LED illumination control using simple digital command structure

1. An illumination controller for use with at least one three-color LED module, comprising:

a command input for receiving a unitary illumination control command, the unitary illumination control command having a first color level value, a second color level value, a third color level value, and a fade rate value;

a first color control output for pulse modulating a first signal that powers a first illumination level for a first color;

a second color control output for pulse modulating a second signal that powers a second illumination level for a second color;

a third color control output for pulse modulating a third signal that powers a third illumination level for a third color; and

a processor that, responsive to the unitary illumination control command received on the command input, transitions the first color control output in accordance with the received command's first color level value and the fade rate value, transitions the second color control output in accordance with the received command's second color level value and the fade rate value; and transitions the third color control output in accordance with the received command's third color level value and the fade rate value.

2. An illumination controller as defined in claim 1 , wherein the first color is red, the second color is green, and the third color is blue.

3. An illumination controller as defined in claim 1 , further comprising first and second front panel buttons, and

wherein the processor is configured with a pre-programmed illumination sequence that is controlled using the first and second front panel buttons.

4. An illumination controller as defined in claim 1 , wherein first, second and third signals are below 24 volts.

5. An illumination controller as defined in claim 1 , wherein the unitary illumination control command is an ASCII string.

6. An illumination controller as defined in claim 1 , wherein the unitary illumination control command is executed when the processor receives a carriage return character.

7. An illumination controller as defined in claim 1 , wherein the fade rate value corresponds to a fade rate greater than zero.

8. An illumination controller as defined in claim 1 , wherein the command input is a serial interface.

9. An illumination controller as defined in claim 8 , wherein the serial interface is an RS-232 interface.

10. An illumination controller as defined in claim 8 , wherein the serial interface is an RS-485 interface.

11. An illumination controller as defined in claim 1 , wherein the command input is a wireless interface.

12. An illumination controller as defined in claim 1 , wherein the illumination controller uses pulse frequency modulation for modulating the first, second, and third signals.

13. A method for controlling at least one three-color LED module, comprising:

receiving a unitary illumination control command having a first color level value, a second color level value, a third color level value, and a fade rate value;

transitioning to a first illumination level for a first color by pulse modulating a first signal in accordance with the received command's first color level value and the fade rate value;

transitioning to a second illumination level for a second color by pulse modulating a second signal in accordance with the received command's second color level value and the fade rate value; and

transitioning to a third illumination level for a third color by pulse modulating a third signal in accordance with the received command's third color level value and the fade rate value.

14. A method for controlling as defined in claim 13 , wherein the first color is red, the second color is green, and third color is blue.

15. A method for controlling as defined in claim 13 , wherein the unitary illumination control command is an ASCII string.

16. A method for controlling as defined in claim 13 , wherein the fade rate value corresponds to a fade rate greater than zero.

17. A method for controlling as defined in claim 13 , wherein pulse frequency modulation is used for modulating the first, second, and third signals.

18. Apparatus for controlling at least one three-color LED module, comprising:

means for receiving a unitary illumination control command having a first color level value, a second color level value, a third color level value, and a fade rate value;

means for transitioning to a first illumination level for a first color by pulse modulating a first signal in accordance with the received command's first color level value and the fade rate value, transitioning to a second illumination level for a second color by pulse modulating a second signal in accordance with the received command's second color level value and the fade rate value, transitioning to a third illumination level for a third color by pulse modulating a third signal in accordance with the received command's third color level value and the fade rate value.

19. A computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable medium storing:

code for causing a computer to receive a unitary illumination control command having a first color level value, a second color level value, a third color level value, and a fade rate value;

code for causing the computer to transition to a first illumination level for a first color by pulse modulating a first signal in accordance with the received command's first color level value and the fade rate value;

code for causing the computer to transition to a second illumination level for a second color by pulse modulating a second signal in accordance with the received command's second color level value and the fade rate value; and

code for causing the computer to transition to a third illumination level for a third color by pulse modulating a third signal in accordance with the received command's third color level value and the fade rate value.

20. A method for controlling at least one four-color LED module, comprising:

receiving a unitary illumination control command having a first color level value, a second color level value, a third color level value, a fourth color level value, and a fade rate value;

transitioning to a first illumination level for a first color by pulse modulating a first signal in accordance with the received command's first color level value and the fade rate value;

transitioning to a second illumination level for a second color by pulse modulating a second signal in accordance with the received command's second color level value and the fade rate value;

transitioning to a third illumination level for a third color by pulse modulating a third signal in accordance with the received command's third color level value and the fade rate value; and

transitioning to a fourth illumination level for a fourth color by pulse modulating a fourth signal in accordance with the received command's fourth color level value and the fade rate value.

21. An illumination controller as defined in claim 20 , wherein the first color is red, the second color is green, the third color is blue, and the fourth color is amber.

22. An illumination controller for use with at least one four-color LED module, comprising:

a command input for receiving a unitary illumination control command, the unitary illumination control command having a first color level value, a second color level value, a third color level value, a fourth color level value, and a fade rate value;

a first color control output for pulse modulating a first signal that powers a first illumination level for a first color;

a second color control output for pulse modulating a second signal that powers a second illumination level for a second color;

a third color control output for pulse modulating a third signal that powers a third illumination level for a third color;

a fourth color control output for pulse modulating a fourth signal that powers a fourth illumination level for a fourth color; and

a processor that, responsive to the unitary illumination control command received on the command input, transitions the first color control output in accordance with the received command's first color level value and the fade rate value, transitions the second color control output in accordance with the received command's second color level value and the fade rate value; transitions the third color control output in accordance with the received command's third color level value and the fade rate value; and transitions the fourth color control output in accordance with the received command's fourth color level value and the fade rate value.

23. A method for controlling at least three LED modules, comprising:

receiving a unitary illumination control command having a first illumination level value, a second illumination level value, a third illumination level value, and a fade rate value;

transitioning to a first illumination level for a first LED module by pulse modulating a first signal in accordance with the received command's first illumination level value and the fade rate value;

transitioning to a second illumination level for a second LED module by pulse modulating a second signal in accordance with the received command's second illumination level value and the fade rate value; and

transitioning to a third illumination level for a third LED module by pulse modulating a third signal in accordance with the received command's third illumination level value and the fade rate value.