Authoring, recording, and replication of lighting

• US 20090323321A1
• Filed: 06/26/2008
• Published: 12/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telelumen, LLC
• Original Assignee: Telelumen, LLC
• Inventors: Paolini, Steven
• Granted Patent: US 8,021,021 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/231
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 9/08 for producing coloured light, e.g. monochromatic; for reducing intensity of light with provision for controlling the colour F21V9/40
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2113/13 comprising an assembly of point-like light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/2803 using photoelectric array detector
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/184 Intellectual property management
• 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 45/24 using electrical feedback from LEDs or from LED modules
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/105 in response to determined parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/175 by remote control
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

Systems and methods permit use of efficient solid state emitters for broad spectrum continuous spectrum lighting defined by illumination data. The illumination data, which can be sold as a commercial product, can be recorded or authored and include spectral, temporal, and spatial information. Intensities of individual emitters such as LEDs can be controlled through a combination of pulse width modulation (PWM) and amplitude modulation (AM) of drive currents. The combination of PWM and AM permits fine tuning of the spectrum of emissions and creation of free space optical data channels.

Claims

1. A process comprising:

producing first illumination data that represents a first spectral distribution; and

operating a first light source containing a plurality of emitters so that respective intensities of light from the emitters are determined from the first illumination data and a combination of the respective intensities of the emitters produces the first spectral distribution.

2. The process of claim 1, wherein the first spectral distribution changes over time, and operating the first light source comprises changing the respective intensities of the light in the spectral distribution over time.

3. The process of claim 1, wherein producing the illumination data comprises measuring and recording a spectral distribution of light in a first environment.

4. The process of claim 3, wherein the first environment comprises a source of light that is selected from a group consisting of the sun, the moon, an incandescent light, a gas flame, a candle, an oil lamp, a kerosene lantern, a limelight, a black light, a bug light, an antibug light, a film-safe light, an arc-lamp, and any colored light.

5. The process of claim 3, wherein producing the illumination data further comprises:

measuring and recording a spectral distribution of a second environment; and

combining data from the recording of the spectral distribution of the first environment with data from the recording of the spectral distribution of the second environment to create the first illumination data.

6. The process of claim 1, wherein the plurality of emitters comprises at least five emitters, wherein each of the emitters has an emission spectrum that differs from the emission spectra of the other emitters.

7. The process of claim 1, wherein each of the emitters comprises a light emitting diode.

8. The process of claim 1, further comprising:

producing second illumination data that represents a second spectral distribution; and

operating the first light source so that respective intensities of light from the emitters depend on the second illumination data and a combination of the respective intensities of the emitters produces the second spectral distribution.

9. The process of claim 8, further comprising:

providing a plurality of sets of illumination data in a player that controls operation of the first light source, wherein the first illumination data is among the plurality of sets of illumination data;

selecting one of the sets of illumination data; and

operating the light source so that respective intensities of light from the emitters depend on the set of illumination data selected.

10. The process of claim 8, wherein:

the first spectral distribution corresponds to a maximum useful brightness that the first light source can produce at a first level of energy consumption; and

the second spectral distribution differs in shape from the first spectral distribution and corresponds to a maximum useful brightness that the first light source can produce at a second level of energy consumption.

11. The process of claim 1, wherein operating the light source comprises controlling respective magnitudes and on-times of drive currents for the emitters.

12. The process of claim 1, wherein the first illumination data represents a spatial distribution for the first spectral distribution, and the process further comprises:

operating a second light source that is spatially separated from the first light source so that a combination of light from the first and second light sources produces the first spatial distribution.

13. A system comprising:

a first light source comprising a plurality of emitters, wherein each of the emitters has an emission spectrum that differs from the emission spectra of the other emitters; and

a player connected to independently control the intensity of light emitted from each of the emitters, the player being capable of accessing illumination data representing a spectral distribution and in response to accessed illumination data, operating the emitters at respective intensities such that a combination of the respective intensities of the emitters produces the spectral distribution represented by the accessed illumination data.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising a plurality of light sources that are spatially distributed, wherein each light source comprises a plurality of emitters, wherein the player is connected to independently control the intensity of light emitted from each of the emitters, the player being capable of accessing illumination data representing a spectral distribution and in response to accessed illumination data, operating the emitters at respective intensities such that a combination of the respective intensities of the emitters produces the spectral distribution represented by the accessed illumination data.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the player comprises:

a programmable driver connected to the emitters;

data storage containing a plurality of illumination data files; and

a controller coupled to the data storage, the controller executing a process to access a user selected one of the illumination data files and control the programmable driver to cause the emitters to collectively produce light with a spectrum represented by the illumination data file.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the data storage further stores calibration data indicating performance of the emitters.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein each of the emitters comprises an LED.

18. A business method comprising:

creating illumination data that represents a spectral content; and

selling the illumination data in a file format that can be played through a lighting system to produce illumination having the spectral content.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein creating the illumination data comprises recording the spectral content of an illumination in a first environment.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein creating the illumination data further comprises recording temporal variation of the spectral content of the illumination in the first environment.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein creating the illumination data further comprises recording directional information associated with the illumination in the first environment.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein creating the illumination data comprise composing a spectral distribution that achieves a desired aesthetic effect.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein creating the illumination data comprise composing a spectral distribution that achieves a desired function.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein the lighting system comprises a plurality of emitters, and the method further comprises:

identifying spectra of the emitters; and

converting the illumination data to a format that indicates intensities for operation of the emitters.