the image of the installed area toward a designated position that is the position designated in the image of the installed area.

### Claim 24 (depends on 22)

The lighting control device according to claim 22, wherein
the processing unit
calculates a distance between the installation position of the lighting device and the designated position in the image of the installed area,
calculates a difference between an installation height of the lighting device and a height of the designated position, and
calculates, based on the distance and the difference, a gravity direction component of the at least one designated illumination direction.

### Claim 25 (depends on 23)

The lighting control device according to claim 23, wherein
the processing unit
calculates a distance between the installation position of the lighting device and the designated position in the image of the installed area,
calculates a difference between an installation height of the lighting device and a height of the designated position, and
calculates, based on the distance and the difference, a gravity direction component of the at least one designated illumination direction.

### Claim 26 (depends on 1)

The lighting control device according to claim 1, wherein
the processing unit
acquires an omnidirectional image from an omnidirectional image capturing device that captures the omnidirectional image including the at least one illumination direction in which the lighting device illuminates,
acquires, as the direction designation information, information for designating a position in the omnidirectional image, and
calculates, as the at least one designated illumination direction, a direction from the installation position of the lighting device toward a designated position that is the position designated in the omnidirectional image.

### Claim 27 (depends on 26)

The lighting control device according to claim 26, wherein the processing unit associates a reference direction for image capturing by the omnidirectional image capturing device and a reference direction for illumination by the lighting device.

### Claim 28 (depends on 26)

The lighting control device according to claim 26, wherein
the processing unit
acquires operation information on a pinch operation on the omnidirectional image, and
controls a size of at least one range of the at least one illumination direction based on the operation information.

### Claim 29 (depends on 1)

The lighting control device according to claim 1, wherein
the at least one designated illumination direction is a plurality of designated illumination directions, and
the at least one range of the at least one illumination direction including the at least one designated illumination direction is a plurality of ranges.

### Claim 30

A lighting control system comprising:
a lighting device using a plurality of light sources; and
a lighting control device that controls illumination of the lighting device,
wherein the lighting control device
acquires direction designation information for designating an illumination direction to which the lighting device illuminates,
acquires light source information indicating a plurality of light source irradiation directions that are irradiation directions of the plurality of light sources, and
based on (i) a designated illumination direction that is the illumination direction designated by the direction designation information and (ii) the plurality of light source irradiation directions, causes part of the plurality of light sources to illuminate.

### Claim 31

A lighting control method that controls illumination by a lighting device using a plurality of light sources, the lighting control method comprising:
acquiring direction designation information for designating an illumination direction to which the lighting device illuminates;
acquiring light source information indicating a plurality of light source irradiation directions that are irradiation directions of the plurality of light sources; and
based on (i) a designated illumination direction that is the illumination direction designated by the direction designation information and (ii) the plurality of light source irradiation directions, causing part of the plurality of light sources to illuminate.