Colorizer and method of operating the same

• US 8,884,554 B2
• Filed: 11/27/2012
• Issued: 11/11/2014
• 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): Le, Tung X
• Assistant Examiner(s): COOPER, JONATHAN G
• Application Number:
  US13/685,834
• Publication Number:
  US 20130082625A1
• Time in Patent Office: 714 Days
• Field of Search: 315/297, 315/312, 362/231, 345/589, 345/604
• 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 comprising:

a plurality of light sources configured to generate a color output for the system, each of the plurality of light sources having a respective output intensity value;

a gamut control input for setting a gamut width value, the gamut width value associated with a range of wavelengths of light included in the color output of the system; and

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

select a hue related to a primary wavelength,

modify a gamut of the hue around the primary wavelength based on the gamut width value to modify the wavelengths of light included in the range of wavelengths,

set the output intensity value for each of the plurality of light sources based on the selected hue and the range of wavelengths, and

control the color output of the system based on the output intensity value for each of the plurality of light sources.

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 gamut of the hue includes modifying a bandwidth of the 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 range of wavelengths.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to select a second hue related to a secondary wavelength.

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 secondary wavelength.

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

9. A method of controlling a system including a plurality of light sources capable of producing a color output of the system, the method comprising:

selecting a hue related to a primary wavelength;

selecting a gamut width associated with a range of wavelengths of light included in the color output of the system;

modifying a gamut of the hue around the primary wavelength based on the gamut width to modify the wavelengths of light included in the range of wavelengths;

setting an output intensity value for at least one of the plurality of light sources based at least in part on the selected hue and the range of wavelengths; and

generating the color output of the system based on the output intensity value for the at least one of the plurality of light sources.

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

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

12. The method of claim 9, wherein modifying the gamut of the hue includes modifying a bandwidth of the range of wavelengths.

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

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising selecting a second hue related to a secondary wavelength.

15. The method of claim 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 secondary wavelength.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising modifying a gamut of the second hue around the secondary wavelength to modify the wavelengths of light included in a 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 hue related to a primary wavelength, the primary wavelength associated with an output intensity value of at least one of the one or more color sources; and

a gamut control device configured to modify a gamut of the hue around the primary wavelength based on a gamut width value, the gamut width value associated with a range of wavelengths of light included in a color output of the one or more color sources,

wherein the gamut control device modifies an output intensity value of one or more of the one or more color sources to control the wavelengths of light included in the range of wavelengths.

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

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 secondary wavelength.

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