Journal of China University of Science and Technology Vol.49-2011.

10

Portable Multi-RGB Color Sensor Measurement Device for

LED Ceiling Light
使用於 LED 平板燈相關色溫量測的多個 RGB 彩色感測器量測裝置

     

1 2 3 4

Der-Chin Chen1, Shih-Wen Lee2, Yang-Hao Li 3, Jiun-You Fang4

       
1

2        
3,4         
1,3,4
Department of Electrical Engineering, Feng Chia University
2
Department of Electrical Engineering, China University of Science and Technology

ABSTRACT

This paper studies the design of a portable multi-RGB color sensor measurement
device which measures the chromaticity coordinates and color temperature of LED ceiling
light using the RGB color sensor and correlated color temperature measurement program.
The color matching function enables the compensation of measurement values to match a
desired standard by correcting analog output of RGB color sensor. While the distance of 30
cm between the LED ceiling light and RGB color sensor, and at the beam angle 0°of LED
ceiling light, the accuracy of color temperature measurement is better than ± 5%. The
advantages of this system are real time, compactness, low cost and multi-RGB sensor.
Keywords: RGB color sensor, correlated color temperature, LED ceiling light

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49
Portable Multi-RGB Color Sensor Measurement Device for LED Ceiling Light

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I. INTRODUCTION

As the technology and products of green energy have become the main stream in the
market today. Energy saving light, LEDs, provides new opportunities to vary the color
temperature and color rendering of the illumination. LEDs are widely a property that is
very important for many future lighting applications. In order to raise competitiveness,
every LED’s lighting manufacturer is seeking for the superior testing instrument which
requires high accuracy, quick measurement and low cost; the portable multi-RGB color
sensor measurement device is the excellent tool for achieving that purpose. We had
published about the CCT measurement of LED bulbs by using multi-RGB color sensor in
the previous issue of this journal [1]. Brightness light distribution of LED bulbs are the solid
angle 170 Î. However, distribution of radiation from LED ceiling light belongs to the shape
of a plane at 1.5meter distance. There are sort of difference radiant intensity between them
in the CCT measurement. Also, the accuracies of both measurement methods are fit for the
requirements in the industry. The capabilities of the system include :(a)Non-contact
chromaticity coordinates and correlated color temperature measurement for LED ceiling
light.(b) Memory for storing 7 channels of reference color temperature data recognizable
and quick measuring. (c) RS232 communication interface.
Color can be regarded as an intrinsic physical property of an object or as a visual sensation.
As a sensation, it results from three different types of the receptor cells in the retina, each of
which responds to a different portion of the visual spectrum. As a physical property, color
is determined by the wavelength distribution of the LED ceiling light. Thus, a color of LED
ceiling light can be specified in terms of R, G, and B, which are the amounts of the three
primaries colors required to match the CIE RGB matching functions. The R, G, and B are
the analog output voltages of red, green and blue lights in RGB color sensors.

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 Journal of China University of Science and Technology Vol.49-2011.10

II. PRINCIPLE
2.1 CIE 1931 Color Space
In the study of the perception of color, one of the first mathematically defined color
spaces was the CIE 1931 XYZ color space. In the CIE XYZ color space, a set of tristimulus
values called X Ï, Y Ï, and Z Ï, which are roughly red, green and blue. We use CIE 1931
XYZ color space to calculate three color matching functions. The color matching function
is shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1 the CIE standard observer color matching functions.

Having developed an RGB model of human vision using the CIE RGB matching
functions, the members of the special commission wished to develop another color space
that would relate to the CIE RGB color space. It was assumed that Grassmann's law is held,
and the new space would be related to the CIE RGB space by a linear transformation. The
transformation is linear from the CIE RGB space to XYZ space. According to CIE, the
standard wavelengths of primitive red, green, and blue are 700nm, 546.Inm and 435.8nm,
correspondingly. Consequently, the transformation matrix between RGB color system and
XYZ color system can be figured out as expressed by Eq. (1). [2]

X   2.7689 1.7517 1.1302   R 

Y  Ð 1.0000 4.5907 0.0601  G  (1)
  
 Z   0.0000 0.0565 5.5943   B 

The portable multi-RGB color sensor measurement device uses the RGB color
sensor to detect the light from the LED ceiling light. Based on the above equation, if the

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Portable Multi-RGB Color Sensor Measurement Device for LED Ceiling Light

spectrometer is utilized, the emission spectra of LED ceiling light are shown in Figure 2
and the spectral response curves of RGB color sensors are shown in Figure 3. The CIE
1931 2-deg XYZ Color Matching Functions, the relation between the RGB color sensor
and of XYZ color system is written by Eq. (2). [2-3]

