CH713198B1 - Connected portable lamp and lamp control method. - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a connected portable lamp (3) making it possible to project a pattern, the lamp (3) comprising: – lighting means configured to emit light, the lighting means comprising: • means for emission of at least one light beam; • projection means arranged to project at least one light pattern; – receiving means configured to receive, via a wireless link, control instructions, the control instructions comprising data to be projected; – control means configured to control the projection means so that they project the data received by the reception means. The invention also relates to an assembly comprising said lamp (3) and a connected watch (1) and to a method for controlling said connected portable lamp.

Description

Field of the invention

The invention relates to a connected lamp and to a method for controlling a connected lamp. The invention also relates to a watch making it possible to control such a connected lamp.

Background of the invention

[0002] When a runner or cyclist moves at night, he uses a lamp to navigate. Despite this, all his attention must be focused on the path he is traveling, so he must stop to consult his watch or a GPS, which is restrictive, especially during trails or races.

[0003] In addition, an athlete's lamp is often placed on his head or on his bicycle, so that it is difficult to access when he is moving, in particular at high speed or on uneven ground.

Summary of the invention

[0004] The invention aims to remedy the drawbacks of the state of the art by proposing a connected portable lamp for athletes whose emitted light is controlled by a third-party accessory, and in particular by a watch.

Another object of the invention is to provide a portable sports lamp for projecting data sent by an external object connected by a wireless link to the lamp.

[0006] More specifically, a first aspect of the invention relates to a connected portable lamp comprising: lighting means configured to emit light, the lighting means comprising: o means for emitting at least one light bleam; o projection means arranged to project at least one light pattern; – Receiving means configured to receive, via a wireless link, control instructions, the control instructions comprising data to be projected; – Control means configured to control the projection means so that they project the data received by the reception means.

[0007] The lamp can thus receive data to be projected from a connected object.

[0008] This connected object is preferably a watch which makes it possible to send to the lamp data relating to the time, to the date, to the speed of the sportsman, to his acceleration, or even timing data.

[0009] The connected object can also be a mobile telephone which makes it possible to send data relating to the position of the athlete, for example in the form of GPS data, or data relating to an incoming or outgoing call.

[0010] The connected object can also be a gate under which the sportsman passes during a race, the data received in this case can relate to the position of the sportsman within the race, or even to his speed, or its distance from the finish line.

[0011] The lamp according to the first aspect of the invention may also have one or more of the following characteristics taken individually or in all technically possible combinations: - the lamp is preferably a headlamp; – the lamp may be a bicycle lamp; – the lamp has external dimensions of less than 6 cm; – the lamp weighs less than 200g, and preferably less than 100g; – the lamp preferably comprises fixing means: these fixing means can be a fixing headband arranged to fix the lamp on the head of an athlete or a clip configured to fix the lamp on a bicycle; - The projection means preferably comprise a laser scanning projector; – the laser scanning projector preferably comprises: • a photonic module comprising three primary lasers respectively emitting a green, red and blue laser beam; • at least one scanning mirror; • an electronic module configured to control the lasers and the mirror. - the lamp may include transmission means arranged to send to a connected object, via a wireless link, parameters relating to the state of the lamp; – the lamp may include sensors for measuring parameters relating to the state of the lamp; – the control means may be able to control the characteristics of the light emitted by the lighting means as a function of the control instructions received; – the lamp may also include a processor configured to generate data to be projected; – the lamp may also include a memory configured to store data to be projected.

A second aspect of the invention relates to a connected watch configured to control a lamp, the watch comprising: - a processor configured to generate control instructions to be sent to the lamp; – a user interface configured to allow a user to control control instructions generated by the processor by entering an actuation sequence into the user interface; – transmission means configured to send, via a wireless link, the control instructions to the lamp.

[0013] The watch therefore makes it possible to control the functions of a lamp remotely, so that the user only needs to have access to his watch in order to control his lamp.

[0014] The watch according to the second aspect of the invention can also have one or more of the following characteristics taken individually or according to all the technically possible combinations: - the processor can be configured to generate the control instructions to be sent to the lamp according to parameters generated by the watch; – the watch may comprise wireless reception means configured to receive via a wireless link parameters sent by a lamp, the processor being further configured to generate the control instructions to be sent to the lamp according to the parameters received by the wireless reception means of the watch; - the user interface preferably comprises at least one push button, the processor being configured to generate control instructions in response to an actuation of the push button according to a predetermined actuation sequence; – the watch includes a memory in which are stored control instructions associated with each actuation sequence.

