Multicolored lighting method and apparatus

• US 20040178751A1
• Filed: 03/26/2004
• Published: 09/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Philips Lighting North America Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Color Kinetics Incorporated (Signify N.V.)
• Inventors: Lys, Ihor A., Mueller, George G.
• Granted Patent: US 7,274,160 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 315/294
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/00 Light sources using semiconductor devices as light-generating elements, e.g. using light-emitting diodes [LED] or lasers
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/232 specially adapted for generating an essentially omnidirectional light distribution, e.g. with a glass bulb
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/401 for swimming pools
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/06 Passive matrix structure, i.e. with direct application of both column and row voltages to the light emitting or modulating elements, other than LCD or OLED
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/0272 Details of drivers for data electrodes, the drivers communicating data to the pixels by means of a current
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0626 for control of overall brightness
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0666 for control of colour parameters, e.g. colour temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/14 Semiconductor devices, e.g. diodes
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/2014 by modulation of the duration of a single pulse during which the logic level remains constant
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/32 semiconductive, e.g. using light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3283 in which the data driver supplies a variable data current for setting the current through, or the voltage across, the light-emitting elements
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/20 Controlling the colour of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/325 Pulse-width modulation [PWM]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/395 Linear regulators
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/155 Coordinated control of two or more light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/165 following a pre-assigned programmed sequence; Logic control [LC]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/30 Semiconductor lamps, e.g. solid state lamps [SSL] light emitting diodes [LED] or organic LED [OLED]

Abstract

Illumination methods and apparatus, in which a first number of first light sources are adapted to generate first radiation having a first spectrum, and a second number of second light sources are adapted to generate second radiation having a second spectrum different than the first spectrum. In one example, the first number of the first light sources and the second number of the second light sources are different. In another example, a first intensity of the first radiation and a second intensity of the second radiation are independently controlled so as to controllably vary at least an overall perceivable color of generated visible radiation. In yet another example, a first control signal controls all of the first light sources substantially identically, and a second control signal controls all of the second light sources substantially identically.

Claims

1. An illumination apparatus, comprising:

a first number of first light sources adapted to generate first radiation having a first spectrum; and

a second number of second light sources adapted to generate second radiation having a second spectrum different than the first spectrum,

wherein the first number and the second number are different.

2. The illumination apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one controller coupled to the first number of first light sources and the second number of second light sources and configured to independently control at least a first intensity of the first radiation and a second intensity of the second radiation so as to controllably vary at least an overall perceivable color of visible radiation generated by the illumination apparatus.

3. The illumination apparatus of claim 2, wherein the at least one controller is configured to generate a first control signal to control all of the first light sources substantially identically, and a second control signal to control all of the second light sources substantially identically.

4. The illumination apparatus of claim 2, wherein the at least one controller is configured to independently control at least the first intensity of the first radiation and the second intensity of the second radiation using a pulse width modulation (PWM) technique.

5. The illumination apparatus of claim 4, wherein the at least one controller is configured to generate a first PWM control signal to control all of the first light sources substantially identically, and a second PWM control signal to control all of the second light sources substantially identically.

6. The illumination apparatus of claim 3, wherein each light source of the first and second light sources is an LED.

7. The illumination apparatus of claim 2, wherein the at least one controller is configured as an addressable controller capable of receiving at least one network signal including at least first lighting information relating to the overall perceivable color of visible radiation generated by the illumination apparatus.

8. The illumination apparatus of claim 7, wherein the at least one network signal includes address information and lighting information for a plurality of illumination apparatus, and wherein the at least one controller is configured to process the at least one network signal based on at least the address information in the at least one network signal to recover the first lighting information.

9. The illumination apparatus of claim 7, wherein the at least one network signal is formatted using a DMX protocol, and wherein the at least one controller is configured to independently control at least the first intensity of the first radiation and the second intensity of the second radiation based at least in part on the DMX protocol.

10. An illumination method, comprising acts of:

A) generating first radiation having a first spectrum from a first number of first light sources; and

B) generating second radiation having a second spectrum different than the first spectrum from a second number of second light sources,

wherein the first number and the second number are different.

11. The illumination method of claim 10, further comprising an act of:

C) mixing at least a portion of the first radiation and a portion of the second radiation to provide visible radiation having an overall perceivable color.

12. The illumination method of claim 11, further comprising an act of:

D) independently controlling at least a first intensity of the first radiation and a second intensity of the second radiation so as to controllably vary at least the overall perceivable color of the visible radiation.

13. The illumination method of claim 12, wherein the act D) includes acts of:

D1) controlling all of the first light sources substantially identically; and

D2) controlling all of the second light sources substantially identically.

