Ambilight
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Ambilight, which is short for Ambient Lighting, is a feature invented by Philips Research and a Philips development lab in Eindhoven in 2002. Among the key inventors are Elmo Diederiks and Erwin Meinders, but the team consisted of a diverse mix of experts in phsychology, user research, software engineering and theatre lighting. Ambient Light Technology generates light effects around the TV that correspond to the video content. The effect, the company claims, is a more immersive viewing experience. In addition, it reduces viewer eye strain and increases perceived image quality. Ambilight also reduces the visibility of a typical LCD problem: backlight bleed. AmbiLight is a lighting system that actively adjusts both brightness and color based upon picture content. Integrated into the television cabinet, Ambient Light Technology is aimed to enable the viewer to see more picture detail, contrast and color while eliminating on-screen reflections.
Ambilight technology works by projecting light from the rear of the set in an almost infinite combination of possible colours, shades and intensity. Viewers can choose to have Ambilight follow the colour and brightness of the programme content - automatically changing with the colours on the screen - or alternatively the light levels and colour can be set to match the interior decor or mood in the room. When the television is not on the unit becomes a lamp.
Adults and children may be staring at screens for extended periods of time, both at home and on the road. When they focus on one thing for too long, the accommodating eye muscles get stressed and tired, thereby causing visual fatigue. Philips Ambilight TV with the back light feature aims to help ease eye fatigue and strain.
Aurea flat TV emits an aura of light from the front of the TV as well as on all four sides. A further refinement is that it reflects a whole range of colours from each side of the screen. The colours and dynamics of each image spread beyond the screen.
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[edit] Versions
Ambilight is marketed in several versions, mostly depending on the number of independent light channels, anywhere from one to four or more. The first Ambilight TV was launched in 2004, with lighting at the side of the TV set. Later versions also feature light at the top and bottom, and more granular lighting control to match the displayed image more closely (Ambilight Spectra).
The Ambilight Aurea name refers to a frame surrounding the display panel that lights up in colors matching the edges of the displayed image, in addition to illuminating the wall behind the television screen.
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AmBX is a version of Ambilight designed for PC gaming. Similarly, light effects occur resulting from in-game events and actions.
[edit] Patents
The concept of adapting ambient light with a video display already existed, but proposed solutions required a separate channel for the light effects in addition to the video and audio channels. Ambilight uses the video channel itself to generate color and the concepts as well as various methods of calculating the color from the video signal are protected by various patents.
[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] There are several other patents and patent applications as well, although it is not clear which ones actually cover the Ambilight systems that are being sold.
[edit] References
- ^ Method and system for controlling an ambient light and lighting unit. International patent application WO 2004006570 (2004).
- ^ Method and system for controlling an ambient light and lighting unit. International patent application WO 2004006578 (2004).
- ^ AUTOMATIC DISPLAY ADAPTATION TO LIGHTING International patent application WO 2005041568 (2005).
- ^ AMBIENT LIGHT SCRIPT COMMAND ENCODING International patent application WO 2005069640 (2005).
- ^ Flicker-free adaptive thresholding for ambient light derived from video content mapped through unrendered color space . International patent application WO 2004006578 (2005).
- ^ Ambient lighting derived from video content and with broadcast influenced by perceptual rules and user preferences International patent application WO 2006003624 (2006).
- ^ PASSIVE DIFFUSER FRAME SYSTEM FOR AMBIENT LIGHTING USING A VIDEO DISPLAY UNIT AS A LIGHT SOURCE International patent application WO 2006003603 (2006).
- ^ ACTIVE FRAME SYSTEM FOR AMBIENT LIGHTING USING A VIDEO DISPLAY AS A SIGNAL S0URCE International patent application WO 2006003604 (2006).
- ^ DOMINANT COLOR EXTRACTION USING PERCEPTUAL RULES TO PRODUCE AMBIENT LIGHT DERIVED FROM VIDEO CONTENT International patent application WO 2006003600 (2006).
[edit] External links
- Seduction by Light - The official Philips website for the new Ambilight / Aurea family product range
- LiveLight Project - DIY Ambient Lightning Project by a finnish student.
- Aurea Phillips Blog - Ambilight Images and Technical Specifications
- Wong Kar Wai to create exclusive film for Philips next generation Ambilight television
- Ambilight innovation process - One of the inventors presenting the innovation process behind the Ambilight
- Article on the Ambilight innovation process
- Boblight - DIY collection of free tools to control RGB lights similar to Ambilight
- Lightpack - USB content-driving cross-platform ambient lighting system
- Amblone - Another DIY Ambilight solution running on Windows
- Shiftbrite + Arduino - A DIY Arduino-based clone
NOTE: These DYI solutions might be infringing Philips patents, and when you use these you also might be infringing Philips patents.
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