Method for generating mixed light colors

• US 8,115,416 B2
• Filed: 11/07/2008
• Issued: 02/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Diehl Aerospace GmbH (Diehl VA Systeme Stiftung & Company KG)
• Original Assignee: Diehl Aerospace GmbH (Diehl VA Systeme Stiftung & Company KG)
• Inventors: Steffen, Eckhard, Kiewning, Till
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Tung X
• Application Number:
  US12/266,841
• Publication Number:
  US 20090121658A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,194 Days
• Field of Search: 315/209.R, 315/210, 315/211, 315/246, 315/287, 315/291, 315/294, 315/299, 315/307, 315/308, 315/312
• US Class Current: 315/307
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/10 Controlling the intensity of the light
• 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 47/10 Controlling the light source
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/165 following a pre-assigned programmed sequence; Logic control [LC]

Abstract

A method for avoiding physiological phenomena such as color separation or stroboscopic effects that occur under boundary conditions in the case of intermittent feeding in particular of light-emitting diodes, for additive superposition to form color-locus-variable mixed light, whereby the emission brightness that can be represented by a periodic duty ratio of a pulse-time-modulated constant current feeding—preferably within the respective period—is realized by changeover to other or between different constant current intensities in such a way that a brightness equivalent, namely once again the current-time integral of the predetermined, brightness-determining duty ratio, arises in the current area sum, which now preferably no longer exhibits gaps over the period.

Claims

1. A method for generating mixed light colors from an individually pulse-time-controllable energization of light sources (11) for colors having brightness which are influenceable by varying periodically successive duty ratios of a current flowing via the respective light source (11), wherein apart from a constant current intensity of a regular energization, at least one lower constant current intensity is made available for the light sources and the current intensity of the current flowing via one of the light sources (11), with a simultaneous lengthening of the current flow time span within the period (P), is reduced to said at least one lower constant current intensity, wherein an arising total current-time integral corresponds to a current-time integral of the duty ratio predetermined for the period, and a current-dependent drift of a color locus of the light of this light source (11) is compensated for by a changed driving of different-colored light sources.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein within the period (P), a changeover instant (z′

) is brought forward relative to the switch-off instant (z) of the duty ratio (z/T) predetermined for a brightness, while concurrently the future current intensity is reduced, and the current flow time span is lengthened, to such an extent and in a manner whereby the total current-time integral remains constant.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein for the reduced current intensity, the changeover instant (z′

) is selected such that current gaps do not occur during the respective period (P).

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the instant for the changeover to a different one of said constant current intensities is determined from a brightness stipulation of the current-time integral of the pulse time control.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the changeover instant (z′

) determined for the current-time integrals experiences a shift according to the current-dependent drift of the color locus of a light from a light source.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the current intensity is lowered in a plurality of steps at different changeover instants (z′

) within the period (P).

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein at a changeover instant before the end of the period (P), the current is amplified until the end of the period (P) once again to the value as at the beginning of said period (P) or to a fraction of said value.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein in the current flow is reduced in a stepped sequence until the middle of the period (P) and is then increased again until the end of the period (P) in mirror-inverted similar steps.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein as colored light sources (11) there are operated light-emitting diodes with constant currents.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the colored light sources (11) are supplied from a voltage source (14) with switchably constant output currents, or selectively, the colored light sources (11) are energized via switchable constant current sinks (15) with bipolar transistors (16).

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the constant current intensity of the regular energization is used for a primary dimming and said at least one lower constant current intensity with a simultaneous lengthening of the current flow time span within the period (P) is used for at least one corresponding secondary dimming.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein each of said at least one corresponding secondary dimming is used when said current flow time span within the period is at a predetermined duty cycle within said period.