A USER INTERFACE AND A METHOD FOR THE EASY CREATION OF ATMOSPHERES WITH AN ATMOSPHERE CREATION SYSTEM

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to the easy creation of atmospheres with an atmosphere creation system. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION An atmosphere creation system is a technical system for controlling the creation of an atmosphere for example in a room. An atmosphere creation system does not only comprise the control of lighting, but also the control of audio, video/image content on electronic displays, fragrance dispensers, ventilation and climate. The control of atmosphere creation systems is a complex task due to the many different effects, which may be controlled. For example, in professional and advanced lighting environments such as shops, hotel lobbies, clubs etc it is often possible to create a horizon effect by having different lighting, particularly different color effects in the upper and lower part of a room. This effect may be achieved by applying for example so called wall washers as lighting units for illuminating walls. Dedicated wall- washing walls are frequently used to create an appealing and strong atmosphere effect in a lighting environment. Especially with advanced LED (Light Emitting Diode)-based wall- washers it is possible to create lighting effects, which come can actually be envisioned as low- resolution images. But also the advance of LED panels enables the creation of attractive lighting effects. With such advanced lighting infrastructures it is possible to create a horizon effect by having a different (color) effect in the upper part, and a different (color) effect in the lower part of the room. This can be realized by having a lighting wall- washing configuration with both upper and lower wall- washers to create lighting effects on a wall, or by a grid of LED panels mounted on one or more walls. However, the control of the different effects like the above described horizon effect in a lighting

environment requires comprehensive settings and usually requires sophisticated knowledge of the lighting environment. Thus, a user interface for the easy creation of atmospheres would be desirable.

EP 0 940 966 Bl discloses a book-type controller for an interactive multimedia system such as an interactive VCD playing system or an interactive DVD playing system. The controller includes a plurality of input sensors arranged on or in each of the plurality of pages of an illustrative book of the controller. The controller enables illiterates and electric-appliance unfamiliar people to manipulate multimedia systems which often require complex operations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the invention to provide a user interface and a method for the easy creation of atmospheres with an atmosphere control system.

The object is achieved by the independent claim(s). Further embodiments are shown by the dependent claim(s).

A basic idea of the invention is to make the creation of an atmosphere with an atmosphere control system easier by using a picture-based inputting and control of atmosphere creation. The picture-based inputting may be accomplished according to the invention with a tangible interface in the form of a book-type device such as a flipbook, in which pages represent atmospheres, wich may be related for example to certain lighting atmospheres. Thus, a user may select a certain atmosphere by opening the book-type device on a page showing the desired atmosphere. According to embodiments of the invention, the book-type device can have split pages with upper part and lower part of an image in order to allow a user to combine different effects in different parts of a room, for example to combine light effects defined for the upper and lower part of a room in order to create a horizon effect. For instance, a user can select a favorite upper scene (for example sea, sky, forest) and combine it with a lower scene

(for example beach, water, flowers) in order to create a corresponding atmosphere in the

entire room. According to further embodiments of the invention, this concept could also enable easy distribution of atmosphere scenes. For instance, a retailer organization may send out new pages to individual stores which can be simply added to the flipbook. In such embodiments, the flipbook may be able to acquire a page identifier such as RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tags and match this with corresponding atmosphere settings, which may be for example automatically downloaded when a respective page is selected, particularly the first time.

According to an embodiment of the invention, a user interface for the easy creation of atmospheres with an atmosphere creation system is provided, wherein the user interface comprises

- a book-like device with several pages, wherein each page shows a certain scene,

- a scene identification device being adapted to identify the scene, which is actually displayed by the book-like device, and to output a corresponding scene identification signal , and

- processing means being adapted to process the scene identification signal in that an atmosphere corresponding to the scene identification signal is determined and output as atmosphere control signals for the atmosphere creation system.

This user interface allows users such as shop managers to easily explore various atmospheres. Furthermore, it offers a playful interaction through a tangible user interface, which may give the users optimal feeling of being in control. Since images showing the scenes can be considered as strong representers of atmospheres, the invention makes the creation of atmospheres convenient and easy for users.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, - several consecutive pages of the book- like device may be split into several sections each showing a different part of a scene, wherein

- sections of different pages may be displayed in a combination, and wherein

- the scene identification device may be adapted to identify the scene being actually displayed by the combination of sections and to output a corresponding scene identification signal .

