Patent Publication Number: US-8113679-B2

Title: Light system and method for creating a localized light

Description:
The invention relates to the creation of localized light, particularly to a light system and method for creating a localized light illuminating for example clothes hanging on a rail. 
     Studies have shown that a convenient atmosphere in shops may stimulate the desire to buy something. For example, background music or a dimmed ambient lighting may create a pleasant atmosphere. Often, a dimmed lighting is preferred in shops because it looks more elegant than a dazzling lighting. However, a dimmed lighting makes it more difficult for shoppers to choose from the range of offered goods, particularly from clothes hanging on a clothing rail, because the goods may not be seen so good in the dimmed lighting. Moreover, without sufficient light, it is difficult for a shopper to see for example the colors of clothes, especially while browsing through the clothes hanging on a clothing rail. Also, the shopper often sheds a shadow exactly where she or he is looking at clothing hanging on a clothing rail since the background light is blocked by the shopper. 
     Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide sufficient lighting for seeing characteristics of objects for example clothing hanging on a clothing rail or a curtain rail. 
     In order to achieve the object defined above, the invention provides a light system for creating a localized light, wherein the light system comprises the following characteristic features:
         lighting means, and
           lighting control means adapted to create the localized light by adjusting the light from the lighting means responsive to user actions with objects hanging on a rail.   
               

     In order to achieve the object defined above, the invention further provides a method for creating a localized light, wherein the method comprises the following characteristic features:
         lighting means are provided, and
           lighting control means create the localized light by adjusting the light from the lighting means responsive to user actions with objects hanging on a rail.   
               

     The characteristic features according to the invention provide the advantage that they allow to create a localized lighting which locally illuminates objects so that the characteristics of the objects may be seen. For example, the localized light may illuminate clothing hanging on the rail. Furthermore, the invention allows to adapt the lighting created by the lighting means of the rail responsive to user actions such as browsing clothing hanging on the rail or moving a curtain hanging on the rail. Thus, a user has a localized light which does not disturb the atmosphere of a dimmed ambient lighting but offers sufficient lighting in a limited area, for example for watching clothing or when entering or leaving a clothing changing cubicle in a shop. The localized light is automatically created responsive to user actions with objects hanging on the rail. Thus, a user who moves objects such as clothes hanging on a rail according to the invention may obtain always automatically a sufficient localized light illuminating the object(s) which is(are) most likely watched by the user. Briefly summarized, the invention creates the localized light automatically and in real time. 
     It should be noted that the term “rail” used herein comprises any rail- or rod-like shaped element such as for example a clothes rail or a curtain rod. The term “lighting means” used herein comprises any light emitting devices or elements and is not restricted to certain light emitting elements. For example, the lighting means may comprise a fluorescent tube or lamp, a light bulb, a halogen lamp, incandecent lamps or light emitting diodes (LEDs). The term “lighting control means” means any element with which the light emitted by the lighting means may be adjusted like mechanical means, for example adjustable apertures, sleeves or covers, and electrical means, for example electrical switches for switching the lighting means on or off or an electronic dimmer for controlling the light intensity emitted by the lighting means. The term “localized light” means a light essentially limited to a certain area in contrast to ambient light which is in principle not limited but creates a diffuse light. For example, a spot light may be understood as a “localized light” as used herein while the diffuse light not restricted at all to any area such as it is created by a standard light bulb without any apertures may not be understood as a “localized light”. 
     According to one embodiment of the invention, the lighting means may be integrated in the rail and distributed over a predefined length of the rail. However, the lighting means may also be integrated in a separate unit which may be adapted to communicate with the lighting control means, for example via wireless connection such as a radio frequency or optical communication connection. The latter embodiment offers more freedom in placing the lighting means. For example, the lighting means may be located above a rack containing a clothing rail or a bit in front of the rack that is adaptive to user actions with the clothing hanging on the clothing rail. 
