IP Library Granted Patent US 10,375,789
Granted Patent B2
US 10,375,789 · App. 15/836,458 · Granted Aug 6, 2019

Directional lighting system and method

Inventors: Phillip Anthony Bosua (San Francisco, CA); Marc Alexander (San Francisco, CA)
Assignee: LIFI Labs, Inc.
H05B33/0854F21K9/232F21V23/0442H05B33/0845H05B33/0848H05B33/0869H05B33/0872H05B37/029H05B37/0218H05B37/0245H05B37/0272F21K9/235F21K9/238F21Y2113/13F21Y2115/10
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,375,789
App. No.
15/836,458
Granted
Aug 6, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

The method of spatial lightbulb operation includes determining the position of the lightbulb relative to a physical space, detecting a contextual event, determining a spatial lighting pattern associated with the contextual event, and selectively controlling lightbulb light emitting elements based on the position of the lightbulb and the spatial lighting pattern. A lightbulb including: a plurality of individually controlled light emitting elements mounted in fixed, predetermined positions on the substrate; a light sensor mounted to the substrate; a wireless communication module; and a processor configured to: index each light emitting element; progress each of the plurality of light emitting elements through an orientation pattern; associate a reference point on the lightbulb with an external reference point; and selectively operate individual light emitting elements of the plurality according to lighting instructions, based on a relationship between the reference point on the lightbulb and the external reference point.

Claims (35)

1. A method for controlling lightbulb operation, comprising:

determining a lightbulb orientation for the lightbulb within a venue, the lightbulb comprising a plurality of light emitting elements, each with a predetermined spatial position on the lightbulb;

determining a spatial lighting pattern for the venue, the spatial lighting pattern comprising a set of light parameters for a target location within the venue;

identifying a light emitting element from the plurality of light emitting elements based on the lightbulb orientation, the predetermined spatial positions, and the target location; and

selectively operating the identified light emitting element, based on the set of light parameters, using a processor of the lightbulb.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the lightbulb orientation within the venue is determined by an external device, external the lightbulb.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein determining the lightbulb orientation comprises:

emitting a wireless signal from the lightbulb; and

determining the lightbulb orientation based on an angle of arrival of the wireless signal at the external device.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the wireless signal comprises light emitted by the light emitting element, wherein the plurality of light emitting elements comprise visible light-emitting elements and non-visible light-emitting elements.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the spatial lighting pattern is determined by an external device.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein selectively operating the identified light emitting element comprises synchronously operating the identified light emitting element with media playback with the external device.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the light parameters are transmitted to the lightbulb by a secondary device, separate from the external device.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the secondary device comprises a second lightbulb.

9. A method for lightbulb control, comprising:

determining relative positions of each of a set of lightbulbs within a venue;

receiving a spatial lighting pattern for the venue, the spatial lighting pattern comprising a set of light parameters for a target location within the venue;

automatically identifying a lightbulb from the set of lightbulbs based on the respective relative position and the target location; and

selectively operating the identified lightbulb based on the set of light parameters using a processor of the lightbulb.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the relative position of each lightbulb within the set is determined relative to an external device.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the relative position of each lightbulb of the set is determined by the external device.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein determining the lightbulb orientation comprises:

emitting a wireless signal from the lightbulb; and

determining the lightbulb orientation based on an angle of arrival of the wireless signal at the external device.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the wireless signal comprises light emitted by the lightbulb, wherein the plurality of light emitting elements comprise visible light-emitting elements and non-visible light-emitting elements.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the relative positions are manually assigned.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the spatial lighting pattern is received from a remote computing system.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the lightbulb is identified from the set based on the spatial lighting pattern by an external device.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising, at the external device:

generating control instructions based on the set of light parameters; and

transmitting the control instructions to the lightbulb.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the external device comprises a media device.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the control instructions comprises a first and second instruction for the lightbulb and a second lightbulb, respectively, the method further comprising, at the lightbulb:

wirelessly transmitting the second instruction for the second lightbulb to the second lightbulb.

20. The method of claim 9 , wherein selectively operating the lightbulb comprises synchronously operating the lightbulb with media playback on an external device.

Assignments (5)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 24, 2022
From: LIFI LABS, INC.
To: FEIT ELECTRIC COMPANY, INC.
Reel/Frame 060886/0049 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 16, 2021
From: LUMINOUS WIDE LIMITED
To: LIFI LABS INC.
Reel/Frame 055275/0664 →
PATENT COLLATERAL AGREEMENT AND NOTICE Recorded Jan 5, 2021
From: BUDDY PLATFORM, INC.; LIFI LABS INC.
To: PARTNERS FOR GROWTH VI, L.P.
Reel/Frame 054901/0524 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 3, 2019
From: LIFI LABS, INC
To: LUMINOUS WIDE LIMITED
Reel/Frame 048781/0871 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 8, 2017
From: BOSUA, PHILIP ANTHONY; ALEXANDER, MARC
To: LIFI LABS, INC.
Reel/Frame 044342/0981 →
Continuity (6)
Continuation 15458212 · Mar 14, 2017
Continuation 14920020 · Oct 22, 2015
Continuation 14720180 · May 22, 2015
Provisional Application 62063038 · Oct 13, 2014
Provisional Application 62002102 · May 22, 2014
Related Publication 20180103522A1 · Apr 12, 2018
Cited By (2)
US 12,573,288 US 12,684,670