Abstract:
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for optical feedback control for a lighting unit (10), wherein the control signal for an array of one or more light sources (20) is configured using a CDMA modification signal. Signals provided by an optical sensor (60) at least detecting the light emitted by the array of one or more light sources, can be filtered based on the CDMA modification signal, thereby enabling discrimination of the portion of the signals from the optical sensor (60) which are reflective of optical characteristics of the light emitted by the array of one or more light sources (20). In embodiments of the present invention, the determined optical characteristics can be used for example for feedback control of an illumination system.
Abstract:
Tristimulus colorimeter apparatus and methods of tristimulus colorimetry are described. The tristimulus colorimeter apparatus can be used for determining color of light by specifying a first, a second and a third tristimulus value for the light. The colorimeter apparatus may detect signals according to color matching functions having spectral responsivities matched by detectors of the colorimeters. The detected signals may be processed by one or more computations, such as matrix operations, to provide the tristimulus values of the color.
Abstract:
A method and system for dependently controlling colour light sources. The lighting system comprises a drive current controller providing current signals for one or more first groups of light-emitting elements, and a signal derivation module operatively connected to the drive current controller. The signal derivation module is configured to determine and provide current signals for one or more second groups of light-emitting elements, the current signals being based on the current signals provided to the first groups of light-emitting elements. The method comprises the steps of determining one or more first drive currents for driving one or more first groups of light-emitting elements, and determining one or more second drive currents for driving one or more second groups of light-emitting elements, wherein each of the one or more second drive currents is predetermined based on at least one of the one or more first drive currents.
Abstract:
The present invention provides a light source having an improved output optical quality. In general, the light source comprises one or more light-emitting elements in each of at least a first, a second and a third colour. The combined spectral power distribution of these light-emitting elements generally defines a spectral concavity. The light source further comprises a light-excitable medium configured and disposed to absorb a portion of the light emitted by one or more of the light-emitting elements and emit light defined by a complementary spectral power distribution having a peak located within the concavity. By combining the spectral output of the light-emitting elements with the spectral output of the light-excitable medium, an optical quality of the light source is improved.
Abstract:
The present invention provides a pulse-width modulation (PWM) method and apparatus, and light source driven thereby. In particular, the present invention provides a PWM method and apparatus for generating a PWM signal having a desired resolution and frequency using generating means traditionally limited to providing PWM signals having a lower resolution and/or frequency. The PWM method and apparatus of the present invention may be used in a number of applications where a relatively high PWM resolution and/or frequency is desired, but where selection of generating means for generating such PWM signals is relatively limited by cost and/or other such constraints. For example, a PWM signal generated by the method and apparatus of the present invention may be useful in accurately controlling the output of the one or more light-emitting elements of a light source, namely to control a dimming and/or colour level thereof, without using driving components that may be relatively costly for the application at hand.
Abstract:
The present invention provides a light source comprising one or more light-emitting elements, one or more photosensors and, a photosensor light guide, such as, for example, a substantially planar light guide. The photosensor light guide is generally configured to capture and guide some of the light emitted from the one or more light-emitting elements to one or more photosensors optically coupled thereto, the light sensed thereby being useable as a basis for controlling the respective outputs of the one or more light-emitting elements.
Abstract:
The invention provides a general illumination luminaire comprising one or more adjustable light modules. In particular, the luminaire generally comprises one or more light modules, each one of which comprising one or more light-emitting elements, and optionally comprising a heat sink in thermal contact therewith and output optics for managing light output from the one or more light emitting elements. In general, the light modules are adjustably coupled to the luminaire via a coupling structure that provides one or more adjustment mechanisms for adjusting the orientation of the light modules for adjusting an output directionality of the luminaire, while substantially maintaining the spatial profile of the luminaire.
Abstract:
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for controlling the thermal gradient and therefore the thermal stress in light-emitting elements in which the light-emitting elements are exposed to temperature gradients caused by varying drive current under operating conditions. The method and apparatus according to the present invention can reduce the thermal stress in a light-emitting element by adaptively determining a drive current transient for a required change in the drive current from a first drive current state to a desired second drive current state, wherein the drive current transient is adaptively determined in order to substantially minimize the change in applied voltage over time, during the transition time period.
Abstract:
The present invention provides a light source, method, computer-readable storage medium and computer program product for optimising one or more illumination characteristic thereof. In particular, the present invention provides a light source comprising four or more light-emitting elements, or groups or arrays thereof, each one of which having a respective predefined emission spectrum which, when combined in accordance with a given intensity ratio, provide illumination at a particular colour temperature. This light source may comprise an internal and/or external selection module for selecting one or more illumination characteristics to be optimised, and internal and/or external computing module for optimising drive parameters of the light source to provide the optimised illumination characteristic selected. The light source may optionally be hardwired to operate according to predefined drive parameters selected, using a method, computer-readable storage medium and/or computer program product of the present invention, in order to optimise a pre-selected illumination characteristic.