(2)

Figure 2 The Emission Spectrum of LED Ceiling Light

The difference between Eq. (1) and Eq. (2) is: the former is transformed into XYZ color
system in the RGB color system and the latter is transformed into XYZ color system in the
LED ceiling light. The CIE XYZ space can be used to define chromaticity in the usual way:
The chromaticity coordinates are x and y, where: [3]
X Y
x= y= (3)
X+Y+Z X+Y+Z

2.2 Color Temperature

The color temperature of a light source is the temperature of an ideal black-body
radiator that radiates light of comparable hue to that light source. The temperature is
conventionally stated in units of absolute temperature, kelvin [K]. The correlated color
temperature (Tcp) is the temperature of the Planckian radiator whose perceived color most
closely resembles that of a given stimulus at the same brightness and under specified
viewing conditions. Figure 4 shows how color temperature and the block-body locus with

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 Journal of China University of Science and Technology Vol.49-2011.10

color temperature lines, and color difference lines can be expressed on an x,y chromaticity
diagram.

Figure 3 The photo sensitivity of sub-pixel of RGB color sensor

(Ref. Hamamatsu Corporation’s data sheet)

In cases where the source’s color is not found on the locus, the temperature nearest
to it is taken as the color’s correlated color temperature. The correlated color temperature of
the algorithm is used to approximate the Planckian locus in order to calculate the Tcp in
terms of chromaticity coordinates. Correlated color temperature formula is denoted as
follows: (The correlated color temperatures ranging from 2856K to 6504K.) [4]
Tcp (x, y) = Ñ449n3 Ò 3525n2 Ñ 6823.3n Ò 5520.33 (4)
Where n= [(x Ñ0.3320)/(y Ñ0.1858)]

Figure 4 Chromaticity Diagram (Ref. CIE 1960 UCS )

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Portable Multi-RGB Color Sensor Measurement Device for LED Ceiling Light

III. THE MEASUREMENT SYSTEM

We develop a non-contact portable multi-RGB color sensor measurement device

which measures the color temperature, luminance and chromaticity coordinates of white
LED ceiling light. This system uses seven RGB color sensors to detect the light of LED
ceiling light and calculates the correlated color temperature of LED ceiling light from
Equation 4. The LED ceiling light emits the visible light and is detected by the RGB color
sensor. The emission spectrum of LED ceiling light is matched with the spectral response
of the RGB color sensor. There are three sub pixels in each RGB color sensor so seven
RGB color sensors have a total of 21 analog output channels. To process the massive
amounts of analog signals, the analog Multiplexers/De-multiplexer is connected to the
output of the RGB color sensor. An operation amplifier is connected to the output of the
analog Multiplexers/De-multiplexer; it is not only increases the small output signal about
fourfold but also raises the contrast of this system. Before the signal enters the
microprocessor, the analog signals are converted into the digital signal by the A/D
converter. To design the software of microprocessor and arrange the digital signal, the data
of color recognition are also compared. The data base of the microprocessor has seven sets
of RGB sensors in the different testing conditions. The system consists of LED ceiling light,
and the light detection and processing board [RGB color sensor (s9032-02)], multiplexer
(CD4067), OP amplifier (MAX4832), A/D converter (ADC0809), microprocessor (89C51)
and LCD display. The block diagram of system is shown in Figure 5.

CD4067 Max 4832

Analog Low Power
RGB Quad
Multiplexers/
Sensor*7 Demultiplexe Operational
r Amplifier

ADC080
89C51 9
Microcontroller A/D

Push
Button*7 LCD
display
Figure 5 System Block Diagram

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 Journal of China University of Science and Technology Vol.49-2011.10

A photodiode has two terminals, a cathode and an anode. It has a low forward
resistance (anode positive) and high reverse resistance (anode negative). Normal biased
operation of most photodiodes calls for negative biasing. The active area of the device is
the anode or positive biasing. The backside of the device is the cathode. Figure 6 shows
method of measuring light by measuring the photocurrent. Figure 6 also shows a basic
circuit connection of an operational amplifier and photodiode. The output voltage Vout from
DC through the low-frequency region is 180 degrees out of phase with the input current.
The feedback resistance Rf is determined by input current and the required output voltage
Vout. If, however, Rf is made greater than the photodiode internal resistance Rsh, the
operational amplifier’s input noise voltage input equivalent noise voltage and offset voltage
Rf
will be multiplied by (1+ ). This is superimposed on the output voltage Vout, and the
Rsh

operational amplifier's bias current error will also increase. It is therefore not practical to
use an infinitely large Rf. [5] [6]

RGB ADC
Sensor*7 0809

Figure 6 The Photodiode Operation Circuit

The color temperature measurements program is capable of measuring color

temperature and chromaticity coordinates. The procedures of system operation are stated
below and the flow chart is shown in Figure 7.

(1)At first, turn on start button to enter the initial state and then the "7 Channel Color"
and "Measurement!" character are shown on the LCD display.
(2)Select one of 7 RGB sensor switches to control each RGB sensor that is used to test.

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Portable Multi-RGB Color Sensor Measurement Device for LED Ceiling Light

(3)The ADC has 8 channels of analog multiplexer and converts analog signal into
digital signal. So, use the pin “P1” of 89C51 to control the analog signal. When P1
= 00H, 01H, 02H, ADC0809 will receive R, G, B analog signals, respectively.
(4)After the converting, use the pin “P0” of 89C51 to transfer R, G, and B digital
information which can be shown on LCD display.
(5)Update the data of R, G and B values in 0.5 seconds.
(6)Select another button to other group of RGB color sensor to get the test data or push
the “RESET” button to return to the initial state.

Start
RESET
button
Initialization
Switch
LCD display Ó with 7
7 Channel color buttons
Measurement Ô

89C51 select LCD display digital

RGB sensor
values of R, G, B

89C51 select
ADC channel
Converting the
digital signals are
Read ADC Digital value of R,
Digital signal G, B

Figure 7 Flow Chart of System Operation

IV. EXPERIMENT AND RESULTS

The conditions and specifications used for the experiment are listed in Table 1. In
this experiment, two white LED ceiling lights (the specification as shown in Table 2) are
used as testing source whose correlated color temperatures are 3000K, and 5800K. The
main experimental parameters are as follows:

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 Journal of China University of Science and Technology Vol.49-2011.10

(1) Power consumption of LED ceiling light: 40 W

(2) Beam angle of LED light: 120Î
(3) Color temperatures of LED light: cool white (5000k~6000K) and warm white
(2700~3500K).
(4) Spectral range of three sub-pixel of RGB sensors: Blue (400~540nm), Green
(480nm~600nm), Red (590~720nm).

Table 1 Conditions of Experiment

Spectral range 400nm~700nm
Color Temperature
3000K~6000K
Measuring Range
Microprocessor 89C51
(a) 3-channel(R, G, B) photodiode
sensitive to the blue (λp=460 nm), green
(λp=540 nm) and red (λp=620 nm)
RGB Color Sensors regions of the spectrum.
(b) Active area: 3-segment (RGB) circular
active area of φ 2 mm.
(c) Spectral response shown in Figure 2.
A/D converter ADC0809 , Resolution: 8bit
Sensor Dynamic Range 0.3V~3.4V
Sensor Noise Dark current Õ 10nA
(a) color space x,Ö × ±0.001
Accuracy
(b) color temperature Tcp: Ø 5%
Input Voltage 5V
Measurement Time 0.5 s
(a) Darkroom
Correlated Color Temperature (b) Distance between LED ceiling light and
Measurement Condition sensor: 30 cm
(c) beam angle range: 0Ù(normal direction )

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Portable Multi-RGB Color Sensor Measurement Device for LED Ceiling Light

Table 2 Specifications of LED Ceiling Light

Input Voltage: AC 110-240V
Constant Current: AC 350mA
Power Consumption: 40W
Luminous Flux: 2650lm
Beam Angle: Ø 60Ù
Material: AL6063-T5 radiating good
Average Rated Life: 50, 000hours
cool white(5000-6000k),
Correlated Color Temperature:
warm white(2700-3500k)

There is the best precise method to measure the correlated color temperature of a
soured by radiometric measurement of the spectral energy distribution, calculation of the
chromaticity, and relating the chromaticity to the nearest isotemperature line on the
chromaticity diagram. The RGB color sensor closely matches the color-matching functions
defined by the CIE, enabling precise correlated color temperature measurement. The
integral of the photo sensitivity of three sub-pixel of RGB color sensors (R ÚÛ Ü ÚÛ Ý Ú) and
three standard observer color matching functions (X Ú, Y Ú,Z Ú) over a given wavelength
band computes the power density spectrum in the signal over that wavelength band. The
color matching function enables compensation of measurement values to match a desired
standard by the corrected analog output of RGB color sensor. After calculating, the spectral
calibration factors R, G and B of RGB sensor analog output voltage are in equation 2. The
procedures of the experiment are stated below Þ

(1) Put a diffuser in front of the RGB color sensor.

(2)In accordance with test conditions, the correlated color temperature test
experiment is built, shown in Figure 8.
(3)Take the values of R, G and B measured with beam angle 0 ßof LED ceiling light
into Equation 2.
(4) Get X, Y and Z from Equation 2 and convert them into the chromaticity
coordinate(x, y) by Equation 3.
(5)Finally, bring the coordinate(x, y) into the Equation 4, the correlated color
temperature can be found.

