Lighting fixture controller for controlling color temperature and intensity

A light fixture controller configured for controlling a light fixture, the light fixture controller comprising:

• one or more interfaces configured for receiving at least a color temperature setting and an intensity setting for the light fixture, wherein the light fixture comprises a first lighting element group and a second lighting element group, the first lighting element group comprising a first plurality of lighting elements and configured to produce light at a first color temperature, the second lighting element group comprising a second plurality of lighting elements and configured to produce light at a second color temperature;
• and
• a microcontroller configured for generating control signals based, at least in part, upon the color temperature setting and the intensity setting for the light fixture, wherein the control signals comprise a first control signal and a second control signal, the first control signal configured for controlling an on/off state of the first lighting element group by controlling an open/closed state of a first switch connected to the first lighting element group, the second control signal configured for controlling an on/off state of the second lighting element group by controlling an open/closed state of a second switch connected to the second lighting element group, wherein
• the first control signal only turns on one or more lighting elements of the first lighting element group for a first duration of an ON/OFF cycle and the second control signal only turns on one or more lighting elements of the second lighting element group for a second duration of the ON/OFF cycle, wherein the ON/OFF cycle comprises multiple time periods, and during each of the multiple time periods, at least one lighting element group of the light fixture is set to be on and at least one another lighting element group of the light fixture is set to be off,
• a ratio between the first duration and the second duration is determined based, at least in part, upon the color temperature setting for the light fixture,
• the first switch connected to the first lighting element group and the second switch connected to the second lighting element group are further configured to control an intensity of the light fixture at a first intensity,
• the first lighting element group is further connected to a third switch and the second lighting element group is further connected to a fourth switch, the third switch and the fourth switch are configured to control the intensity of the light fixture at a second intensity, and
• the control signals generated by the microcontroller further comprise a third control signal and a fourth control signal for controlling the third switch and the fourth switch, respectively.

A method for controlling color temperature and intensity of a light fixture, comprising:

• receiving, at a light fixture controller of the light fixture, a color temperature setting and an intensity setting for the light fixture, the light fixture comprising a first lighting element group and a second lighting element group, the first lighting element group comprising a first plurality of lighting elements and configured to produce light at a first color temperature, the second lighting element group comprising a second plurality of lighting elements and configured to produce light at a second color temperature;
• determining, by the light fixture controller, an ON/OFF cycle for the first lighting element group and the second lighting element group based on the color temperature setting, wherein the ON/OFF cycle comprises multiple time periods, and during each of the multiple time periods, at least one lighting element group is turned ON and at least one another lighting element group is kept OFF, and wherein a ratio between the multiple time periods is determined based, at least in part, upon the color temperature setting for the light fixture;
• and
• generating, by the light fixture controller, control signals based, at least in part, upon the color temperature setting and the intensity setting for the light fixture, wherein the control signals comprise a first control signal and a second control signal, the first control signal configured for controlling an on/off state of the first lighting element group by controlling an open/closed state of a first switch connected to the first lighting element group, the second control signal configured for controlling an on/off state of the second lighting element group by controlling an open/closed state of a second switch connected to the second lighting element group, wherein:
• the first control signal only turns on one or more lighting elements of the first lighting element group for a first duration of an ON/OFF cycle and the second control signal only turns on one or more lighting elements of the second lighting element group for a second duration of the ON/OFF cycle,
• the first switch connected to the first lighting element group and the second switch connected to the second lighting element group are further configured to control an intensity of the light fixture at a first intensity,
• the first lighting element group is further connected to a third switch and the second lighting element group is further connected to a fourth switch, the third switch and the fourth switch are configured to control the intensity of the light fixture at a second intensity, and
• the control signals further comprise a third control signal and a fourth control signal for controlling the third switch and the fourth switch, respectively.