Thus, a user has the freedom to combine different scenes by combining page sections showing different and user preferred scenes. For example, a user may combine a section showing flowers with a section showing a rainy sky in order to create a respective atmosphere. Furthermore, in an embodiment of the invention,

- each page or section of a page may comprise an identifier, and

- the scene identification device may be adapted to receive the identifier from a page or the identifiers from each section of a combination of sections displayed by the book-like device and to identify the actually displayed scene by processing the received identifier(s).

An identifier may be for example a small code printed on each page or page section. This code may be captured with a camera. The identifier may be also a small electronic device such as IC embedded in a page or page section. When, the page or page section is displayed with the book-type device, i.e. on top, and then an electronic circuitry of the book-type device may communicate with the electronic device(s) embedded in the displayed page or page section(s) and transmit code(s) received from the electronic device(s) to the scene identification device for the further processing. According to a further embodiment of the invention,

- a page or a section of a page may contain an integrated tag comprising the identifier, and

- the scene identification device may comprise a tag reader and a database containing datasets with the identifiers of each page or section of a page and the corresponding scene identification for generating the scene identification signal.

The tag may be for example a RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tag which is small and, therefore, suitable to be embedded in a page or page section. Also, a RFID tag may be read wirelessly and does not require power supply lines. However, also other tags such as small ICs, which are applied in smart cards, may be embedded in a page or page section. Such ICs may be powered and read out via small power and communication wires embedded in a page or page section, and contacted with a central controller of the book-type device, which may be integrated for example the spine of the book-type device. The read identifiers may be used for quickly retrieve the

corresponding scene identification from the database. In principle, the identifier may be already a scene identification such that a database search is not required for generating the scene identification signal.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, each page or section of a page may represent certain settings for atmosphere sources of an atmosphere creation system that need to be addressed for creating a desired atmosphere. In other words, each page or page section represents certain settings in an atmosphere creation system, wherein the settings are selected such that the atmosphere shown by the scene on a page or page section may be created with the settings. According to a yet further embodiment of the invention

- the settings for atmosphere sources of the atmosphere creation system represented by each page or section of a page may be stored in a database, and

- the processing means may be further adapted to process the scene identification signal in that an atmosphere corresponding to the scene identification signal is determined by retrieving settings, which correspond to the scene identification signal, from the database.

Thus, the scene identification signal must not contain the complete settings for creating a certain atmosphere. Instead, the processing means may use the scene identification signal as a kind of identification for the settings stored in the database. For example, the scene identification signal may contain a unique identifier for the scene for which a atmosphere should be created. This unique identifier may be for example a key of the database, with which the settings may be quickly retrieved from the database.

The user interface may be adapted in a further embodiment of the invention to automatically download the settings from a server when a page is displayed, particularly the first time. This allows distributing pages or page sections by retailers. A user may then for example buy a new atmosphere from a retailer and insert it into the book-type device of the user interface. When the user displays the bought page with the book-type device, the user interface notes the new page or scene shown on the page, since it does not know the identifier of the new page, may then connect automatically to a server of the retailer in the internet and download after authentication for example with

the identifier of the new page the settings for the atmosphere corresponding to the scene shown on the bought page from this server. In this way, the user interface is able to implement the atmosphere with the user's atmosphere creation system.

The user interface may comprise in a further embodiment of the invention an interface for connecting with an atmosphere creation system. The interface is adapted to allow communication between the user interface and the atmosphere creation system according to a predefined protocol, particularly USB (Universal Serial Bus), RS-232, DALI (Digital Adressable Lighting Interface), DMX (Digital Multiplexing), Bluetooth®, Zigbee® or Wi-Fi™ (Wireless Fidelity). The invention relates in a further embodiment to a book-type device adapted for usage with a user interface according to the invention.

