Optical pre-processing device, ambience light control device and ambience light system

Abstract

The application provides an optical preprocessing device, an atmosphere lamp control device and an atmosphere lamp system. The atmosphere lamp control device comprises: an optical acquisition module, which is used to capture light emitted by a display device setting area and form an intermediate image plane; a static optical array, which is arranged on the light path of the intermediate image plane and is used to modulate or spatially gate the light beams from the intermediate image plane to form a spot array composed of a plurality of discrete light spots; a photoelectric sensing array, which is arranged at a position formed by the spot array and is used to receive the spot array and convert the light intensity and color components of the spot array into electrical signals; and a main control module, which is connected to the photoelectric sensing array and is used to receive and convert the electrical signals into lamp effect driving signals to realize control over the atmosphere lamp. The application has the remarkable advantages of zero computing cost, ultra-low delay, high anti-interference, high reliability and the ability to realize natural smoothing of lamp effects.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of lighting control, and more particularly to optical pretreatment devices, ambient lighting control equipment, and ambient lighting systems. Background Technology

[0002] Ambient lighting systems, as intelligent lighting fixtures, primarily work by recognizing the content and color of a designated area on a display device such as a TV, projector, or game console screen, especially the color at the edge of the screen. They then intelligently adjust the color, brightness, and dynamic effects of the lights surrounding the screen based on the color at the screen edge, synchronizing the lighting effects with the color at the screen edge to enhance the visual effects of the video and provide users with an immersive visual experience.

[0003] Currently, ambient lighting control devices acquire the content and color of the screen's designated area primarily through the following two methods:

[0004] 1. Video signal acquisition method. Specifically, this involves outputting the video signal from the video device to an image processing device (FPGA, etc.) via a data cable such as HDMI. The image processing device then processes the video signal to identify the colors at the edges of the image. While this method has low latency, it requires the purchase and installation of additional image processing equipment, resulting in higher costs. Furthermore, the same image processing equipment may not be compatible with different video devices, leading to poor compatibility.

[0005] 2. Acquiring video footage via an external camera. Specifically, an external camera captures video footage from the video device, which is then transmitted in real-time to an image processor. The image processor uses complex image processing algorithms, such as image segmentation, distortion correction, and color sampling, to process the image and obtain the edge colors of the video footage. The disadvantages of this method are that it requires significant computing power, has relatively high latency, increases production costs, and is susceptible to interference from ambient light due to camera-based acquisition.

[0006] In summary, ambient lighting control devices currently suffer from problems such as complex calculations, high costs, and compatibility issues. Summary of the Invention

[0007] This application provides an optical preprocessing device, an ambient light control device, and an ambient light system, which can solve the problems of complex algorithms, high cost, and poor compatibility of existing technical solutions that use video signal acquisition or video image acquisition through external cameras.

[0008] According to a first aspect of this application, this application provides an optical preprocessing apparatus for sampling a set area of ​​a display device screen, comprising: an optical acquisition module for capturing light emitted from the set area of ​​the display device and forming an intermediate image plane; and a static optical array disposed in the optical path of the intermediate image plane for modulating or spatially gating the light beam from the intermediate image plane to form a spot array composed of multiple discrete light spots.

[0009] Preferably, the optical acquisition module includes at least one reflector, the intermediate image plane is a virtual image plane, and the reflector is set at a predetermined position in front of the light-emitting plane of the display device, so as to reflect the light-emitting plane and image it onto the virtual image plane.

[0010] Preferably, the static optical array includes a microlens array for modulating the light beam from the intermediate image plane.

[0011] Preferably, the static optical array includes at least one Fresnel lens and at least one aperture array for spatially gating beams from the intermediate image plane.

[0012] According to a second aspect of this application, an ambient light control device is provided for controlling ambient lights, comprising: an optical preprocessing device as described above; a photoelectric sensor array disposed at the location where the light spot array is formed, for receiving the light spot array and converting the light intensity and color components of the light spot array into electrical signals; and a main control module connected to the photoelectric sensor array, for receiving and converting the electrical signals into lighting effect driving signals to realize the control of the ambient lights.

