Luminaire Flicker Control via Light Emitter Synchronization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Integrated lighting devices that combine display and illumination functions often suffer from flicker due to poorly designed luminaire systems, leading to discomfort such as headaches, fatigue, and nausea in humans.
Innovation Solution
A luminaire system with a first light emitter for image output and a second light emitter for illumination, where the light outputs are oriented to overlap, and a processing system controls the light outputs to mitigate flicker by synchronizing frequencies or applying modulation schemes to the light sources.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple light sources with distinct waveforms are combined in a luminaire to provide both display and illumination functions, then the device functionality is improved, but flicker is generated causing discomfort to humans
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies periodic action by synchronizing the modulation frequencies of multiple light sources to operate at or above the flicker fusion threshold (typically >60Hz). The driver system modulates each light source with coordinated periodic waveforms, ensuring that the combined light output maintains stable perceived intensity without visible flicker, thus enabling versatile display-illumination functionality while eliminating harmful flicker effects
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements parameter changes by dynamically adjusting the modulation frequency and duty cycle parameters of each light source. The driver system varies these parameters to ensure the combined output frequency remains above the flicker fusion threshold while maintaining the desired display and illumination performance, thereby resolving the contradiction between multi-functionality and flicker generation
2Productivity
If light sources are oriented to output light in the same direction for combined output, then the light output efficiency is improved, but substantial overlap of distinct light waveforms causes flicker
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses periodic action by modulating the oriented light sources with synchronized periodic waveforms at frequencies above the flicker fusion threshold. The driver system coordinates the timing and frequency of each light source's periodic emission, ensuring that even though the light outputs substantially overlap in the same direction, the combined waveform maintains stable perceived intensity without causing visible flicker
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback by using the processing system to monitor and coordinate the output waveforms of multiple oriented light sources. The system adjusts the modulation parameters of each source based on the combined output characteristics, ensuring that the substantial overlap of light waveforms produces efficient combined illumination while maintaining frequencies that prevent flicker perception
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein is a lighting device including a luminaire having a first light emitter configured to output image and a second light emitter configured to output illumination light. The first light emitter is oriented with the second light emitter such that an available output region of the second light emitter at least substantially overlaps an available output region of the first light emitter. The lighting device also includes a processing system coupled to a driver system, which is coupled to the luminaire. The processing system, via the driver system, is configured to operate the first light emitter to output the image and operate the second light emitter to output the illumination light; and during the operations of the first and light emitters to output a combined light via the substantial overlap, to control the output of at least one of the image or the illumination light to control flicker due to interaction of a portion of the image and a portion of the illumination light.