History of Addressable LEDs

[Scottie]

Seasons Greetings!

I was watching an Christmas movie last night on Netflix, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deck_the_Halls_(2006_film) and had an epiphany.

I am ashamed to admit I have no idea when addressable LEDs became a reality.



The film was released in 2006. So, it would have likely been filmed early 2006, late 2005. In this example, I am assuming if the display was real, they used display tiles/modules which include an array of LEDs on one tile.

I took a look at WorldSemi's website (I believe to be the original designer of the WS281X LEDs). They state they were founded in 2007:
"WorldSemi was founded in 2007, we work as the leading LED specialist in IC designer for Constant Current LED Driver IC"

My google search skills seem to be failing me. Was the WS281x the first addressable pixel?

Thanks,

[thm_w]

Was going to say it was CG, but the write up for what LED used is here: https://www.livedesignonline.com/business-people-news/color-kinetics-technology-stars-deck-halls

WS2812 seems to be the first.

[SiliconWizard]

LED displays are pretty old. They were just using a bunch of ICs to drive the LED matrix instead of each LED having its own driver IC.
So not sure I get the question. Yes, LED matrix displays have existed for a few decades. Nobody has been waiting for the WS281X to build LED displays.

[T3sl4co1l]

Well sure, LEDs have been around for a while, but you're not about to armor a house in stadium bigscreen modules!

Which themselves haven't been around for that long, as it took the introduction of GaN blues to make full color LED displays practical.  Which was early 2000s so, around there, and addressable strings are a natural evolution of that.

Impressive that they actually did it; almost as impressive is finding an actual press release claiming what they used.  Finding historic information on the net can be such a wash these days!

Tim

[themadhippy]

which themselves haven't been around for that long, as it took the introduction of GaN blues to make full color LED displays practical.  Which was early 2000s so, around there, and  strings are a natural evolution of that.

And before that addressable festoons,no fancy colour changing but at the time it was still impressive

[Scottie]

That is too cool! Thank you soo much!

I really wasn't sure what products were available at that time. The article you discovered links to "icolor flex sl" which appears to be very similar to what we now know as a ws281x or "Neo Pixel". Each programable RGB pixel was  (1.6 cm x 1.6 cm x 1.9 cm) spaced every 4 or 12 inches connected with a three-wire 18 AWG cable.

I'm sure a bunch of electronics designers had way too much fun on this project

I am impressed, piping video data out to addressable LEDs would take a little bit of effort.

[Scottie]

Thanks for your input. My inquiry was rooted in not knowing the history on the subject, and not being able to find an article on the subject with a google search.

I know I2C/SPI GPIO expanders with LED functions have existed for some time like https://www.nxp.com/docs/en/data-sheet/PCA9532.pdf.

Or chainable matrix display driver ICs like the: https://datasheets.maximintegrated.com/en/ds/MAX7219-MAX7221.pdf

Not sure about the history of video tiles either used in video walls, billboards, etc lol

Today these addressable LEDs are the norm, I have seen half a dozen homes in my city with addressable LED lights.

You can even buy an artificial Christmas tree pre-lit with ws2812 string lights: https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/noma-advanced-aurora-music-light-show-christmas-tree-7-5-ft-1518410p.html (don't look at the price though)

[Scottie]

lol the installation only operated on a measly 7.1 kW! Had they of used tungsten bulbs they claim it would have been in excess of 100 kW.

I think I found the patent for the addressable LED pixels used in the film: https://patents.google.com/patent/US7253566B2/ which is dated 2002.

[eti]

All LEDs are addressable. How do you think the manufacturers get them to the wholesalers? 😛

[RoGeorge]

Installations like those in the OP pic are most often done using DMX equipment.

The DMX protocol is used in show biz for light shows, theaters, outdoor concerts, clubs, movies (animatronics), etc.  That is why all kind of on the shelf components, including outdoor DMX controllers (IP68), can be bought ready made.

There are a few programs that can use MIDI controllers to easily control DMX devices live (stage lights, dimmers, spot-heads, LASERS, etc.), and it is also possible to record (or design) an entire show then playback it later (includes picture to light conversion features, like on that roof in the OP).

FreeStyler is an example of a free software for DMX control, if you want to try your stage-lighting skills.  Designing a good light-show is an entire new skill than laying out the DMX network.  There are many programs to help with DMX shows, some are easier to learn than Freestyler, but quite pricey for home use.

DMX standard appeared long before addressable LEDs.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DMX512

[Scottie]

All LEDs are addressable. How do you think the manufacturers get them to the wholesalers? 😛

This is true! I'm not sure what the most accurate title would be "WS2812B is a intelligent control LED light source"... I do like the adafruit "Neo Pixel" term though.

Worldsemi can send me all the LEDs! 

