Selecting a more suitable input modality in relation to a user command for light control

1 . A system for determining a suitability of an input modality of a first input type for providing a user command for controlling at least one lighting device, said system comprising:

at least one receiver;

at least one output interface; and

at least one processor configured to:

receive, via said at least one receiver, a signal indicative of said user command for controlling said at least one lighting device, said user command being provided by a user using said input modality of said first input type,

determine a suitability rating for said used input modality in relation to said user command, and determine one or more further suitability ratings for one or more further input modalities in relation to said user command, determination of said suitability rating and said one or more further suitability ratings being based at least partially on a complexity of user interaction associated with providing said user command using said input modality of said first input type,

compare said suitability rating with said one or more further suitability ratings, and

output, via said at least one output interface, information specifying an input modality of a second input type recommended in relation to said user command, said recommended input modality of said second input type being selected from said one or more further input modalities, said further suitability rating of said recommended input modality being higher than said suitability rating.

2 . The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said at least one processor is configured to determine said suitability rating for said used input modality of said first input type in relation to said user command independent of a specific action specified in said user command.

3 . The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said at least one processor is configured to determine said suitability rating for said used input modality of said first input type in relation to said user command in dependence on a specific action specified in said user command.

4 . The system as claimed in claim 2 , wherein said specific action comprises selecting any light scene, selecting a specific light scene, switching off all lighting devices, or switching on all lighting devices.

5 . The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said at least one processor is further configured to determine said suitability rating and said one or more further suitability ratings based on a size of a space in which said user command is provided and/or a function of said space.

6 . The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said at least one processor is configured to determine said suitability rating and said one or more further suitability ratings by obtaining said suitability rating and said one or more further suitability ratings from a further system.

7 . The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said suitability rating and said one or more further suitability ratings are calculated based on input modalities used by other users in relation to said user command.

8 . The system as claimed in claim 7 , wherein said other users have a lighting system which has a similarity to a lighting system of said user which exceeds a first threshold and/or have spaces which have a similarity to spaces of said user which exceeds a second threshold.

9 . The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said at least one processor is configured to determine settings for a lighting control device based on said user command, said lighting control device being associated with said recommended input modality of said second input type, and transmit, via said at least one output interface, said settings to said lighting control device.

10 . The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said information also specifies a further recommended input modality in relation to said user command, said further recommended input modality being selected from said one or more further input modalities, said further suitability rating of said combination of said recommended input modality and said further recommended input modality being higher than said suitability rating.

11 . The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said used input modality of said first input type and said one or more further input modalities include one or more of voice input, light switch input, and sensor input.

12 . The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said at least one processor is configured to determine said suitability rating for said used input modality of said first input type in relation to said user command by determining a user-independent suitability rating which is common to all users of said system and applying a user-dependent weight to said user-independent suitability rating.

13 . The system as claimed in claim 12 , wherein said at least one processor is configured to determine said user-dependent weight based on user-specified preferences and/or previous user commands provided by said user.

14 . A method of determining a suitability of an input modality of a first input type for providing a user command for controlling at least one lighting device, said method comprising:

receiving a signal indicative of said user command for controlling said at least one lighting device, said user command being provided by a user using said input modality of said first input type;

determining a suitability rating for said used input modality in relation to said user command, and determining one or more further suitability ratings for one or more further input modalities in relation to said user command, determining said suitability rating and said one or more further suitability ratings being based at least partially on a complexity of user interaction associated with providing said user command using said input modality of said first input type;

comparing said suitability rating with said one or more further suitability ratings; and

outputting information specifying an input modality of a second input type recommended in relation to said user command, said recommended input modality of said second type being selected from said one or more further input modalities, said further suitability rating of said recommended input modality being higher than said suitability rating.

15 . A non-transitory computer program code to perform the method of claim 14 when run on a processor.