阅读说明：本技术 产生不同光谱和类似颜色的设置 (Arrangements for producing different spectra and similar colours ) 是由 J.加迪加德 于 2021-05-10 设计创作，主要内容包括：提出了一种用于控制灯具(200)的方法(100),所述灯具包括具有独立可控光通量的唯一颜色的光源,其中所述方法包括控制(104)光源中的每个的光通量,其中当根据多个设置内的设置进行控制时从多个光源发射的光的光谱分布在各设置之间是不同的,并且从多个光源发射的光的颜色在各设置之间是类似的或相同的。在需要某个颜色的发射光的情况下,例如在某个道具或服装用一个设置比另一个设置被更好地照亮的情况下,本发明可能有利于改善颜色渲染,例如通过选择使某个对象突出的设置来吸引对场景中某些对象的注意,和/或例如通过在各设置之间转变使得某些对象看起来改变颜色而其他对象看起来保持同一颜色来提供有趣的光学效果。(A method (100) for controlling a luminaire (200) comprising light sources of unique colors with individually controllable luminous fluxes is proposed, wherein the method comprises controlling (104) the luminous fluxes of each of the light sources, wherein a spectral distribution of the light emitted from the plurality of light sources is different between the settings when controlled according to the settings within the plurality of settings, and the colors of the light emitted from the plurality of light sources are similar or identical between the settings. In situations where a certain color of emitted light is desired, for example where a certain prop or garment is better illuminated with one setting than another, the invention may be advantageous to improve color rendering, for example by attracting attention to certain objects in the scene by selecting a setting that highlights certain objects, and/or to provide interesting optical effects, for example by transitioning between settings such that certain objects appear to change color while other objects appear to remain the same color.)

1. A method (100) for controlling a luminaire (200), wherein the luminaire comprises:

a plurality of light sources comprising three or more light sources, wherein each of the light sources within the plurality of light sources has a unique color, wherein the luminous flux of each of the light sources is independently controllable,

and wherein the method comprises:

-obtaining (102) a plurality of settings, wherein each setting within the plurality of settings is indicative of a luminous flux of each of the light sources within a plurality of light sources, an

-controlling (104) the light flux of each of the light sources within the plurality of light sources according to one or more settings within a plurality of settings,

wherein:

-the spectral distribution of light emitted from the plurality of light sources when controlled according to one setting of the plurality of settings is different from the spectral distribution of light emitted from the plurality of light sources when controlled according to another setting of the plurality of settings, and

-the color of light emitted from the plurality of light sources when controlled according to one setting of the plurality of settings is similar to or the same as the color of light emitted from the plurality of light sources when controlled according to another setting of the plurality of settings.

2. The method (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the plurality of light sources comprises four or more (such as five or more) light sources, such as wherein the four or more light sources comprise at least three light sources, wherein none of the three light sources has a color that can be provided as a linear combination of two other light sources within the three light sources.

3. The method (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein

-controlling the light flux of each of the light sources within the plurality of light sources according to a first setting and/or a second setting,

the method comprises the following steps:

-switching one or more times between controlling the light flux of each of the light sources within the plurality of light sources according to different settings within the plurality of settings, such as switching a plurality of times at a frequency equal to or greater than 0.1Hz or 1Hz or 10 Hz.

4. The method (100) according to claim 3, wherein switching is performed back and forth a plurality of times, such as between the same settings, and a time period between consecutive switching steps is equal to or less than 10 seconds, such as equal to or less than 1 second, such as equal to or less than 0.1 second.

5. The method (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the method comprises controlling the luminous flux of each of the light sources within the plurality of light sources according to at least a first setting and a second setting, for which first and second setting the difference in spectral distribution of the light emitted from the plurality of light sources when controlled according to the first and second setting is as large as possible for the color.

6. The method (100) according to claim 5, wherein the luminous flux of the light emitted from the plurality of light sources when controlled according to the first setting is the same as or similar to the luminous flux of the light emitted from the plurality of light sources when controlled according to the second setting.

7. The method (100) according to claim 6, wherein the method further comprises controlling the light flux of each of the light sources within the plurality of light sources in accordance with at least:

-a third setting for which the spectral distribution of light emitted from the plurality of light sources when controlled according to the third setting is similar to or the same as the spectral distribution of light emitted from the plurality of light sources when controlled according to the first setting, and

a fourth setting for which the spectral distribution of light emitted from the plurality of light sources when controlled according to the fourth setting is similar to or the same as the spectral distribution of light emitted from the plurality of light sources when controlled according to the second setting,

and wherein a luminous flux of light emitted from the plurality of light sources when controlled according to the third setting is the same as or similar to a luminous flux of light emitted from the plurality of light sources when controlled according to the fourth setting,

and wherein the luminous flux of light emitted from the plurality of light sources when controlled according to the third setting and/or the fourth setting is different from the luminous flux of light emitted from the plurality of light sources when controlled according to the first setting and/or the second setting.