[0013] Preferably, the photoelectric sensing array includes photodiodes arranged corresponding to discrete light spots and color filters or color sensors.

[0014] Preferably, the photoelectric sensing array includes a color sensor corresponding to the discrete light spots.

[0015] According to a third aspect of this application, this application provides an ambient lighting system, which includes: an ambient lighting control device as described above and an ambient light, wherein the ambient lighting control device is connected to and controls the ambient light to emit light.

[0016] The beneficial effects of this application are as follows: 1. Zero or low computational overhead: The color of a designated area, such as the edge of the screen, is acquired through optical acquisition. This contrasts sharply with existing technologies that require images to be acquired through a camera and rely on a high-performance processor to run complex image processing algorithms (such as image segmentation, main color extraction, and differentiation between dark and non-dark pixels) or image processors such as FPGA chips to sample and decode video signals through complex algorithms. Because it does not rely on a high-performance processor to run complex AI models or image processing algorithms, hardware costs and power consumption are greatly reduced. 2. Ultra-low latency: The processing of optical signals is a purely physical process with almost no latency. The latency of the entire system depends only on the sampling period of the main control module, achieving a computational latency far lower than any software-based image processing solution, while also achieving a naturally smooth and soft lighting effect. 3. High robustness and anti-interference: The optical acquisition module (such as a reflector) is directionally selective in its physical structure and is not sensitive to ambient light, because only light from a specific direction (reflected by the reflector) can effectively enter the optical system. Furthermore, it is unaffected by rapid screen flickering, resulting in a naturally smooth output signal. This is superior to existing technologies that rely on algorithms (such as low-light thresholds) to filter complex light in software. 4. High Reliability: The entire optical system consists of passive optical components such as mirrors and microlens arrays, with no moving parts. The electronic components are limited to simple photoelectric sensors and an MCU. The all-solid-state design results in a lower failure rate and higher stability compared to systems that rely on complex software and high-performance processors. 5. Lower Cost: The entire system eliminates the need for expensive cameras and powerful image processing chips, significantly reducing product costs.

[0017] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and are not intended to limit the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an ambient lighting system according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0019] The reference numerals in the attached figures are explained as follows: Ambient light control device 1, Optical preprocessing device 10, Optical acquisition module 101, Static optical array 102, Photoelectric sensor array 20, Main control module 30, Ambient light 2. Detailed Implementation

[0020] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains; the terminology used herein in the specification of the application is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the application; the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, in the specification, claims, and foregoing drawings of this application, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion. The terms "first," "second," etc., in the specification, claims, or foregoing drawings of this application are used to distinguish different objects, not to describe a particular order.

[0021] In this document, the term "embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of this application. The appearance of this phrase in various places throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a separate or alternative embodiment mutually exclusive with other embodiments. It will be explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein can be combined with other embodiments.

[0022] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the present application, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0023] Please see Figure 1 In one exemplary embodiment, an optical preprocessing apparatus 10 is used to sample a designated area of ​​a display device screen, including but not limited to:

[0024] The optical acquisition module 101 is used to capture the light emitted from the set area of ​​the display device and image it onto an intermediate image plane; the static optical array 102 is disposed in the optical path of the intermediate image plane and is used to modulate or spatially select the light beam from the intermediate image plane to form a light spot array composed of multiple discrete light spots.

[0025] In this embodiment, the optical acquisition module 101 includes at least one reflector, with the central image plane being a virtual image plane. The reflector is positioned at a predetermined location in front of the light-emitting plane of the display device, reflecting the emitted image onto a virtual image plane. Specifically, the reflector can be positioned at the edge in front of the display device screen, reflecting light from the edge area of ​​the screen onto a virtual image plane. The number of reflectors is not limited here; it can be two, positioned at the top and bottom edges of the display device screen respectively, or it can be four, positioned at the four edges of the display device screen respectively.