     According to embodiments of the invention, the lighting control means may be adapted to detect user actions by means of detecting the position, orientation and/or movement of at least one hanger hanging on the rail and/or by means of detecting touching of at least one hanger hanging on the rail. The lighting control means may be further adapted to distinguish a touching from a person from a touch of an object, for example by using computer vision techniques or special sensing techniques. 
     According to embodiments of the invention, the lighting means may be implemented by at least one fluorescent tube, light emitting diodes, halogen lamps, and/or incandecent lamps. The fluorescent tube or lamp may form a part of the rail, or may form the rail itself assuming that it is stable enough to carry a certain load hanging on the hangers. A fluorescent tube has the advantage that it is not costly to implement. LEDs have the advantage that they have a long lifetime and a low power consumption. For example, the rail may be a metal rod with integrated LEDs. 
     According to an embodiment of the invention, the lighting control means may comprise sleeves movable arranged on a rod comprising the lighting means, wherein at least one of the sleeves comprise at least one connection for a hanger. In this embodiment, the localized light may be created by movable sleeves of the rod which have an effect like adjustable apertures for controlling the light emitted from the lighting means. The hangers may be used for clothing or a curtain. Thus, the localized light is adapted to the positioning of hangers on the rail and, for example, to the browsing of clothing by a shopper. For example, when two neighbored sleeves comprise a gap, a localized light is created due to the formed aperture between the two sleeves. The lighting control means may also comprise covers movable integrated into a rod comprising the lighting means, wherein at least one of the covers comprise at least one connection for a hanger. Several other embodiments of mechanical lighting control means may be provided depending for example on the shape and form of the element which comprises the lighting means. 
     According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, the lighting control means may comprise at least one sensor integrated into the rail and adapted to detect whether a hanger is hanging on the rail. 
     According to an embodiment of the invention, the at least one sensor may be implemented by one single sensor covering the length of the rail. The term “covering the length of the rail” used herein means that the coverage of the sensor encompasses either the entire length of the rail or at least an functional length of the rail on which objects may hang. The single sensor may be either integrated into the rail or separated from the rail, for example mounted in a clothing rack above the rail and sensing the functional length of the rail. According to another embodiment of the invention, several sensors may be provided and each of the sensors may control at least one light emitting device depending on the detection of a hanger. 
     Preferably, each sensor is located in the neighborhood of the light emitting devices controlled by the respective sensor. Thus, the localized light may be created in the area in which hangers are moved or positioned on the rail. For example, a shopper browsing clothes on the rail may automatically create a localized light at the position where she or he is browsing the clothing. 
     The sensors may be arranged in a line or row, respectively, on the rail, i.e., one by one. Then, the light emitting devices may be also arranged in a line or row, respectively, on the opposite side of the sensors on the rail. This is advantageous for clothing hangers. 
     A further line of sensors may be arranged in parallel to the first line of sensors on the rail so that a double row of sensors is created. This double row of sensors instead of a single row allows to determine further information about how hangers are positioned on the rail, for example whether a hanger diagonally hangs on the rail. This information allows to further control the localized light, for example to illuminate a piece of clothing the side of which is facing forward because it is diagonally hanging on the rail so that a shopper can see the forward facing side of this piece of clothing. 
     A sensor may be adapted to switch off the controlled light emitting devices when detecting a hanger, and to switch on the controlled light emitting devices when no hanger is detected. This is helpful when clothing hangs on the rail. Then, the gaps between the clothing are illuminated so that the pieces of clothing hanging on the sides of a gap are illuminated and may be seen. 
     A very pleasant lighting may be achieved if the switching of the controlled light emitting devices has a soft transition. This concerns transitions in the intensity over time, rather than just dimming. 