The book-type device may comprise in an embodiment of the invention electronic means for communicating with the scene identification device. The electronic means may be for example embedded in the pages or page sections of the book-type device. The electronic means may be also implemented as a central controller of the book-type device, which communicates on one hand with the scene identification device and on the other hand with identifiers of the pages or page sections. The electronic means may be for example battery-powered so that the book-type device may be handled like a remote control for an atmosphere creation system. The communication between the electronic means and the scene identification means may then be performed via a wireless connection, particularly a radio or optical link.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, each page or section of a page of the book-type device may comprise electronic identification means, for example RFID tags or tags wired with the electronic means of the book-type device. According to a further embodiment of the invention,

- each page or section of a page may comprise an identifier, and

- the book-type device may comprise identifier reading means for reading the identifier from a page or the identifiers from each section of a combination of sections displayed by the book-like device and for transmitting the read identifier(s) to the scene identification device for further processing.

The identifier reading means may be for example a RFID reader, when

RFID tags embedded in the pages or page sections are employed.

The invention further relates in an embodiment to a page or page section for a book-type device according to the invention, wherein the page or page section comprises electronic identification means and/or an identifier. Such a page or page section may be for example offered by a retailer to customers owning a user interface with a book-type device according to the invention. Thus, the customers can buy a page or page section showing a certain scene preferred by the customer who desires to create an atmosphere at home related to the scene shown on the bought page or page section.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, a method for the easy creation of atmospheres with an atmosphere creation system with a book- like device with several pages is provided, wherein each page shows a certain scene, and wherein the method comprises

- identifying the scene, which is actually displayed by the book-like device, and outputting a corresponding scene identification signal, and - processing the scene identification signal in that an atmosphere corresponding to the scene identification signal is determined and output as atmosphere control signals for the atmosphere creation system.

According to a further embodiment of the invention,

- several consecutive pages of the book- like device may be split into several sections each showing a different part of a scene, wherein

- sections of different pages may be displayed in a combination, and the method may comprise

- identifying the scene being actually displayed by the combination of sections and outputting a corresponding scene identification signal. According to a yet further embodiment of the invention,

- each page or section of a page may comprise an identifier, and the method may comprise

- receiving the identifier from a page or the identifiers from each section of a combination of sections displayed by the book- like device and identifying the actually displayed scene by processing the received identifier(s).

Furthermore, in an embodiment of the invention, each page or section of a

page may represent certain settings for atmosphere sources of the atmosphere creation system that need to be addressed for creating a desired atmosphere. In a further embodiment of the invention,

- the settings for atmosphere sources of the atmosphere creation system represented by each page or section of a page may be stored in a database, and the method may comprise

- processing the scene identification signal in that an atmosphere corresponding to the scene identification signal is determined by retrieving settings, which correspond to the scene identification signal, from the database. According to a further embodiment of the invention, the communication between the user interface and the atmosphere creation system may preformed according to a predefined protocol, particularly USB, RS-232, DALI, DMX, Bluetooth®, Zigbee® or Wi-Fi™.

Furthermore, the invention relates to a computer program enabled to carry out the method for the easy creation of atmospheres with an atmosphere creation system 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 according to the invention and comprising an interface for communicating with a user interface according to the invention.

These and other aspects of the invention will be apparent from and elucidated with reference to the embodiment(s) described hereinafter. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

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 an embodiment of the user interface of a lighting system for the easy creation of lighting atmospheres according to the invention; and

