JP2009238529A - Illumination control system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reliably make illumination at a hand-nearby location when a user performs a visual task in his/her various positions and postures in a room. <P>SOLUTION: An illumination control system 1 comprises: an illumination arrangement 3 having eight light sources r1-r4 and f1-f4 placed to surround the interior of a room; an information transmitter worn on a hand-nearby location Pa of a user P; a control device 4 for the illumination device 3; and a receiver 5 for receiving positional information transmitted by the information transmitter and transmitting it to the control device 4. The control device 4 selects one light source to be controlled for illumination from the eight light sources based on the received positional information and exerts illumination control to light the selected light source on. For example, in the case where the user P indulges in a visual task at his/her desk D, the control device 4 selects the light source r1 as a light source to be controlled for illumination based on the received positional information of the hand-nearby location Pa of the user, and lights the light source r1 on. Since the user P who is right-handed is illuminated with the light source r1 located on the upper left, the hand-nearby location Pa is illuminated with a sufficient illumination intensity, and his/her visual task can be easily performed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an illumination control system that reliably illuminates a user's hand by selecting a light source to be controlled from among a plurality of light sources having different irradiation areas based on the position of the user's hand.

  Conventionally, a pedestrian carries an information medium, and a reader disposed at a key point along the road on which the pedestrian walks reads pedestrian attribute information from the information medium, and based on the read attribute information. There is a known pedestrian lighting system in which the brightness of road lighting is controlled (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In this system, for example, the illumination lamp is lit at a brightness that is not excessive or insufficient for a healthy person at night, but the brightness of the illumination lamp is increased when a visually impaired person carrying an information medium walks.

Also, an IC tag is attached to what is carried by a user who moves between rooms mainly indoors, operation attributes are stored in the IC tag as user's own attribute information, and information reading provided in each room is read. There is known an illumination control system in which an apparatus reads an operation attribute of a user and is controlled so that a luminaire in each room has an illuminance suitable for the operation of the user (for example, see Patent Document 2). In this system, for example, when a specific user reads a book in the study or enjoys entertainment in the living room, the lighting fixtures in the room are controlled to the illuminance necessary for their operation.
JP 2005-71624 A JP 2007-200175 A

  By the way, when people perform reading and document creation work (hereinafter referred to as visual work) in the living room due to the westernization of lifestyles, in addition to doing it at the desk, for example, on the floor rug Various modes such as performing in a sleeping position or performing in a posture lying on a sofa have been adopted.

  However, since the lighting fixtures in the living room are generally fixed in position such as ceiling lights and pendant lights installed on the ceiling, when the visual work is performed in various postures as described above, In some cases, there was not enough lighting at hand. For example, when a person reads a book while lying on the floor, the light from the ceiling is blocked by the light from the ceiling, and the reading surface is not illuminated enough. However, the light from the fixed lighting fixtures was blocked by the person's back, and the illuminance on the reading surface was sometimes insufficient.

  There is a table lamp as a lighting fixture to ensure the illuminance at hand, but even if it is a table lamp, install it on a limited installation space such as a desk so that the reading surface of books etc. is irradiated securely It is not easy. In addition, in the table stand, the cord connected to the AC outlet is easily routed to the desk or floor and disturbs the visual work. When the person changes the visual work position, the installation position of the table stand is changed each time. There must be. Furthermore, when the position where the person performs visual work is far from the AC outlet, an extension cord may be required.

  Note that none of the systems described in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 illuminate the hand of a user who performs a visual task indoors.

  Therefore, the present invention solves the above-mentioned problems, and when a person performs visual work such as reading or document creation in a room at various positions and postures, the hand can be used without using a table stand that is not convenient to use. An object of the present invention is to provide an illumination control system capable of reliably illuminating with sufficient illuminance.