     For reliably detecting the position of a hanger, the sensors may comprise pressure sensors, capacitive sensors and/or resistance sensors. When the hangers are made of metal or comprise metal element, the capacity or resistance change created by moving a hanger on the rail may be detected by capacitive or resistance sensors since the metal contained in a hanger may influence a capacitive or resistance sensor. A pressure sensor has the advantage that it does not require any metal since it detects the pressure created by the load of a hanger resting on the sensor. 
     In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a central controller may be provided which receives signals from the sensors and which is adapted to control the switching of the light emitting devices depending on the received sensor signals. The central controller may be a microcontroller programmed to process signals received from the sensors and to control the light emitting devices according to an algorithm for controlling the lighting. For example, the central controller may be implemented such that it may create lighting effects like dimming the localized light with a time delay or according to a predetermined behavior. For example, the central controller may control the light emitting devices so that the devices which are close to the sides of a gap of clothing hanging on the rail emit a brighter light than the devices located in the middle of the gap so that a shopper may see the pieces of clothing hanging at the sides of the gap. The central controller may be also programmed to dim a light emitting device after a certain time after detecting a hanger by the sensor assigned to the device. Thus, the light “follows” the browsing of clothing hanging on the rail. 
     According to an embodiment of the invention, the lighting control means may also comprise a camera adapted to detect objects hanging on the rail. The pictures taken from camera may be processed with computer vision techniques in order to detect for example the position of orientation of objects and from this infer user actions. 
     The light system according to the invention may be for example applied to a clothing rack, a curtain rail, a rack for hanging kitchen tools, a playrack for children, or steps in ladders. In the latter case, the light system may be used to illuminate a bucket with paint hanging on a step. It is clear for a skilled person that the light system according to the invention may be applied to numerous applications where an automatic localized light is required or desired. 
     According to a further embodiment of the invention, a sensor and light module is provided which comprises at least one light emitting device and at least one sensor for detecting an object hanging on the module, wherein the module is adapted to form together with further modules a part of a light system according to the invention, for example for a rail with an integrated light. This embodiment allows to create a module system for creating for example a rail as part of the light system according to the invention with different lengths which is universally applicable. For example, a module may comprise one light emitting device and one sensor provided for controlling the light emitting device. To create a rail for application with a light system according to the invention, several modules may for example be “clicked” to each other in a way that creates sufficient mechanical stability and allows for the power supply of neighboring modules. 
     In order to accomplish an easy electrical connectivity of the single modules, a module may comprise a first and a second end each comprising electrical connectors for connecting with second and first ends, respectively, of another module. Thus, several modules may be electrically connected by assembling one module with another module. 
     Furthermore, the invention relates to a computer program enabled to carry out the method for creating a localized light according to the invention when executed by a computer. The invention also provides a record carrier storing this computer program. 
     Finally, the invention relates according to an embodiment to a computer programmed to perform a method for creating a localized light according to the invention and comprising communication means for communicating with one or more light systems according to the invention in order to receive signals from at least one sensor and to create control signals depending on the received sensor signals for adjusting the light from the lighting means. 
     These and other aspects of the invention will be apparent from and elucidated with reference to the embodiment(s) described hereinafter. 
    
    
     
       The invention will be described in more detail hereinafter with reference to exemplary embodiments. However, the invention is not limited to these exemplary embodiments. 
         FIG. 1  shows a first embodiment of a light system according to the invention containing a clothing rail with a fluorescent tube and sleeves as mechanical lighting control means; 
         FIG. 2  shows a second embodiment of a light system according to the invention containing a clothing rail with LEDs integrated into the rail and sensors for detecting the position of hangers hanging on the rail; 
         FIG. 3  shows a section through an embodiment of a clothing rail of a light system according to the invention with integrated LEDs and sensors, wherein each LED is controlled by its own sensor; 
         FIG. 4  shows a section through an embodiment of a clothing rail of a light system according to the invention with integrated LEDs and sensors, wherein a central controller receives signals from the sensors and controls the LEDs depending on the received signals; and 
         FIG. 5  shows a top view of an embodiment of a clothing rail of a light system according to the invention with two parallel rows of sensors for detecting the hanging position of clothing hanging on the rail and controlling the localized light depending on the hanging position. 
