Systems and Methods for Controlling Color Temperature

Abstract

Controlling the color temperature of a composite light source including at least one discrete-spectrum light source is disclosed. For example, the color temperature of a composite light source including at least one discrete-spectrum light source may be determined and/or adjusted based on one or more of the ambient color temperature of a space, the actual temperature of the space, the relative brightness of the space, the occupancy of the space, a time clock, a demand response command (e.g., from an electrical utility), the absolute location of the composite light source, the location of the composite light source relative to other light sources, inputs from a camera or other external devices, the operation of appliances or other machines in the vicinity of the composite light source, media content being utilized in the vicinity of the composite light source, and/or other sensor inputs.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A system for controlling a plurality of lighting loads in a space responsive to an emergency mode, the system comprising:
 a plurality of load regulation circuits configured to adjust an intensity of a lighting load; and   a plurality of lighting loads, each lighting load of the plurality of lighting loads comprising a first discrete-spectrum light source adapted to emit light corresponding to a first color temperature and a second discrete-spectrum light source adapted to emit light corresponding to a second color temperature that is substantially different than the first color temperature, the lighting load configured to emit a composite light output characterized by a composite color temperature; and   wherein during an emergency mode, each of the plurality of load regulation circuits are configured to adjust the composite color temperature of their respective lighting loads to create at least one of an increasing or a decreasing color temperature along an indicated path.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first discrete-spectrum light source emits light with a warmer color temperature, and the second discrete-spectrum light source emits light with a cooler color temperature. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein plurality of load regulation circuits are configured to adjust the composite color temperature of their respective lighting loads to create a gradient of color temperature along the indicated path. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the indicated path is configured to guide a user to an emergency exit. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the gradient of color of the plurality of lighting loads comprises increasingly cooler color temperatures as the distance from the emergency exit to the respective lighting load decreases. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , further comprising a subset of load regulation circuits for controlling lighting loads not located along the indicated path, wherein the subset of load regulation circuits are configured to dim the respective lighting loads not along the indicated path during emergency mode. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the subset of load regulation circuits are configured to control the color temperature of the respective lighting loads to a warmer color temperature than the color temperature of at least one fixture near the emergency exit during the emergency mode. 
     
     
         8 . A method for controlling a plurality of lighting loads in a space responsive to an emergency mode, the method comprising:
 determining a color temperature value for a plurality of CCTLLs lighting loads, wherein each lighting load of the plurality of lighting loads comprises a first discrete-spectrum light source adapted to emit light corresponding to a first color temperature and a second discrete-spectrum light source adapted to emit light corresponding to a second color temperature that is substantially different than the first color temperature, the lighting load configured to emit a composite light output characterized by a composite color temperature; and   in response to an emergency mode, adjusting the composite color temperature of the plurality of lighting loads to create at least one of an increasing or a decreasing color temperature along an indicated path.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 emitting, via the first discrete-spectrum light source, light with a warmer color temperature; and   emitting, via the second discrete-spectrum light source, light with a cooler color temperature.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein adjusting the composite color temperature of the plurality of lighting loads to create at least one of an increasing or a decreasing color temperature along an indicated path comprises creating a gradient of color temperature along the indicated path. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein adjusting the composite color temperature along the indicated path is configured to guide a user to an emergency exit. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the gradient of color of the plurality of lighting loads comprises increasingly cooler color temperatures as the distance from the emergency exit to the respective lighting load decreases. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising dimming, via a subset of load regulation circuits configured to control lighting loads not along the indicated path, the respective lighting loads during an emergency mode. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising controlling, via the subset of load regulation circuits, the color temperature of the respective lighting loads to a warmer color temperature than the color temperature of at least one fixture near the emergency exit during the emergency mode.