Optical integrating chamber lighting using one or more additional color sources to adjust white light

Abstract

A system provides white light having a selectable spectral characteristic (e.g. a selectable color temperature) using an optical integrating cavity to combine energy of different wavelengths from different sources with white light. The cavity has a diffusely reflective interior surface and an aperture for allowing emission of combined light. Control of the intensity of emission of the sources sets the amount of primary color light of each wavelength added to the substantially white input light output and thus determines a spectral characteristic of the white light output through the aperture. A variety of different elements may optically process the combined light output, such a deflector, a variable iris, a lens, a variable focusing lens system, a collimator, a holographic diffuser and combinations thereof.

1 . A lighting apparatus, comprising:
 a first source of light of a first wavelength;   a second source of light of a second wavelength, the second wavelength being different from the first wavelength;   a third source of light, wherein the third source produces substantially white light; and   an optical cavity having a diffusely reflective interior surface for receiving and combining light of the first and second wavelengths and the substantially white light from the sources of light, to form white light of a desired spectral characteristic, and having an aperture for allowing emission of the white light of the desired spectral characteristic.   
   
   
       2 - 25 . (canceled)