Lighting entertainment system

• US 6,577,080 B2
• Filed: 03/22/2001
• Issued: 06/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Philips Lighting North America Corporation (Signify N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Color Kinetics Incorporated (Signify N.V.)
• Inventors: Lys, Ihor, Mueller, George G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Philogene, Haissa
• Application Number:
  US09/815,418
• Publication Number:
  US 20020047646A1
• Time in Patent Office: 810 Days
• Field of Search: 315/316, 315/317, 315/292, 315/295, 315/291, 315/362, 315/228, 315/324, 348/460, 348/462, 348/464, 348/465, 348/476, 348/480, 348/484, 348/489
• US Class Current: 315/362
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/28 rigid, e.g. LED bars
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/006 General building constructions or finishing work for buildings, e.g. roofs, gutters, stairs or floors; Garden equipment; Sunshades or parasols
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/28 using temperature feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/325 Pulse-width modulation [PWM]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/357 specially adapted for retrofit LED light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/38 using boost topology
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/395 Linear regulators
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/397 Current mirror circuits
• 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

Provided herein are methods and systems for signal processing for illumination control signals, which may include a decoder for decoding a combined signal and a connection for delivering a portion of the combined signal to an illumination source, which source is capable of generating an illumination condition from the portion of the combined signal. The system may also include an encoder for encoding the combined signal from an illumination control signal and a second signal. The illumination source may be an LED system that is controlled by a microprocessor to vary at least one of the color and intensity of the illumination produced by the illumination source in response to the illumination control signal.

Claims

1. A signal processing system for illumination signals, comprising:

a decoder for decoding a combined signal; and

a connection for delivering a portion of the combined signal to an illumination source, which source is capable of generating an illumination condition from the portion of the combined signal.

2. A signal processing system of claim 1, further comprising:

an encoder for encoding the combined signal from an illumination control signal and a second signal.

3. A signal processing system of claim 2, wherein the encoder includes a multiplexor.

4. A signal processing system of claim 2, wherein the encoder includes a sync detector.

5. A signal processing system of claim 2, wherein the encoder includes a timing and control circuit.

6. A signal processing system of claim 1, wherein the combined signal includes at least one of a video signal, a radio frequency signal, an electrical signal, an infrared signal, an acoustic signal, and audio signal, and an optical signal.

7. A signal processing system of claim 1, wherein the combined signal includes an entertainment signal.

8. A signal processing system of claim 1, wherein the combined signal includes an information signal.

9. A signal processing system of claim 1, wherein the combined signal includes an educational signal.

10. A signal processing system of claim 2, further comprising:

a connection for delivering the combined signal from the encoder to the decoder.

11. A signal processing system of claim 10, wherein the connection includes a broadcast transmission.

12. A signal processing system of claim 10, wherein the connection includes an electrical circuit.

13. A signal processing system of claim 10, wherein the connection includes a data track.

14. A signal processing system of claim 10, wherein the connection includes a data bus.

15. A signal processing system of claim 10, wherein the connection includes a radio frequency transmitter and receiver.

16. A signal processing system of claim 10, wherein the connection includes an infrared transmitter and receiver.

17. A signal processing system of claim 10, wherein the connection includes a network.

18. A signal processing system of claim 10, wherein the connection includes a cable.

19. A signal processing system of claim 1, further comprising:

a device other than the illumination source, and

a connection for delivering a portion of the combined signal to the other device.

20. A signal processing system of claim 19, wherein the other device is an entertainment device.

21. A signal processing system of claim 19, wherein the other device is at least one of a television, a computer, a compact disc player, a stereo, a radio, a video cassette player, a DVD player, a toy, a CD-ROM drive, a film projector, a surround sound system, a dolby sound system, a THX sound system, and a tape player.

22. A signal processing system of claim 19, wherein the connector is at least one of a circuit, a network, a data bus, a cable, a wire, a radio frequency transmitter and receiver, an infrared transmitter and receiver, a broadcast transmitter and receiver, an optical transmitter and receiver, an acoustic transmitter and receiver, a microwave transmitter and receiver, and a circuit.

23. A signal processing system of claim 19, further comprising:

a splitter for separating the portion from the combined signal.

24. A signal processing system of claim 1, wherein the decoder includes at least one of a sync detector, a timing and control circuit, and a shift register.

25. A signal processing system of claim 2, further comprising:

a signal generator for generating the second signal; and

an illumination control driver for generating the illumination control signal for the illumination source.

