Lumenetix, Inc.

Ringo Ai, Inc.

Matthew D Weaver

Jay Hurley

Jeffrey Saake

James Kingman

Sanjoy Ghose

Dustin Cochran

Herman Ferrier

David Bowers

Thomas Poliquin

Yuko Nakazawa

Bryant Grigsby

Robert Hitchcock

Juergen Gsoedl

Yuzuru Takashima

Introduced here are computer programs and associated computer-implemented techniques for achieving high-fidelity color reproduction in the absence of any known reflectance spectrums. That is, high-fidelity color reproduction can be achieved without portable references, such as gray cards and color checkers. To accomplish this, a new reference spectrum—the 'reference illuminant spectrum'—is introduced into scenes to be imaged by image sensors. The reference illuminant spectrum is created by a multi-channel light source whose spectral properties are known.

White balance with reference illuminants

Introduced here are light sources for flash photography configured to produce high-fidelity white light that is tunable over a broader range of correlated color temperatures (CCTs) than conventional flash technologies. The light source can include multiple independently controllable color channels representing illuminants (e.g., light-emitting diodes) of different colors with varying degrees of saturation. Operating collectively, the multiple color channels can produce a high spectral quality white light corresponding to different CCTs (e.g., 'warm' white light having a red hue, 'cool' white light having a blue hue). Operating independently, these same color channels can be pre-flashed in a variety of prescribed sequences to probe the spectral characteristics of a scene, thereby allowing for an enhanced, spectrally matched white flash as well as collecting per-pixel reflectivity data that can be later used in during post processing of the captured image.

Full-spectrum flash for electronic devices

Introduced here are multi-channel light sources able to produce a broad range of electromagnetic radiation. A multi-channel light source (also referred to as a 'multi-channel emitter') can be designed to produce visible light and/or non-visible light. For example, some embodiments of the multi-channel light source include illuminant(s) capable of emitting electromagnetic radiation within the visible range and illuminant(s) capable of emitting electromagnetic radiation in a non-visible range, such as the ultraviolet range or infrared range. By capturing images in conjunction with the visible and non-visible light, additional information on the ambient scene can be gleaned which may be useful, for example, during post-processing.

Electromagnetic emitters and detectors for electronic devices

Introduced here are computer programs and associated computer-implemented techniques for determining reflectance of an image on a per-pixel basis. More specifically, a characterization module can initially acquire a first data set generated by a multi-channel light source and a second data set generated by a multi-channel image sensor. The first data set may specify the illuminance of each channel of the multi-channel light source (which may be able to produce visible light and/or non-visible light), while the second data set may specify the response of each sensor channel of the multi-channel image sensor (which is configured to capture an image in conjunction with the light). Thus, the characterization module may determine reflectance based on illuminance and sensor response. The characterization module may also be configured to determine illuminance based on reflectance and sensor response, or determine sensor response based on illuminance and reflectance.

Determining spectral properties of an object through sequential illumination with different colors

Introduced here are computer programs and associated computer-implemented techniques for determining reflectance of an image on a per-pixel basis. More specifically, a characterization module can initially acquire a first data set generated by a multi-channel light source and a second data set generated by a multi-channel image sensor. The first data set may specify the illuminance of each color channel of the multi-channel light source (which is configured to produce a flash), while the second data set may specify the response of each sensor channel of the multi-channel image sensor (which is configured to capture an image in conjunction with the flash). Thus, the characterization module may determine reflectance based on illuminance and sensor response. The characterization module may also be configured to determine illuminance based on reflectance and sensor response, or determine sensor response based on illuminance and reflectance.

Techniques for creating characterization matrices for reflectance, illuminance, or sensor response

Characterizing reflectance, illuminance, and sensor response for electromagnetic radiation

Various examples concern techniques for opto-mechanically manipulating LED-based lighting systems. More specifically, various embodiments concern creating patterns of colored LEDs by determining the preferred color-specific density distribution and sequence(s) of LEDs. When creating the patterns, multiple considerations can be taken into account, including the power to be shared amongst the color channels when certain color models are generated by the linear array of LEDs, allocating an appropriate number of LEDs to each color channel to support the desired color spectrum, the sequencing of those LEDs along a string (e.g., as part of a linear array), etc. The appropriate number of LEDs for each color channel may be determined by first establishing the color model of the linear array within which the LEDs are interleaved.

Optical and mechanical manipulation of light emitting diode (LED) lighting systems

Introduced here are techniques for generating color mixing models that enable a tunable lamp to mix the right amount of light from various color channels in order to properly produce colors. More specifically, a lamp controller can be configured to drive multiple light-emitting diode (LED) arrays based on corresponding color mixing models. One or more color mixing models can be provisioned into the memory of an LED array prior to usage. Storing the color mixing model in the LED array enables the lamp controller to update the color mixing model based on which LED array it is serving (i.e., the lamp controller and the LED array need not be a permanently matched set). Additionally or alternatively, the lamp controller may be configured to communicate with a network-accessible computer server system to access a historical color mixing database that includes set(s) of previously-recorded spectral properties and corresponding color mixing models.

Color mixing model provisioning for light-emitting diode-based lamps

Some embodiments include a method of operating a tunable light module. The method can include driving a lamp in the tunable light module, having lamps of at least two colors, to produce a colored light according to the color mixing plan that corresponds to a correlated color temperature (CCT); measuring a light characteristic of the lamp using a light sensor; detecting a degradation level by comparing the measured light characteristic against an expected light characteristic; and adjusting a current level for driving the lamp at the CCT by referencing the color mixing plan and an alternative coefficient corresponding to the degradation level.

Recalibration of a tunable lamp system

Various embodiments relate to systems and methods for controlling one or more LED-based lighting sources that are coupled to a logic module by a ribbon cable. The ribbon cable allows some or all of the processing components (e.g., processors and drivers) to be decoupled from the LED-based lighting source(s). The processing components can instead be housed within the logic module, which is able to simultaneously control the LED-based lighting source(s). Together with color models established for each LED board, the logic module acts as a platform for modularity and is able to more precisely control the color channels of each LED-based lighting source using the color models established for those LED-based lighting source(s). Techniques are also described herein that allow the logic module to utilize data stored within an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM) that describes the color characteristics of an LED-based lighting source.

Architectures for light emitting diode (LED) lighting systems

Various example concern techniques for opto-mechanically manipulating LED-based lighting systems. More specifically, various embodiments concern creating patterns of colored LEDs by determining the preferred color-specific density distribution and sequence(s) of LEDs. When creating the patterns, multiple considerations can be taken into account, including the power to be shared amongst the color channels when certain color models are generated by the linear array of LEDs, allocating an appropriate number of LEDs to each color channel to support the desired color spectrum, the sequencing of those LEDs along a string (e.g., as part of a linear array), etc. The appropriate number of LEDs for each color channel may be determined by first establishing the color model of the linear array within which the LEDs are interleaved.

Growing community of inventors

Aptos, CA, United States of America

Matthew D Weaver