  In order to achieve the above object, the invention of claim 1 is an illumination control system comprising a lighting device having a plurality of light sources having different irradiation areas and a control device for controlling the lighting device, and is provided at the user's hand. And a transmission unit that transmits position information and a reception unit that receives position information transmitted from the transmission unit, and the control device is configured to transmit a user's information based on the position information received by the reception unit. The light source to be controlled for illumination is selected and controlled from among the plurality of light sources so that light is emitted to the hand.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the illumination control system according to the first aspect, the transmission unit further includes a function of transmitting brightness information at a user's hand by having a brightness sensor, and the control device includes: The plurality of light sources are sequentially irradiated, and a light source whose brightness information changes at that time is selected as a light source to be controlled for illumination.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the illumination control system according to the first or second aspect, the transmission unit includes a storage unit that stores user attribute information, and transmits the attribute information stored in the storage unit. And the said control apparatus controls illumination according to the attribute information which the said transmission part transmitted.

  Invention of Claim 4 is the illumination control system as described in any one of Claim 1 thru | or 3. WHEREIN: The said illuminating device is provided with the reflective mirror which reflects the light from the said light source, The said reflective mirror is, The reflected optical axis is changed and controlled by the control device.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, the control device selects a light source to be controlled from among a plurality of light sources based on the positional information of the user, and controls the illumination of the selected light source. The user's hand is reliably illuminated even if the position or posture for the work is changed.

  According to the invention of claim 2, since the control device sequentially irradiates a plurality of light sources and selects a light source whose brightness changes at that time as a light source to be controlled for illumination, The light source to which the irradiation light reaches is selected as the light source to be controlled.

  According to the invention of claim 3, since the control device controls the illumination of the light source according to the attribute of the user, for example, the hand is illuminated with sufficient brightness even for a user whose visual acuity such as an elderly person has decreased. .

  According to the fourth aspect of the invention, since the optical axis of the reflecting mirror that reflects the light from the light source is changed and controlled, finer light distribution control is possible.

(First embodiment)
Hereinafter, an illumination control system according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. FIG. 1 shows a configuration of a living room in which a lighting control system 1 (hereinafter referred to as the present system) of the present embodiment is installed. FIG. 2 shows an information transmitter 2 (transmission unit) worn by the user P at hand Pa in the system 1. The system 1 includes an information transmitter 2 that is attached to a hand Pa of a user P, transmits position information, an illumination device 3 having a plurality of light sources, a control device 4 that controls the illumination device 3, and an information transmitter. And a receiver 5 (receiver) that receives the position information transmitted by 2 and transmits the received position information to the control device 4.

  The lighting device 3 includes light sources r1, r2, r3, r4, f1, f2, f3, and f4 arranged so as to surround the interior of the living room. Each of the light sources r1 to r4 and f1 to f4 is configured by any one of a fluorescent lamp, an incandescent lamp, a mercury lamp, a cold cathode lamp, an LED, an organic EL, or a combination thereof, and four corners of the ceiling R of the living room. It is installed at each of the four corners of the floor F. Each of the light sources r1 to r4 installed on the ceiling R has its irradiation area directed downward near the center of the living room, and each of the light sources r1 to r4 installed on the floor surface F has its irradiation area above the central position of the living room. It is arranged to go to. The number of light sources may be further increased.

  The control device 4 is mainly composed of a microprocessor, selects light sources r1 to r4 and f1 to f4 to be controlled based on the three-dimensional position information received from the receiver 5, and selects the selected light sources r1 to r4 and f1. A control signal is transmitted to the illuminating device 3 so that the illumination control is performed on f4. The control device 4 and the lighting device 3 are connected by a wired or wireless method. The electrical configuration of the system 1 is shown in FIG.

  The information transmitter 2 includes a glove-shaped wearing tool 6 that can be worn on the hand Pa of the user P, a GPS (Global Positioning System) position detection sensor 7 attached to the nail of the thumb Pf, And a transmitter main body 8 that receives a signal, converts it into three-dimensional position information (x, y, z), and transmits it as a weak radio wave w. The system in which the transmitter body 8 transmits the position information may be another system such as a system using infrared light. Further, the wearing tool 6 is worn on the dominant hand of the user P.

  The user P keeps the information transmitter 2 on the hand Pa, and as shown in FIG. 1, the user P sits on the chair C in the living room and uses a writing instrument on the document placed on the desk D. Can be performed, and the visual work of reading the book B can be performed in a posture lying on the floor F on its back. In addition, the user P can perform visual work in an arbitrary posture at any position on the floor surface F.

