Method and system for active color cancellation in transition zones of multicolor lighting systems

Abstract

A method includes receiving data indicating at least two different primary colors to be emitted by primary lights on opposite sides of at least one transition light of a light array. Each light of the light array has adjustable colors and is covered by one or more light guides, and receiving data of a target color intermediate between the two primary colors in at least one coordinate dimension on a color space map of chromaticity. The method also includes determining at least one matching color on an opposite side of the target color from a blend color on the color space map and providing the at least one matching color to be emitted by the at least one transition light when the primary colors are respectively and simultaneously emitted by the primary lights on opposite sides of the at least one transition light.

Description

[0001] The technical field relates generally to lighting systems for vehicles and, in particular, to vehicle lighting systems that emit light in multiple colors simultaneously.

[0002] Some modern vehicles feature functional and / or decorative lights, such as LED light bars, that can emit multiple colors of light simultaneously, allowing the colors to be seen side by side along the light bar in a color pattern or rainbow-like display. The lights can be set to emit specific desired colors. It may be desirable to provide additional control over the colors provided by vehicle lighting systems.

[0003] DE 10 2012 203 206 A1 discloses a vehicle lighting device and a method for changing color outputs by a lighting device. The method comprises activating the lighting device to emit a first colored light and deactivating the first colored light. The method further comprises the steps of generating an intermediate colored light with the lighting device for a short time. The method further comprises the step of generating a second colored light with the lighting device. Accordingly, the intermediate colored light prevents the perceptible generation of an undesired intermediate colored light.

[0004] US 2012 / 0286699 A1 discloses a device used to tune a color produced by an LED-based lamp to a desired color or color temperature. To assist in tuning, the lamp may contain two or more independently addressable LED groups. The color or color temperature is adjusted by controlled distribution of an input current among the LED groups. The device determines an optimal distribution of the input current based on a linear interpolation between measured color or color temperature values ​​produced by at least two different distributions of the input current.

[0005] US 8,096,675 B1 discloses an apparatus and method for mixing and adjusting an LED color tone at the LED emitter level or the array level in an array to obtain a consistent average weighted wavelength and / or desired luminous flux, thereby reducing the dispersion of a color range and thus narrowing the observed LED color range. Mixing LEDs with different wavelengths and luminous fluxes expands the color gamut of LEDs that can be used in a particular luminaire with a specific color specification.

[0006] US 2019 / 0159316 A1 discloses a method for color aberration correction for a segmented LED array. The method comprises calculating a target luminance for LED segments in a segmented LED array based on an initial luminance pattern, and determining a luminance ratio based on the target luminance. The luminance ratio is defined as a ratio of a primary luminance value of the primary LED segment to a secondary luminance value of at least one adjacent LED segment. The method further comprises comparing the luminance ratio to a predefined threshold ratio. If the luminance ratio is greater than or equal to the predefined ratio, then the secondary luminance value of the at least one adjacent LED segment is maintained.If the luminance ratio is less than the predefined ratio, the secondary luminance value of at least one adjacent LED segment is increased.

[0007] Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a lighting system that manages unintentional color mixing between desired colors. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing introduction.

[0008] A method includes receiving data indicating at least two different primary colors to be emitted by primary lights on opposite sides of at least one transition light of a light array. Each light of the light array has adjustable colors and is covered by one or more light guides. The method also includes receiving data of a target color intermediate between the two primary colors in at least one coordinate dimension on a color space map of chromaticity. The two primary colors have an undesirable blend color on a linear line between the two primary colors in the color space map. The method includes determining, by at least one processor, at least one adjustment color on a side of the blend color opposite the target color in the color space map.The method also includes providing the at least one adjustment color to be emitted by the at least one transition light when the primary colors are respectively and simultaneously emitted by the primary lights on opposite sides of the at least one transition light.

[0009] Also according to another exemplary implementation, the lights of the light array are arranged in a linear array or a matrix array, and individual lights of the light array are each color-adjustable LED packages with three diodes in three different colors.

[0010] According to another exemplary implementation, the method also includes selecting the adjustable color such that emitting the adjustable color results in a transition zone between the two primary colors, wherein at least one perceptible transition color is visible on opposite sides of the target color between the transition colors.

[0011] In another example implementation, the target color is white.

[0012] In another example implementation, the target color is chosen so that the transition colors have a lower saturation than the primary colors.

[0013] According to another example implementation, the transition colors include a first transition color and a second transition color, each of which is closer in hue to the first primary color and the second primary color and the target color than the difference in hue between each of the primary colors and the mixed color.

[0014] According to another example implementation, determining the adjustment color also includes selecting a color value of the adjustment color that lies substantially on the same linear line between the blend color and the target color.