8. The method (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a difference between spectral distributions of light emitted from the plurality of light sources according to two different settings is quantified by:

identifying a set of reference samples, such as color quality evaluated reference samples,

identifying a reference light source, such as CIE Standard illuminant D65,

-selecting between using a single reference sample or a plurality of reference samples,

-in case a single reference sample is selected:

providing, such as calculating, two reflection spectra based on reflections of the reference sample of light emitted from the plurality of light sources according to the two different settings,

-calculating the color of the two reflection spectra,

-quantifying the difference between the spectral distributions of light emitted from the plurality of light sources according to the two different settings as a distance between the colors of the two reflection spectra, such as a CIEDE2000 distance,

-in case a plurality of reference samples are selected, the color of light emitted from the plurality of light sources when controlled according to the two different settings is not similar or not the same as the color of a reference sample when illuminated by the reference light source,

-

providing, such as calculating, two reflection spectra for each reference sample within the plurality of reference samples based on the reflection of the reference sample of light emitted from the plurality of light sources according to the two different settings,

-calculating the color of the provided reflection spectrum,

-quantifying a difference between spectral distributions of light emitted from the plurality of light sources according to the two different settings as an average or weighted average distance, such as an average or weighted average CIEDE2000 distance, between the colors of the reflection spectra of the two reflection spectra of each reference sample.

9. The method (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each setting within the plurality of settings each corresponds to a basic setting or a superposition of a plurality of basic settings,

wherein each basic setting is indicative of the luminous flux of each light source within a strict subset of light sources (such as two or three light sources) within the plurality of light sources.

10. The method (100) of claim 9, wherein any of the following options applies:

-each setting of the plurality of settings is similar or identical to a basic setting,

-at least a first setting within the plurality of settings is similar or identical to a basic setting, and wherein the remaining settings are arranged such that a luminous flux of light emitted from the plurality of light sources when controlled according to the first setting is the same or similar to a luminous flux of light emitted from the plurality of light sources when controlled according to any one of the remaining settings,

-at least a second setting within the plurality of settings is similar or identical to a basic setting, and wherein at least a third setting is similar or identical to a basic setting, and wherein the second basic setting and the third basic setting are arranged such that a luminous flux of light emitted from the plurality of light sources when controlled according to the second setting is the same or similar to a luminous flux of light emitted from the plurality of light sources when controlled according to the third basic setting,

the plurality of settings are arranged such that the luminous flux of light emitted from the plurality of light sources is the same as or similar to a reference luminous flux value when controlled according to any setting,

-the plurality of settings are arranged such that each setting is different from any one of the basic settings, and optionally wherein the plurality of settings are arranged such that the luminous flux of light emitted from the plurality of light sources when controlled according to any setting is the same as or similar to a reference luminous flux value.

11. A control device (385) for controlling:

a plurality of light sources comprising three or more light sources, wherein each of the light sources within the plurality of light sources has a unique color, wherein the luminous flux of each of the light sources is independently controllable,

wherein the control device is arranged for

-controlling (104) the light flux of each of the light sources within the plurality of light sources according to one or more settings within a plurality of settings,

wherein:

-the spectral distribution of light emitted from the plurality of light sources when controlled according to one setting of the plurality of settings is different from the spectral distribution of light emitted from the plurality of light sources when controlled according to another setting of the plurality of settings, and

-the color of light emitted from the plurality of light sources when controlled according to one setting of the plurality of settings is similar to or the same as the color of light emitted from the plurality of light sources when controlled according to another setting of the plurality of settings.

12. A light fixture system (302), comprising:

a luminaire (200) comprising a plurality of light sources comprising three or more light sources, wherein each of the light sources within the plurality of light sources has a unique color, wherein the luminous flux of each of the light sources is independently controllable,

-a control device (385) according to claim 11.

13. A luminaire system (302) according to claim 12, adapted to perform the method (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

14. The light fixture system (302) of any of claims 12-13, wherein the light fixture system further comprises:

-a storage unit, wherein the storage unit is operatively connected to the control device and comprises information corresponding to a plurality of settings.

15. Use of the control device (385) according to claim 11 and/or the luminaire system (302) according to any of the preceding claims 12 to 14 for emitting light according to one or more settings within the plurality of settings, such as for performing the method (100) according to any of the claims 1 to 10.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a method for controlling a luminaire, and more particularly to a method for controlling a luminaire according to a plurality of predefined settings that change the spectrum of the emitted light while maintaining the color of the emitted light, and to a corresponding control device, luminaire system and use thereof.

Background

The light fixtures may be used to create various light effects and/or mood lighting, for example, associated with concerts, live shows, television shows, sporting events, or as building mounted light fixtures that create various effects.

In addition to the inherent ability to be able to emit light, it may be relevant to add one or more other functions to the luminaire, for example for the purpose of background (such as a particular scene and/or other light sources) specific optimization, such as improving color rendering, attracting attention to certain objects in the scene, and/or providing interesting optical effects.

Hence, an improved method for controlling a luminaire such that one or more other functions can be added would be advantageous, for example for the purpose of scene-specific optimization, such as improving color rendering, attracting attention to certain objects in the scene and/or providing interesting optical effects.

Disclosure of Invention

It may be seen as an object of the present invention to provide a method for controlling a luminaire and a corresponding control device, luminaire system and use thereof to enable the addition of one or more other functions, for example for the purpose of scene-specific optimization, such as improving color rendering, attracting attention to certain objects in a scene and/or providing interesting optical effects. It is a further object of the present invention to provide an alternative to the prior art.

Thus, in a first aspect of the present invention, the above described object and several other objects are intended to be obtained by providing a method for controlling a luminaire, wherein said luminaire comprises:

a plurality of light sources comprising three or more light sources, wherein each of the light sources within the plurality of light sources has a unique color, and wherein the luminous flux of each of the light sources is independently controllable,

and wherein the method comprises:

-obtaining a plurality of settings, wherein each setting within the plurality of settings is indicative of a luminous flux of each of the light sources within the plurality of light sources, an

Controlling the light flux of each of the light sources within the plurality of light sources according to one or more (such as more than two) settings within the plurality of settings,

wherein:

-the spectral distribution of light emitted from the plurality of light sources when controlled according to one setting of the plurality of settings is different from the spectral distribution of light emitted from the plurality of light sources when controlled according to another setting of the plurality of settings, and

-the color of the light emitted from the plurality of light sources when controlled according to one setting of the plurality of settings is similar or identical to the color of the light emitted from the plurality of light sources when controlled according to another setting of the plurality of settings, such as one setting being identical to another setting for comparing the spectral distribution of the light and the color of the light.