26. A signal processing system of claim 25, wherein the illumination source includes an LED system that is controlled by a microprocessor to vary at least one of the color and intensity of the illumination produced by the illumination source in response to the illumination control signal.

27. A method of signal processing for illumination signals, comprising:

decoding an illumination control signal from a combined signal; and

delivering the illumination control signal to an illumination source that is capable of generating an illumination condition from the illumination control signal.

28. A method of signal processing of claim 27, further comprising:

encoding the illumination control signal portion with a second signal to provide the combined signal.

29. A method of signal processing of claim 28, wherein the encoder includes a multiplexor.

30. A method of signal processing of claim 28, wherein the encoder includes a sync detector.

31. A method of signal processing of claim 28, wherein the encoder includes a timing and control circuit.

32. A method of signal processing of claim 27, wherein the combined signal includes at least one of a video signal, a radio frequency signal, an electrical signal, an infrared signal, an acoustic signal, an audio signal, and an optical signal.

33. A method of signal processing of claim 27, wherein the combined signal includes an entertainment signal.

34. A method of signal processing of claim 27, wherein the combined signal includes an information signal.

35. A method of signal processing of claim 27, wherein the combined signal includes an educational signal.

36. A method of signal processing of claim 28, further comprising:

delivering an encoded signal to the detector.

37. A method of signal processing of claim 36, wherein the act of delivering the encoded signal includes at least one of a broadcast transmission, a video transmission, an electrical circuit transmission, a data transmission, a packet transmission, a data bus transmission, a radio transmission, an infrared transmission, an acoustic transmission, an optical transmission, a network transmission, a cable transmission and a microwave transmission.

38. A method of signal processing of claim 27, further comprising:

providing a device other than the illumination source, and

delivering a portion of the combined signal to the device.

39. A method of signal processing of claim 38, wherein the other device is an entertainment device.

40. A method of signal processing of claim 38, wherein the device is at least one of a television, a computer, a compact disc player, a stereo, a radio, a video cassette player, a DVD player, a pager, a security badge, a CD-ROM drive, a film projector, a surround sound system, a dolby sound system, a THX sound system, and a tape player.

41. A method of signal processing of claim 38, wherein the act of delivering the signal to the other device includes providing at least one of a circuit, a network, a data bus, a cable, a wire, a radio frequency transmitter and receiver, an infrared transmitter and receiver, a broadcast transmitter and receiver, an optical transmitter and receiver, an acoustic transmitter and receiver, a microwave transmitter and receiver, and a circuit.

42. A method of signal processing of claim 38, further comprising:

separating the second signal from the illumination control signal.

43. A method of signal processing of claim 27, wherein the act of decoding includes providing at least one of a sync detector, a timing and control circuit, and a shift register.

44. A method of signal processing of claim 28, further comprising:

providing a signal generator for generating the second signal; and

providing an illumination control driver for generating the illumination control signal for the illumination source.

45. A method of signal processing of claim 27, wherein the act of providing the illumination source includes providing an LED system that is controlled by a microprocessor to vary at least one of the color and intensity of the illumination produced by the illumination source in response to the illumination control signal.

46. A method for processing an information signal, the information signal including at least one video signal, at least one audio signal synchronized with the at least one video signal, and at least one lighting control signal to control background lighting, the method comprising an act of:

processing the information signal so as to separate the at least one lighting control signal from at least one of the at least one video signal and the at least one audio signal.

47. An encoder for a signal processing system for illumination signals, comprising:

an input for receiving an illumination control signal;

an input for receiving a second signal; and

a timing and control circuit for combining the illumination control signal with the second signal.

48. An encoder of claim 47, further comprising:

a sync detector for initiating the timing and control circuit.

49. An encoder of claim 47, further comprising:

a multiplexor for combining the illumination control signal with the second signal.

50. A method for processing an information signal, the information signal including at least lighting control information and non-lighting control information, the method comprising an act of:

A) processing the information signal so as to separate the lighting control information from the non-lighting control information.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein the information signal is a communication signal, and wherein the act (A) includes acts of:

(A1) receiving the communications signal via at least one communications medium; and

(A2) processing the communications signal so as to separate the lighting control information from the non-lighting control information.

52. The method of claim 50, further comprising acts of:

B) providing the lighting control information to at least one illumination source; and

C) providing the non-lighting control information to at least one device that is not an illumination source, the at least one device providing at least one first perceivable condition based on the non-lighting control information.

