Intensity control and color mixing of light emitting devices

Abstract

The present disclosure presents systems and methods for controlling light intensity and color mixing of light emitted by lighting devices. A controller may use a setting for an intensity of light and an instruction to generate, for a remote lighting device, a signal comprising the instruction and a duty cycle within a time period of the signal that corresponds to the setting for the intensity of light. The signal may comprise a digital pattern corresponding to at least a portion of the instruction. The remote lighting device may determine the duty cycle of the time period of the received signal based on a sum of durations of time for which the signal within the period comprises a high value. The remote lighting device may establish intensity of the light emitted based on the duty cycle while implementing an action based on the identified instruction.

1 . A method for modulating intensity of light emitted by a light emitting device using a digital pattern of a signal, the method comprising steps of:
 receiving, by a controller, a setting for an intensity of light for a remote lighting device;   receiving, by the controller, an instruction to control the remote lighting device;   generating, by the controller for the remote lighting device, a signal having an instruction, a time period and a duty cycle corresponding to the setting for the intensity of light, the time period comprising a first time interval and a second time interval, a first portion of the signal within the first time interval comprising a first digital pattern corresponding to at least a portion of the instruction, a duty cycle of the first portion of the signal different than a duty cycle of the second portion of the signal, the first digital pattern comprising at least two bits;   determining, by the remote lighting device, the duty cycle of the time period of the signal received from the controller, the duty cycle based on a sum of durations of time for which the signal within the first time interval and the second time interval comprises a high value; and   establishing, by the remote lighting device, intensity of the light emitted based on the duty cycle while taking an action based on at least the portion of the instruction identified by the first digital pattern.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 generating, by the controller for the remote lighting device, the signal having the time period comprising a third time interval, the signal comprising a third portion of the signal within the third time interval, a third digital pattern of the third portion of the signal within the third time interval corresponding to at least a second portion of the instruction;   determining, by the remote lighting device, the duty cycle of the time period of the signal, the duty cycle based on a sum of durations of time for which the signal within the first time interval, the second time interval and the third time interval comprises a high value; and   establishing, by the remote lighting device, intensity of the light emitted based on the duty cycle while taking a second action based on at least the portion of the instruction identified by the first digital pattern and the second portion of the instruction identified by the third digital pattern.   
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the controller, a second setting for a second intensity of light for a remote lighting device, the second intensity of light different than the intensity of light;   generating, by the controller for the remote lighting device, a second signal having a second time period and a second duty cycle corresponding to the second setting for the intensity of light, the second time period comprising a new first time interval and a new second time interval,   determining, by the remote lighting device, the second duty cycle of the second time period of the second signal received from the controller, the second duty cycle based on a sum of durations of time for which the second signal within the new first time interval and the new second time interval comprises a high value; and   establishing, by the remote lighting device, the second intensity of the light emitted based on the second duty cycle.   
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising transmitting, by the controller to the remote lighting device, the signal via a wire used for providing electrical power to the remote lighting device. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising emitting, by the remote lighting device, light based on the established intensity of light. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining, by the remote lighting device, the duty cycle of the time period based on a ratio of a sum of durations of time within time period for which the signal comprises a high value to a total duration of the time period. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising generating, by the controller, the signal comprising the instruction instructing the remote lighting device to set a brightness value of a red light source, green light source or a blue light source of the remote lighting device. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising generating, by the controller, the signal comprising the instruction instructing the remote lighting device to turn off the light by dimming the light down. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising generating the signal comprising the instruction instructing the remote lighting device to enter a learning mode to accept an address assigned to the remote lighting device. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising generating the signal comprising the instruction instructing the remote lighting device to send a message comprising a configuration status of the remote lighting device. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising generating the signal comprising the instruction instructing the remote lighting device to set a maximum intensity of the light emitted for the remote lighting device. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising generating the signal comprising a continuous stream of data bits divided into a plurality of time periods, the time period of the plurality of time periods. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising generating, by the controller, the signal comprising the first portion of the signal consisting of the first time interval and the second portion of the signal consisting of the second time interval. 
   
   
       14 . A system for modulating intensity of light emitted by a light emitting device using a digital pattern of a signal, the system comprising:
 a controller receiving a setting for an intensity of light for a remote lighting device and an instruction to control the remote lighting device;   the controller generating, for the remote lighting device, a signal having an instruction, a time period and a duty cycle corresponding to the setting for the intensity of light, the time period comprising a first time interval and a second time interval, a first portion of the signal within the first time interval comprising a first digital pattern corresponding to at least a portion of the instruction, a duty cycle of the first portion of the signal different than a duty cycle of the second portion of the signal, the first digital pattern comprising at least two bits;   the remote lighting device determining the duty cycle of the time period of the signal received from the controller, the duty cycle based on a sum of durations of time for which the signal within the first time interval and the second time interval comprises a high value; and   the remote lighting device establishing intensity of the light emitted based on the duty cycle while taking an action based on at least the portion of the instruction identified by the first digital pattern.   
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the controller generates for the remote lighting device, the signal having the time period comprising a third time interval, the signal comprising a third portion of the signal within the third time interval, a third digital pattern of the third portion of the signal within the third time interval corresponding to at least a second portion of the instruction; and
 wherein the remote lighting device determines the duty cycle of the time period of the signal, the duty cycle based on a sum of durations of time for which the signal within the first time interval, the second time interval and the third time interval comprises a high value and establishes intensity of the light emitted based on the duty cycle while taking a second action based on at least the portion of the instruction identified by the first digital pattern and the second portion of the instruction identified by the third digital pattern.   
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the controller receives a second setting for a second intensity of light for a remote lighting device, the second intensity of light different than the intensity of light and generates for the remote lighting device, a second signal having a second time period and a second duty cycle corresponding to the second setting for the intensity of light, the second time period comprising a new first time interval and a new second time interval; and
 wherein the remote lighting device determines the second duty cycle of the second time period of the second signal, the second duty cycle based on a sum of durations of time for which the second signal within the new first time interval and the new second time interval comprises a high value and establishes the second intensity of the light emitted based on the second duty cycle.   
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the controller transmits to the remote lighting device the signal via a wire used for providing electrical power to the remote lighting device. 
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the remote lighting device emits light based on the established intensity of light. 
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the remote lighting device determines the duty cycle of the time period based on a ratio of a sum of durations of time within time period for which the signal comprises a high value to a total duration of the time period. 
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the controller generates the signal further comprising the instruction instructing the remote lighting device to set a brightness value of a red light source, green light source or a blue light source of the remote lighting device. 
   
   
       21 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the controller generates the signal further comprising the instruction instructing the remote lighting device to turn off the light emitted by dimming the light down. 
   
   
       22 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the controller generates the signal further comprising the instruction instructing the remote lighting device to enter a learning mode to accept an address assigned to the remote lighting device. 
   
   
       23 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the controller generates the signal further comprising the instruction instructing the remote lighting device to send a configuration status of the remote lighting device. 
   
   
       24 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the controller generates the signal further comprising the instruction instructing the remote lighting device to set a maximum intensity of the light emitted for the remote lighting device. 
   
   
       25 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the signal further comprises a continuous stream of data bits divided into a plurality of time periods, the time period of the plurality of time periods. 
   
   
       26 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the first portion of the signal consists of the first time interval and wherein the second portion of the signal consists of the second time interval.