Systems and methods for color changing device and enclosure
AssigneeColor Kinetics Incorporated
InventorsKevin J. Dowling, George G. Mueller, Ihor A. Lys
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A color-changing device which includes an enclosure at least a portion of which is material which is desired to change color. There is also included an illumination device, such as an LED or collection of LEDs which can illuminate the material. There can also be included a controller which can take some form of input, such as from a network, or a sensor, and can convert that input into a signal to control the illumination. There is also included a method for performing such color change.
Claims96
A color-changing device, comprising:
- an enclosure formed at least in part by an at least partially transparent material;
- an illumination device disposed within the enclosure and configured to illuminate said material, the illumination device capable of generating at least two colors and including at least one LED-based light source, the illumination device adapted to output at least first radiation having a first wavelength and second radiation having a second wavelength;
- and
- a controller configured to control the at least one LED-based light source.
A method for changing the color of a device, the device having an enclosure, the method comprising acts of:
- generating an input signal;
- generating a control signal in response to the input signal;
- controlling a lighting system via the control signal, the lighting system including at least one LED-based light source, the light source adapted to output at least first radiation having a first wavelength and second radiation having a second wavelength;
- and
- arranging the lighting system to illuminate at least a portion of the device enclosure.
An apparatus, comprising:
- an enclosure having a surface;
- at least one illumination device adapted to output at least first radiation having a first wavelength and second radiation having a second wavelength to provide variable color light, the at least one illumination device disposed proximate to the enclosure and configured to illuminate at least a portion of the surface of the enclosure with the variable color light, such that during operation of the at least one illumination device, at least the portion of the enclosure appears to have a variable color to an observer viewing the enclosure from outside the enclosure;
- and
- a controller configured to control the at least one illumination device.
An appliance, comprising:
- a surface;
- at least one illumination device disposed within the appliance, the at least one illumination device adapted to output at least first radiation having a first wavelength and second radiation having a second wavelength to provide variable color light and configured to illuminate at least a portion of the surface of the appliance with the variable color light, such that during operation of the at least one illumination device, at least the portion of the appliance appears to have a variable color to an observer viewing the appliance;
- and
- a controller configured to control the at least one illumination device.
An electronics device, comprising:
- a surface;
- at least one illumination device disposed within the electronics device, the at least one illumination device adapted to output at least first radiation having a first wavelength and second radiation having a second wavelength to provide variable color light and configured to illuminate at least a portion of the surface of the electronics device with the variable color light, such that during operation of the at least one illumination device, at least the portion of the electronics device appears to have a variable color to an observer viewing the electronics device;
- and
- a controller configured to control the at least one illumination device.
An illumination method, comprising acts of:
- a1) generating at least one of first radiation having a first wavelength and second radiation having a second wavelength to provide variable color light;
- and
- a) illuminating at least a portion of a surface of an enclosure with the variable color light such that at least the portion of the enclosure appears to have a variable color to an observer viewing the enclosure from outside the enclosure.
A method for changing a color of a device having an enclosure formed at least in part by a partially transparent material, the method comprising acts of:
- providing an illumination device disposed in the enclosure, the illumination device capable of generating at least two colors and including at least one LED-based light source adapted to output illumination including at least first radiation having a first wavelength and second radiation having a second wavelength;
- illuminating at least a portion of said enclosure, via the illumination devise;
- and
- controlling the at least one LED-based light source so as to vary said illumination.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.