Light and light sensor

• US 10,182,480 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2017
• Issued: 01/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ilumisys Incorporated (Altair Engineering Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Ilumisys Incorporated (Altair Engineering Incorporated)
• Inventors: Scapa, James R., Simon, David L., Ivey, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Tung X
• Assistant Examiner(s): Luong, Henry
• Application Number:
  US15/460,432
• Publication Number:
  US 20170188431A1
• Time in Patent Office: 670 Days
• Field of Search: 315149, 315291, 315307-308
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/272 Details of end parts, i.e. the parts that connect the light source to a fitting; Arrangement of components within end parts F21K9/278 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/278 Arrangement or mounting of circuit elements integrated in the light source
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 2/00 Systems of lighting devices, not provided for in main groups F21S4/00 - F21S10/00 or F21S19/00, e.g. of modular construction
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/031 the device consisting essentially only of a light source holder with an exposed light source, e.g. a fluorescent tube
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/04 intended only for mounting on a ceiling or the like overhead structures F21S8/02 takes precedence; details of ceiling bases F21V21/03
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/005 the substrate is supporting also the light source
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0457 the sensor sensing the operating status of the lighting device, e.g. to detect failure of a light source or to provide feedback to the device
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0464 the sensor sensing the level of ambient illumination, e.g. dawn or dusk sensors
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2103/10 comprising a linear array of point-like light-generating elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/32 adapted for automatic variation of the measured or reference value regulation of light intensity G05D25/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 2001/4252 for testing LED's
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/12 using optical feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/14 using electrical feedback from LEDs or from LED modules
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/357 specially adapted for retrofit LED light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/30 Semiconductor lamps, e.g. solid state lamps [SSL] light emitting diodes [LED] or organic LED [OLED]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

An LED-based light includes one or more LEDs, a sensor arranged to detect a brightness level in an area resulting from the combination of light emitted by the LEDs with light from at least one ambient light source other than the LEDs, and operable to output a signal corresponding to the detected brightness level, a controller operable to regulate an amount of power provided to the LEDs in response to the signal, a light transmitting housing for the LEDs, the sensor and the controller and a connector shaped for connection with a light socket disposed at an end of the housing.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

determining, using a photodetector, a first brightness level of light during operation of an LED-based lighting device during a first time period,

outputting, from the photodetector, a first signal corresponding to the determined first brightness level;

determining, based on the first signal, an amount of light emitted by one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs) of the LED-based lighting device during the first time period, and an amount of light emitted by one or more ambient light sources other than the one more LEDs during the first time period;

determining, using the photodetector, a second brightness level of light during operation of the LED-based lighting device during a second time period;

outputting, from the photodetector, a second signal corresponding to the determined second brightness level;

determining, based on the second signal, an amount of light emitted by the one or more LEDs during the second time period, and an amount of light emitted by the one or more ambient light sources during the second time period;

determining that the amount of light emitted by the one or more ambient light sources during the first time period is similar to the amount of light emitted by the one or more ambient light sources during the second time period; and

estimating, using a controller, an efficiency of the one or more LEDs based on the determination that the amount of light emitted by the one or more ambient light sources during the first time period is similar to the amount of light emitted by the one or more ambient light sources during the second time period.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the amount of light emitted by the one or more ambient light sources during the first time period is detected during a period of time that the one or more LEDs are off.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

providing, using the controller, a line voltage to the one or more LEDs, wherein the period of time that the one or more LEDs are off corresponds to a zero-crossing of the line voltage.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the period of time that the one or more LEDs are off is imperceptible to a human eye.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

estimating, using the controller, the efficiency of the one or more LEDs based on a comparison of a third brightness level detected by the photodetector while the one or more LEDs are on with a reference brightness level.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

estimating, using the controller, the efficiency of the one or more LEDs based on a comparison of a third brightness level detected by the photodetector while the one or more LEDs are on with a power consumption of the one or more LEDs.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

activating, using the controller, an alarm when the estimated efficiency of the one or more LEDs is below a predetermined amount.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting, using a transmitter, an indication of the estimated efficiency of the one or more LEDs.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting, using a transmitter, at least one of an indication of the first brightness level or the second brightness level detected by the photodetector.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the photodetector and the controller are each disposed in a housing of the LED-based light.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, using the photodetector, a brightness level of light in an area during operation of the LED-based lighting device and a second LED-based lighting device, wherein the LED-based lighting device and the second LED-based lighting device are each configured to produce light in the area;

outputting, from the photodetector, a signal corresponding to the determined brightness level in the area; and

estimating, using the controller, an efficiency of the one or more LEDs of the LED-based lighting device and one or more second LEDs of the second LED-based lighting device based on the signal corresponding to the determined second brightness level in the area.