     
    
    
     In the following, functional similar or identical elements may have the same reference numerals. 
       FIG. 1  shows a clothing rail  10  of a light system according to the invention which comprises a florescent tube  16  as lighting means  12  and several sleeves  18  mounted on the fluorescent tube  16 . The sleeves  18  comprises holes  22  as connections for clothes hangers  20 . The sleeves  18  may be moved on the fluorescent tube  16  as indicated by the double arrow for browsing clothing hanging on the clothes hangers  20 . The shown clothing rail  10  may be for example applied to a clothing rack or a wardrobe. The movable sleeves  18  serve also as a kind of aperture blacking out the light emitted from the fluorescent tube  16  and, thus, creating a localized light  14  where openings are created between neighboured sleeves  18 . Typically, openings are created when browsing through clothing hanging on the rail  10  at the location where a user desires to see some clothing in more detail. The area illuminated by the localized light  14  depends on the opening between two or more neighboured sleeves  18  as it is shown in  FIG. 1 . The left opening is smaller than the right opening, thus creating a localized light  14  in a smaller area than the localized light  14  created by the right opening. Therefore, the sleeves  18  serve as lighting control means controlling the localized light  14  created by the opening between the sleeves  18 . The fluorescent tube  16  must be switched on in order to create localized light  14 . The sleeves  18  simply block the light emitted from the fluorescent tube  16 . In order to withstand the load of clothing hanging on the rail  10 , the fluorescent tube  16  should be reinforced, for example by metal rods on its outer surface or by integrating it into a hollow stable rail with openings for the light of the fluorescent tube  16 . 
       FIG. 2  shows an alternative clothing rail  11  of a light system according to the invention which comprises a metal rail with integrated sensors  19  as lighting control means and integrated LEDs  17  as lighting means (see  FIG. 3 ). Clothing hangers  20  may be hanged on the clothing rail  11 . Localized light  14  is created by switching on LEDs  17  at positions where no clothing hanger  20  hangs on the rail  11 , or generally speaking in the gaps between the clothing hanging on the rail  11 , thus illuminating the clothing forming the gap. In contrast to the clothing rail  10  from  FIG. 1 , the localized light  14  is created electronically by switching on or off LEDs  17  depending on the positions of the clothing hangers  20  on the rail  11 . The position of the clothing hangers  20  is detected by the sensors  19  which may be pressure sensors detecting a pressure from a hanger  20 , capacitive sensors detecting a capacity change when a hanger is moved away from, hanged on or moved over a sensor, and/or resistance sensors detecting a resistance change when a hanger is moved away from, hanged on or moved over a sensor. 
       FIG. 3  shows in a sectional view of the clothing rail  11  the location of the LEDs  17  and the sensors  19 . The sensors  19  are connected directly to the LEDs  17 . Thus, each LED  17  is controlled by its own sensor  19 . A sensor  19  may be located above the controlled LED  17 . If a sensor  19  detects a hanger, it switches off the controlled LED  17 . If a sensor  19  does not detect anything, it switches on the controlled LED  17 . A sensor  19  may be implemented that the switching transitions between on and off and vice versa may be instant or more soft (gradually over a certain time period), for instance that the localized light fades on in for example about 0.5 seconds. The rail  11  may be also implemented by sensor  19  and LED  17  modules. For example, each module may contain a single sensor  19  and a single LED  17  controlled by the sensor and some further electronics for controlling the switching on and off of the LED  17  such as a fading of the light. Furthermore, each module may be designed such that it is compatible with other modules in that it may be easily connected with neighboring modules, for example be “clicked” with another module. Thus, the rail  11  may be formed with different lengths depending on the number of modules. It should also be noted that each module may comprise electrical connections for a power supply. This modular system allows to flexibly implement different rails  11 . Furthermore, the connection between modules requires a sufficient mechanical stability for the load which may be hanged on the rail  11 . 