53. The method of claim 52, wherein the at least one illumination source provides at least one second perceivable condition based on the lighting control information, and wherein the method further comprises an act of:

forming the information signal from the lighting control information and the non-lighting control information such that the at least one perceivable first condition is associated with the at least one perceivable second condition.

54. The method of claim 52, wherein the at least one illumination source includes at least one LED-based illumination source and wherein the act (B) includes an act of:

providing the lighting control information to the at least one LED-based illumination source.

55. The method of claim 52, wherein the non-lighting control information includes at least one entertainment signal, and wherein:

the act (A) includes an act of processing the information signal so as to separate the lighting control information from the at least one entertainment signal; and

the act (C) includes an act of providing the at least one entertainment signal to the at least one device that is not an illumination source.

56. The method of claim 55, wherein the at least one entertainment signal includes at least one audio signal, and wherein:

the act (A) includes an act of processing the information signal so as to separate the lighting control information from the at least one audio signal; and

the act (C) includes an act of providing the at least one audio signal to the at least one device that is not an illumination source.

57. The method of claim 55, wherein the at least one entertainment signal includes at least one video signal, and wherein:

the act (A) includes an act of processing the information signal so as to separate the lighting control information from the at least one video signal; and

the act (C) includes an act of providing the at least one video signal to the at least one device that is not an illumination source.

58. The method of claim 52, wherein the non-lighting control information includes at least one data packet, and wherein:

the act (A) includes an act of processing the information signal so as to separate the lighting control information from the at least one data packet; and

the act (C), includes an act of providing the at least one data packet to the at least one device that is not an illumination source.

59. A method of forming an information signal to control at least one illumination source and at least one device that is not an illumination source, comprising an act of:

combining at least lighting control information and non-lighting control information to form the information signal.

60. The method of claim 59, further comprising an act of:

transmitting the information signal over at least one communications medium.

61. The method of claim 59, further comprising an act of:

storing a representation of the information signal on a processor readable medium.

62. The method of claim 59, wherein the at least one illumination source provides at least one first perceivable condition based on the lighting control information and the at least one device that is not an illumination source provides at least one second perceivable condition based on the non-lighting control information, and wherein the method further comprises an act of:

forming the information signal from the lighting control information and the non-lighting control information such that the at least one perceivable first condition is associated with the at least one perceivable second condition.

63. The method of claim 59, wherein the non-lighting control information includes at least one entertainment signal, and wherein:

the act (A) includes an act of combining at least the lighting control information and the entertainment signal to form the information signal.

64. The method of claim 63, wherein the at least one entertainment signal includes at least one video signal, and wherein:

the act (A) includes an act of combining at least the lighting control information and the at least one video signal to form the information signal.

65. The method of claim 63, wherein the at least one entertainment signal includes at least one audio signal, and wherein:

the act (A) includes an act of combining at least the lighting control information and the at least one audio signal to form the information signal.

66. The method of claim 62, wherein the non-lighting control information includes at least one data packet, and wherein:

the act (A) includes an act of combining at least the lighting control information and the at least one data packet to form the information signal.

67. A method for processing an information signal, the information signal including at least first control information for at least one LED-based illumination source and second control information for at least one device that is not an LED-based illumination source, the method comprising an act of:

processing the information signal so as to separate the first control information from the second control information.

68. The method of claim 67, further comprising acts of:

providing the first control information to the at least one LED-based illumination source; and

providing the second control information to the at least one device.

69. The method of claim 68, wherein the at least one device includes at least one entertainment device, and wherein:

the act (C) includes an act of providing the second control information to the at least one entertainment device.

70. The method of claim 69, wherein the at least one entertainment device includes at least one audio device, and wherein:

the act (C) includes an act of providing the second control information to the at least one audio device.

71. The method of claim 69, wherein the at least one entertainment device includes at least one video device, and wherein:

the act (C) includes an act of providing the second control information to the at least one video device.

72. The method of claim 68, wherein the at least one device includes at least one illumination source that does not include LEDs, and wherein:

the act (C) includes an act of providing the second control information to the at least one illumination source that does not include LEDs.

73. The method of claim 68, wherein the at least one device includes at least one data processing device, and wherein:

the act (C) includes an act of providing the second control information to the at least one data processing device.

74. A combined signal, comprising:

first information to control at least one illumination source; and

second information to control at least one device that is not an illumination source,

wherein the at least one illumination source includes at least one LED, and wherein the first information includes intensity information to control an intensity of the at least one LED.

75. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor readable medium having stored thereon a representation of the combined signal of claim 74.

