Method of controlling an illumination device having a number of light source arrays

1. A method of controlling an illumination device, where said illumination device comprises:

a first array of light sources comprising a number of a first type light sources and a number of a second type light sources;

a second array of light sources comprising a number of only said first type light sources;

said method comprises the steps of:

controlling said first array by simultaneously controlling the intensity of all of said light sources of said first array by driving all of said light sources of said first array at a same, first intensity level by a same first control signal or first identical control signals;

controlling said second array by simultaneously controlling the intensity of all of said light sources of said second array by driving all of said light sources of said second array at a same, second intensity level by a same second control signal or second identical control signals, where said same first control signal or said first identical control signals is different from said same second control signal or said second identical control signals; and

individually performing said controlling of said first array and said second array;

wherein said method further comprises the steps of:

obtaining first driving characteristics related to said first array;

obtaining second driving characteristics related to said second array;

obtaining first degrading data related to said first type light sources;

obtaining second degrading data related to said second type light sources;

determining degrading of said first array based on said first driving characteristics, said second driving characteristics, said first degrading data and said second degrading data;

wherein said step of controlling said first array is based on said determined degrading of said first array; and

wherein said step of determining degrading of said first array comprises the steps of:

dividing said first array into a first virtual array and a second virtual array, where said first virtual array represents said first type light sources of said first array and said second virtual array represents said second type light sources of said first array;

determining first virtual driving characteristics of said first virtual array based on said second driving characteristics;

determining second virtual driving characteristics of said second virtual array based on said first driving characteristics and said second driving characteristics of said second array;

determining degrading of said first virtual array based on said first virtual driving characteristics and said first degrading data;

determining degrading of said second virtual array based on said second virtual driving characteristics of and said second degrading data; and

combining said degrading of said first virtual array and said degrading of said second virtual array into said degrading of said first array.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said step of obtaining said first driving characteristics comprises the step of obtaining first color characteristics related to said first array and wherein said step of determining degrading of said first array is based on said first color characteristics.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said step of obtaining said second driving characteristics comprises the step of obtaining second color characteristics related to said second array and wherein said step of determining degrading of said first array is based on said second color characteristics.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said step of obtaining said first driving characteristics comprises the steps of:

obtaining a first calibration temperature parameter related to at least one of said light sources of said first array; and

obtaining a first present temperature parameter related to the present temperature of at least one of said light sources of said first array;

wherein said step of determining degrading of said first array is based on said first calibration temperature parameter and said first present temperature parameter.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said step of obtaining said second driving characteristics comprises the steps of:

obtaining a second calibration temperature parameter related to at least one of said light sources of said second array; and

obtaining a second present temperature parameter related to the present temperature of at least one of said light sources of said second array;

wherein said step of determining degrading of said first array is based on said second calibration temperature and said second present temperature parameter.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said same, first intensity level is different from said same, second intensity level.

7. A method of controlling an illumination device, where said illumination device comprises:

a first array of light sources comprising a number of a first type light sources and a number of a second type light sources;

a second array of light sources comprising a number of said first type light sources;

said method comprises the steps of:

controlling said first array by simultaneously controlling the intensity of all of said light sources light sources of said first array;

controlling said second array by simultaneously controlling the intensity of all of said light sources of said second array;

individually performing said controlling of said first array and said second array; and

wherein said method further comprises the steps of:

obtaining first driving characteristics related to said first array;

obtaining second driving characteristics related to said second array;

obtaining first degrading data related to said first type light sources;

obtaining second degrading data related to said second type light sources;

determining degrading of said first array based on said first driving characteristics, said second driving characteristics, said first degrading data and said second degrading data; and

wherein said step of controlling said first array is based on said determined degrading of said first array; and

wherein said step of determining degrading of said first array comprises the steps of:

dividing said first array into a first virtual array and a second virtual array, where said first virtual array represents said first type light sources of said first array and said second virtual array represents said second type light sources of said first array;

determining first virtual driving characteristics of said first virtual array based on said second driving characteristics;

determining second virtual driving characteristics of said second virtual array based on said first driving characteristics and said second driving characteristics of said second array;

determining degrading of said first virtual array based on said first virtual driving characteristics and said first degrading data;

determining degrading of said second virtual array based on said second virtual driving characteristics of and said second degrading data; and

combining said degrading of said first virtual array and said degrading of said second virtual array into said degrading of said first array.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein controlling said first array by simultaneously controlling the intensity of all of said light sources of said first array is by driving all of said light sources of said first array by a same control signal or by identical control signals; and controlling said second array by simultaneously controlling the intensity of all of said light sources of said second array is by driving all of said light sources of said second array by another control signal or by another set of identical control signals.