[0015] According to another exemplary implementation, determining the adjustment color also includes selecting a color value of the adjustment color that is substantially the same and opposite distance from the target color as the blend color.

[0016] According to another example implementation, determining the adjustment color also includes setting the target color along a line from the blend color to the adjustment color.

[0017] According to another example implementation, the target color is set to the midpoint of the line between the blend color and the adjustment color.

[0018] A lighting system comprises a light array under at least one light guide, each light having an adjustable color. A light controller is communicatively coupled to the light array to control the color of the lights. A processor circuit forms at least one processor communicatively coupled to the light array and arranged to operate the light controller by receiving data indicating at least two different primary colors to be emitted by primary lights on opposite sides of at least one transition light of the light array, and by receiving data of a target color intermediate the two primary colors in at least one coordinate dimension on a color space map of chromaticity.The two primary colors have an undesirable blend color on a line between the two primary colors in the color space map, with at least one matching color being determined on a side of the blend color in the color space map opposite the target color. The processor ensures that the at least one matching color is emitted by the at least one transition light when the primary colors are each emitted simultaneously by the primary lights on opposite sides of the at least one transition light.

[0019] According to another exemplary implementation, determining the at least one adjustment color comprises determining a distance and a direction between the blend color and the target color and doubling the distance in the same direction.

[0020] In another example implementation, the adjustment color is more saturated than the target color.

[0021] According to another example implementation, the light array is a two-dimensional matrix of lights with multiple transition zones, each having a target color and an adjustment color.

[0022] According to another exemplary implementation, the adjustment color is chosen such that the light array emits transition colors whose hue is closer to one of the primary colors than the difference in hue between the mixed color and one of the primary colors.

[0023] In another example implementation, a vehicle includes a body and a light array under a light guide. Individual lights of the light array each have an adjustable color. The vehicle also has a memory and processor circuitry forming at least one processor communicatively coupled to the memory and the array. The processor is operative to receive data indicating at least two different primary colors to be emitted by primary lights on opposite sides of at least one transition light of the light array, and to receive data of a target color intermediate between the two primary colors in at least one coordinate dimension on a color space map. The two primary colors have an undesirable blend color on a line between the two primary colors in the color space chromaticity map.The processor is also arranged to operate by determining at least one adjustment color on an opposite side of the target color from the blend color on the color space map and providing the at least one adjustment color to be emitted by the at least one transition light when the primary colors are respectively and simultaneously emitted by the primary lights on opposite sides of the at least one transition light.

[0024] According to another example implementation, the adjustment color is emitted by more than one transition light on the array.

[0025] According to another exemplary implementation, emitting the adjustment color at the at least one transition light results in at least two transition colors and the target color between the two transition colors being emitted.

[0026] According to another exemplary implementation, determining the adjustment color also includes determining a plurality of adjustment colors, each of which is to cause a different transition color than the other adjustment colors.

[0027] According to another example implementation, the light array is mounted on an instrument panel, the inside of one or more vehicle doors, the steering wheel, the instrument panel, the center console, the vehicle ceiling, or any combination of these elements.

[0028] The present disclosure is described below in conjunction with the following drawings. The drawings are not to scale and reference numerals throughout the figures indicate like elements, and wherein: Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of a lighting system of a vehicle according to at least one of the embodiments described herein; Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of an example instrument panel of an example vehicle having a lighting system according to at least one of the embodiments described herein; Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary light array and the resulting desired adjacent colors according to at least one of the embodiments described herein; Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram of another example of a light array and a resulting mixed color between desired colors modified by at least one of the implementations described herein; Fig. 5 is a flowchart of a method of operating a lighting system according to at least one of the embodiments described herein; Fig. 5A is a diagram showing the color locations for a color space used to calculate adjustment colors according to at least one of the implementations described herein; Fig. 6 is a diagram of a color space showing colors used to create a less perceptible mixed color according to at least one of the implementations described herein; Fig. 7 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary light array with less noticeable unwanted mixed colors in a transition zone between two desired colors according to at least one of the implementations described herein; Fig. 8 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary light pattern for a matrix lighting system and having more natural colors in transition zones between desired colors according to at least one of the embodiments described herein; and Fig. 9 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary matrix lighting system used to control the light pattern of Fig. 8 according to at least one of the embodiments described herein.

[0029] With reference to Fig. 1 and in various embodiments, a lighting system 100 or lighting device includes a power source 102, a memory 104, an interface (or user interface) 106, processor circuitry forming one or more processors 108, a light control unit (or simply light controller) 110 communicatively connected to at least one light array 112 having a plurality of spaced-apart lights 118 forming the array. The light controller 110 includes a color setting (set) unit 114 and a color cancellation (cancel) unit 116.