The invention may be particularly, but not exclusively, advantageous for enabling the addition of one or more other functions to a luminaire, for example for the purpose of background (such as a particular scene and/or other light sources) specific optimization, such as improving color rendering (e.g. in case a certain color of emitted light is required, but a certain prop or garment is better illuminated with one setting than another), attracting attention to certain objects in the scene (e.g. by selecting a setting that highlights a certain object), and/or providing interesting optical effects (e.g. by transitioning between settings such that certain objects appear to change color while other objects appear to remain the same color).

By 'luminaire', it is understood an electrical device comprising an (electrical) light source, such as a lighting system with a light source, which provides illumination, and wherein the light source and optionally one or more optical components are at least partially enclosed in a housing. Those skilled in the art of (entertainment) light fixtures realize that many light effects may be integrated into the light fixture. According to an embodiment, a luminaire is proposed, having one of the following: prisms for prism effects, apertures for aperture effects, frame blades for frame effects, frost filters for frost effects, devices for dimming effects, animation wheels for animation effects, one or more pattern wheels (gobo wheels). The (entertainment) luminaire may be controlled based on an input signal indicative of a light parameter, which may be indicative of a target color, which is indicative of an undefined color of the outgoing light, the plurality of light effect parameters being indicative of various numbers of light effects. The (entertainment) light fixture may comprise a processor configured to control different light effects of the light fixture based on the light parameters received by the input signal. For example, the (entertainment) luminaire may comprise light effects and be controlled based on various parameters described in WO2010/145658 (in particular on page 4, line 11 to page 6, line 9).

A 'light source' is understood to be common in the art and may typically be an electrical light source, such as light emitting diode(s) (LEDs), such as a converted LED, such as a phosphor converted LED, converting electrical power into luminous flux.

By 'a plurality of individually controllable light sources comprising three or more light sources, wherein each of the light sources within the plurality of light sources has a unique color, and wherein the luminous flux of each of the light sources is individually controllable', it is understood that there are at least three (such as 3 or more, such as 4 or more, such as 5 or more, such as 10 or more, such as 20 or more, such as 50 or more, such as 100 or more) light sources, wherein each of the (three or more) light sources has a unique color (such as unique relative to the color of the other light sources), and wherein the luminous flux of each of the light sources is individually controllable. It is contemplated and covered that any of the light sources itself comprises sub 'sources' of the same or different colors that are combined together to produce a light source color with independently controllable luminous flux. For example, three individually controllable light sources having red, green and blue colors respectively may comprise 20 (identical) red LEDs, 30 (identical) green LEDs and 10 (identical) blue LEDs (sub 'light sources') respectively. According to another example, three individually controllable light sources having red, green and blue colors, respectively, may comprise 20 different LEDs combined to form red, 30 different LEDs combined to form green, and 10 different LEDs combined to form blue, respectively. However, in the context of the present application, a plurality of sub 'light sources' that combine to form one color (the luminous flux is independently controllable) is considered to be one (combined) light source. Such (combined) light sources of a particular color may comprise a plurality of sub 'light sources' which may be at least 2, such as at least 4, such as at least 5, such as at least 8, such as at least 10, such as at least 20, such as at least 40, such as at least 60, such as at least 80, such as at least 100, such as 120 or more. In case the plurality of light sources with different colors comprises (only) three unique colors, it should be possible to substantially provide one color as a combination of other colors (such as three colors on one line in a color space, such as the CIE 1931 color space).

It is understood that colors are defined with reference to chromaticity and chromaticity (coordinate) systems, such as the CIE (international commission on thousand miles) 1931 color space.

By 'a plurality of settings, wherein each setting within the plurality of settings is indicative of the luminous flux of each of said light sources within the plurality of light sources', it is understood a plurality of groups or vectors, each group or vector having a plurality of values indicative of the luminous flux of each of the light sources having a unique color.

By 'luminous flux', it is understood to be a measure that is common in the art and represents the perceptibility of light.

In the context of the present application, the expression 'light' is generally understood to mean visible electromagnetic radiation, such as electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength in the range 380nm to 780nm (both endpoints inclusive).

By 'controlling the light flux of each of the light sources within the plurality of light sources according to one or more settings within the plurality of settings', it is understood that each light source is driven according to the corresponding value of the setting, e.g. by applying the voltage and/or current required to achieve the light flux over the light source according to the setting of the certain light source.

By 'the spectral distribution of light emitted from the plurality of light sources when controlled according to one setting among the plurality of settings is different from the spectral distribution of light emitted from the plurality of light sources when controlled according to another setting among the plurality of settings', it can be understood that the spectra according to the different settings are different from each other. The ratio of intensity between at least two wavelengths within one spectrum is different (e.g., at least 10% greater) for different spectra than the ratio of intensity between at least the same two wavelengths within another spectrum.

Alternatively, the difference between the spectra may be quantified as a distance between the colors of the reflected spectra resulting from light emitted from the plurality of light sources controlled according to each of a plurality of settings reflected from one or more reference samples (e.g., as calculated by CIEDE 2000). The reference sample may be a reference sample in a Color Quality Scale (Color Quality Scale) method. One or more reference samples may be selected based on their color points (e.g., as calculated using the D65 light source) to spread the reference samples across the color space. The difference may be calculated using a subset of reference samples (e.g., a number of reference samples closest to the target color).