9. An illumination device comprising:

a first array of light sources comprising a number of a first type light sources and a number of a second type light sources;

a second array of light sources comprising a number of only said first type light sources; and

a processor adapted to:

control said first array by simultaneously controlling the intensity of all of said light sources of said first array by driving all of said light sources of said first array at a same, first intensity level by a same first control signal or first identical control signals; and

control said second array by simultaneously controlling the intensity of all of said light sources of said second array by driving all of said light sources of said second array at a same, second intensity level by a same second control signal or second identical control signals, where said same first control signal or said first identical control signals is different from said same second control signal or said second identical control signals;

wherein said processor is configured to obtain:

first driving characteristics related to said first array;

second driving characteristics related to said second array;

first degrading data related to said first type light sources; and

second degrading data related to said second type light sources;

wherein said processor is adapted to determine degrading of said first array based on said first driving characteristics, said second driving characteristics, said first degrading data and said second degrading data and is adapted to control said first array based on said determined degrading of said first array; and

wherein said processor is adapted to determining degrading of said first array by:

dividing said first array into a first virtual array and a second virtual array, where said first virtual array represents said first type light sources of said first array and said second virtual array represents said second type light sources of said first array;

determining first virtual driving characteristics of said first virtual array based on said second driving characteristics;

determining second virtual driving characteristics of said second virtual array based on said first driving characteristics and said second driving characteristics of said second array;

determining degrading of said first virtual array based on said first virtual driving characteristics and said first degrading data;

determining degrading of said second virtual array based on said second virtual driving characteristics of and said second degrading data; and

combining said degrading of said first virtual array and said degrading of said second virtual array into said degrading of said first array.

10. The illumination device according to claim 9 , wherein said first driving characteristics obtained by said processor comprises first color characteristics related to said first array, wherein said processor is adapted to determine said degrading of said first array based on said first color characteristics.

11. The illumination device to claim 9 , wherein said second driving characteristics obtained by said processor comprises second color characteristics related to said second array, wherein said processor is adapted to determine said degrading of said first array is based on said second color characteristics.

12. The illumination device according to claim 9 , wherein said first driving characteristics obtained by said processor comprises:

a first calibration temperature parameter related to at least one of said light sources of said first array; and

a first present temperature parameter related to the present temperature of at least one of said light sources of said second array;

wherein said processor is adapted to determine said degrading of said first array based on said first calibration temperature parameter and said second present temperature parameter.

13. The illumination device according to claim 9 , wherein said second driving characteristics obtained by said processor comprises:

a second calibration temperature parameter related to at least one of said light sources of said second array; and

a second present temperature parameter related to the present temperature of at least one of said light sources of said second array;

wherein said processor is adapted to determine said degrading of said first array based on said second calibration temperature and said second present temperature parameter.

14. The illumination device according to claim 9 , wherein the overall intensity provided by said first type light sources of said first and said second array are larger than the overall intensity provided by said second type light sources.

15. The illumination device according to claim 9 , wherein said same, first intensity level is different from said same, second intensity level.

16. An illumination device comprising:

a first array of light sources comprising a number of a first type light sources and a number of a second type light sources;

a second array of light sources comprising a number of said first type light sources; and

a processor adapted to:

control said first array by simultaneously controlling the intensity of all of said light sources of said first array; and

control said second array by simultaneously controlling the intensity of all of said light sources of said second array; and

wherein said processor is configured to obtain:

first driving characteristics related to said first array;

second driving characteristics related to said second array;

first degrading data related to said first type light sources;

second degrading data related to said second type light sources; and

wherein said processor is adapted to determine degrading of said first array based on said first driving characteristics, said second driving characteristics, said first degrading data and said second degrading data and is adapted to control said first array based on said determined degrading of said first array; and

wherein said processor is adapted to determining degrading of said first array by:

dividing said first array into a first virtual array and a second virtual array, where said first virtual array represents said first type light sources of said first array and said second virtual array represents said second type light sources of said first array;

determining first virtual driving characteristics of said first virtual array based on said second driving characteristics;

determining second virtual driving characteristics of said second virtual array based on said first driving characteristics and said second driving characteristics of said second array;

determining degrading of said first virtual array based on said first virtual driving characteristics and said first degrading data;

determining degrading of said second virtual array based on said second virtual driving characteristics of and said second degrading data;

combining said degrading of said first virtual array and said degrading of said second virtual array into said degrading of said first array.

17. The illumination device according to claim 16 , wherein the processor adapted to control said first array by simultaneously controlling the intensity of all of said light sources of said first array is by driving all of said light sources of said first array by a same control signal or by identical control signals; and to control said second array by simultaneously controlling the intensity of all of said light sources of said second array is by driving all of said light sources of said second array by another control signal or by another set of identical control signals.