Fig. 2 to 6 show different embodiments of the book-type device

according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In the following, functional similar or identical elements may have the same reference numerals. The invention will be described with regard to a lighting system, but is not limited to the control of the creation of lighting atmospheres with lighting systems. The invention may be applied to any kind of atmosphere creation system. Fig. 1 shows a user interface 10 for a lighting system 11. The interface 10 comprises a book-type device 12 in the form of a flipbook, containing several split pages 14. Each page 14 of the book-type device 12 shows an image with a scene, conveying a certain atmosphere to a user. Furthermore, each page 14 is split into three sections: an upper section 16, a middle section 18, and a lower section 20. The upper section 16 shows a scene upper part, the middle section 18 a scene middle part, and the lower section 20 a scene lower part. A user can combine sections of different pages in order to create a desired scene, as it is shown in Fig. 2 to 6. Each section 16, 18 and 20 of each page 14 contains an embedded RFID tag 22, 24, and 26. The RFID tag contains a small memory in which a unique page section identifier is stored. The identifier stored in the memory of a RFID tag can be read out via a radio link 29 from a RFID reader contained in scene identification means 28, if a page section 16, 18, or 20 is on top of the book- type device 12, i.e. is shown. The means 28 may comprise a (not shown) processor executing a program for identifying the scene, which is actually displayed by the book- like device 12, and to output a corresponding scene identification signal 30. In order to identify the shown scene, the means 28 retrieve for each read identifier corresponding scene data from a database 32 containing datasets with the identifiers of each page and corresponding scene data. If the scene identification means 28 detect a new page section, i.e. cannot retrieve scene data for a received identifier from the database 32, the means 28 connect to a server 34 preferably over the internet and download scene data from this server 34. The downloaded scene data may then be stored in the database 32 by the means 28 together with the corresponding identifier as a new dataset for later usage.

After retrieving all scene data for the identifiers received from the book-type device 12, the scene identification means 28 create a scene identification signal 30 which is then transmitted to processor means 36. The processor means 36 are adapted to determine a lighting atmosphere corresponding to the scene identification signal 30. The settings for light sources of the lighting system 11 represented by each page section 16, 18, 20 are stored in a database 38. The processor means 36 retrieve the settings corresponding to the received scene identification signal 30 from the database 38 with the settings. After retrieving the settings, the processor means 36 create lighting control signals 40 and output these signals 40 to the lighting system 11 for creating the desired lighting atmosphere.

Fig. 2 to 6 show different embodiments of the book-type device in the form of a flipbook 12. The flipbook 12 shown in Fig. 2 comprises split pages with two sections 16 and 18. The upper section 16 may for example control the lighting in the upper part of room, whereas the lower section 18 controls the lighting in the room's lower part. With this flipbook 12, a user can easily combine light effects defined for the upper and lower part of a room. For instance, a user can select a favorite upper scene, in Fig. 2 a cloudy sky, and a favorite lower scene, in Fig. 2 a field with sunflowers.

In a more advanced embodiment of the invention, the flipbook 42 could comprise three sections 16, 18, and 20, as shown in Fig. 3. In this embodiment the third section 18, e.g. in the middle of a page, could control a foreground effect of the lighting system. Particularly, a user interface with such a flipbook may be implemented as follows: The first section 16, which controls the upper part of the background lighting created by a lighting system, is mapped to general lighting that light the upper part of the room. One can think of wall- washers or cove-lights. The second section 20, which controls the lower part of the background lighting, is mapped to general lighting that light the lower part of the room. One can think of wall- washers or cove-lights. And the third section 18, which controls the accent lighting, is mapped to accent lighting in the room, such as spotlights or light objects.

The images used in the flipbook 12 can be for example a photograph, an abstract graphic or a simple color. Each flipbook section may be linked to a certain light effect, i.e. control this certain light effect of the lighting system, for example as follows:

the first flipbook section may be linked to the foreground/accent light; one flipbook section may be linked to the upper background/general lighting; and one flipbook section may be linked to the lower background/general lighting. All three flipbook sections are visible and controllable at the same time, so that the user can 'compose' an ambience by choosing different images in each flipbook section.

Fig. 3 and 4 show the same flipbook 42 with different ambience images selected.

Fig. 5 and 6 show two further flipbooks 44 and 46 with various layout designs. The flipbook may comprise inside an electronic system that detects which page is in selected (open/on top), thus the system knows what ambience to map onto the lighting system. This can be accomplished by standard electronics such as with RFID tags as mentioned before. Each image/page represents certain hue, brightness and saturation settings for the light sources that need to be addressed. The flipbook can be connected to the lighting system in a room. This can be done wirelessly or wired, based on existing technology and protocols, such as USB, RS-232, DALI or DMX, or Bluetooth®, Zigbee®, or Wi-Fi™.

The invention has the main advantages that it implements a user interface which enables user's to easily create desired lighting atmospheres with a lighting system. The functionality of the invention 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.