IP Library Granted Patent US 9,491,835
Granted Patent B2
US 9,491,835 · App. 14/902,130 · Granted Nov 8, 2016

Method for improving the illumination of an illumination region from an illumination device

Inventors: Robert Elfring (Lübeck, DE); Frank Franz (Stockelsdorf, DE); Hanno Kretschmann (Hamburg, DE); Stefan Schlichting (Lübeck, DE)
Assignee: DRÄGERWERK AG & CO. KGAA
H05B37/0227A61B90/30F21V23/0471F21W2131/205H05B33/0815
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,491,835
App. No.
14/902,130
Granted
Nov 8, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for improving the illumination of an illumination region ( 100 ), in particular of an operation region, from an illumination device ( 10 ), includes at least two light modules ( 20 ) and at least one sensor device ( 30 ) for detecting depth information. The method includes the steps of monitoring a monitored volume ( 110 ) between the light modules ( 20 ) and the illumination region ( 100 ), identifying the position and the geometry as object data of at least one object ( 200 ) within the monitored volume ( 110 ), comparing the identified object data with beam paths (S) from the light modules ( 20 ), and modifying the light intensity of at least one light module ( 20 ) on the basis of the comparison between the identified object data with beam paths (S) from the light modules ( 20 ).

Claims (32)

1. A method for improving the illumination of an illuminated area of an operating area, the method comprising the steps of:

providing an illuminating device with at least two light modules and with at least one sensor device for detecting depth information;

monitoring a monitored volume between the light modules and the illuminated area;

detecting a position and geometry as object data of at least one object within the monitored volume;

comparing the detected object data with beam paths of the light modules; and

modifying a light intensity of at least one light module on the basis of the comparison of the detected object data with beam paths of the light modules.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the method steps, especially the detection of the object data and the comparison with the beam paths of the light modules, are carried out repeatedly in a loop.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the step of modifying the light intensity of at least one light module is carried out in a damped manner time.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the detection of the object data of at least one object within the monitored volume is carried out with a monitoring angle greater than or equal to about 45°.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the detection of the object data of at least one object within the monitored volume is carried out with a detection distance in the range of about 10 cm to about 150 cm.

6. A method in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising a calibration step carried out as a first step for detecting a working distance between the illuminating device and the illuminated area.

7. A method in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising the steps of detecting a working distance between the illuminating device and the illuminated area and comparing the detected working distance with a predefined value for the working distance.

8. A method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein a local shadowing of the illuminated area is assigned to a light module by the step of comparison for each light module.

9. A method in accordance with claim 8 , wherein at least one of the light intensity of at least one light module is increased and the light intensity of the light module with the assigned shadowing is reduced.

10. An illuminating device for illuminating an illuminated area, the illuminating device comprising:

at least two light modules, each of the light modules comprising at least one illuminant;

at least one sensor device for detecting depth information; and

a control unit configured to:

monitor a monitored volume between the light modules and the illuminated area;

detect a position and geometry of at least one object within the monitored volume to generate object data corresponding to the detected position;

compare the detected object data with beam paths of the light modules; and

modify a light intensity of at least one of the light modules as a function of the comparison of the detected object data with beam paths of the light modules.

11. An illuminating device in accordance with claim 10 , wherein the control unit is, configured for modifying the light intensity of at least one of the light modules as a function of detected object data in a comparison with beam paths of the light modules.

12. An illuminating device in accordance with claim 10 , wherein the sensor device comprises two sensors arranged at spaced locations from one another.

13. An illuminating device in accordance with claim 10 , wherein the detection of the object data and the comparison with the beam paths of the light modules are carried out by the control unit repeatedly in a loop.

14. An illuminating device in accordance with claim 10 , wherein the modifying the light intensity of at least one light module is carried out with damping manner over time.

15. An illuminating device in accordance with claim 10 , wherein the detection of the object data of at least one object within the monitored volume is carried out with a monitoring angle greater than or equal to about 45°.

16. An illuminating device in accordance with claim 10 , wherein the detection of the object data of at least one object within the monitored volume is carried out with a detection distance in the range of about 10 cm to about 150 cm.

17. An illuminating device in accordance with claim 10 wherein the control unit is further configured for a calibration step as a first step for detecting a working distance between the illuminating device and the illuminated area.

18. An illuminating device in accordance with claim 10 , wherein the control unit is further configured for detecting a working distance between the illuminating device and comparing the illuminated area and comparing the detected working distance with a predefined value for the working distance.

19. An illuminating device in accordance with claim 10 , wherein a local shadowing of the illuminated area is assigned to a light module for the comparison for each light module.

20. An illuminating device in accordance with claim 19 , wherein the control unit modifies the light intensity by at least one of increasing the light intensity of at least one light module and reducing the light intensity of the light module with the assigned shadowing.

Assignments (2)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ASSIGNEE PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 037383 FRAME 0486. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST. Recorded Jun 15, 2016
From: ELFRING, ROBERT; FRANZ, FRANK; KRETSCHMANN, HANNO; SCHLICHTING, STEFAN
To: DRÄGERWERK AG & CO. KGAA
Reel/Frame 039027/0424 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 30, 2015
From: ELFRING, ROBERT; FRANZ, FRANK; KRETSCHMANN, HANNO; SCHLICHTING, STEFAN
To: DRÄGER SAFETY AG & CO. KGAA
Reel/Frame 037383/0486 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 10 2013 012 231 · Jul 23, 2013 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20160174336A1 · Jun 16, 2016