[0026] The reflector primarily captures the light emitted from the screen and directs it to the sensor, effectively reducing interference from ambient light directly in front or above. Since the virtual image is a clear and fixed copy of the screen content, the subsequent static optical array 102 (microlens / Fresnel lens) is designed based on this fixed virtual image plane. It doesn't need to consider the screen's position or shape; it only needs to modulate and partition the beam towards this virtual image. In short, the reflector's function is to optically transfer the "image" from the screen's edge to a "virtual image plane" behind the system, providing a stable, clear, and partitioned light source for subsequent optical and electronic processing.

[0027] In this embodiment, the static optical array 102 includes a microlens array for modulating the light beam from the intermediate image plane. Specifically, the microlens array is placed near the intermediate image plane, with each microlens corresponding to a preset partition on the image plane and focusing the light from that region into an independent discrete spot. The advantages of using a microlens array are: since each lens is a complete focusing element, it can collect more light, resulting in a higher signal-to-noise ratio, and the light from adjacent microlenses is essentially non-interfering, with clear partition boundaries.

[0028] In this embodiment, the static optical array 102 includes at least one Fresnel lens and at least one aperture array, which is used for spatial gating of the light beam from the intermediate image plane. Specifically, the Fresnel lens first collects the entire light beam from the intermediate image plane and projects it onto the real image plane. The aperture array (i.e., a baffle with multiple small holes) is then positioned at the real image plane. Through spatial gating, only the light beam corresponding to the preset partition is allowed to pass through the small holes, thereby forming discrete light spots downstream. The advantages of using a Fresnel lens + aperture array are that the Fresnel lens and aperture array are relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture, and highly flexible. The number and layout of partitions can be easily changed simply by replacing the aperture array plate.

[0029] Please continue reading. Figure 1 In an exemplary embodiment, an ambient light control device 1 for controlling an ambient light 2 includes: an optical preprocessing device 10, a photoelectric sensor array 20, and a main control module 30.

[0030] The photoelectric sensor array 20 is located at the position where the light spot array is formed. It is used to receive the light spot array and convert the light intensity and color components of the light spot array into electrical signals. The main control module 30 is connected to the photoelectric sensor array 20. It is used to receive the electrical signals and convert them into lighting effect driving signals to control the ambient light 2.

[0031] In this embodiment, the photoelectric sensing array 20 includes a photodiode and a color filter. The photodiode is precisely aligned with the discrete light spot generated by the static optical array 102. Each photodiode receives and converts the light intensity signal of a discrete light spot.

[0032] Specifically, for each partition in the array, the photoelectric sensing array 20 is equipped with a three-channel sensor unit, which consists of at least three physically independent or integrated photodiodes on the same chip. The surface of the first photodiode is covered with a red filter, which mainly allows light in the red light band to pass through. The surface of the second photodiode is covered with a green filter, which allows light in the green light band to pass through. The surface of the third photodiode is covered with a blue filter, which allows light in the blue light band to pass through.

[0033] The photoelectric sensor array 20 works as follows: when a discrete light spot illuminates the sensor unit, its light energy is simultaneously split into three channels: red, green, and blue. Each photodiode converts the received light intensity into a corresponding current signal. Subsequently, the current signal can be converted into three independent analog voltage signals using a transimpedance amplifier or a simple load resistor. The ratio of these three analog voltage signals represents the color of the discrete light spot, and their sum represents the total brightness (light intensity signal) of the light spot. This allows the acquisition of color information and light intensity signals from the light spot data.

[0034] In another embodiment, commercially available integrated RGB color light sensor chips can be used. These chips integrate three-channel or four-channel photodiode arrays, filters, and current-to-voltage or even partial analog-to-digital converter circuits, simplifying circuit design.

[0035] In this embodiment, the main control module 30 is connected to the photoelectric sensor array 20, and its main working steps are as follows:

[0036] Step i: Periodically read the analog voltage signal output by the photoelectric sensor array corresponding to each preset partition. Specifically, the main control module 30 is triggered at a preset low frequency, such as 5 to 10 times per second (10Hz), which is significantly lower than the mainstream video frame rate (such as 60Hz). This low-frequency sampling method can coarsely process the dynamic changes of the screen content in the time dimension, and can actively filter out instantaneous and high-frequency color flicker in the video content, ensuring the stability and smoothness of the subsequent lighting effects on the time axis.