By 'the color of the light emitted from the plurality of light sources when controlled according to one setting from the plurality of settings is similar or identical to the color of the light emitted from the plurality of light sources when controlled according to another setting from the plurality of settings', it is understood that the colors of the light emitted according to different settings may be similar or identical to each other, which means that the color points are close to or identical to each other in the color space.

The distance between the colors (including the zero distance) can be calculated by CIEDE2000 (see ISO/CIE 11664-6:2014, colorimetry-part 6: CIEDE2000 color difference formula). Two colors may be considered similar or identical to each other if, for example, Δ E is equal to or less than 20, such as equal to or less than 10, such as equal to or less than 5, such as equal to or less than 2, such as equal to or less than 1, such as equal to 0.

According to an embodiment, a method is provided wherein the plurality of light sources comprises four or more (such as five or more) light sources, such as wherein the four or more light sources comprise at least three light sources, wherein none of the three light sources has a color that can be provided as a linear combination of two other light sources within the three light sources. The more light sources the more kinds can be made. Spanning a larger portion of the color space enables coverage of a larger gamut of colors.

By 'gamut' is understood a subset of (all) colors that can be accurately represented in a given environment, such as in a given color space, such as a color space spanned by a convex hull of color points of a plurality of light sources comprising three or more light sources, wherein each of the light sources within the plurality of light sources has a unique color.

According to an embodiment, a method is proposed, wherein

-controlling the light flux of each of the light sources within the plurality of light sources according to a first predefined setting and/or a second setting,

the method comprises the following steps:

-switching (such as switching immediately or near immediately or making a smooth or gradual transition, e.g. where a gradual transition means applying one or more settings between two end-point settings during switching from one end-point setting to another) one or more times, such as a plurality of times, such as switching at a frequency equal to or greater than 0.1Hz or 1Hz or 10Hz, between controlling the luminous flux of each of the light sources within the plurality of light sources according to different settings within the plurality of settings.

Switching may be advantageous, for example, to provide an attractive effect and/or to attract the attention of a viewer, for example by selecting settings such that an object is prominent in one setting and not in another, and then switching between settings to make the object appear to flash repeatedly.

According to another embodiment, a method is proposed, wherein switching is performed back and forth a plurality of times, such as between the same predefined settings, and the time period (which may be predefined or variable) between consecutive switching steps is equal to or less than 10 seconds, such as equal to or less than 1 second, such as equal to or less than 0.1 second. The effect of such a relatively fast switching may be that the effect is unlikely to be perceived as (quasi-) stable.

According to an embodiment, a method is proposed, wherein the method comprises controlling the luminous flux of each of the light sources within the plurality of light sources according to at least a first setting and a second setting for which the difference in the spectral distribution of the light emitted from the plurality of light sources when controlled according to the first setting and the second setting is as large as possible for the color. This has the advantage that a maximum spectral difference of a given color can be provided.

According to another embodiment, a method is proposed, wherein the luminous flux of light emitted from the plurality of light sources when controlled according to the first setting is the same as or similar to the luminous flux of light emitted from the plurality of light sources when controlled according to the second setting. One possible advantage is that a constant luminous flux is provided when changing between settings, such as to keep the luminous flux constant when the spectrum changes.

According to an embodiment, a method is proposed, wherein the method further comprises controlling the luminous flux of each of the light sources within the plurality of light sources in dependence on at least:

-a third setting for which the spectral distribution of light emitted from the plurality of light sources when controlled according to the third setting is similar to or the same as the spectral distribution of light emitted from the plurality of light sources when controlled according to the first setting, and

a fourth setting for which the spectral distribution of light emitted from the plurality of light sources when controlled according to the fourth setting is similar to or the same as the spectral distribution of light emitted from the plurality of light sources when controlled according to the second setting,

and wherein a luminous flux of light emitted from the plurality of light sources when controlled according to the third setting is the same as or similar to a luminous flux of light emitted from the plurality of light sources when controlled according to the fourth setting,

and wherein the luminous flux of light emitted from the plurality of light sources when controlled according to the third setting and/or the fourth setting is different from the luminous flux of light emitted from the plurality of light sources when controlled according to the first setting and/or the second setting.

A possible advantage of the described embodiment is that it enables to change the spectrum but keep the luminous flux constant (e.g. when changing between the first setting and the second setting or between the third setting and the fourth setting) and to change the luminous flux but keep the spectrum constant (e.g. when changing between the first setting and the third setting or between the second setting and the fourth setting).

