LAMP COLOR MATCHING AND CONTROL SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20110109445A1
• Filed: 05/18/2010
• Published: 05/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lumenetix, Inc. (ERP Power, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Lumenetix, Inc. (ERP Power, LLC)
• Inventors: Gsoedl, Juergen, Weaver, Matthew
• Granted Patent: US 8,796,948 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/286.01
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/20 Controlling the colour of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/22 using optical feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/28 using temperature feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission

Abstract

Lamp color matching and control systems and methods are described. One embodiment includes a lighting node and a controller. The lighting node can include a plurality of light emitting diodes configured for illumination and further configured for optical communication with the controller, a communicator configured for radio communication with the controller, a memory configured to store a node identifier, a control logic, and a temperature sensor. The controller can include an optical sensor configured to sense the correlated color temperature and brightness of the lighting node and further configured for optical communication with the lighting node, and a communicator configured for radio communication with the lighting node. The controller can calibrate the lighting node as well as perform light copy and paste, light following, and light harvesting operations with the lighting node.

Claims

1. A lighting node comprising:

a lamp configured for illumination, the lamp further configured for communicating with a controller in a lamp channel;

a communicator configured for communicating with the controller in a communicator channel;

a memory configured to store a node identifier;

wherein the lighting node is configured to respond to receiving, at the communicator from the controller via the communicator channel, an identification query that includes the node identifier by signaling, from the lamp to the controller via the lamp channel, an acknowledgement response.

2. The lighting node of claim 1, wherein the lamp includes a light emitting diode.

3. The lighting node of claim 1, wherein the communicator includes a radio.

4. The lighting node of claim 1, wherein the lighting node signals the acknowledgement response by varying the illumination output of the lamp in a manner substantially imperceptible to a human observer.

5. The lighting node of claim 1, further configured to respond to receiving, at the communicator from the controller via the communicator channel, a positive identification command that includes the node identifier by signaling, from the lamp, a positive identification response.

6. The lighting node of claim 5, wherein the lighting node signals the positive identification response by varying the illumination output of the lamp in a manner perceptible to a human observer.

7. A controller comprising:

a sensor configured for communication with a lighting node in a lamp channel;

a communicator configured for communication with the lighting node in a communicator channel; and

a memory configured to store a node identifier of the lighting node,

wherein the controller is configured to transmit, from the communicator to the lighting node via the communicator channel, an identification query that includes the node identifier, and is further configured to receive, from the lighting node via the lamp channel, an acknowledgement response.

8. The lighting node of claim 7, wherein the sensor includes an optical sensor.

9. The controller of claim 7, wherein the sensor is configured as a directional sensor.

10. The controller of claim 7, wherein the sensor is configured as a substantially unidirectional sensor.

11. The controller of claim 7, wherein the sensor includes an optical system to differentiate between light sources at a distance.

12. The lighting node of claim 7, wherein the communicator includes a radio.

13. The lighting node of claim 7, wherein the sensor receives the acknowledgement response by detecting a variance of the illumination output of the lighting node that is substantially imperceptible to a human observer.

14. The lighting node of claim 7, further configured to transmit, from the communicator via the communicator channel, a positive identification command that includes the node identifier and that causes the lighting node to signal a positive identification response.

15. The lighting node of claim 14, wherein the lighting node signals the positive identification response by varying the illumination output in a manner perceptible to a human observer.

16. A method comprising:

transmitting from a controller utilizing a communication transmitter an identification query including a node identifier;

receiving at a lighting node utilizing a communication receiver the identification query;

determining at the lighting node that the node identifier of the identification query matches a node identifier stored in a memory of the lighting node;

signaling at the lighting node utilizing a lamp an acknowledgement response; and

sensing at the controller utilizing a sensor the acknowledgement response.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the sensor includes an optical sensor.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the sensor is configured as a directional sensor.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the sensor is configured as a substantially unidirectional sensor.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the communication transmitter and the communication receiver each includes a radio.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein the lamp includes a light emitting diode.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein the sensor senses the acknowledgement response by detecting a variance of the illumination output of the lamp that is substantially imperceptible to a human observer.

23. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

transmitting, from the controller utilizing the communication transmitter, an identification broadcast signal;

receiving, at the lighting node utilizing the communication receiver, the identification broadcast signal;

transmitting, from the lightning node, an identification broadcast response including the node identifier;

receiving, at the controller, the identification broadcast response; and

storing, in the controller, the node identifier of the identification broadcast response.

24. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

transmitting, from the controller utilizing the communication transmitter, a positive identification command including the node identifier,

receiving, at the lighting node utilizing the communication receiver, the positive identification command;

determining, at the lighting node, that the node identifier of the positive identification command matches the node identifier stored in the memory of the lighting node;

signaling, at the lighting node utilizing the lamp, a positive identification response.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the lighting node signals the positive identification response by varying the illumination output in a manner perceptible to a human observer.

26. A method comprising:

generating a plurality of lamp models based at least on lamp manufacturer data of each of a first plurality of lamps,

selecting a second plurality of lamps from the first plurality of lamps using the plurality of lamp models;

selecting constraints for the second plurality of lamps based on the electrical properties of the second plurality of lamps or the physical properties of the second plurality of lamps;

generating a color mixing plan for the second plurality of lamps based on the plurality of lamp models and on the constraints;

evaluating the performance of the second plurality of lamps using the color mixing plan; and

storing the color mixing plan in a lighting node.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the generating the plurality of lamp models includes fitting to the lamp manufacturer data using a mean squares method.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the selecting the second plurality of lamps includes selecting for output a particular correlated color temperature.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein the selecting the constraints includes constraining the total luminous flux of the second plurality of lamps.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein the selecting the constraints includes constraining the operating temperature of the second plurality of lamps.

31. The method of claim 26, wherein the generating the color mixing plan includes optimizing a color rendering index of the second plurality of lamps over a range of correlated color temperatures.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the optimizing includes utilizing a brute force method.

33. The method of claim 26, wherein the evaluating the performance includes comparing the correlated color temperature of the second plurality of lamps to the Planck locus.

34. The method of claim 26, wherein the storing the color mixing plan in the lighting node includes storing a lookup table in the lighting node.

35. The method of claim 26, wherein the storing the color mixing plan in the lighting node includes storing a functional approximation set of coefficients in the lighting node.

36. The method of claim 26, wherein the first plurality of lamps are light emitting diodes.

37. A method comprising:

receiving at a lighting node a correlated color temperature setting;

measuring at the lighting node a temperature of the lighting node utilizing a temperature sensor of the lighting node;

determining in the lighting node the luminous flux of a plurality of lamps of the lighting node required to output the received correlated color temperature based on a color mixing plan;

determining in the lighting node the current required by each of the plurality of lamps based on the luminous flux and on the temperature; and

outputting from the lighting node light at the correlated color temperature.

38. The method of claim 37, further including receiving a brightness setting.

39. The method of claim 37, further including determining in the lighting node current level and duty cycle control required to deliver the required current to each of the plurality of lamps.

40. A lighting node comprising:

a plurality of lamps;

a temperature sensor;

a memory;

a logic, wherein the logic is configured to;

measure a temperature of the plurality of lamps utilizing the temperature sensor;

determine the luminous flux of the plurality of lamps required to output a correlated color temperature based on a color mixing plan stored in the memory;

determine the current required by each of the plurality of lamps based on the luminous flux and on the measured temperature; and

activate the plurality of lamps at the correlated color temperature.

41. The lighting node of claim 40, wherein the logic is further configured to determine duty cycles required to deliver the required current to each of the plurality of lamps.

42. The lighting node of claim 40, wherein the logic is further configured to throttle the luminous flux of the plurality of lamps if the temperature of the plurality of lamps equals or exceeds a maximum operating temperature.