Lighting device with active thermal management
First Claim
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1. A lighting device comprising at least one LED operable to emit light when energized through an electrical path, comprising:
- a temperature sensitive component having a temperature limit;
a driver in the electrical path for controlling current delivered to the at least one LED, the driver comprising a temperature sensor for determining a temperature of the driver and not the temperature of the temperature sensitive component, the temperature of the driver being different than the temperature of the temperature sensitive component; and
a controller storing a correlated temperature limit of the driver, the controller controlling the driver to reduce the current delivered to the at least one LED when a correlated temperature limit is reached, the correlated temperature limit being related to the temperature limit whereby overheating of the temperature sensitive component is prevented.
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Abstract
A LED lighting device includes a temperature sensitive component having a temperature limit. A driver controls current delivered to the at least one LED and includes a temperature sensor for determining a temperature of the driver. A controller stores a correlated temperature limit of the driver, the controller controls the driver to reduce the current delivered to the LEDs when the correlated temperature limit is reached. The correlated temperature limit is the temperature of the driver when the temperature of the temperature sensitive component reaches its temperature limit.
22 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A lighting device comprising at least one LED operable to emit light when energized through an electrical path, comprising:
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a temperature sensitive component having a temperature limit; a driver in the electrical path for controlling current delivered to the at least one LED, the driver comprising a temperature sensor for determining a temperature of the driver and not the temperature of the temperature sensitive component, the temperature of the driver being different than the temperature of the temperature sensitive component; and a controller storing a correlated temperature limit of the driver, the controller controlling the driver to reduce the current delivered to the at least one LED when a correlated temperature limit is reached, the correlated temperature limit being related to the temperature limit whereby overheating of the temperature sensitive component is prevented. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of operating a lighting device comprising a temperature sensitive component comprising at least one of an optical element and at least one LED, the method comprising:
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energizing the at least one LED through an electrical path to emit light; operating a driver in the electrical path to control current delivered to the at least one LED, sensing the temperature of the driver and not the temperature of the temperature sensitive component; and storing a correlated temperature limit, the correlated temperature limit being related to the temperature limit of the temperature sensitive component other than the driver, the temperature of the driver being different than the temperature of the temperature sensitive component; controlling the driver to reduce the current delivered to the LEDs when the temperature of the driver reaches the correlated temperature limit, whereby overheating of the temperature sensitive component is prevented. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of making a lighting device having at least one LED and a driver for controlling current delivered to the at least one LED comprising:
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measuring a first temperature of at least one temperature sensitive device; measuring a second temperature at the driver; determining a correlated temperature of the second temperature when the first temperature reaches a temperature limit of the temperature sensitive device; and storing the correlated temperature to control the operation of the driver. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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Specification