A third aspect of the invention relates to an assembly comprising a lamp according to the first aspect of the invention and a watch according to the second aspect of the invention.

[0016] A fourth aspect of the invention relates to a method for controlling a connected portable lamp, the lamp comprising lighting means configured to emit light, the lighting means comprising: - means for emitting light at least one light beam; – projection means arranged to project at least one light pattern; the method comprising the following steps: – establishment of a wireless link between the lamp and the connected object; – Reception by the lamp of control instructions sent by the object connected via the wireless link, the control instructions comprising data to be projected; – Control of the means of projection so that they project the data to be projected.

The method according to the fourth aspect of the invention may also have one or more of the characteristics below taken individually or in all technically possible combinations: - The control instructions may include instructions relating to the characteristics of the projected pattern, the method comprising a step of controlling the projection means so that the projected pattern has characteristics in accordance with the control instructions; – The characteristics of the projected pattern can be its intensity, its color(s), its dimensions; – The control instructions may include instructions relating to the characteristics of the light beam, the method comprising a step of controlling the means of emission of the at least one light beam so that the at least one light beam has characteristics in accordance with the order instructions; – The characteristics of the light beam(s) may be its(their) intensity(s), its(their) color(s), its(their) dimensions.

Brief description of the drawings

[0018] Other features and advantages will emerge clearly from the description which is made of them below, by way of indication and in no way limiting, with reference to the appended drawings, in which: - figure 1 schematically represents a lamp connected according to a mode of achievement; - Figure 2 schematically shows a connected watch according to one embodiment of the invention; – Figure 3 schematically represents the steps of a control method according to one embodiment of the invention; – Figure 4 schematically represents light emitted by a lamp in response to a method according to one embodiment of the invention.

Detailed description of an embodiment

Figure 1 shows a portable lamp 3 according to one embodiment of the invention. This portable lamp 3 is a lamp for athletes, and preferably a headlamp or a lamp intended to be fixed on a bicycle.

The portable lamp 3 comprises lighting means 10 configured to emit light. These lighting means 10 comprise means 11 for emitting at least one light beam. These means for emitting a light beam may for example comprise one or more light-emitting diodes.

The lighting means 10 also comprise projection means 12 arranged to project at least one light pattern. The projection means are arranged to project a head-up display type pattern (also called “head up display”). These projection means 12 preferably comprise a laser scanning projector. Such a projector is advantageous because it makes it possible to have good focusing whatever the projection distance. This laser scanning projector preferably comprises: - A photonic module comprising three primary lasers, respectively emitting a green, red and blue laser beam; – At least one scanning mirror; – An electronic module configured to control the lasers and the mirror.

The portable lamp 3 also includes communication means configured to communicate via a wireless link with the communication means of a watch.

The communication means of the lamp comprise receiving means 13 arranged to receive via a wireless link control instructions sent by the watch. These reception means can be a Bluetooth receiver, Bluetooth low energy, or even an optical receiver, depending on the wireless link used.

The lamp communication means may also comprise transmission means 14 configured to transmit to the watch, via a wireless link, parameters, and in particular parameters on the state of the lamp. These transmission means 14 can be a Bluetooth transmitter, Bluetooth low energy, or even an optical transmitter, depending on the wireless link used.

[0025] The lamp also comprises a cell or a battery arranged to power the lighting means and the communication means of the watch.

The lamp can also comprise at least one sensor configured to measure: - parameters relating to the lamp, such as for example the state of charge of the battery or the cell, the light intensity emitted, etc. and/or – parameters relating to the external environment, such as altitude, temperature, speed, GPS coordinates, etc.

The lamp also comprises control means 18 arranged to control the light emitted by the lighting means according to the control instructions received.

More specifically, the control means 18 are configured to control the projection means so that they project the data received by the reception means 13.

[0029] The control means 18 can also be configured so that they control, depending on the instructions received by the reception means: - the characteristics of the light emitted by the emission means 11 of the ) light beams, and in particular its(their) intensity(ies), its(their) color(s), its(their) direction(s), its(their) dimensions; - the characteristics of the pattern projected by the projection means 12, and in particular its intensity, its color(s), its direction, its dimensions;

[0030] The lamp can also have a user interface 20 which allows the user to turn on the lamp and/or to authorize the connections of the lamp with a connected object external to the lamp. This user interface 20 preferably includes a button.