[0030] The lighting system 100 can be installed in whole or in part on a vehicle 200 ( Fig. 2) or mounted at a different location where the light array 112 is located. Thus, the electronic components of the lighting system 100 may be located on a circuit board or other device mounted near or adjacent to the light array 112, regardless of whether the light array is connected wirelessly or wired to the light controller 110 and / or other components. The light controller 110 may be part of or located on other electronic devices or circuits in the vehicle and used for functions other than operating the light array 112. Otherwise, one or more components of the lighting system 100 may be remote from the light array 112 when the light array 112 is located in a vehicle or other location, in which case the remote units may be connected via communication or computer networks, such asMobile communications, internet, wide-world web, wide-area, local-area, personal-area, or any other suitable data communications network. In various embodiments, such communications networks may be satellite-based and / or include any number of other types of wireless communications networks. In one example, the data mentioned herein is transmitted over a 5G network.

[0031] Thus, in one example, at least the interface 106 may be located on a mobile device such as a smartphone or tablet, although such a mobile device may have more units as long as a power source 102 and a lighting controller 110 for adjusting colors, activating lights, or deactivating lights on the light array 112 are located at the location of the light array 112, for example, in a vehicle. Otherwise, a cloud or other remote server or device may have one or more units of the lighting system 100.

[0032] The lighting controller 110 includes any combination of software, firmware, and hardware (including the processor 108) used to operate the light array 112. The lighting controller 110, and more specifically its software components, may or may not be stored in the memory 104 and may be operated by the processor 108. The lighting controller 110 may also include a computer bus (not shown) and receives data, such as the selection of the primary color, from the interface 106. In other examples, the lighting controller 110 may be part of a larger control system that controls many systems, such as systems within a vehicle, including an entertainment system, or vehicle lighting systems, such as for headlights, taillights, cornering lights, interior lights, door lights, instrument panel lights, dashboard displays, and so on.The term dashboard is used herein in a general sense and includes the displays or other components facing the driver and front passenger, including the instrument panel, screen, glove compartment, air vents, etc. In this case, the control of the lighting may be coordinated with any subsystem of the vehicle. For example, an entertainment system such as an audio system may be set to change the color of the lights 118 in synchronization with changes in the audio output. Such synchronization may be used with any of the lighting subsystems or any other vehicle system, as desired. It will be appreciated that the lighting control 110 may be different from that shown in FIG. Fig. 1 may differ from the implementation shown.

[0033] In this example, the color adjustment unit 114 can receive the primary colors selected by the user via the interface 106 or generate its own primary colors, either randomly, through predetermined light patterns (or color sequences), or through light patterns calculated on demand or spontaneously, as desired. Many variations are conceivable, and the present light control device is not specifically limited to such methods for generating primary colors.

[0034] The color cancellation unit 116 determines whether instructions or signals are received to simultaneously emit one or more lights of one primary color alongside one or more lights of a different primary color. In this case, the color cancellation unit 116 determines matching colors to be emitted between the two primary colors. The matching colors, in an expected value format such as binary RGB values, can then be fed to the color adjustment unit 114 to convert the data signals into electrical or data signals and control the lights 118 to emit the matching colors. The details of selecting the matching colors are described below.

[0035] The light array 112 may have the lights 118 arranged in a linear strip of light (as shown), a series of lights in any line shape, a matrix with rows and columns of lights, any combination thereof, and / or any other desired irregularly shaped array, pattern, or arrangement where lights of the light array near or adjacent to each other may simultaneously emit multiple different primary colors. The lighting system 100 may also have more than one light array 112, where the light arrays may or may not be controlled separately (e.g., unsynchronized).

[0036] In one form, each light 118 is an RGB (or other primary color) LED package with three LED diodes, so that any desired light perceived by a person can be emitted by a single light. If the lights 118 are simple electrical signal RGB LED packages, each of the red, green, and blue LEDs within the package can have its own anode and cathode terminals. In this case, the color of the emitted light is controlled by adjusting the current or voltage for each of the three LEDs. By varying the intensity of each individual LED, a wide range of colors can be achieved through the additive mixing of the primary colors. This type of RGB LED uses direct analog control to adjust the colors, often using resistors, variable resistors, or pulse-width modulation (PWM) by the light controller 110.

[0037] If the lights are RGB packages with data signal control, the LEDs can be individually addressable, such as WS2812 or APA102 light arrays, as random examples, which contain a small control circuit within each LED package. These LEDs receive digital data signals to adjust the color and brightness of the LEDs. The lighting controller 110 can send a serial data stream encoding the color values ​​for the red, green, and blue channels, and optionally the brightness values ​​for each LED. These LEDs use specific communication protocols, such as one-wire or two-wire interfaces, to transmit the data.

