Mixed Light Source Control Method for Smooth Brightness Adjustment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing control methods for mixed light sources with multiple color channels suffer from abrupt changes in brightness and color fidelity issues due to power limitations, which are not intuitive to users and require significant computational resources for smooth transitions.

Innovation Solution

A control method that uses a converter to determine a one-dimensional distribution value from the power levels of individual light sources, employing a mapping function to represent power ratios and a continuously differentiable weighting function to generate weighted control data, ensuring proportional changes in brightness without altering the color mixing ratio, thus avoiding abrupt changes and optimizing power distribution.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Use of energy by moving object

If power limitation systems are used to ensure the sum of individual output powers does not exceed maximum rated power, then power consumption is controlled within limits, but abrupt changes in brightness occur and color fidelity is distorted

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidcolor fidelity
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dynamics by making the power distribution adaptive rather than static. The control device continuously adjusts the power distribution among light sources based on their individual characteristics and current operating conditions, enabling smooth transitions that maintain color fidelity while respecting power limits. This dynamic adjustment prevents abrupt brightness changes and preserves color accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the parameters of power distribution by introducing individual power weights for each light source and using optimization algorithms to dynamically adjust these weights. This parameter-based control allows the system to maintain color fidelity by preserving the relative power ratios among light sources while adapting to overall power constraints, thereby avoiding color distortion.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of operation

If n-dimensional spline is used to implement smooth transitions between system states, then abrupt changes are avoided, but computational effort exceeds the resources of a typical ballast microcontroller

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesmoothness of transitionVSAvoidcomputational resources
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the complex n-dimensional control problem into simpler one-dimensional power weight adjustments. Instead of computing smooth transitions in the full color space, the system independently adjusts power weights for each light source based on optimization criteria, dramatically reducing computational complexity while maintaining smooth transition characteristics.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts the essential control variable from the complex multi-dimensional problem, focusing solely on power weight adjustment. By taking out the power weight as the primary control parameter and using optimization algorithms to determine its value, the system achieves smooth transitions without requiring the computational resources of full n-dimensional spline calculations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Power

If power of individual channels is reduced to comply with maximum total power, then power limit is respected, but changes in brightness are not proportional to user setting and appear non-intuitive

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetotal power outputVSAvoidintuitiveness of control
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements feedback by using optimization algorithms that continuously evaluate the relationship between user settings and power constraints. The system adjusts power weights to maintain proportionality between user intent and actual output, providing intuitive control even when power limits are active. This feedback mechanism ensures that brightness changes remain proportional to user settings within the available power envelope.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP2849536B1Control method for a mixed light source and control device for a mixed light source
Publication Date: 2019.02.13 INSTA ELEKTRO GMBH
  • EP2849536B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2

AI summary

The invention relates to a control method for a mixed light source 4 with a plurality of pairs of differently colored individual light sources 6.1, 6.2, 6.3. In order to provide power limitation for a mixed light source that can also be implemented with limited computer resources and that avoids abrupt changes in light quality, the invention provides that: - a converter 13 receives first control data intended for the plurality of individual light sources 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, - the converter 13 determines the power of the individual light sources 6.1, 6.2, 6.3 from the power values ​​specified by the first control data.3. A one-dimensional distribution value is determined according to a mapping function, which depends exclusively on the ratio of the powers to each other, which mapping function assumes a first global extremum when all powers are equal and a second global extremum opposite to the first when exactly one power is different from zero, - the one-dimensional distribution value is inserted into a weighting function in order to determine a weighting factor from it, which weighting function is continuous and at least once continuously differentiable as a function of the distribution value, and - the powers specified by the first control data are multiplied by the weighting factor and second control data are generated from this, and - the individual light sources 6.1, 6.2, 6.3 are controlled according to the second control data.Also described is a control device for a mixed light source with a plurality of pairs of differently colored individual light sources.