  The receiver 5 is attached to the lower surface of the ceiling R, receives a radio wave w including position information transmitted from the information transmitter 2 worn by the user P, and controls the received position information in a wired or wireless manner. 4 to send. In this embodiment, two receivers 5 are attached to both ends of the ceiling R so as to satisfactorily receive the radio wave w from the user P moving to an arbitrary position in the room. Only one may be attached near the center of the.

  Next, the illumination control procedure executed by the control device 4 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. First, the transmitter body 8 of the information transmitter 2 worn by the user P receives the signal from the position detection sensor 7, converts it into three-dimensional position information, and transmits it to the receiver 5 (S1). Specifically, for example, when the user P is performing visual work toward the desk D shown in FIG. 1, the position information (x1, y1, z1) is transmitted, and the user P is sent to the floor surface F. It is assumed that the position information (x2, y2, z2) is transmitted when sleeping and performing visual work. Here, assuming that the origin of the three-dimensional coordinates is the position of the light source f1, x1 <x2, y1≈y2, and z1> z2.

  The receiver 5 receives the positional information transmitted as described above (S2), the control device 4 selects a light source to be controlled based on the positional information (S3), and the selected light source is A predetermined control signal is transmitted to the illumination device 3 so that the illumination is controlled (S4). Specifically, for example, when the control device 4 receives the position information (x1, y1, z1), the control device 4 selects the light source r1 so that light is emitted from the upper left of the desk D, and the light source A control signal is transmitted to the illumination device 3 so that r1 is lit. When the control device 4 receives the position information (x2, y2, z2), the control device 4 is irradiated with the hand Pa of the user P who is sleeping on the floor F and holding the book B. The light source f4 is selected, and a control signal is transmitted to the illumination device 3 so that the light source f4 is turned on.

  As a method of selecting one of the light sources r1 to r4 and f1 to f4 according to the three-dimensional position information received by the control device 4, for example, the control device 4 is selected in advance in association with the position information. There are a method of storing a table of light sources to be stored and a method of storing a program for narrowing down light sources to be selected based on received position information and executing the program. As the latter method, for example, a procedure for narrowing down the light sources to be selected by comparing the sizes of the coordinates of the position information and the coordinates of the representative light sources can be considered. Specifically, for example, when the x-coordinate of the position information is smaller than ½ of the x-coordinate of the light source f4, four light sources f1, f2, r1, and r2 are candidates as light sources to be selected, and then the position information When the y coordinate of the light source f3 is smaller than 1/2 of the y coordinate of the light source f3, the light source to be selected is narrowed down to the light sources f1 and r1, and when the z coordinate of the position information is larger than 1/3 of the z coordinate of the light source r1, the final The procedure is to narrow down to the light source r1.

  As described above, in the lighting control system 1 of the present embodiment, the control device 4 includes the light sources r1 to r4 and f1 to f4 based on the position information transmitted from the information transmitter 2 worn by the user P on the hand Pa. One of the appropriate light sources is selected as the light source to be controlled, and the illumination control is performed so that the light source is turned on. Therefore, the user P is in an arbitrary position in the room and performs a visual task in an arbitrary posture. However, the vicinity of the hand Pa of the user P is surely illuminated, and the user P can easily perform visual work.

(Second Embodiment)
A second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The configuration of this embodiment is substantially the same as that of the first embodiment. The difference is that each of the light sources r1 to r4 and f1 to f4 is configured to be dimmable, and is an information transmitter worn by the user P. Reference numeral 2 denotes a point having a brightness sensor 11 and a storage unit 12 storing attribute information of the user P. Then, the information transmitter 2 transmits the brightness information and attribute information detected by the brightness sensor 11 to the receiver 5, and converts the brightness information and attribute information to the light source selected by the control device 4. Based on the lighting control including the increase and decrease of brightness. The brightness sensor 11 may be attached to the nail of the finger (for example, index finger) of the user P other than the thumb to which the position detection sensor 7 is attached, or attached to the upper surface of the wearing tool 6. Also good. The storage unit 12 may be connected to the transmitter body 8 as an IC tag, or may be provided as a memory in the transmitter body 8.

  In this embodiment, the illumination control procedure executed by the control device 4 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. First, the information transmitter 2 transmits the position information of the hand Pa of the user P and the attribute information stored in the storage unit 12 (S11), and the receiver 5 receives the position information and the attribute information (S12). The control device 4 selects a light source to be controlled for illumination based on the position information of the user Pa's hand Pa (S13). For example, when the user P is performing visual work toward the desk D, the light source r1 is selected as described above.

