Dynamic plant lighting systems and methods

• US 10,165,735 B1
• Filed: 10/17/2016
• Issued: 01/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Full Spectrum Industries Corp.
• Original Assignee: Full Spectrum Industries Corp.
• Inventors: Carlie, Nathan, Jaeger, Todd, Lewis, Brad, Morgan, Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): Truong, Bao Q
• Assistant Examiner(s): HORIKOSHI, STEVEN Y
• Application Number:
  US15/295,668
• Time in Patent Office: 806 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 7/045 with electric lighting
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 9/20 Forcing-frames; Lights , i.e. glass panels covering the forcing-frames
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 9/26 Electric devices A01G9/249 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/64 using wavelength conversion means distinct or spaced from the light-generating element, e.g. a remote phosphor layer
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 9/08 for producing coloured light, e.g. monochromatic; for reducing intensity of light with provision for controlling the colour F21V9/40
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2113/13 comprising an assembly of point-like light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/10 Controlling the intensity of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/20 Controlling the colour of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/16 by timing means
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 60/14 Measures for saving energy, e.g. in green houses

Abstract

The present invention provides a dynamically engaged plant stimulation lighting system and methods for growing plants. Specific wavelengths may be provided in the system along with specific color temperature and even specific color rendering index values for optimal plant growth.

Claims

1. A dynamically engaged cannabis plant stimulation lighting system comprising:

at least one light emitting diode capable of providing at least four emission spectra to cannabis plants, said emission spectra comprising;

at least one ultra violet wavelength between about 420 and about 425 nm;

at least one blue wavelength at about 460 nm;

at least one red wavelength at about 660 nm; and

at least one infrared wavelength between about 720 nm and about 740 nm;

wherein said at least one light emitting diode is capable of providing a color temperature between about 3500K and about 5000K to said cannabis plants;

wherein said at least one light emitting diode is capable of providing a color rendering index between about 70 and about 100 to said cannabis plants; and

a variable output intensity control capable of varying each of said four emission spectra output intensity; and

an event time for each of said emission spectra, wherein said event time for said infrared wavelength between about 720 and about 740 nm is about 15 minutes at the beginning and at the end of a light cycle.

2. A dynamically engaged cannabis plant stimulation lighting system according to claim 1 and further comprising a predetermined schedule for said event times of each of said emission spectra.

3. A dynamically engaged cannabis plant stimulation lighting system according to claim 1 and further comprising a cannabis plant base positioned under said lighting system.

4. A dynamically engaged cannabis plant stimulation lighting system according to claim 1 wherein said at least one light emitting diode comprises at least four narrow bands of light.

5. A dynamically engaged cannabis plant stimulation lighting system according to claim 1 wherein said at least one light emitting diode comprises phosphored-converted colored emitters.

6. A dynamically engaged cannabis plant stimulation lighting system according to claim 1 wherein said color rendering index is selected from a group consisting of:

about 92;

between about 70 and about 90; and

at least 95.

7. A dynamically engaged cannabis plant stimulation lighting system according to claim 1 wherein said at least one light emitting diode emitter comprises a continuous current.

8. A dynamically engaged cannabis plant stimulation lighting system according to claim 1 wherein said at least one light emitting diode emitter comprises a pulsed varying duty cycle.

9. A dynamically engaged cannabis plant stimulation lighting system according to claim 1 wherein said at least one light emitting diode comprises at least one blue emitting light emitting diode.

10. A dynamically engaged cannabis plant stimulation lighting system according to claim 1 wherein said at least one light emitting diode comprises at least two light emitting diodes grouped by emission spectra, wherein said groups are separately connected together into a circuit to form at least one spectral channel.

11. A dynamically engaged cannabis plant stimulation lighting system according to claim 10 wherein said at least one spectral channel is individually controlled, wherein said output intensity of said at least one spectral channel does not affect an intensity of at least one other channel.

12. A dynamically engaged cannabis plant stimulation lighting system according to claim 11 wherein one of said spectral channels comprises at least one light emitting diode emitter having a broad emission spectrum in the wavelength range of about 440 nm to about 700 nm, and said at least one additional channel comprises at least one light emitting diode emitter having an emission in the wavelength range of about 700 nm to about 750 nm.

13. A dynamically engaged cannabis plant stimulation lighting system according to claim 12 wherein said one spectral channel is configured to provide a color rendering index of at least 90 and a color temperature of between about 3500 K to about 5000 K.

14. A dynamically engaged cannabis plant stimulation lighting system according to claim 12 wherein said one spectral channel comprises at least two types of types of emitters configured to provide light between about 360 nm and about 500 nm converted to a longer wavelength using a phosphor.

15. A dynamically engaged cannabis plant stimulation lighting system according to claim 12 wherein said one spectral channel comprises a single type of emitter configured to provide light between about 400 nm and about 500 nm converted to a longer wavelength using at least two phosphors.

16. A dynamically engaged cannabis plant stimulation lighting system according to claim 15 and further comprising an additional channel having an emission wavelength selected from a group consisting of:

between about 440 nm and about 480 nm; and

between about 600 nm and about 670 nm.

17. A dynamically engaged cannabis plant stimulation lighting system according to claim 15 and further comprising at least two additional channels having a first emission wavelength between about 440 nm and about 480 nm and a second emission wavelength between 600 nm and about 670 nm.

18. A dynamically engaged cannabis plant stimulation lighting system according to claim 12 wherein said channel comprising an emission wavelength between about 440 nm and about 700 nm is replaced by a channel having an emission wavelength between about 500 nm and about 650 nm.

19. A dynamically engaged cannabis plant stimulation lighting system according to claim 11 wherein said at least one spectral channel comprises three spectral channels comprising emitters having an emission wavelength comprising between about 440 nm and about 480 nm, between about 500 nm and about 600 nm, and between about 620 nm and about 670 nm.

20. A dynamically engaged cannabis plant stimulation lighting system according to claim 10 and further comprising an additional channel having an emission wavelength comprising between about 360 nm and about 440 nm.

21. A dynamically engaged cannabis plant stimulation lighting system according to claim 10 and further comprising at least two additional channels having a first emission wavelength between about 360 nm and 420 nm and a second emission wavelength between 420 nm and about 440 nm.

22. A dynamically engaged cannabis plant stimulation lighting system according to claim 1 wherein said variable output intensity control comprises a control selected from a group consisting of manual control, analog control, and digital computer control.

23. A method of providing a dynamically engaged cannabis plant stimulation lighting to plants comprising the steps of:

providing at least one light emitting diode;

providing at least four emission spectrum comprising;

at least one ultra violet wavelength between about 420 and about 425 nm;

at least one blue wavelength at about 460 nm;

at least one red wavelength at about 660 nm; and

at least one infrared wavelength between about 720 and about 740 nm;

providing a color temperature between about 3500K and about 5000K;

providing a color rendering index between about 70 and about 100;

variably controlling an output intensity of each of said at least four emission spectra;

providing an event time for each of said emission spectra, wherein said event time for said infrared wavelength between about 720 and about 740 nm is about 15 minutes at the beginning and at the end of a light cycle; and

efficiently growing a cannabis plant with said at least four emission spectrum, said color temperature and said color rendering index.

24. A method according to claim 23 wherein said step of variably controlling said output intensity of each of said four emission spectra comprises the step of controlling with an element selected from a group consisting of manually controlling, analog controlling, and digital computer controlling.