[mikeselectricstuff]

I really wasn't sure what products were available at that time. The article you discovered links to "icolor flex sl" which appears to be very similar to what we now know as a ws281x or "Neo Pixel". Each programable RGB pixel was  (1.6 cm x 1.6 cm x 1.9 cm) spaced every 4 or 12 inches connected with a three-wire 18 AWG cable.

The Color flex and other proucts use a chip which Color Kinetics developed called "Chromasic".
Similar to WS2812 but actually done properly - more colour depth, nicer protocol. Many years ago I reversed the protocol, as their PSU/drivers were expensive and mechanically ugly.

https://www.docs.colorkinetics.com/support/datasheets/Chromasic1.pdf

[Scottie]

Interesting, in the Color Kinetics patent, they describe striping off the first N data bytes just like the ws281x:

In this embodiment, each controller 26A, 26B, and 26C is programmed to receive data via the input terminal 32A of the data port 32, “strip off” an initial portion of the received data based on the number of output ports supported by the controller, and then transmit the remainder of the received data, if any, via the output terminal 32B of the data port 32. Accordingly, in this embodiment, the controller 26A receives the data sequence 60 from the processor 22 via the data link 28A, strips off the first portion 62 of the three bytes B1-B3 from the sequence 60, and uses this portion of the data to control its three output ports. The controller 26A then transmits the remainder of the data sequence, including the second and third portions 64 and 66, respectively, to the controller 26B via the data link 28B.

They also employed pulse width coded signaling, and reference 1/4 and 3/4 of a bit times for high/low states:

In another embodiment, a given lighting system 102 may receive data coded with a code, wherein pulses of less than ½ of a pulse period correspond to a first logical state, while pulses of more than ½ of a pulse period correspond to a second logical state.

[themadhippy]

What surprised me most is Color Kinetics  didnt try and sue the inventors of other addressable leds

FreeStyler is an example of a free software.

And if you want something real lampies use to light everything from the local junior school play to international artists in a stadium   https://chamsyslighting.com/products/magicq?variant=7841688715300

[Ice-Tea]

At some point in the historyof addressable LEDs I think this has a place:

https://www.barco.com/en/News/Press-releases/u2-vertigo-tour-a-feast-for-the-eyes-with-revolutionary-barco-technology.aspx

[Scottie]

The Color flex and other proucts use a chip which Color Kinetics developed called "Chromasic".
Similar to WS2812 but actually done properly - more colour depth, nicer protocol. Many years ago I reversed the protocol, as their PSU/drivers were expensive and mechanically ugly.

That is so interesting, in the product brief they mention the control die being the size of a pinhead. Its too bad they never were able to package the IC and LEDs into a single leadframe like the WS2812. The WS2811 is just the driver IC in a 8-pin package similar to the Chromasic.

I don't remember the actual value but I recall WS2812 starting to brownout at over 4.5V, meaning the constant current driver had limited compliance voltage. Worldsemi now advertise the WS2812-V5:

4).Ensure color consistency even under 3.5V working voltage.

Which would be similar to the Chromatic's rating:

LED DRIVER DROPOUT VOLTAGE 0.55V, typical at 125˚C

In some of the color kinetics press article I see them targeting many deep pocket applications such as pools, spas, and architectural lighting. I can only image what their products would have cost at that time.

[Scottie]

At some point in the historyof addressable LEDs I think this has a place:

https://www.barco.com/en/News/Press-releases/u2-vertigo-tour-a-feast-for-the-eyes-with-revolutionary-barco-technology.aspx

That is a great find, a real life light-curtain .

The datasheet for the MiSPHERE bulbs is available too: https://www.barco.com/services/website/en/TdeFiles/Download?FileNumber=R5976941&TdeType=1&Revision=01&ShowDownloadPage=False

Look at the 12(ish?)-pin circular connectors on each of the MiSPHERE bulbs. I can only imagine what the cables and connectors alone would have cost...

You even get branded rolling flight cases, too awesome!

[mikeselectricstuff]

They also employed pulse width coded signaling, and reference 1/4 and 3/4 of a bit times for high/low states:

In another embodiment, a given lighting system 102 may receive data coded with a code, wherein pulses of less than ½ of a pulse period correspond to a first logical state, while pulses of more than ½ of a pulse period correspond to a second logical state.

From memory I think they either measure the width of the first pulse and reference this for the rest of the packet, or look at the change in puse width, either way it means it will work over a fairly wide range of bit rates. TI's 1-wire protocol which they use on the TLC5973 does something similar.

[mikeselectricstuff]

What surprised me most is Color Kinetics  didnt try and sue the inventors of other addressable leds

Especially as at one time they were notorious for suing companies due to their patent for using PWM to dim RGB LEDs, and pissed off the whole industry.
I don't know if their attitude changed when they got bought by Philips, but it's now so established as standard practice that there's no way they could keep on top of it now.