  And the control apparatus 4 transmits a control signal with respect to the illuminating device 3 so that the selected light source r1 may light with the brightness according to attribute information (S14). For example, when the user P is an elderly person, the age attribute of the attribute information transmitted from the information transmitter 2 has a large value. Therefore, the control device 4 that has received the attribute information receives the attribute information from the light source r1. Lighting control is performed so that the illuminance is larger than usual. The attribute information can include information such as the gender, visual acuity, and preferred illuminance of the user P, and can also include a specific operation performed by the user P for each room as an operation attribute. The operation attribute is, for example, information such that the user P reads in the living room and washes dishes in the kitchen.

  When the hand Pa of the user P is illuminated by turning on the light source r1, the information transmitter 2 transmits the brightness information detected by the brightness sensor 11, and the receiver 5 receives the brightness information ( S15). The control device 4 determines whether or not the brightness information received by the receiver 5 has a value corresponding to the attribute information (S16). If the brightness information is not a required value (NO in S16), Returning to S14 again, illumination control of the light source r1 is performed. Thus, the vicinity of the hand Pa of the user P is controlled so as to have an illuminance corresponding to the attribute of the user P. For example, when an elderly person reads a book, the hand Pa of the user P is illuminated with sufficient illuminance brighter than usual, and the user P can easily perform visual work.

(Third embodiment)
A third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. The configuration of the present embodiment is substantially the same as that of the second embodiment, except that in the illumination control procedure executed by the control device 4, the control device 4 selects a light source to be controlled based on the position information. (Hereinafter referred to as a light source selection step). Specifically, in the light source selection step of the second embodiment, the control device 4 is fixed to the position information of the hand Pa of the user P based on a table stored in advance or a program for light source selection. In the light source selection step of the present embodiment, the control device 4 selects a plurality of light sources corresponding to the position information of the hand Pa of the user P as light source candidates to be subjected to illumination control. Then, one light source in which the brightness of the hand Pa of the user P when the lighting control of the selected plurality of light sources is sequentially controlled is a light source to be finally subjected to illumination control.

  The flowchart in FIG. 7 shows only the light source selection step and corresponds to S13 in the flowchart in FIG. Now, a case where the control device 4 receives position information (x1, y1, z1) from the receiver 5 will be described. The position information (x1, y1, z1) represents the position of the hand Pa when the user P performs a visual operation toward the desk D as described above.

When receiving the position information (x1, y1, z1), the control device 4 selects a plurality of light sources as light source candidates to be illumination-controlled based on a prestored table (S21). In this example, the control device 4 selects the light source r1 and the light source r2. Subsequently, the control device 4 transmits a control signal to the illumination device 3 to turn on the light source r1 and the light source r2 in order at predetermined time intervals (S22). As a result, the user P is illuminated for a short time from the upper left by the light source r1, and then is illuminated for a short time from the upper right by the light source r2.

  The control device 4 receives the brightness information of the hand Pa of the user P when the light sources r1 and r2 that illuminate the hand Pa of the user P are sequentially changed as described above, and the brightness value is larger. The changing light source is finally selected as the light source to be subjected to illumination control (S23). For example, now, when the user P is working with the writing tool with the right hand of the dominant arm, the light emitted from the light source r2 is blocked by the right arm of the user P and the amount of light reaching the hand Pa. Therefore, the difference in brightness between when the light source r2 is turned off and when it is turned on becomes small. On the other hand, the light emitted from the light source r1 directly reaches the hand Pa, so that the difference in brightness between when the light source r1 is turned off and when it is turned on increases. Therefore, in the case of this example, the control device 4 selects the light source r1 whose brightness value changes more greatly as the light source to be controlled for illumination. When the user P is left-handed and the light emitted from the light source r1 is more largely blocked by the user's P arm or body, the control device 4 selects the light source r2 as the light source to be controlled for illumination.

  As described above, in the illumination control system of the present embodiment, the light source that actually reaches the hand Pa of the user P is selected as the light source to be controlled, and the light source is illumination-controlled. The hand Pa of P is illuminated more reliably.