14. The illumination method of claim 13, wherein the act D) includes an act of:

independently controlling at least the first intensity of the first radiation and the second intensity of the second radiation using a pulse width modulation (PWM) technique so as to controllably vary at least the overall perceivable color of the visible radiation.

15. The illumination method of claim 13, wherein each light source of the first and second light sources is an LED.

16. The illumination method of claim 12, further comprising an act of:

receiving at least one addressed network signal including at least first lighting information relating to the overall perceivable color of the visible radiation,

wherein the act D) includes an act of;

independently controlling at least the first intensity of the first radiation and the second intensity of the second radiation based at least in part on the first lighting information.

17. The illumination method of claim 16, wherein the at least one network signal includes address information and lighting information for a plurality of illumination apparatus, and wherein the method further comprises an act of:

processing the at least one network signal based on at least the address information in the at least one network signal to recover the first lighting information.

18. The illumination method of claim 16, wherein the at least one network signal is formatted using a DMX protocol, and wherein the act D) includes an act of:

independently controlling at least the first intensity of the first radiation and the second intensity of the second radiation based at least in part on the DMX protocol.

30. The illumination method of claim 12, further comprising an act of:

receiving at least one addressed network signal including at least first lighting information relating to the overall perceivable color of the visible radiation,

wherein the act D) includes an act of;

independently controlling at least the first intensity of the first radiation and the second intensity of the second radiation based at least in part on the first lighting information.

31. The illumination method of claim 30, wherein the at least one network signal includes address information and lighting information for a plurality of illumination apparatus, and wherein the method further comprises an act of:

processing the at least one network signal based on at least the address information in the at least one network signal to recover the first lighting information.

32. The illumination method of claim 30, wherein the at least one network signal is formatted using a DMX protocol, and wherein the act D) includes an act of:

independently controlling at least the first intensity of the first radiation and the second intensity of the second radiation based at least in part on the DMX protocol.

19. An illumination apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of first light sources adapted to generate first radiation having a first spectrum;

a plurality of second light sources adapted to generate second radiation having a second spectrum different than the first spectrum; and

at least one controller coupled to the plurality of first light sources and the plurality of second light sources and configured to independently control at least a first intensity of the first radiation and a second intensity of the second radiation so as to controllably vary at least an overall perceivable color of visible radiation generated by the illumination apparatus,

wherein the at least one controller is configured to generate a first control signal to control all of the first light sources substantially identically, and a second control signal to control all of the second light sources substantially identically.

20. The illumination apparatus of claim 19, wherein respective numbers of the first light sources and the second light sources are different.

21. The illumination apparatus of claim 19, wherein the at least one controller is configured to independently control at least the first intensity of the first radiation and the second intensity of the second radiation using a pulse width modulation (PWM) technique.

22. The illumination apparatus of claim 19, wherein each light source of the first and second light sources is an LED.

23. The illumination apparatus of claim 19, wherein the at least one controller is configured as an addressable controller capable of receiving at least one network signal including at least first lighting information relating to the overall perceivable color of visible radiation generated by the illumination apparatus.

24. The illumination apparatus of claim 23, wherein the at least one network signal includes address information and lighting information for a plurality of illumination apparatus, and wherein the at least one controller is configured to process the at least one network signal based on at least the address information in the at least one network signal to recover the first lighting information.

25. The illumination apparatus of claim 23, wherein the at least one network signal is formatted using a DMX protocol, and wherein the at least one controller is configured to independently control at least the first intensity of the first radiation and the second intensity of the second radiation based at least in part on the DMX protocol.

26. An illumination method, comprising acts of:

A) generating first radiation having a first spectrum from a plurality of first light sources;

B) generating second radiation having a second spectrum different than the first spectrum from a plurality of second light sources;

C) mixing at least a portion of the first radiation and a portion of the second radiation to provide visible radiation having an overall perceivable color; and

D) independently controlling at least a first intensity of the first radiation and a second intensity of the second radiation so as to controllably vary at least the overall perceivable color of the visible radiation,

wherein the act D) includes acts of;

D1) controlling all of the first light sources substantially identically; and

D2) controlling all of the second light sources substantially identically.

27. The illumination method of claim 26, wherein respective numbers of the first light sources and the second light sources are different.

28. The illumination method of claim 26, wherein the act D) includes an act of:

independently controlling at least the first intensity of the first radiation and the second intensity of the second radiation using a pulse width modulation (PWM) technique.

29. The illumination method of claim 26, wherein each light source of the first and second light sources is an LED.