According to an embodiment, a method is proposed, wherein a difference between spectral distributions of light emitted from a plurality of light sources according to two different settings is quantified by:

identifying a set of reference samples in the color space, such as reference samples for color quality evaluation,

identifying a reference light source, such as CIE Standard illuminant D65,

-selecting between using a single reference sample or a plurality of reference samples,

in case only a single reference sample is selected, e.g. in case the color of the light emitted from the plurality of light sources when controlled according to two different settings is not similar or not the same as the color of the reference sample when illuminated by the reference light source,

optionally identifying a reference sample having a color when illuminated by a reference light source similar to or the same as the color of light emitted from the plurality of light sources when controlled according to two different settings,

providing, such as calculating, two reflection spectra based on reflections of the reference sample of light emitted from the plurality of light sources according to the two different settings,

-calculating the color of the two reflection spectra,

-quantifying the difference between the spectral distributions of the light emitted from the plurality of light sources according to the two different settings as a distance between the colors of the two reflection spectra, such as the CIEDE2000 distance,

in case a plurality of reference samples are selected, for example in case the color of the light emitted from the plurality of light sources when controlled according to two different settings is not similar or not the same as the color of the reference sample when illuminated by the reference light source,

optionally identifying a plurality (such as 2 or 3 or 4 or 5 or 6 or more) of reference samples having a color when illuminated by the reference light source, such as the reference sample closest to the color of light emitted from the plurality of light sources when controlled according to the two different settings (such as quantified with CIEDE 2000),

providing, such as calculating, two reflection spectra for each reference sample within the plurality of reference samples based on the reflection of the reference sample of light emitted from the plurality of light sources according to the two different settings,

calculating the color of the provided reflection spectrum (which may be the number of reflection spectra resulting from multiplying the number of multiple reference samples by 2 due to two different settings),

-quantifying the difference between the spectral distributions of the light emitted from the plurality of light sources according to the two different settings as a distance (such as an average or weighted average distance) between the colors of the reflection spectra of the two reflection spectra of each reference sample, such as the CIEDE2000 distance.

An advantage of the method is that it enables quantification of spectral differences. Note that the spectral difference from the quantification can be interpreted as the ability of two different spectra (even having the same color) to make the reference sample appear to have different colors. In a particular embodiment, the reference sample may be a color quality evaluated reference sample, the reference light source may be CIE standard illuminant D65, and the color distance may be quantified as the CIEDE2000 distance, the reference sample having a color closest to light emitted from the plurality of light sources when illuminated with the reference light source being selected for quantification when controlled according to two different settings. By different colors it is understood that the calculated CIEDE2000 distance is at least 1, such as at least 2, such as at least 5, such as at least 7, such as at least 10, such as at least 20.

According to an embodiment, a method is proposed, wherein each setting within the plurality of settings individually corresponds to a basic setting or a superposition of a plurality of basic settings, wherein each basic setting indicates a luminous flux of each light source within a strict subset of light sources (such as two or three light sources) within the plurality of light sources. According to the described embodiments, a plurality of strict subsets of light sources may be identified, wherein each of these subsets represents a solution providing a (desired) color, and each setting is obtained either purely as a subset or as a combination of subsets.

According to another embodiment, a method is proposed, wherein any of the following options applies:

each setting of the plurality of settings is similar or identical to the basic setting,

-at least a first setting within the plurality of settings is similar or identical to a basic setting, and wherein the remaining settings are arranged such that a luminous flux of light emitted from the plurality of light sources when controlled according to the first setting is the same or similar to a luminous flux of light emitted from the plurality of light sources when controlled according to any one of the remaining settings,

-at least a second setting within the plurality of settings is similar or identical to a basic setting, and wherein at least a third setting is similar or identical to a basic setting, and wherein the second basic setting and the third basic setting are arranged such that a luminous flux of light emitted from the plurality of light sources when controlled according to the second setting is the same or similar to a luminous flux of light emitted from the plurality of light sources when controlled according to the third basic setting,

the plurality of settings are arranged such that the luminous flux of light emitted from the plurality of light sources is the same as or similar to a reference luminous flux value when controlled according to any setting,

-the plurality of settings are arranged such that each setting is different from any one of the basic settings, and optionally wherein the plurality of settings are arranged such that the luminous flux of light emitted from the plurality of light sources when controlled according to any setting is the same as or similar to a reference luminous flux value.

Note that in general, the digital adjectives 'first', 'second', 'third', and 'fourth' are used only to distinguish one element (e.g., setting), and do not imply a particular order or presence of other digital adjectives (e.g., 'second element' does not necessarily imply the presence of 'first element').

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a control apparatus for controlling:

a plurality of light sources comprising three or more light sources, wherein each of the light sources within the plurality of light sources has a unique color, and wherein the luminous flux of each of the light sources is independently controllable,

wherein the control device is arranged for

-optionally including or obtaining a plurality of settings, wherein each setting within the plurality of settings is indicative of a luminous flux of each of the light sources within the plurality of light sources, an

-controlling the light flux of each of the light sources within the plurality of light sources according to one or more settings within the plurality of settings,

wherein:

-the spectral distribution of light emitted from the plurality of light sources when controlled according to one setting of the plurality of settings is different from the spectral distribution of light emitted from the plurality of light sources when controlled according to another setting of the plurality of settings, and

-the color of light emitted from the plurality of light sources when controlled according to one setting of the plurality of settings is similar to or the same as the color of light emitted from the plurality of light sources when controlled according to another setting of the plurality of settings.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, a luminaire system is proposed, comprising:

a luminaire comprising a plurality of light sources, said plurality of light sources comprising three or more light sources, wherein each of said light sources within said plurality of light sources has a unique color, and wherein the luminous flux of each of said light sources is independently controllable,

-a control device according to the second aspect.

According to an embodiment, a luminaire system adapted to perform the method according to the first aspect is proposed.

According to an embodiment, a luminaire system is proposed, wherein the luminaire system further comprises:

-a storage unit, wherein the storage unit is operatively connected to the control device and comprises information corresponding to a plurality of settings.

According to a fourth aspect, it is proposed the use of a control device according to the second aspect and/or a luminaire system according to any of the third aspects for emitting light according to one or more settings within a plurality of settings, such as for performing the method according to the first aspect.

