Colorizer and method of operating the same

• US 8,319,455 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2009
• Issued: 11/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electronic Theatre Controls Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Electronic Theatre Controls Incorporated
• Inventors: Bennette, Adam
• Primary Examiner(s): Owens, Douglas W
• Assistant Examiner(s): COOPER, JONATHAN G
• Application Number:
  US12/655,046
• Publication Number:
  US 20100171444A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,071 Days
• Field of Search: 315/312, 315/297, 315/291, 315/210, 315/209.R, 315/152, 315/149, 315/150, 362/231, 345/589, 345/604, 345/690, 345/22, 345/72, 345/83, 345/88, 345/431, 345/593, 345/597
• US Class Current: 315/312
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/20 Controlling the colour of the light
• 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

Systems and methods for controlling the output of a plurality of light sources. The system can include four or more light sources (e.g. light emitting diodes (“LEDs”)) and a controller. The light sources are included in, for example, a luminaire. The respective outputs of the plurality of light sources are controlled using a hue and purity (“HP”) control technique. The HP technique includes selecting a dominant hue (e.g., green, blue, red, etc.). The purity of the selected hue is then modified to include or remove wavelengths of light adjacent to the selected hue. For example, if the selected hue is green, gradually reducing the purity of the selected hue gradually increases the presence of cyan and amber in the output of the luminaire. As the purity is reduced further, additional wavelengths of light are included, but the output of the luminaire remains, in essence, green.

Claims

1. A system for controlling an output of one or more luminaires, the system comprising:

a plurality of light sources electrically coupled to the one or more luminaires and configured to generate a color output of the system, each of the plurality of light sources having an output intensity value;

a purity input control device operable for setting a purity value associated with a purity of the color output of the system; and

a controller connected to the plurality of light sources and configured to

select a first hue related to a first range of wavelengths of light and corresponding to an output intensity value for at least one of the plurality of light sources;

modify a purity of the first hue based on the purity value associated with the purity of the output of the color system to modify the wavelengths of light included in the first range of wavelengths, wherein modifying the purity of the first hue modifies an output intensity value of one or more of the plurality of light sources; and

control the color output of the system based at least in part on the selected first hue and the purity of the first hue.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to modify a saturation of the color output of the system.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of light sources includes four or more light sources.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein modifying the purity of the first hue includes modifying a bandwidth of the first range of wavelengths.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the controller is further configured to select the output intensity value for each of the plurality of light sources based at least in part on the bandwidth of the first range of wavelengths.

6. The system of claim 1, the controller further configured to select a second hue related to a second range of wavelengths.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein an output intensity value for at least one of the plurality of light sources is modified based at least in part on the second range of wavelengths.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the controller is further configured to modify a purity of the second hue to modify the wavelengths of light included in the second range of wavelengths.

9. A method of controlling an output of one or more luminaires, each of the one or more luminaires including a plurality of light sources, the method comprising:

generating a color output;

associating an output intensity value with each of the plurality of light sources;

selecting a first hue related to a first range of wavelengths of light and corresponding to the output intensity value for at least one of the plurality of light sources; and

modifying a purity of the first hue to modify the wavelengths of light included in the first range of wavelengths,

wherein modifying the purity of the first hue modifies an output intensity value of one or more of the plurality of light sources and the color output.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising modifying a saturation of the color output.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the plurality of light sources includes four or more light sources.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the modifying the purity of the first hue includes modifying a bandwidth of the first range of wavelengths.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising selecting an output intensity value for each of the plurality of light sources based at least in part on the bandwidth of the first range of wavelengths.

14. The system of claim 9, further comprising selecting a second hue related to a second range of wavelengths.

16. The system of claim 14, further comprising modifying a purity of the second hue to modify the wavelengths of light included in the second range of wavelengths.

15. The system of clam 14, further comprising modifying an output intensity value for at least one of the plurality of light sources based at least in part on the second range of wavelengths.

17. A control set for controlling an output of one or more color sources, each of the one or more color sources having an output intensity value, the control set comprising:

a first output control device configured to select a first hue related to a first range of wavelengths in the visual spectrum, the selected first hue corresponding to an output intensity value for at least one of the one or more color sources; and

a purity control device configured to modify a purity of the first hue to control the wavelengths of light included in the first range of wavelengths,

wherein the purity control device modifies an output intensity value of one or more of the one or more color sources.

18. The control set of claim 17, further comprising a third output control device configured to select a second hue related to a second range of wavelengths.

19. The control set of claim 18, wherein an output intensity value for at least one of the one or more color sources is modified based at least in part on the second range of wavelengths.

20. The control set of claim 17, further comprising a fourth output control device configured to modify a saturation of the one or more color sources.

21. A method of controlling an output of one or more luminaires, each of the one or more luminaires including a plurality of light sources, the method comprising:

generating a color output;

associating an output intensity value with each of the plurality of light sources; and

selecting a hue related to a range of wavelengths of light and corresponding to an output intensity value for each of the plurality of light sources,

wherein the output intensity values required to generate the color output are divided among the plurality of light sources, and the output intensity values of the light sources are proportional to the spectral distance of the light source from the range of wavelengths.