[0038] The lights 118 of the light array 112 may be covered by a light guide 120 made of a transparent or translucent (semi-transparent or semi-opaque) or other diffuser material, such as acrylic, polycarbonate, and / or silicone.

[0039] At least one processor 108 that performs the calculations and control functions of the lighting controller 110 may include any type of processor circuitry, including one or more processors, processor cores, individual integrated circuits such as microprocessor(s), microcontrollers, processors on systems on a chip (SoC), shared processors, processors with specific functions, or any suitable number of integrated devices, processor circuits, and / or circuit boards that cooperate to perform the functions of a processing unit. Note that, herein, reference to processor 108 is made in the singular, but includes at least one processor. During operation, the processor 108 performs one or more of the light cancellation or transition color generation tasks of the lighting controller 110.The processor 108 may or may not operate one or more systems of a vehicle or other device that includes the lighting system 100. For example, the processor 108 may control an entertainment system in a vehicle, as well as a primary lighting system of the vehicle, such as headlights, taillights, cornering lights, interior lights, door lights, etc., and each of these systems or subsystems may be coordinated with the operation of the lighting system 100, as mentioned above. Thus, the processor 108 may control the general functions of the lighting controller 110 and perform the processes described herein on the vehicle, such as portions of the functions described in the . Fig. 3-9 and the implementations described below in connection with them.

[0040] The memory 104 (including storage) may be any suitable type of memory. For example, the memory 104 may include various types of volatile memory, various types of dynamic random access memory (DRAM) such as SDRAM, various types of static RAM (SRAM), cache, and various types of non-volatile memory (PROM, EPROM, and Flash). In certain examples, the memory 104 is located on and / or disposed on the same computer chip as the processor 108. In the illustrated implementation, the memory 104 stores the software (programming or code) for the lighting controller 110.The memory 104 may also include one or more databases to store data relating, for example, to adjustment colors or even to the color setting values ​​for predetermined primary color pairs, and as described herein, as well as any other data relating to the color setting for the lights 118 and as described below with the . Fig. 2-9 are explained.

[0041] As mentioned above, the processor 108 and / or the lighting controller 110 may have one or more buses (not shown) to communicate programs, data, status, and other information or signals between the various components of the lighting system 100, including the light array 112. The bus may be any suitable physical or logical connection between computer systems and components. This includes, but is not limited to, direct, hard-wired connections, fiber optics, infrared, and wireless bus technologies.

[0042] The interface 106 can provide communication to and from the lighting controller 110, for example, to enable a user to select primary colors or color patterns. Whether the interface is located, for example, on a device remote from the vehicle with the lighting controller or on a screen within the vehicle with the lighting system 100, the interface can have an application (app) displayed to the user to make the primary color selections. These selections are then communicated wirelessly or wired to the controller 110. Such selections can be made on an interface 106 using a touchscreen, a keyboard, a microphone, a voice recognition system, a stylus, or other suitable device.

[0043] It will be appreciated that, although this implementation example is described in the context of a fully functional computer system, the mechanisms of the present disclosure may be distributed as a program product having one or more types of non-transitory, computer-readable, signal-bearing media used to store the program and its instructions and to facilitate its distribution, such as a non-transitory, computer-readable medium carrying at least the code for operating the light controller 110 and the light color data and including computer instructions stored therein for causing a computer processor (such as processor 108) to execute and perform the program.Such a program product may take a variety of forms, and the present disclosure applies equally regardless of the particular type of computer-readable signal-bearing media used to effect distribution. Examples of signal-bearing media include writable media such as floppy disks, hard disks, memory cards, and optical discs, as well as transmission media such as digital and analog communication links. In certain cases, cloud-based storage and / or other technologies may also be used. It will also be appreciated that the computer system of the lighting controller 110 may otherwise differ from that shown in FIG. Fig. 1, for example, in that the computer system of the lighting control 110 may be coupled to or otherwise utilize one or more remote computer systems and / or other control systems having the processor 108.

[0044] The power source 102 may be one or more suitable power sources, whether portable and / or battery-operated, AC, DC, and so on. The power source 102 for all units of the lighting system 100, including the light array 112, may be the same common power source. Otherwise, one power source 102 may be used for specific units, such as the processor 108 and the light controller 110, while the light array 112 and the interface 106 may each have a separate power source. A vehicle may have a number of different power source connections for the lighting system, whether temporary charging connections or more permanent ones.

[0045] In Fig. 2 illustrates an exemplary vehicle 200 in which the lighting system 100 is mounted to the vehicle body 201. Many physical components and various details of the mechanical and electrical systems of the vehicle 200 are omitted to avoid obscuring the description of the lighting system 100 and the associated methods and systems herein. The body 201 is to be understood in a general sense and includes any physical part of the vehicle 200.

[0046] In the illustrated example, the exemplary vehicle 200 may include an instrument panel 202 with a steering wheel 204, an instrument panel 206 with gauges 208, a display screen 210 with various functions, including an audio entertainment system, a climate control panel 212, and a glove box 214. An exemplary light array 112 is mounted around the instrument panel 202 for aesthetic purposes. The light array 112 may be operatively coupled to the other data and signal processing units of the lighting system 100 and, as discussed above, may be mounted anywhere inside or outside the vehicle. It will be appreciated that the light array 112 is shown in an exemplary arrangement and may have many different arrangements on the vehicle 200, whether inside or outside (or both) the vehicle 200.For example, one or more light arrays 112 may also be located on the doors, center console, seats, interior ceiling, steering wheel, etc. of the vehicle 200.

[0047] With reference to Fig. 3 shows a light array 300 with lights 302 producing a light emission 306 in one primary color (e.g., blue) and lights 304 producing a light emission 308 in another primary color (e.g., red). The light array 300, here in the form of a light strip, displays the desired light emissions when a user desires only these two colors next to each other, regardless of whether the colors were selected by the user or automatically generated by a lighting controller controlling the light array 300. The colors can be part of a rainbow-like arrangement along a long light strip array or other arrangement. If the light array 300 is an LED light array, the colors can be static or dynamically animated, with the colors changing and even appearing to move or otherwise jump around locations within the light array.

[0048] As in Fig. 4, a light array 400 has lights 402 producing a light emission 406 in one primary color (e.g., blue) and lights 404 producing a light emission 408 in another primary color (e.g., red). However, the light array 400 exhibits color blending or mixing at a boundary between the two groups of lights when two lights 402 and 404 emitting different primary colors are adjacent to each other in the light array 400. This configuration results in a third undesirable color or blend color 410, such as magenta in a blend of blue and red primary colors, and defines a transition zone caused by light scattering within a semi-opaque light guide covering the lights, so that the primary colors blend together to form the blend color 410.The mixed color 410 is an undesirable, unplanned mixed color that differs from the two displayed primary colors 406 and 408 and may be unsightly and distracting to a user viewing the light array 400, such that the mixed color appears out of place or interferes with a desired emitted light pattern, thereby reducing the quality of the user experience when viewing the emitted colors.

[0049] With reference to Fig. 5 illustrates an example of a method 500 for color cancellation for a lighting system in accordance with various implementations herein. The method 500 includes operations 502 through 510, which are generally numbered alike, and refers to the systems and their subcomponents from the Fig. 1-4 and 6-9, where relevant.

[0050] To reduce or eliminate (or in other words, cancel out) the occurrence of the unwanted third mixed color, the present method 500 actively cancels the mixed color by intentionally emitting matching colors (or "opposite" colors) from lights at a boundary (or transition zone) between lights emitting adjacent primary colors. The emission of the matching color results in a color mixture in the transition zone that forms (or ultimately results in) emitted transition colors and a target color that are less perceptible (or less objectionable or less distracting) to a person than the unwanted mixed color, to create a smoother, more harmonious, or more natural blend appearance between the two primary colors.

[0051] To create the transition colors, a matching color is mathematically determined that results in a transition to a target color. The target color is given and can be white, for example. The target color has a hue that lies between two primaries in at least one dimension (x or y) of a chromaticity map (or color space map). The position of the mixed color relative to the target color in the color space map is then used to select the matching color. The matching color can then be output to create transition colors that are the same in hue as the target color and / or closer to it than to the mixed color. In other words, the resulting transition colors have smaller differences in hue to the target color and the primaries than the difference in hue between the mixed color and one of the two primaries (or the average of the differences for the two primaries).This creates a smooth blending effect with greater granularity or resolution along a series of lights and in a transition sequence: from a base color to a first transition color, to the target color, to a second transition color, and then to the second base color. The details are described below.

[0052] The method 500 may include the step of "obtaining at least two primary colors" 502. First, the lights that may be used for the method 500 may be those of the light array 112 ( Fig. 1) with lights 118, each of which is an RGB LED package and each of which provides a range of perceivable colors, although many other types of lights may be used. At a minimum, the method 500 may be applied to a light array with three lights, including two lights for primary colors and one light for a single transition color, which may be the target color. However, the method 500 will be discussed below primarily with a transition zone with two transition colors and a target color between the two transition colors. Many other variations may also be created.

[0053] An example of a color space map 600 is the CIE 1931 chromaticity map (see Fig. 6), which is a graphical representation of perceivable colors based on human vision, although other color space maps can be used instead. The color space map 600 is plotted in x and y values ​​based on the XYZ tristimulus values, with each point on the map representing a particular hue saturation, regardless of brightness. Also, in chart 600, a line between any point on the chart and a point defining white has the same hue, but with lower saturation the closer the point is to white along the line. The farther the point is from the outer edge of chart 600 and the closer it gets to white, the lower the saturation of that color point on the chart. Each line at a different angle to white has a different hue. The numbers 460 through 620 are the wavelengths of the colors.

[0054] In this example, a blue primary color 604 is to be emitted on the color space map 600 alongside a red primary color 606, whereby a color mixture of red and blue can occur along the line between the two primary colors 604 and 606, as shown by the yellow (or white) arrows. When mixing red and blue of equal brightness, an undesirable mixed color 608, here magenta for a combination of blue and red primary colors, can form in a transition zone of a light array 112. The magenta mixed color 608 between blue 604 and red 606 is perceived as disturbing and reduces the quality of the light representation.

[0055] Thus, the method 500 may include "setting the adjustment color" 504, and here the adjustment color 610, on the color space map 600. This forms a triangle with the primary colors 604 and 606, with the sides of the triangle forming the transition colors, as explained below. However, this "setting the adjustment color" process 504 first includes the "using a given target color" function 506. Specifically, a target color 616 is given and selected such that at least one of the dimensions of the (x, y) coordinates lies between the x or y values ​​of the two primary colors. In one form, white is used as the target color 616 if white meets the coordinate criterion. The precise definition of the white to be used can be one of several different white values, such as D65 (daylight). As a general example, blue can have an x-value of 0.15, white (D65) an x-value of 0.31, and red an x-value of 0.64 to meet the coordinate criterion.Alternatively, other target colors can be used, regardless of whether the coordinate criterion is used or not.

[0056] The adjustment color 610 is chosen such that it cancels the mixed color 608, and the target color is midway (assuming equal intensity) between the adjustment color and the mixed color. Thus, one way to adjust the adjustment color is to determine the difference between the mixed color and the target color and then double the difference in both magnitude and direction along, or substantially along, the same linear line from the mixed color to the target color (in Fig. 5A as a dashed line). In this case, the adjustment color is at the same or substantially the same distance from the target color compared to the blend color. In one form, the adjustment color 610 is considered sufficiently saturated to "pull" the line between the two primary colors 604 and 606 toward the target color 616 on the color space map 600 to establish the transition colors.

[0057] As shown, the result of the subsequent emission of the adjustment color 610 between the primary colors 604 and 606 is a light emission that exhibits a transition along the light array and from the primary color 604 (blue) to a transition zone comprising a first transition color 612 (cyan), the target color 616 (here, white), and a second transition color 614 (light orange), and then to the second primary color 606 (red), as represented by the black arrows on the diagram 600. The transition colors 612 and 614 are closer to the target color 616 and the primary colors (in hue) than the color difference (hue) between each of the primary colors 604 or 606 and the undesired mixed color 608 (magenta). The transition colors 612 and 614 can be located in the middle of the lines between the adaptation color 610 and the primary colors 604 and 606, respectively, assuming the same intensity.In one form, the transition colors 612 and 614 are considered a variation of the primary colors and not a separate color (or color family).

[0058] With reference to Fig. In Figure 5A, triangle 618 from diagram 600 is copied onto a graph to show a calculation example used to determine adjustment color 610. The colors involved are in (x, y) diagram coordinates as follows: Primary colors 604 or 606, (x1, y1) and (x2, y2), Unwanted mixed color 608, (x mix , y mix ), Adjustment color 610, (x adj , y adj ), Target color (or final color of the middle transition) 616, (x f , y f ), Transition color 612 (x t1 , y t1 ) from the base color 604 to the adjustment color 610, Transition color 614 (x t2 , y t2 ) from the base color 606 to the adjustment color 610,

[0059] Determining the adjustment color 610 can be specified as follows: Given the primary colors 604 (x1, y1), and 606 (x2, y2), and the target color 616 (x f , y f ), determine (x adj , y adj ). In this example, it is assumed that all points have the same intensity and that the mixed color 608 is the midpoint between the primary colors 604 and 606. The diagram coordinates of the mixed color 608 (and thus the mixed color itself) are then calculated from the primary colors 604 and 606 as follows: xmix=x1+x22 ymix=y1+y22

[0060] With the known target color 616 (x f , y f ) the x and y distance from the mixed color 608 to the target color 616 can be calculated as follows: Δxf,mix=xf−xmix Δyf,mix=yf−ymix

[0061] With the intensity of the adjustment color equal to the intensity of the primary colors, the target color 616 lies midway between the adjustment color 610 and the mixed color 608. The distances between the mixed color 608 and the target color 616 can be added to the coordinates of the target color 616 to determine the adjustment color (and its coordinates) as follows: xadj=xf+Δxf,mix yadj=yf+Δyf,mix

[0062] Optionally, the method 500 may include "determining the transition colors" 508. While the calculation of the transition colors is not required for the operation of the light array described herein, it may be performed for other reasons. Again assuming equal intensities for all points, the midpoint between the matching color 610 and each primary color 604 or 606 may now be found and designated as the transition color 612 or 614 emitted by the light array (or in other words, from the scattering light guide 120) after the matching color is emitted by the lights 118 ( Fig. 1) and mixes with the primary colors 604 and 606. The coordinates of the transition colors can therefore be calculated as follows. xt1=x1+xadj2 yt1=y1+yadj2 xt2=x2+xadj2 yt2=y2+yadj2

[0063] Using the above procedure, the adjustment color (xadj , y adj ) and can be fed to the color adjustment unit of the lighting controller to clear the mixed color. It will be appreciated that more than one adjustment color can be used to create a variety of transition colors within the transition zone, which consists of more than two transition colors plus the target color.

[0064] The method 500 may include "controlling the lights to emit the adjustment color at one or more boundary lights" 510. Thus, the one or more lights in the transition zone between the primary colors are set to emit the adjustment color.

[0065] With reference to Fig. For example, Figure 7 is a light array 700 with light emission using the methods disclosed herein and having a first group 720 of lights 702 emitting a primary color 710, such as blue, and a second group 722 of lights 704 emitting a different primary color 712, such as red. Two transition lights 706 and 708 emit a matching color that mixes with the primary colors 710 and 712 to subsequently generate and emit the transition colors 714 and 716, as described above in method 500. Thus, a green matching color emitted by the transition lights 706 and 708 mixes within a light guide and with the blue primary color 710 of the primary lights 702 to form a cyan transition color 714.Likewise, the green matching color emitted by the transition lights 706 and 708 mixes within a light guide with the red base color 712 of the base lights 704 to form a light orange transition color 716.

[0066] Any unwanted mixed color remaining from the mixing of red and blue is mixed with the matching color and the transition colors 714 and 716 to produce a perceptible target color 718, or here white light, between the transition colors 714 and 716. This arrangement eliminates or at least reduces the perception of the mixed color magenta.

[0067] This arrangement results in a light spectrum of desired or selected colors that exhibits a more natural (e.g., more harmonious) blend of perceived colors, thereby reducing or eliminating unwanted, previously unavoidable, distracting mixed colors in light guides along the light arrays. In some forms, the transition zones resulting from the application of the color cancellation methods described here are largely imperceptible, so that the light array appears to emit only the two different adjacent primary colors. This provides a more uniform appearance to the viewer and results in a more natural transition between colors. This process applies to both static color displays (two or more colors present simultaneously) and dynamic displays (two or more colors that change their hue or intensity values).By changing the inputs to the color cancellation process equations, such as the matching color, the number of matching colors, the number of LEDs (or lights) in the system, etc., the resulting transition zone can appear in a predictable, controlled, and desired manner. Once the color cancellation system is set up, the calculations contained herein also avoid delays that can be caused by trial-and-error processes for determining a matching color.

[0068] Furthermore, the color cancellation process and the light array using the color cancellation process described here can have various variations, which can be determined through experimentation. For example, the number of transition zones and the adjustment colors in each zone can be varied; the more adjustment colors in a single zone, the more transition colors and the smoother the transition from the base color to the base color. Depending on the application and the light density of the light array, multiple lights can also be used to arbitrarily increase the width of the transition zones. The larger the number of lights in the transition zone, the more adjustment colors can be used, achieving even greater granularity and smoothness of similarly toned colors in the transition.The effect of color cancellation also depends on the intensity (brightness) of the transition light, as well as the number and intensity of the non-transition or base lights. For a shape, the adjustment colors have a lower intensity than the base colors.

[0069] With reference to the Fig. 8-9 emits an exemplary light matrix array 900 ( Fig. 9) an exemplary light pattern 800 ( Fig. 8) using the light cancellation method described here. The light matrix array 900 has a grid of 6 x 6 lights 902 (although many more or fewer lights could be used), each of which has an adjustable color, as in RGB LED packages described above for the light array 112 ( Fig.1). A semi-dense light guide (not shown) may be mounted over the lights. It may be desired to emit four different colors in four quadrants (here with four lights 902 in one square per quadrant). Thus, in this example, four lights 904 (shaded black) may be set to glow blue (802 on pattern 800), four lights 906 (shaded dark gray) may be set to glow red (804 on pattern 800), four lights 908 (shaded very light gray) may be set to glow magenta (806 on pattern 800), and four lights 910 (shaded light gray) may be set to glow green (808 on pattern 800).

[0070] This arrangement creates four transition zones 912, 914, 916, and 918, as shown along the sides of the light matrix array 900, with the transition direction represented by the arrows. Each transition zone 912, 914, 916, and 918 has adjustment colors calculated using the methods described herein, such that the transition zones 912, 914, 916, and 918 each have their own combination of transition colors. For example, the transition colors 810 and 812, as well as a common target color 814, lie between the colors magenta 806 and green 808. Each side of the pattern 800 has a different combination of colors in its transition zone. A center transition zone 920 may have adjustment values ​​interpolated from all or any combination of the side transition zones 912, 914, 916, and 918. This results in each transition zone having a smoother, more natural appearance with fewer unexpected or distracting colors.The target color 814 can be white in each transition zone 912, 914, 916, and 918. It is understood that many variations in the arrangements for a light matrix array can be used.

[0071] By other alternatives, the arrangements contained herein may be extended to any RGB or color-changing lighting application that emits multiple colors simultaneously and in which a linear array or a matrix array of luminaires of any shape is located under a diffuser material of a light guide.

Claims

[1] Method (500) comprising: Receiving (502) data indicating at least two different primary colors (406, 408) to be emitted by primary lights (702, 704) on opposite sides of at least one transition light (706, 708) of a light array (112), each light (118) of the light array (112) having adjustable colors and being covered by one or more light guides (120); Receiving data of a target color (616) between the two primary colors (406, 408) in at least one coordinate dimension on a color space map (600) of chromaticity, wherein the two primary colors (406, 408) have an undesired mixed color (608) on a linear line between the two primary colors (406, 408) on the color space map (600); Determining (504), by at least one processor (108), at least one adjustment color (610) on a side of the mixed color (608) in the color space map (600) opposite the target color (616); and Providing the at least one adjustment color (610) to be emitted by the at least one transition light (706, 708) when the primary colors (406, 408) are respectively and simultaneously emitted by the primary lights (702, 704) on opposite sides of the at least one transition light (706, 708). [2] The method (500) of claim 1, wherein the lights (118) of the light array (112) are arranged in a linear array or a matrix array, and wherein individual lights of the light array (112) are each color-adjustable LED packages having three diodes in three different colors. [3] The method (500) of claim 1, comprising selecting the adjustable color (610) such that emitting the adjustable color results in a transition zone between the two primary colors (406, 408), wherein at least one perceptible transition color (612, 614) is visible on opposite sides of the target color (616) between the transition colors (612, 614). [4] The method (500) of claim 3, wherein the target color (616) is white. [5] The method (500) of claim 3, wherein the target color (616) is selected such that the transition colors (612, 614) have a lower saturation than the primary colors (406, 408). [6] The method (500) of claim 3, wherein the transition colors (612, 614) comprise a first transition color (612) and a second transition color (614) each closer in hue to the first primary color and the second primary color and the target color (616) than the difference in hue between each of the primary colors (406, 408) and the mixed color (608). [7] The method (500) of claim 1, wherein determining the adjustment color (610) comprises selecting a color value of the adjustment color (610) that lies substantially on a same linear line from the mixed color (608) to the target color (616). [8] The method (500) of claim 1, wherein determining the adjustment color (610) comprises selecting a color value of the adjustment color (610) that is substantially the same and opposite distance from the target color (616) as the blend color (608). [9] The method (500) of claim 1, wherein determining the adjustment color (610) comprises setting the target color (616) along a line from the mixed color (608) to the adjustment color (610). [10] Lighting system (100) comprising: a light array (112) under at least one light guide (120), each light having an adjustable color; a light controller (110) communicatively connected to the light array (112) to control the color of the lights; and a processor circuit (108) forming at least one processor communicatively connected to the light array (112) and arranged to perform the light control by: Receiving (502) data indicating at least two different primary colors (406, 408) to be emitted by primary lights (702, 704) on opposite sides of at least one transition light (706, 708) of the light array (112), Receiving data of a target color (616) between the two primary colors (406, 408) in at least one coordinate dimension on a color space map (600) of chromaticity, wherein the two primary colors (406, 408) have an undesired mixed color (608) on a line between the two primary colors (406, 408) on the color space map (600), Determining (504) at least one adjustment color (610) on a side of the mixed color (608) opposite the target color (616) in the color space map (600), and Providing the at least one adjustment color to be emitted by the at least one transition light (796, 708) when the primary colors (406, 408) are respectively and simultaneously emitted by the primary lights (702, 704) on opposite sides of the at least one transition light (706, 708).

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