The portable lamp 3 also includes fixing means. In this embodiment, the fixing means comprise a band 15 making it possible to fix the headlamp on the forehead of a user.

The lamp 3 makes it possible to project data received by means of a wireless link and sent by an object connected to the lamp.

[0033] This connected object can for example be a mobile telephone which makes it possible to send data relating to the position of the athlete, for example in the form of GPS data, or data relating to an incoming or outgoing call.

[0034] The connected object can also be a gate under which the sportsman passes during a race, the data received in this case can relate to the position of the sportsman within the race, or even to his speed, or its distance from the finish line.

[0035] According to a preferred embodiment, this connected object can be a watch which makes it possible to send to the lamp data relating to the time, to the date, to the speed of the athlete, to his acceleration, or even data of timing.

Thus, Figure 2 shows a connected watch 1 according to one embodiment of the invention. The connected watch includes a processor 2 configured to generate control instructions to be sent to a portable lamp 3.

The watch 1 also comprises a user interface 4 configured to allow a user to control the instructions generated by the processor 2. The user interface 4 can for example comprise one or more of the following elements: - a push button, - a crown.

In this example, the user interface comprises two push buttons 5.

The watch also includes a memory 6 in which are stored actuation sequences of the user interface associated with processor control instructions 2.

The processor 2 is configured to generate control instructions according to the actuation sequences entered into the user interface 4 by the user, and also according to data generated by the watch, such as the time, the date, the speed of the athlete, his acceleration, his calories lost...

[0041] The watch also comprises wireless communication means configured to communicate, via a wireless link, with a portable lamp 3. This wireless link can for example be a Bluetooth link, a low-energy Bluetooth link (also called BLE for "Bluetooth Low Energy"), an optical connection.

The communication means of the watch comprise transmission means 7 configured to transmit to the portable lamp 3, via a wireless link, data, and in particular the control instructions generated by the processor. These transmission means 7 can be a Bluetooth transmitter, Bluetooth low energy, or even an optical transmitter, depending on the wireless link used.

The communication means of the watch can also comprise reception means 8 arranged to receive via a wireless link parameters sent by the lamp. These reception means can be a Bluetooth receiver, Bluetooth low energy, or even an optical receiver, depending on the wireless link used.

The watch also includes a cell or battery 17 arranged to power the processor 2 and the communication means of the watch.

[0045] The watch is capable of generating data, such as the time or the date, for example. It may also comprise sensors 9 making it possible to measure additional data, such as for example the speed of movement of the wearer of the watch, his acceleration, his altitude, the outside temperature, his GPS position.

A method of controlling the lamp of Figure 1 by the watch of Figure 2 will now be described with reference to Figures 3 and 4.

The method preferably includes a first step 101 of connecting the lamp 3 to the watch 1. The purpose of this first step is to authorize or not the taking of control of the lamp by the watch and the communications between the watch and the lamp. More specifically, the watch can send the lamp a connection request via the wireless link. The user can then intervene on the user interface 20 of the lamp to signify his agreement or upon refusal of connection. When the user activates the user interface so as to accept the connection between the lamp 3 and the watch 1, a wireless link is established between the lamp and the watch.

The method can then include a step of receiving, via the user interface 4 of the watch 1, an actuation sequence. Each actuation sequence corresponds to a command of the lamp.

Thus, it is for example possible to record in the memory of the watch actuation sequences to perform one or more of the following actions on the lamp: - switching the lamp on or off; – control the intensity, the color or even the direction of the light beam(s) emitted; – order a pattern that will be projected by the projection means of the lamp.

[0050] For example, it is possible to choose to project: – data generated by the watch and/or by the lamp, – data measured by a sensor of the watch or of the lamp, – data calculated by the processor of the watch from parameters originating from the watch, and/or from the lamp, and/or from one or more of their sensors; – data calculated by the lamp's processor based on parameters from the watch, and/or the lamp, and/or one or more of their sensors.

After the user has entered an actuation sequence into the user interface of the watch, the method comprises a step of generation by the processor 2 of the watch of corresponding control instructions. Control instructions include data to be projected.