76. The apparatus of claim 75, wherein the processor readable medium is a DVD.

77. The apparatus of claim 75, wherein the processor readable medium is a CD.

78. The combined signal of claim 74, wherein:

the first information represents a first perceivable condition generated by the at least one illumination source;

the second information represents a second perceivable condition generated by the at least one device; and

the first information and the second information are combined such that the first perceivable condition is matched with the second perceivable condition.

79. The combined signal of claim 74, wherein the at least one device includes at least one entertainment device, and wherein the second information includes at least one entertainment signal.

80. The combined signal of claim 79, wherein the at least one entertainment signal includes at least one of an audio signal and a video signal.

81. The combined signal of claim 74, wherein the at least one device includes at least one data processing device, and wherein the second information includes at least one data packet.

82. A combined signal, comprising:

at least one entertainment signal component to control at least one entertainment device and

an illumination control data component to control at least one LED-based illumination source.

83. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor readable medium having stored thereon a representation of the combined signal of claim 82.

84. The apparatus of claim 83, wherein the processor readable medium is a DVD.

85. The apparatus of claim 83, wherein the processor readable medium is a CD.

86. An apparatus, comprising:

a controller to process an information signal, the information signal including at least lighting control information and non-lighting control information, the controller adapted to process the information signal so as to separate the lighting control information from the non-lighting control information.

87. The apparatus of claim 86, further comprising:

at least one illumination source coupled to the controller and responsive to the lighting control information, the at least one illumination source providing at least one first perceivable condition based on the lighting control information.

88. The apparatus of claim 87, wherein the at least one illumination source is an LED-based illumination source.

89. The apparatus of claim 87, further comprising:

at least one device that is not an illumination source, the at least one device coupled to the controller and responsive to the non-lighting control information, and the at least one device providing at least one second perceivable condition based on the non-lighting control information.

90. The apparatus of claim 89, wherein the at least one device that is not an illumination source is an entertainment device.

91. The apparatus of claim 86, wherein the controller comprises:

an input to receive the information signal;

a decoder to separate the lighting control information from the non-lighting control information; and

at least two outputs to respectively supply the lighting control information and the non-lighting control information.

92. The apparatus of claim 91, wherein the decoder includes at least one shift register.

93. The apparatus of claim 92, wherein the decoder further includes a sync pulse detector.

94. An apparatus, comprising:

a first controller to form an information signal to control at least one illumination source and at least one device that is not an illumination source, the controller adapted to combine at least lighting control information and non-lighting control information to generate the information signal.

95. The apparatus of claim 94, further comprising:

a second controller adapted to process the information signal formed by the first controller so as to separate the lighting control information from the non-lighting control information.

96. The apparatus of claim 94, wherein the first controller comprises:

at least one input to receive lighting control information and non-lighting control information;

an encoder to combine the lighting control information and the non-lighting control information to form the information signal; and

an output to supply the information signal.

97. The apparatus of claim 96, wherein the encoder includes a timing and control circuit.

98. The apparatus of claim 97, wherein the encoder further includes a sync pulse detector.

99. An information signal, comprising:

at least one video signal;

at least one audio signal synchronized with the at least one video signal; and

at least one lighting control signal configured to control LED-based background lighting.

100. The information signal of claim 99, wherein the at least one lighting control signal is synchronized with the at least one video signal and the at least one audio signal.

101. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor readable medium having stored thereon the information signal of claim 99.

102. The apparatus of claim 101, wherein processor readable medium is a DVD.

103. A method of processing an information signal encoded with lighting control information and a non-lighting control information, comprising acts of:

(A) separating the lighting control information and the non-lighting control information;

(B) controlling at least one of a television, an audio device, a CATV box, a video device, a video game device and a computer web site server with the non-lighting control information; and

(C) controlling background lighting with the lighting control information.

104. The method of claim 103, wherein the act (B) includes an act of:

controlling the video game device with the non-lighting control information.

105. The method of claim 103, wherein the act (B) includes an act of:

controlling the computer web site server with the non-lighting control information.

106. The method of claim 103, wherein the act (B) includes an act of:

controlling the television with the non-lighting control information.

107. The method of claim 103, wherein the act (B) includes an act of:

controlling the audio device with the non-lighting control information.

108. The method of claim 103, wherein the act (B) includes an act of:

controlling the CATV box with the non-lighting control information.

109. The method of claim 103, wherein the act (B) includes an act of:

controlling the video device with the non-lighting control information.