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 Journal of China University of Science and Technology Vol.49-2011.10

(6)Assign beam angle of LED ceiling light at 0 ßand repeat the test 25 times.

In this experiment, LED ceiling lights are used as test samples whose correlated
color temperature is 5800K, and four standard light sources as the reference sources that are
used to calibrate Lux Meter. The data in Table 3 are the chromaticity coordinate(x, y) and
correlated color temperatures of four standard light sources. The Lux meter is made by
KONICA MINOLTA Company in Japan, Type: CHROMA METER CL-200's. Table 4
lists the measured data of the chromaticity coordinate(x, y) and correlated color
temperatures of a LED ceiling lights that measured by Lux Meter and portable multi-RGB
sensor measurement device, respectively. In Figure 9, the green line is the correlated color
temperature curve of four standard light sources. The red and blue point are the correlated
color temperature of LED ceiling lights measured by two both devices; Lux Meter and
portable multi-RGB sensor measurement device, respectively. The experimental results are
analyzed: the data measured by both devices are consistent with the chromaticity coordinate
of the standard light source in Table 4. The green line and the points of above two colors
are within the range of constant correlated color temperature in Figure 4. And, the result of
color temperature measurement of LED ceiling light with different distance from 5cm to
40cm is shown in Figure10. The testing accuracy is within in ±5% and the average linearity
is 0.1095. This system can also measure the correlated color temperature values of LED
ceiling light from 2800 K to 6000 K.

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Portable Multi-RGB Color Sensor Measurement Device for LED Ceiling Light

Figure 8 Color Temperature Test Equipment

Table 3 Chromaticity Coordinate (x, y) and Color

Temperature of Four Standard Light Sources

x y T(K)
F12 0.43695 0.40441 3000
F11 0.38052 0.37713 4000
F10 0.34609 0.35986 5000
D65 0.31271 0.32902 6500

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 Journal of China University of Science and Technology Vol.49-2011.10

Figure 9 Chromaticity coordinates of LED Ceiling Light Measured by Both Devices

Table 4 Chromaticity Coordinate(x, y) Measured by Both Devices

portable multi-RGB
Lux Meter
sensor measurement device
x y x y
5800K 0.3202 0.3526 0.3202 0.3526

Figure 10 Correlated Color Temperature of LED Ceiling Light by Both Devices

at Different Distances (The red line is measured by LUX meter)

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Portable Multi-RGB Color Sensor Measurement Device for LED Ceiling Light

V. CONCLUSION

Seven RGB color sensors were used in this system; it can detect seven different
position of LED ceiling light at the real time and fixed measurement distance. It’s easy to
measure the correlated color temperature of LED ceiling light on production line due to
small system. In addition, the system is controlled by the microprocessor, had high
extendibility and configurability. The color matching function of analog output of RGB
color sensor provides correct measurement results rapidly. Experimental results show that
the accuracy of correlated color temperature measurement is better than ±5%. The
advantages of this system are real time, compact, quick measurement and multi-RGB color
sensor.

VI. REFERENCE

[1] Ying-Yun Chen, Po-chi Chung, Shih-Wen Lee, Der-Chin Chen,” PC-based Multi-
RGB Color Sensor Measurement System for Measuring Color Temperature of LED
Light Bulb”, Journal of China University of Science and Technology ,Vol.48,pp.1-16,
July 2011.
[2] Bianco, S., Gasparini, F., Russo, A., Schettini, R. “A New Method for RGB to XYZ
Transformation Based on Pattern Search Optimization”, Journal of IEEE, Vol.53, No.
3, August2007.
[3] Werner, AJ “Luminous Transmittance, and Chromaticity of Colored Filter Glasses in
CIE 1964 Uniform Color Space”, Journal of Applied Optics, Vol. 7 Issue 5, pp.849-
855, 1968.
[4] Hernández-Andrés, Javier; Lee, Raymond L.; Romero, Javier. “Calculating correlated
color temperatures across the entire gamut of daylight and skylight chromaticities”,
Journal of Applied Optics, Vol. 38 Issue 27, pp.5703-5709, 1999.
[5] Chia-Chang Tong “The Development of Portable Infrared Color Sensor”, Journal of
IEEE, pp.959-962, 2005.
[6] Ki-Chan Lee, Seung-Hwan Moon, Brian Berkeley, Sang-Soo Kim, “Optical feedback
system with integrated color sensor on LCD” Journal of Sensors and Actuators
A:Physical, Vol.130-131,pp.214-219, 14 August 2006.

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