[0037] Step ii: The digital color value sequence obtained from low-frequency sampling is smoothed and filtered to eliminate residual signal fluctuations and rapid hue changes, generating a slowly changing signal sequence representing the average brightness of each preset zone. The specific implementation method is as follows:

[0038] The first method involves placing a low-pass RC filter between the output of the photoelectric sensor array 20 and the input of the main control module 30. This RC filter has a low cutoff frequency, which automatically attenuates high-frequency noise and rapid color-changing components in the signal.

[0039] The second method is for the main control module 30 to directly perform software integration, arithmetic average, or exponential moving average algorithms on the sampled voltage signal to achieve time-domain smoothing.

[0040] Step iii: Convert the smoothed signal sequence into a control signal that the ambient light 2 can recognize. Specifically, the main control module 30, according to the communication protocol of the target ambient light 2 (such as WS281X or other single-wire / dual-wire protocols), converts all signal sequences containing color and light intensity information into high-speed digital electrical signals with precise timing requirements, thereby achieving precise control of the light.

[0041] Please continue reading. Figure 1 In one exemplary embodiment, an ambient lighting system includes, but is not limited to, an ambient lighting control device 1 and an ambient light 2, wherein the ambient light 2 is connected to and controls the ambient light 2 to emit light.

[0042] In this embodiment, the ambient light 2 may include multiple lighting units, which may be LED lights, strip lights, bar lights, light columns, planar lights, LED bead arrays, etc. The specific number, product form, and lighting effect of the lighting units are set according to the actual situation and are not limited here.

[0043] The following is combined with Figure 1 The working principle of this application will be explained.

[0044] First, light emitted from a designated area of ​​the display device, such as the edge of the display device's light-emitting plane, is captured by a plane mirror and imaged onto an intermediate image plane.

[0045] Specifically, a plane mirror is placed at the front edge of the display screen, reflecting light from the edge area and imaging it onto an intermediate plane, which serves as the virtual image plane. This virtual image plane acts as the intermediate image plane in the optical path. The advantages of using a mirror are: it can refract light at low cost and form a virtual image without physical obstructions; its structure also helps to shield ambient light from the front, improving the purity of the collected light. The number of mirrors is not limited; two can be used, placed at the top and bottom edges of the display screen, or four can be used, placed at the four edges of the display screen.

[0046] Then, the beam from the intermediate image plane is modulated or spatially gated by a static optical array to form a spot array composed of multiple discrete spots.

[0047] Specifically, by placing a microlens array near the intermediate image plane, each microlens in the array is aligned with a predetermined partition area on the intermediate image plane, focusing the light from that area into an independent discrete spot. The color and brightness of this discrete spot are the optical integral of the colors and brightness of all light rays within its corresponding partition area.

[0048] In another embodiment, spatial gating of a beam from an intermediate image plane can be achieved using at least one Fresnel lens and at least one aperture array. Specifically, the Fresnel lens first collects the entire beam from the intermediate image plane and projects it onto the real image plane, while the aperture array (i.e., a baffle with multiple small holes) is positioned on the projection focal plane of the Fresnel lens. The positions and sizes of the apertures in the aperture array precisely correspond to preset partitioned regions, and the beam passing through the small holes forms discrete light spots. This method achieves spatial gating of preset regions, thereby realizing optical partitioning.

[0049] Next, the photoelectric sensor receives the light spot array and converts the light intensity and color components of the light spot array into electrical signals. Specifically, the color and brightness of discrete light spots can be obtained through photoelectric sensing arrays such as photodiodes, color filters, or color sensors.

[0050] Finally, the main control module receives, processes, and converts the electrical signals into lighting effect drive signals to control the ambient lights. Specifically, the main control module samples the signals 5 to 10 times per second (5Hz to 10Hz), then smooths the sampled electrical signals to generate a slowly changing, smoothly varying signal sequence containing color and light intensity information. The main control module then encodes the signal sequence into lighting effect drive signals to control the ambient lights.