       FIG. 4  shows another and more advanced embodiment of a clothing rail  11  with a central controller  26  for controlling the switching of the LEDs  17 . This allows for more complex and advanced behavior of the localized light created by the LEDs  17 . Each sensor  19  and each LED  17  is connected to the central controller  26  which receives signals from the sensors  19  detecting whether a hanger hangs on the rail  11  or not. The central controller  26  processes the received sensor signals and controls the LEDs  17  according to a control algorithm implemented in the central controller  26 . The algorithm may implement a control scheme which for example creates a more intense localized light at the sides of a gap between hangers hanging on the rail  11  than in the middle of the gap. Thus, for example clothing hanging at the sides of the gap is illuminated by the more intense light which makes it easier for a shopper to see the colors and further characteristics of the clothing. Furthermore, the algorithm could also control the creation of localized light in that if a user moves hangers aside the localized light could follow that movement with a delay and dim where there is no clothing at all. Also, it would be possible to dim or switch off one or more LEDs  17  after a certain amount of time if no movement of hangers is detected by the sensors  19 . It should be noted that further control schemes and strategies may be implemented by the central controller  26 . The controller  26  may be programmable and contain a memory for the algorithm implementing the controlling of the LEDs  17  depending on the position of hangers hanging on the rail  11  and detected by the sensors  19 . The central controller  26  may also be implemented by a computer executing a computer program which processes the sensor signals and generates control signals for controlling the LEDs  17 . For example, the computer may be connected with an interface of the rail  11 . The computer may communicate with the rail  11  over a wire line or wireless connection, for example a bluetooth® or wireless LAN (local area network) connection. The program may also be implemented to control several different clothing rails  11  for example in a shop with a single computer which may be located in a back room and execute the program to control the creation of localized lights and communicate with the clothing rails via a wireless connection. 
       FIG. 5  shows a further embodiment of a clothing rail  11  in top view. The rail  11  comprises two lines or rows, respectively,  24  and  25  of sensors  19  which are arranged in parallel. This allows to detect the position of clothing hangers  20  on the rail  11  and, furthermore, the position of a hanger  20  with regard to the rail  11  as can be seen with the clothing hangers  20  diagonally hanging on the rail  11 . The creation of a localized light  14  may be controlled by a central controller. The central controller receives the detection signals from the sensors  19 . Furthermore, the central controller knows the position of each sensor  19  on the rail  11 . If the central controller detects that two sensors  19 , which are placed diagonally on the rail  11 , detect a clothing hanger  20 , it may detect that the clothing hanger  20  diagonally hangs on the rail  11 . Then, the central controller may switch on LEDs  17  on the bottom side of the rail  11  which are located close to the side of clothing hanging on the clothing hanger  20  so that the side of the clothing facing forward to a user browsing and watching clothing hanging on the rail  11  is illuminated, and the side of other clothing facing backward from the user is not illuminated. In  FIG. 5 , this is shown by the circle of the localized light  14  which is located close to the forward facing side of clothing hanging on the rail  11 . It should be noted that further strategies and schemes to control the creation of localized light may be implemented by processing the detection signals from the two parallel lines  24  and  25  of sensors  19  implemented in the rail  11 . 
     The invention has the main advantages that it automatically creates a localized light and, therefore, does not require a direct user interaction for controlling the localized light. 
     The functionality of the invention, particularly the controlling of the creation of a localized light may be performed by hard- or software. In case of an implementation in software, a single or multiple standard microprocessors or microcontrollers may be used to process a single or multiple algorithms implementing the invention. 
     It should be noted that the word “comprise” does not exclude other elements or steps, and that the word “a” or “an” does not exclude a plurality. Furthermore, any reference signs in the claims shall not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention.