Multi-Emitter LED Dimming for Higher Object Chroma

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional light sources experience a muted color perception when dimmed, known as the Hunt Effect, where objects appear less colorful at low light levels, which is undesirable in applications requiring vibrant color retention.

Innovation Solution

A method and device that independently control multiple LED emitters to increase the color gamut while decreasing lumen output, maintaining a constant correlated color temperature and adjusting the IES TM-30-15 gamut index and chroma shift to counteract the Hunt Effect, using a combination of red, amber, lime, green, cyan, blue, and royal blue emitters.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If the light source is dimmed to reduce lumen output, then energy consumption is reduced, but object chroma and color vibrancy deteriorate due to the Hunt Effect

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveenergy consumptionVSAvoidobject chroma
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

The light source is divided into multiple LED emitters with different spectral characteristics (violet, blue, cyan, green, yellow-green, yellow, orange, red). Each emitter is independently controllable, allowing selective activation to maintain color gamut while reducing overall lumen output during dimming operations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts the relative intensity parameters of each LED emitter based on the desired dimming level. By changing the emission parameters of individual emitters rather than uniformly reducing all emissions, the patent maintains optimal color rendering while achieving energy reduction

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Illumination intensity

If multiple LED emitters are independently controlled to increase color gamut during dimming, then object chroma is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecolor gamutVSAvoidcontrol circuit complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The control circuit is designed to perform multiple functions: it manages independent emitter control for color gamut optimization, calculates and applies Hunt Effect compensation, and regulates overall lumen output. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated circuits for each function

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system incorporates feedback mechanisms where the control circuit continuously monitors the output of each LED emitter and adjusts their intensities accordingly. This feedback loop enables automatic Hunt Effect compensation and maintains optimal color rendering without requiring complex manual intervention

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Stability of the object's composition

If the correlated color temperature is maintained constant during dimming, then color consistency is improved, but the ability to compensate for Hunt Effect deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecolor consistencyVSAvoidcolor vibrancy
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the mix of different LED emitters based on the dimming level while maintaining a consistent correlated color temperature. By dynamically changing the relative contributions of each emitter type rather than using a static configuration, the patent achieves both color consistency and Hunt Effect compensation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution effectively increases object chroma during dimming, maintaining a high color gamut and fidelity index while reducing lumen output, ensuring vibrant color perception even at lower light levels.

Implementation Method 1

A method and device that independently control multiple LED emitters to increase the color gamut while decreasing lumen output

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLight Emitting Diode: Light Emitting Diode

Implementation Method 2

using a combination of red, amber, lime, green, cyan, blue, and royal blue emitters

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectroluminescence: Electroluminescence

Data Source

PatentEP3590313B1Light sources that increase object chroma when dimmed
Publication Date: 2023.09.20 THE PENN STATE RES FOUND INC
  • EP3590313B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3590313B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2B
  • EP3590313B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A method of increasing the color gamut of a multi-emitter light emitting device when dimming includes the steps of independently driving each emitter in the device, and increasing the lumen output of at least one emitter while simultaneously decreasing the lumen output of at least one other emitter, such that total color gamut increases while total lumen output of the light emitting device decreases. A light emitting device is also disclosed.