[0051] According to the communication protocol of the target ambient light 2 (such as WS281X or other single-wire / dual-wire protocols), all signal sequences containing color and light intensity information are converted into high-speed digital electrical signals with precise timing requirements, thereby achieving precise control of the lighting. Because the electrical signals undergo coarse processing in both time and space—namely, through physical spot integration (achieving spatial coarsening or resolution reduction) and a low sampling rate (achieving temporal coarsening)—a slowly and smoothly changing signal sequence can ultimately be obtained.

[0052] In this embodiment, the fixing method and layout of the ambient light 2 are set according to the actual situation, and no restrictions are imposed here.

[0053] The beneficial effects of this application are as follows: 1. Zero or low computational overhead: The color of a designated area, such as the edge of the screen, is acquired through optical acquisition. This contrasts sharply with existing technologies that require images to be acquired through a camera and rely on a high-performance processor to run complex image processing algorithms (such as image segmentation, main color extraction, and differentiation between dark and non-dark pixels) or image processors such as FPGA chips to sample and decode video signals through complex algorithms. Because it does not rely on a high-performance processor to run complex AI models or image processing algorithms, hardware costs and power consumption are greatly reduced. 2. Ultra-low latency: The processing of optical signals is a purely physical process with almost no latency. The latency of the entire system depends only on the sampling period of the main control module, achieving a computational latency far lower than any software-based image processing solution, while also achieving a naturally smooth and soft lighting effect. 3. High robustness and anti-interference: The optical acquisition module (such as a reflector) is directionally selective in its physical structure and is not sensitive to ambient light, because only light from a specific direction (reflected by the reflector) can effectively enter the optical system. Furthermore, it is unaffected by rapid screen flickering, resulting in a naturally smooth output signal. This is superior to existing technologies that rely on algorithms (such as low-light thresholds) to filter complex light in software. 4. High Reliability: The entire optical system consists of passive optical components such as mirrors and microlens arrays, with no moving parts. The electronic components are limited to simple photoelectric sensors and an MCU. The all-solid-state design results in a lower failure rate and higher stability compared to systems that rely on complex software and high-performance processors. 5. Lower Cost: The entire system eliminates the need for expensive cameras and powerful image processing chips, significantly reducing product costs.

[0054] The above description is merely a preferred exemplary embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the implementation of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can easily make corresponding modifications or alterations based on the main concept and spirit of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the scope of protection claimed in the claims.

Claims

1. An optical preprocessing apparatus, characterized in that, It is used to sample a designated area of ​​the display device screen, and includes: An optical acquisition module is used to capture light emitted from a designated area of ​​the display device and image it onto an intermediate image plane; A static optical array, disposed in the optical path of the intermediate image plane, is used to modulate or spatially gate the light beam from the intermediate image plane to form a spot array composed of multiple discrete light spots.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The optical acquisition module includes at least one reflector, the intermediate image plane is a virtual image plane, and the reflector is disposed at a predetermined position in front of the light-emitting plane of the display device, so as to reflect the light-emitting plane and image it onto the virtual image plane.

3. The apparatus as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The static optical array includes a microlens array for modulating the light beam from the intermediate image plane.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The static optical array includes at least one Fresnel lens and at least one aperture array for spatially gating beams from the intermediate image plane.

5. An ambient lighting control device, characterized in that, It is used to control ambient lighting, including: The optical pretreatment apparatus as described in any one of claims 1 to 4; An optoelectronic sensor array is disposed at the location where the light spot array is formed, for receiving the light spot array and converting the light intensity and color components of the light spot array into electrical signals; The main control module, which is connected to the photoelectric sensor array, is used to receive the electrical signal and convert it into a lighting effect driving signal to control the ambient light.

6. The device as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The photoelectric sensing array includes photodiodes and color filters or color sensors arranged corresponding to the discrete light spots.

7. The device as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The photoelectric sensing array includes color sensors configured corresponding to the discrete light spots.

8. An ambient lighting system, characterized in that, It includes: The ambient light control device and ambient light as described in any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the ambient light control device is connected to and controls the ambient light to emit light.

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