Illumination system with multiple sets of light sources

• US 7,731,390 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2006
• Issued: 06/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Signify Holding B.V. (Signify N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Vissenberg, Michel Cornelis Josephus Marie, Van Gorkom, Ramon Pascal
• Primary Examiner(s): Sember; Thomas M
• Application Number:
  US12/094,616
• Publication Number:
  US 20080298053A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,296 Days
• Field of Search: 362/610, 362/612, 362/613, 362/616, 362/555, 362/230, 362/231, 362/249.01, 362/249.02, 362/249.06, 362/249.14, 362/237, 362/240, 362/241, 362/247
• US Class Current: 362/231
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0068 Arrangements of plural sources, e.g. multi-colour light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0076 Stacked arrangements of multiple light guides of the same or different cross-sectional area

Abstract

The present invention relates to an illumination system (200) including a first sub-system (205) comprising a first set (201) of at least two differently colored light sources where the first set (201) has a first spectral distribution, and a first light mixing device (203) arranged in a direction of emission of light from the first set of light sources and configured to mix light emitted by the first set of light sources. The illumination system further includes a second sub-system (206) comprising a second set (202) of at least two light sources where the second (202) set has a second spectral distribution, and a second light mixing device (204), also arranged in a direction of emission of light from the second set of light sources and configured to mix light emitted by the second set of light sources. The light sources are selected such that that the first and the second spectral distribution complement each other, so that a color rendering index (CRI) of light emitted from the illumination system (200) is greater that the CRI of light emitted from each of the sub-systems. Furthermore, the first (205) and the second (206) sub-systems are arranged to emit at least one common color, such as a shade of white.

Claims

1. An illumination system comprising:

a first sub-system including

a first set of at least two differently colored light sources, said first set having a first spectral distribution;

a first light mixing device arranged in a direction of emission of light from said first set of light sources and configured to mix light emitted by said first set of light sources;

a second sub-system including

a second set of at least two differently colored light sources, said second set having a second spectral distribution; and

a second light mixing device arranged in a direction of emission of light from said second set of light sources and configured to mix light emitted by said second set of light sources;

wherein said first and said second sub-systems are arranged to emit at least one common color;

wherein said light sources are selected such that said first and said second spectral distribution complement each other, so that a color rendering index (CRI) of light emitted from said illumination system is greater than the CRI of light emitted from each of said subsystems; and

wherein said at least two light sources in the second set are selected such that said second spectral distribution compensates for at least one local minimum in said first spectral distribution.

2. An illumination system according to claim 1, wherein said illumination system is a color variable illumination system.

3. An illumination system according to claim 1, wherein a spectral distribution for said illumination system, including said first and said second spectral distribution, has a relative intensity that is more than 0.5 for at least 50% of the visible spectrum.

4. An illumination system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first spectral distribution and the second spectral distribution for said illumination system has a relative intensity that is more than 0.5 for at least 70% of the visible spectrum.

5. An illumination system according to claim 1, wherein said light mixing devices mixes light such that an essentially uniform spatial and angular color distribution is achieved.

6. An illumination system according to claim 5, wherein said light mixing device comprises reflective color filters.

7. An illumination system according to claim 5, wherein said light mixing device comprises at least one waveguide.

8. An illumination system according to claim 1 further comprising means for adjusting the intensity of each of said light sources.

9. An illumination system according to claim 1, wherein said light sources are narrow banded light sources selected from a group comprising LEDs, OLEDs, PLEDs, an organic LEDs, lasers, CCFLs, HCFLs, plasma lamps.

10. A backlighting system comprising an illumination system according to claim 1.

11. A display device comprising a display and an illumination system according to claim 1.