The method then includes a step of sending, by the transmission means of the watch, control instructions.

The method then includes a step 102 of receiving control instructions by the receiving means 13 of the lamp.

The method then comprises a step 103 of controlling, by the control means 18 of the lamp, the lighting means 10 of the lamp according to the control instructions received.

More specifically, during this step, the control means 18 control the projection means 12 so that they project the data received by the lamp reception means.

The control means can also control the characteristics of the projected pattern and/or those of the light beam(s) emitted.

The method may also include a step of monitoring the state of charge of the battery or of the battery of the lamp 3.

When the charge of the battery or of the battery of the lamp 3 is lower than a threshold charge, for example when it is equal to 10% of the total charge capacity of the battery or of the battery of the lamp 3, the method may include a step of requesting load preservation instructions from the user. This request for instructions can be direct, that is to say it is made directly by the lamp, which can for example emit a flashing light to signal to the user that he must act, or it can be indirect, i.e. it can be done via the connected object, to which the lamp sends via the wireless link a request for instructions which will then be transmitted to the user via the connected object.

The user can then choose either to deactivate the projection means to keep only the means for emitting the light beam or, conversely, to deactivate the means for emitting the light beam to converse only with the projection means. Alternatively, the user can also choose to keep activated both the means for emitting the light beam and the projection means.

The charge preservation instructions are then transmitted to the control means 18 of the lamp which act accordingly on the means for emitting the light beam and/or on the projection means.

Referring to Figure 4, the method therefore allows in particular to emit at least one light beam 21 whose characteristics can be controlled via a connected object. Furthermore, the method makes it possible, thanks to the projected pattern 22, to display luminous information.

The method therefore makes it possible to remotely control the functions of a lamp via a connected watch. The method makes it possible in particular to choose, using a watch, which information to project with the lamp. The method therefore allows the wearer to access a head-up display.

Naturally, the invention is not limited to the examples described with reference to the figures and variants could be envisaged without departing from the scope of the invention. In particular, an object other than a watch could be used to send the information to be projected. It would also be possible to envisage displaying parameters other than those mentioned, such as for example the calories expended by an athlete, his distance to the finish line, his GPS coordinates, encouragement from relatives received by SMS.

Claims (10)

1. Connected portable lamp (3) comprising: – lighting means (10) configured to emit light, the lighting means comprising: • emission means (11) of at least one light beam; • projection means (12) arranged to project at least one light pattern; – receiving means (13) configured to receive, via a wireless link, control instructions, the control instructions comprising data to be projected; – control means (18) configured to control the projection means (12) so that they project the data received by the reception means (13). 2. Portable lamp according to the preceding claim, the portable lamp being a headlamp. 3. Portable lamp according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the projection means (12) comprise a laser scanning projector. 4. Portable lamp according to the preceding claim, in which the laser scanning projector comprises: – a photonics module comprising three primary lasers respectively emitting a green, red and blue laser beam; – at least one scanning mirror; – an electronic module configured to control the lasers and the mirror. 5. Lamp according to one of the preceding claims, in which the control means (18) are configured to control the characteristics of the light emitted by the lighting means according to the control instructions received. 6. Lamp according to one of the preceding claims, comprising transmission means arranged to send to a connected object, via a wireless link, parameters relating to the state of the lamp. 7. Lamp according to one of the preceding claims, comprising sensors for measuring parameters relating to the state of the lamp. 8. Lamp according to one of the preceding claims, comprising a memory configured to store data to be projected. 9. Assembly comprising a lamp according to one of claims 1 to 8 and a connected watch configured to control the lamp, the watch comprising: – a processor (2) configured to generate control instructions to be sent to the lamp (3); – a user interface (4) configured to allow a user to control control instructions generated by the processor by entering an actuation sequence into the user interface; – transmission means (7) configured to send, via a wireless link, the control instructions to the lamp. 10. A method of controlling a portable lamp (3) connected according to any one of claims 1 to 8, the lamp comprising lighting means (10) configured to emit light, the lighting means (10) including: – means for emitting at least one light beam; – projection means arranged to project at least one light pattern; the method comprising the following steps: – establishment of a wireless link between the lamp and a connected object; – reception by the lamp of control instructions sent by the object connected via the wireless link, the control instructions comprising data to be projected; – control of the projection means (12) so that they project the data to be projected.