Drawings

The first, second, third and fourth aspects according to the present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The drawings illustrate one way of implementing the invention and should not be construed as limiting other possible embodiments that fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Fig. 1 shows a flow chart of a method according to the invention.

Fig. 2 shows a block diagram of the lighting device.

Fig. 3 shows a block diagram of a moving head light fixture.

Fig. 4 shows a CIE 1931 color space 400 with coordinates of four light sources.

Fig. 5 shows a graph 500 with possible selected preferences for weighting to achieve two or more settings.

Fig. 6 to 7 show illustrations of embodiments in the context of scene lighting.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 shows a flow chart of a method 100 for controlling a luminaire according to the invention, wherein the luminaire comprises:

a plurality of light sources comprising three or more light sources, wherein each of the light sources within the plurality of light sources has a unique color, wherein the luminous flux of each of the light sources is independently controllable,

and wherein the method comprises:

-obtaining 102 a plurality of settings, wherein each setting within the plurality of settings is indicative of a luminous flux of each of the light sources within a plurality of light sources, an

-controlling 104 the light flux of each of said light sources within the plurality of light sources according to one or more settings (in this figure "setting 1") within the plurality of settings.

Wherein:

-the spectral distribution of light emitted from the plurality of light sources when controlled according to one setting (such as "setting 1") within the plurality of settings is different from the spectral distribution of light emitted from the plurality of light sources when controlled according to another setting (such as "setting 2") within the plurality of settings, and

-the color of light emitted from the plurality of light sources when controlled according to one setting (such as "setting 1") within the plurality of settings is similar or identical to the color of light emitted from the plurality of light sources when controlled according to another setting (such as "setting 2") within the plurality of settings.

The flow chart also shows the further subsequent steps:

-controlling 106 the light flux of each of the light sources within the plurality of light sources according to another setting within the plurality of settings (in this figure "setting 2" being different from "setting 1"),

and then subsequently

Controlling 108 the light flux of each of the light sources within the plurality of light sources according to another setting (in this figure "setting 1" different from "setting 1"),

thus, the flow chart depicts controlling the light flux of each of the light sources within the plurality of light sources according to the first setting and/or the second setting, which comprises switching a plurality of times between controlling the light flux of each of the light sources within the plurality of light sources according to different settings within the plurality of settings.

Fig. 2 shows a block diagram of a lighting device 200 (where 'lighting device' and 'luminaire' may be understood interchangeably throughout the present application). The lighting device comprises a cooling module 201, said cooling module 201 comprising a plurality of LEDs 103, a light collector 241, a shutter 242 and an optical projection and zoom system 243. The cooling module is arranged in a bottom portion of a lamp housing 248 of the lighting device, while the other components are arranged inside the lamp housing 248. The lamp housing 248 may be provided with a plurality of openings 250. The light collector 241 is adapted to collect light from the LED 103 and convert the collected light into a plurality of light beams 245 (dashed lines) propagating along an optical axis 247 (dashed lines). The light collector may be embodied as any optical device capable of collecting at least a portion of the light emitted by the LED and converting the collected light into a beam of light. In the illustrated embodiment, the light collector includes a plurality of lenslets, each lenslet collecting light from one of the LEDs and converting the light into a corresponding beam of light. It should be noted, however, that the light collector may also be implemented as a single optical lens, a fresnel lens, a plurality of TIR lenses (total reflection lenses), a plurality of light rods, or a combination thereof. It is understood that a light beam propagating along an optical axis includes light rays propagating at an angle (e.g., an angle of less than 45 degrees from the optical axis). The light collector may be configured to fill the shutter 242 with light from the light source 103 such that the area (i.e., the aperture) of the shutter 242 is illuminated with a uniform intensity, or optimized for maximum output. The gate 242 is disposed along an optical axis 247. The optical projection system 243 may be configured to collect at least a portion of the light beam transmitted through the shutter 242 and image the shutter at a distance along the optical axis. For example, the optical projection system 243 may be configured to image the shutter 242 onto some object, such as a screen (e.g., a screen on a concert stage). An image, such as an opaque pattern provided on a transparent window, a pattern of openings in an opaque material, or an imaging object (a GOBO is known in the art of entertainment lighting), may be included within the shutter 242 so that the illuminated image may be imaged by the optical projection system. Thus, the lighting device 200 may be used for entertainment lighting. In the illustrated embodiment, light is directed by the light collector 241 along the optical axis 247 and passes through a plurality of light effects before exiting the lighting device through the front lens 243 a. The light effect may for example be any light effect known in the art of smart/entertainment lighting, such as a CMY subtractive color mixing system 251, a color filter 253, a patterned sheet (gobo)255, an animation effect 257, an aperture effect 259, a focusing lens group 243c, a zoom lens group 243b, a prism effect 261, a framing effect (not shown) or any other light effect known in the art. The mentioned light effects are only used to illustrate the principle of the lighting device for entertainment lighting, and other variants with additional or smaller light effects will be imaginable to a person skilled in the art of entertainment lighting. Further, it is noted that the order and position of the light effects may be changed.

