Systems and methods for controlling an output of a light fixture

• US 8,593,074 B2
• Filed: 01/12/2011
• Issued: 11/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electronic Theatre Controls Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Electronic Theatre Controls Incorporated
• Inventors: Hatley, Troy Bryan, Robbins, Timothy George, Wood, Mike
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, DAVID HUNG
• Application Number:
  US13/004,922
• Publication Number:
  US 20120176063A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,049 Days
• Field of Search: 315/291, 315/307, 315/308, 315/312, 315/314, 315/316, 315/319, 315/317, 315/318
• US Class Current: 315/291
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/20 Controlling the colour of the light

Abstract

Systems and methods for controlling an output of a light fixture. A light fixture of one construction includes four or more light sources and is configured to produce an output that mimics the color temperature changes of an ideal black-body radiator based on one or more input parameters. The input parameters correspond to, for example, a desired target color and an intensity for the desired target color. A white point setting is determined based on the one or more input parameters and a relationship between the one or more input parameters and the color temperature of an ideal black-body radiator. A color temperature transform is selected based on the white point color temperature setting, and is used to determine a color coordinate corresponding to a modified target color. A set of light source output values corresponding to the modified target color are identified, and the light sources are driven to the identified output values.

Claims

1. A method of controlling an output of a light fixture, the light fixture including four or more light sources, the method comprising:

receiving a first input parameter corresponding to a first color point within a color space;

receiving a second input parameter associated with a desired intensity for the first color point;

determining a white point based on a relationship between the second input parameter and the color temperature of a black-body radiator, the white point corresponding to a second color point within the color space;

selecting a color temperature transform based on the white point;

calculating a third color point within the color space based on the color temperature transform, the color temperature transform defining a relationship between the first color point and the third color point, the third color point being different than the first color point, and the third color point being different than the second color point;

determining a respective light source output value for each of the four or more light sources based on the third color point; and

driving each of the four or more light sources at the respective light source output value to produce the output of the light fixture.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the relationship between the second input parameter and the color temperature of the black-body radiator includes a linear approximation of the color temperature of the black-body radiator.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second color point substantially lies on the Planckian locus, the first color point does not substantially lie on the Planckian locus, and the third color point does not substantially lie on the Planckian locus.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising

receiving a third input parameter associated with a second desired intensity of the first color point;

and

determining a second white point based on a relationship between the third input parameter and the color temperature of the black-body radiator, the second white point corresponding to a fourth color point within the color space.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising

selecting a second color temperature transform based on the second white point;

and

calculating a fifth color point within the color space based on the second color temperature transform, the second color temperature transform defining a relationship between the third color point and the fifth color point, the fifth color point being different than the third color point, and the fifth color point being different than the fourth color point.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising

determining a second respective light source output value for each of the four or more light sources based on the fifth color point;

and

driving each of the four or more light sources at the second respective light source output value to produce the output of the light fixture.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the fourth color point substantially lies on the Planckian locus and the fifth color point does not substantially lie on the Planckian locus.

8. A method of controlling an output of a light fixture, the light fixture including four or more light sources, the method comprising:

receiving a set of input parameters, the set of input parameters corresponding to a first color point within a color space and an intensity for the first color point;

determining a color temperature setting based on a relationship between the set of input parameters and the color temperature of a black-body radiator, the color temperature setting corresponding to a second color point within the color space;

determining a color temperature transform based on the color temperature setting;

calculating a third color point within the color space based on the color temperature transform, the color temperature transform defining a relationship between the first color point and the third color point, the third color point being different than the first color point, and the third color point being different than the second color point;

determining a respective light source output value for each of the four or more light sources based on the third color point; and

driving each of the four or more light sources at the respective light source output value to produce the output of the light fixture.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the second color point substantially lies on the Planckian locus, the first color point does not substantially lie on the Planckian locus, and the third color point does not substantially lie on the Planckian locus.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising

receiving a second set of input parameters corresponding to the first color point and a second intensity for the first color point;

and

determining a second white point based on a relationship between the second set of input parameters and the color temperature of the black-body radiator, the second white point corresponding to a fourth color point within the color space.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising

selecting a second color temperature transform based on the second white point;

and

calculating a fifth color point within the color space based on the second color temperature transform, the second color temperature transform defining a relationship between the third color point and the fifth color point, the fifth color point being different than the third color point, and the fifth color point being different than the fourth color point.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising

determining a second respective light source output value for each of the four or more light sources based on the fifth color point;

and

driving each of the four or more light sources at the second respective light source output value to produce the output of the light fixture.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the fourth color point substantially lies on the Planckian locus and the fifth color point does not substantially lie on the Planckian locus.

14. A system for controlling the output of a light fixture, the system including:

four or more light sources; and

a controller configured to

receive a first input parameter corresponding to a first color point within a color space,

receive a second input parameter associated with a desired intensity for the first color point,

determine a white point based on a relationship between the second input parameter and the color temperature of a black-body radiator, the white point corresponding to a second color point within the color space,

select a color temperature transform based on the white point,

calculate a third color point within the color space based on the color temperature transform, the color temperature transform defining a relationship between the first color point and the third color point, the third color point being different than the first color point, and the third color point being different than the second color point,

determine a respective light source output value for each of the four or more light sources based on the third color point, and

drive each of the four or more light sources at the respective light source output value to produce the output of the light fixture.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the relationship between the second input parameter and the color temperature of the black-body radiator includes a linear approximation of the color temperature of the black-body radiator.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the second color point substantially lies on the Planckian locus, the first color point does not substantially lie on the Planckian locus, and the third color point does not substantially lie on the Planckian locus.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the controller is further configured to

receive a third input parameter associated with a second desired intensity of the first color point, and

determine a second white point based on a relationship between the third input parameter and the color temperature of the black-body radiator, the second white point corresponding to a fourth color point within the color space.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the controller is further configured to

select a second color temperature transform based on the second white point, and

calculate a fifth color point within the color space based on the second color temperature transform, the second color temperature transform defining a relationship between the third color point and the fifth color point, the fifth color point being different than the third color point, and the fifth color point being different than the fourth color point.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the controller is further configured to

determine a second respective light source output value for each of the four or more light sources based on the fifth color point, and

drive each of the four or more light sources at the second respective light source output value to produce the output of the light fixture.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the fourth color point substantially lies on the Planckian locus and the fifth color point does not substantially lie on the Planckian locus.