diff --git a/lib/led_ws2812b.c b/lib/led_ws2812b.c
index 3c1cb43..4d17849 100644
--- a/lib/led_ws2812b.c
+++ b/lib/led_ws2812b.c
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@
 #include <libopencmsis/core_cm3.h> // Cortex M3 utilities
 
 #include "led_ws2812b.h" // LED WS2812b library API
-#include "global.h" // global definitions
+#include "global.h" // common methods
 
 /** peripheral configuration */
 /** @defgroup led_ws2812b_spi SPI peripheral used to control the WS2812b LEDs
@@ -72,12 +72,11 @@
  *  The first SPI bit is the high start of the WS2812b bit frame.
  *  The second SPI bit determines if the WS2812b bit is a 0 or 1.
  *  The third SPI bit is the last part of the  WS2812b bit frame, which is always low.
- *  Only the first 24 bits (3*8) are used.
- *  The binary pattern is 0b10010010010010010010010000000000
+ *  The binary pattern is 0b100100100100100100100100
  */
-#define WS2812B_SPI_TEMPLATE 0x92492400
+#define WS2812B_SPI_TEMPLATE 0x924924
 
-uint8_t ws2812b_data[WS2812B_LEDS*3*3+40*3/8] = {0};  /**< data encoded to be shifted out by SPI for the WS2812b, pulse the 50us reset */
+uint8_t ws2812b_data[WS2812B_LEDS*3*3+40*3/8+1] = {0};  /**< data encoded to be shifted out by SPI for the WS2812b, plus the 50us reset (~40 data bits) */
 static volatile bool transmit_flag = false; /**< flag set in software when transmission started, clear by interrupt when transmission completed */
 
 void ws2812b_set_rgb(uint16_t led, uint8_t red, uint8_t green, uint8_t blue)
@@ -91,18 +90,18 @@ void ws2812b_set_rgb(uint16_t led, uint8_t red, uint8_t green, uint8_t blue)
 		__WFI();
 	}
 
-	uint8_t colors[] = {green, red, blue};
-
-	// generate the pattern
-	for (uint8_t color=0; color<LENGTH(colors); color++) {
-		uint32_t bits_color = WS2812B_SPI_TEMPLATE; // template to encode the bits in
-		for (uint8_t bit=0; bit<8; bit++) {
-			bits_color |= ((colors[color]>>bit)&0x1)<<(bit*3+9); // encode the data bits in the pattern
+	const uint8_t colors[] = {green, red, blue}; // color order for the WS2812b
+	const uint8_t pattern_bit[] = {0x02, 0x10, 0x80, 0x04, 0x20, 0x01, 0x08, 0x40}; // which bit to change in the pattern
+	const uint8_t pattern_byte[] = {2,2,2,1,1,0,0,0}; // in which byte in the pattern to write the pattern bit
+	for (uint8_t color=0; color<LENGTH(colors); color++) { // colors are encoded similarly
+		// fill the middle bit (fixed is faster than calculating it)
+		for (uint8_t bit=0; bit<8; bit++) { // bit from the color to set/clear
+			if (colors[color]&(1<<bit)) { // setting bit
+				ws2812b_data[led*3*3+color*3+pattern_byte[bit]] |= pattern_bit[bit]; // setting bit is pattern
+			} else { // clear bit
+				ws2812b_data[led*3*3+color*3+pattern_byte[bit]] &= ~pattern_bit[bit]; // clearing bit is pattern
+			}
 		}
-		// store pattern
-		ws2812b_data[led*3*3+color*3+0] = (bits_color>>24);
-		ws2812b_data[led*3*3+color*3+1] = (bits_color>>16);
-		ws2812b_data[led*3*3+color*3+2] = (bits_color>>8);
 	}
 }
 
@@ -167,9 +166,15 @@ void ws2812b_setup(void)
 	dma_set_priority(WS2812B_DMA, WS2812B_DMA_CH, DMA_CCR_PL_HIGH); // set priority to high since time is crucial for the peripheral
 	nvic_enable_irq(WS2812B_DMA_IRQ); // enable interrupts for this DMA channel
 
-	// reset color
-	for (uint16_t led=0; led<WS2812B_LEDS; led++) {
-		ws2812b_set_rgb(led, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00); // switch off (set to black)
+	// fill buffer with bit pattern
+	for (uint16_t i=0; i<WS2812B_LEDS*3; i++) {
+		ws2812b_data[i*3+0] = (uint8_t)(WS2812B_SPI_TEMPLATE>>16);
+		ws2812b_data[i*3+1] = (uint8_t)(WS2812B_SPI_TEMPLATE>>8);
+		ws2812b_data[i*3+2] = (uint8_t)(WS2812B_SPI_TEMPLATE>>0);
+	}
+	// fill remaining with with 0 to encode the reset code
+	for (uint16_t i=WS2812B_LEDS*3*3; i<LENGTH(ws2812b_data); i++) {
+		ws2812b_data[i] = 0;
 	}
 	ws2812b_transmit(); // set LEDs
 }