Fig. 3 shows a block diagram of a moving head light fixture 302, said moving head light fixture 302 comprising a head 200 rotatably connected to a yoke 363, wherein said yoke is rotatably connected to a base 365. The head is substantially identical to the lighting device shown in fig. 2, and substantially identical features are labeled with the same reference numerals as in fig. 2 and will not be described further. The moving-head light fixture comprises a translational rotation means for rotating the yoke relative to the base, e.g. by rotating a translation shaft 367 connected to the yoke and arranged in bearings (not shown) in the base. Translation motor 369 is connected to shaft 367 by translation strip 371, and is configured to rotate the shaft and yoke relative to the base by the translation strip. The moving-head light fixture comprises tilt rotation means for rotating the head relative to the yoke, e.g. by rotating a tilt shaft 373 connected to the head and arranged in a bearing (not shown) in the yoke. The tilt motor 375 is connected to the tilt shaft 373 by a tilt belt 377 and is configured to rotate the shaft and head relative to the yoke by the tilt belt. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the pan and tilt rotation means may be configured in many different ways using mechanical components such as motors, shafts, gears, cables, chains, drive systems, bearings, etc. Alternatively, it is noted that it is also possible to arrange the translation motor in the base and/or the tilt motor in the head. Since the moving head light fixture is designed to be as small as possible, the space 379 between the yoke and the bottom portion of the head is limited. As is known in the art, the moving head light fixture receives power 381 from an external power source (not shown). The power is received by an internal power supply 383 which adapts and distributes the power to the subsystems of the moving head via an internal power line (not shown). The internal power system may be configured in many different ways, for example by connecting all subsystems to the same power line. However, the skilled person will recognize that some of the subsystems in the moving head require different kinds of power supplies, and that a ground line may also be used. For example, in most applications, the light source will require a different type of power supply than the stepper motor and driver circuitry. The luminaire further comprises a controller 385 (throughout this document, 'controller' may be used interchangeably with 'control device'), which controller 385 controls components (other subsystems) in the luminaire based on input signals 387 indicative of light effect parameters, position parameters and other parameters related to moving head lighting luminaire. As is known in the field of intelligent and entertainment lighting, the controller receives an input signal from a light controller (not shown), for example by using a standard protocol like DMX, ArtNET, RDM, etc. Typically, the light effect parameter is indicative of at least one light effect parameter related to different light effects in the lighting system. The controller 385 is adapted to send commands and instructions to the various subsystems of the moving head via internal communication lines (not shown). The intercom system may be based on various types of communication networks/systems. The moving head may further comprise user input means enabling a user to interact directly with the moving head instead of using the light controller to communicate with the moving head. The user input device 389 may be, for example, a base, joystick, touchpad, keyboard, mouse, or the like. User input means may also be supported by the display 391, which display 391 enables a user to interact with the moving head using the user input means through a menu system displayed on the display. In one embodiment, the display device and the user input device may also be integrated into a touch screen.

Fig. 4 shows a CIE 1931 color space 400 with coordinates of four light sources, wherein each of the light sources within the four light sources has a unique color, wherein the luminous flux of each of the light sources is independently controllable. The four unique colors are red (as indicated by pentagon 402), green (as indicated by triangle 404), blue (as indicated by circle 406), and white (as indicated by diamond 408), where the white light source may have a substantially continuous spectrum. The coordinates of the desired color are indicated by the star 410. The four light sources comprise two groups of light sources for which the convex hull covers the coordinates of the desired color. The color gamut of all color points that a luminaire with a plurality of independently controllable light sources of different colors can generate is covered by the convex hull of all color points of these light sources. The desired color point may be generated by a combination of all combinations of e.g. three light sources covering the target point. For example, the desired color may be produced as a combination of red, green, and blue light sources, as indicated by the larger triangle with dashed sides. As another example, the desired color may be produced as a combination of white, green, and blue light sources, as indicated by the smaller triangle with dashed sides. Although the desired color may thus be produced in two different ways, the resulting spectrum will not be the same (e.g., in the first case, the spectrum may include red, green, and blue peaks, while in the second case, the spectrum may be substantially continuous and have blue and green peaks).

The color of the light source may be described by the tristimulus level X, Y, Z according to the CIE 1931 color matching function, where Y is luminous flux and the scalar control value d is the range [ 0; 1]With 1 indicating that the light source is fully on and 0 indicating fully off. The resulting color R of the superposition of three light sources indicated by ' a ', ' b ', ' c_abc(wherein the RGB color level of the light source 'a' is X_a、Y_a、Z_aAnd a luminous flux of d_aRGB color levels are similar for light sources 'b' and 'c') can be obtained as a matrix product (where the matrix is indicated by two lines above the symbol and the vector is indicated by an arrow above the symbol):

by inverting the 3x3 matrixCan be provided for the resulting colorA set of three light sources 'a', 'b' and 'c' is usedAs follows:

note that it may be necessary to align the resulting vectorsScaling is done so that for i ═ a, b, c, max (d)_i) Where it is understood that the luminous flux is normalized so that it can be controlled from 0 to (maximum) 1. Coordinates in the color space (x, y) may be provided by these coordinates.

Accordingly, a method for identifying a plurality of settings may comprise: (a) finding all M triangles containing the desired color point (x, y); (b) identifying the settings of the light sources for each triangle (e.g., by inverting the matrix and scaling as outlined above); and (c) weighting the M solutions according to the selected preference.

Fig. 5 shows a graph 500 with possible selected preferences for weighting to achieve two or more settings. In the example of fig. 5, there are two possible solutions (such as triangles, see e.g. the situation of fig. 4). The figure shows on the x-axis a variable a, whose value is between 0 and 1 (including both endpoints 0 and 1), and indicates the contribution of each solution, such as the combination changing from consisting of only one solution when a is 0, gradually increasing the contribution from the other solution until the combination consists of only the other solution when a is 1 (the weighting in the combination D, such as the first solution S1 and the second solution S2, is D (1-a) S1+ a S2). The solution must be scaled so that all elements of D are at [ 0; 1 ]. The curve of the graph indicates the maximum luminous flux for the respective combination of the two solutions. The vertex of the curve where the two sections meet at vertex 530 is the point of maximum lumen output and may generally be selected according to the goal of maximizing lumen output. However, according to embodiments of the present invention, alternative weightings may be applied in order to provide a plurality of settings having similar or the same color and different spectra. The more light we allow to release, the greater the spectral difference we can obtain. However, it is envisioned and contemplated that in embodiments, one setting corresponds to a weighting that can achieve maximum lumen output.