(Fourth embodiment)
A fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. FIG. 8 shows the electrical configuration of this embodiment. The configuration of this embodiment is substantially the same as that of the second embodiment, except that the light sources r1 to r4 and f1 to f4 have reflecting mirrors r1m to r4m and f1m to f4m. Is transmitted, the angles of the reflecting mirrors r1m to r4m and f1m to f4m are changed, and the optical axis of the reflected light is changed and controlled. Each of the reflecting mirrors r1m to r4m and f1m to f4m is provided with a driving source (not shown) such as a motor driven by a control signal.

  In the present embodiment, an illumination control procedure executed by the control device 4 will be described. In FIG. 9, the steps from S31 to S33 are the same as the steps from S11 to S13 in the second embodiment, and thus description thereof is omitted. Here, a case where the user P performs a visual task toward the desk D and the control device 4 selects the light source r1 will be described.

  In S34, the control device 4 performs illumination control so that the brightness of the hand Pa of the user P illuminated by the selected light source r1 becomes the brightness according to the attribute information. For example, it is assumed that the user P is an elderly person and the hand Pa of the user P needs to be illuminated brighter than usual, and the hand Pa is not illuminated to a necessary brightness. The control device 4 transmits a control signal to the illumination device 3 to change the angle of the reflecting mirror r1m by a predetermined angle (S35).

  By changing the angle of the reflecting mirror r1m, the angle of the light emitted from the light source r1 toward the hand Pa of the user P is changed. The brightness information of the hand Pa of the user P at this time is transmitted from the information transmitter 2 to the receiver 5, and the receiver 5 receives the brightness information (S36). The control device 4 determines whether or not the received brightness information has a required brightness value (S37), and if it does not have the required brightness value (NO in S37), Returning to S34 again, the illumination control of the light source r1 is performed, and the steps from S35 to S37 are repeated.

  As described above, in the system 1 of the present embodiment, the optical axes of the reflecting mirrors r1m to r4m and f1m to f4m that reflect the light from the light sources r1 to r4 and f1 to f4 are changed and controlled. Can be controlled, and the hand Pa of the user P can be more reliably illuminated with sufficient illuminance.

The schematic perspective view of a living room provided with the illumination control system which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. The perspective view which shows the information transmitter of the state with which the user's hand was mounted | worn in the same illumination control system. The block diagram which shows the electric constitution of the illumination control system. The flowchart which shows the illumination control procedure in the illumination control system. The block diagram which shows the electric constitution of the illumination control system which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. The flowchart which shows the illumination control procedure in the illumination control system. The flowchart which shows the light source selection procedure in the illumination control system which concerns on the 3rd Embodiment of this invention. The block diagram which shows the electric constitution of the illumination control system which concerns on the 4th Embodiment of this invention. The flowchart which shows the illumination control procedure in the illumination control system.

Explanation of symbols

1 Lighting Control System 2 Information Transmitter (Transmitter)
3 Lighting device 4 Control device 5 Receiver (receiver)
11 Brightness sensor 12 Storage unit P User Pa Hand r1, r2, r3, r4, f1, f2, f3, f4 Light source r1m, r2m, r3m, r4m, f1m, f2m, f3m, f4m Reflector

Claims (4)

An illumination control system comprising: an illumination device having a plurality of light sources with different irradiation areas; and a control device that controls the illumination device,
A transmitter that is attached to the user and transmits position information;
A receiver that receives position information transmitted from the transmitter;
The control device selects and controls a light source to be controlled from among the plurality of light sources so that light is emitted to a user's hand based on position information received by the receiving unit. Characteristic lighting control system. The transmitter further includes a function of transmitting brightness information at hand of the user having a brightness sensor;
The controller is
The illumination control system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of light sources are sequentially irradiated, and a light source whose brightness information changes at that time is selected as a light source to be controlled. The transmission unit has a storage unit for storing user attribute information, transmits the attribute information stored in the storage unit,
The illumination control system according to claim 1, wherein the control device performs illumination control according to attribute information transmitted by the transmission unit. The lighting device includes a reflecting mirror that reflects light from the light source,
The illumination control system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the reflection optical axis of the reflection mirror is controlled to be changed by the control device.

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