Lighting system with illuminance control

Abstract

The present invention relates to an illumination control system comprising a plurality of outdoor luminaries and a motorized service vehicle. Each luminaire comprises a controllable light source producing a light illuminance. The motorized service vehicle comprises a light sensor configured to detect the light illuminance generated by the controllable light source at the motorized service vehicle. The motorized service vehicle computes light illuminance data based on the detected light illuminance and transmits these to the outdoor luminaire through a wireless communication link or stores the light illuminance data on a data recording device of the motorized service vehicle. The outdoor luminaire receives may use the light illuminance data to set or adjust a light illuminance of the controllable light source.

1 - 25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . An outdoor luminaire comprising:
 a controllable light source for producing a light illuminance,   a light source controller operatively coupled to the light source and configured to set or adjust a light illuminance of the controllable light source based on received light illuminance data,   a first data communication unit configured to receive the light illuminance data from a motorized service vehicle or from a remote central server through a wireless or wired communication link.   
     
     
         27 . An outdoor luminaire according to  claim 26 , wherein the light source controller is configured to pulsate the light illuminance of the controllable light source between a first illuminance level and a second illuminance level. 
     
     
         28 . An outdoor luminaire according to  claim 27 , wherein the light source controller is configured to pulsate the light illuminance of the controllable light source in response to a mode signal or control signal received through the wireless or wired communication link. 
     
     
         29 . An outdoor luminaire according to  claim 27 , wherein the light source controller is configured to pulsate the light illuminance of the controllable light source in response to a data command transmitted by the service device controller in the motorized service vehicle through the wireless or wired communication link. 
     
     
         30 . An outdoor luminaire according to  claim 26 , wherein the light illuminance data comprises a night dimming profile reducing the light illuminance of the outdoor luminaire during a predetermined dimming time period of the day. 
     
     
         31 . An outdoor luminaire according to  claim 26 , wherein a non-volatile memory area, accessible to the light source controller, stores luminaire position data, such as GPS coordinates, or another unique identifier of the luminaire. 
     
     
         32 . An outdoor luminaire according to  claim 26 , wherein the controllable light source comprises one or more Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs). 
     
     
         33 . An outdoor luminaire according to  claim 32 , wherein the controllable light source comprises:
 a set of white Light Emitting Diodes operatively coupled to the light source controller,   at least one coloured Light Emitting Diode operatively coupled to the light source controller; and wherein   the light source controller is configured to, based on the received light illuminance data, selectively adjust the light illuminance of the set of white Light Emitting Diodes and the at least one coloured Light Emitting Diode to change the spectrum of the light emitted by the controllable light source.   
     
     
         34 . A method of setting or adjusting light illuminance of an outdoor luminaire from a bypassing motorized service vehicle; the method comprising steps of:
 driving the motorized service vehicle to a road position within an illumination zone of the outdoor luminaire,   detecting a light illuminance generated by a controllable light source of the outdoor luminaire by a light sensor mounted on the motorized service vehicle,   comparing the detected light illuminance to a predetermined or nominal light illuminance of the luminaire,   computing light illuminance data for the outdoor luminaire based on the comparison,   transmitting the computed light illuminance data from the motorized service vehicle or from a remote central server to the outdoor luminaire through a wired or wireless communication link,   adjusting a light illuminance of the controllable light source in accordance with the received light illuminance data by a light source controller operatively coupled to the controllable light source.   
     
     
         35 . A method of setting or adjusting light illuminance of an outdoor luminaire according to  claim 34 , comprising a further step of:
 transmitting a data command to the light source controller through the wireless communication link to pulsate the light illuminance of the controllable light source between a first illuminance level and a second illuminance level.   
     
     
         36 . A method of setting or adjusting light illuminance of an outdoor luminaire according to  claim 35 , comprising a further step of:
 determining the light illuminance of the outdoor luminaire based on a measured light illuminance difference between the first and second illuminance levels at the light sensor.   
     
     
         37 . A method of setting or adjusting light illuminance of an outdoor luminaire according to  claim 35 , wherein the first illuminance level corresponds to substantially zero light illuminance of the luminaire. 
     
     
         38 . A method of setting or adjusting light illuminance of an outdoor luminaire from a bypassing motorized service vehicle according to  claim 35 , comprising further steps of:
 pulsating the light illuminance of the luminaire at a predetermined pulsation frequency,   computing an optical spectrum of the detected light illuminance,   detecting the light illuminance generated by the controllable light source based on the optical spectrum.   
     
     
         39 . A method of setting or adjusting light illuminance of an outdoor luminaire according to  claim 38 , wherein the predetermined pulsation frequency lies between 100 Hz and 10 kHz. 
     
     
         40 . A method of setting or adjusting light illuminance of an outdoor luminaire according to  claim 38 , wherein controllable light sources of adjacent outdoor luminaires to an outdoor luminaire under adjustment are programmed to pulsate at different pulsation frequencies to the predetermined pulsation frequency, 
     
     
         41 . A method of setting or adjusting light illuminance of an outdoor luminaire according to  claim 34 , comprising a further step of:
 wirelessly transmitting the light illuminance data from a motorized service vehicle to the light source controller of the outdoor luminaire through a wireless communication link during passage of the outdoor luminaire.   
     
     
         42 . A method of setting or adjusting light illuminance of an outdoor luminaire according to  claim 34 , wherein the motorized service vehicle comprises at least one of: {a car, a van, a motor cycle, a moped, a scooter, a Segway, an electrical bicycle}.