According to an embodiment, the two settings (combination of solutions) are selected such that the difference in spectral distribution of the light emitted from the plurality of light sources is as large as possible when controlled according to the first setting and the second setting, and the luminous flux of each combination, such as the combination represented by circle 521 and star 522, is as large as possible.

According to an alternative embodiment, the two settings (combination of solutions) are selected such that the difference in the spectral distribution of the light emitted from the plurality of light sources is as large as possible when controlled according to the first setting and the second setting, and wherein the luminous flux of the light emitted from the plurality of light sources when controlled according to the first setting is the same as or similar to the luminous flux of the light emitted from the plurality of light sources when controlled according to the second setting, such as the combination represented by the heart 527 and the star 522.

Note that each of the above solutions involving circle 521, star 522 and heart 527 corresponds to a basic setting, wherein each basic setting indicates the luminous flux of each light source within a strict subset of light sources within the plurality of light sources (wherein each strict subset is one of the triangles, the remaining light sources not contributing).

However, it is also conceivable and contemplated that the solution is a superposition of a plurality of basic settings. For example in case the light flux of each of the light sources within the plurality of light sources is controlled in accordance with at least:

a fifth setting, see pentagon 525, and a sixth setting, see hexagon 526, the difference in the spectral distribution of the light emitted from the plurality of light sources for a given luminous flux θ when controlled according to the first setting and the second setting₅₆As large as possible, the number of,

a third setting, see triangle 523, for which the spectral distribution of the light emitted from the plurality of light sources when controlled according to the third setting is similar or identical to the spectral distribution of the light emitted from the plurality of light sources when controlled according to the fifth setting, and

a fourth setting, see diamond 524, for which the spectral distribution of light emitted from the plurality of light sources when controlled according to the fourth setting is similar to or the same as the spectral distribution of light emitted from the plurality of light sources when controlled according to the sixth setting,

and wherein a luminous flux θ of light emitted from the plurality of light sources when controlled according to the third setting₃₄And a luminous flux θ of light emitted from the plurality of light sources when controlled according to the fourth setting₃₄The same or similar to the other components in the same way,

and wherein the luminous flux θ of the light emitted from the plurality of light sources when controlled according to the third setting and/or the fourth setting₃₄A light flux θ different from light emitted from the plurality of light sources when controlled according to the fifth setting and/or the sixth setting₅₆。

Fig. 6 to 7 show illustrations of embodiments in the context of scene lighting.

Fig. 6 shows a moving head 602 emitting light 634 according to a first setting, the light illuminating a scene 600 comprising a background 633, a first object being a heart 631, and a second object being a star 632. The light 634 according to the first setting has a first spectral distribution as indicated by the spectrum 635, which makes both the first object of the heart 631 and the second object of the star 632 clearly visible to an observer, such as a person in a theatre audience.

Fig. 7 shows the same moving head 602 as in fig. 6 emitting light 734 according to a second setting, which illuminates the same scene 600 as in fig. 6, comprising the same background 633, the same first object as the heart 631, the same second object as the star 632. The light 734 according to the first setting has a second spectral distribution as indicated by the spectrum 735, which makes only the first object as the heart 631 clearly visible to an observer, whereas the second object as the star 632 is not clearly visible to an observer, such as a person in a theatre audience, such as dim (indicated by the dashed line forming the star 632 in fig. 6). This may be used, for example, to make the star look flickering by repeating an abrupt switching between the first setting and the second setting, and/or to make the star flicker by repeating a gradual change between the first setting and the second setting. The light 734 emitted according to the second setting has the same color as the light 634 emitted according to the first setting. Therefore, in the case where the background is formed of a white material, for example, in the case where the light fluxes according to the first setting and the second setting are the same, there may be little or no difference between the illumination of the background 633 according to the first setting or the second setting as observed by the observer.

A method 100 for controlling a luminaire 200 comprising light sources of unique colors with individually controllable luminous fluxes is proposed, wherein the method comprises controlling 104 the luminous fluxes of each of the light sources, wherein the spectral distributions of the light emitted from the plurality of light sources when controlled according to settings within a plurality of settings are different between the settings, and the colors of the light emitted from the plurality of light sources are similar or identical between the settings. In situations where a certain color of emitted light is desired, for example where a certain prop or garment is better illuminated with one setting than another, the invention may be advantageous to improve color rendering, for example by attracting attention to certain objects in the scene by selecting a setting that highlights certain objects, and/or to provide interesting optical effects, for example by transitioning between settings such that certain objects appear to change color while other objects appear to remain the same color.

While the invention has been described in connection with specific embodiments, the invention should not be construed as being limited in any way to the examples set forth. The scope of the invention is set forth in the appended claims. In the context of the claims, the term "comprising" or "comprises" does not exclude other possible elements or steps. Furthermore, references to references such as "a" or "an" should not be interpreted as excluding a plurality. The use of reference signs in the claims with respect to elements indicated in the figures shall not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention either. Furthermore, individual features mentioned in different claims may possibly be advantageously combined, and the mentioning of these features in different claims does not exclude that a combination of features is not possible and advantageous.