Lighting system for growing plants

• US 10,660,170 B2
• Filed: 01/13/2017
• Issued: 05/19/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Signify Holding B.V. (Signify N.V.)
• Original Assignee: LumiGrow, Inc.
• Inventors: Wells, Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Tung X
• Application Number:
  US15/406,458
• Publication Number:
  US 20190053353A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,222 Days
• Field of Search: 315308, 315312
• 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 9/24 Devices or systems for heating, ventilating, regulating temperature , illuminating, or watering, in greenhouses, forcing-frames, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 9/249 Lighting means with special arrangements for promoting growth A01G7/045
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/12 using optical feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/22 using optical feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/105 in response to determined parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 40/25 Greenhouse technology, e.g. cooling systems therefor

Abstract

A lighting system includes a computer, and a grow light array operatively coupled to the computer, wherein the grow light array includes a plurality of grow lights. The computer determines a location parameter of each grow light of the grow light array, wherein the location parameter corresponds to the location of a corresponding grow light. The grow light array adjusts an intensity of light to drive a light intensity sense parameter to match a desired light intensity sense parameter.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a computer;

a grow light array operatively coupled to the computer; and

a sensor array operatively coupled to the computer;

wherein at least one sensor in the sensor array is movable independent of a grow light of the grow light array configured to provide a light output incident upon the at least one sensor;

wherein the sensor array is configured to determine a light spectrum sense parameter, generate a sense signal including the light spectrum sense parameter, and provide the sense signal to the computer;

wherein the computer is configured to receive the sense signal and provide a grow light signal to the grow light array to adjust a spectrum of light output from the grow light array to adjust the light spectrum sense parameter to match a desired light spectrum sense parameter.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the computer includes a display device, which displays a digital light spectrum map corresponding to the light spectrum sense parameter as a function of position.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the grow light array adjusts the spectrum of light to drive the digital light spectrum map to match a desired digital light spectrum map.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the digital light spectrum map is adjusted in response to adjusting the position of the grow light array.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the computer includes a display device, which displays a digital light intensity map corresponding to the light intensity sense parameter as a function of position.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the grow light array adjusts an intensity of light to drive a light intensity sense parameter, determined by the sensor array, to match a desired light intensity sense parameter.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the grow light array adjusts the intensity of light to drive the digital light intensity map to match a desired digital light intensity map.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the digital light intensity map is adjusted in response to adjusting the position of the grow light array.

9. An apparatus, comprising:

a computer; and

a grow light array operatively coupled to the computer, wherein the grow light array includes a plurality of grow lights;

wherein the computer determines a location parameter of each grow light of the grow light array, the location parameter corresponding to the location of a corresponding grow light;

wherein the computer provides a digital location map corresponding to the location parameters;

wherein the digital location map is adjusted in response to adjusting the location of at least one grow light of the grow light array.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the computer provides a digital light spectrum map corresponding to the amount of light provided by the grow light array.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, further including a sensor array which determines the amount of light provided by the grow light array, the sensor array being operatively coupled to the computer.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the digital light spectrum map is driven to a desired digital light spectrum map in response to adjusting the location of at least one grow light of the grow light array.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the amount of light provided by at least one grow light of the grow light array is adjusted in response to adjusting a selected location parameter.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the computer determines the location parameter of each grow light in the grow light array using trilateralization.

15. An apparatus, comprising:

a computer; and

a grow light array operatively coupled to the computer, wherein the grow light array includes a plurality of grow lights;

wherein the computer determines a location parameter of each grow light of the grow light array, the location parameter corresponding to the location of a corresponding grow light;

wherein the grow light array adjusts an intensity of light to drive a light intensity sense parameter to match a desired light intensity sense parameter.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the intensity of light provided by at least one grow light of the grow light array is adjusted to adjust the light intensity sense parameter.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the computer provides a digital location map corresponding to the location parameters.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the digital location map is adjusted in response to adjusting the location of at least one grow light of the grow light array.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the computer determines the location parameter of each grow light in the grow light array using trilateralization.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the grow light array adjusts a spectrum of light to drive a light spectrum sense parameter to match a desired light spectrum sense parameter.

21. An apparatus, comprising:

a computer;

a grow light array operatively coupled to the computer; and

a sensor operatively coupled to the computer;

wherein the sensor is carried by the computer;

wherein at least one grow light in the grow light array is configured to provide a light output incident upon the sensor and is movable in relation to the sensor;

wherein the sensor is configured to determine a light spectrum sense parameter, generate a sense signal including the light spectrum sense parameter, and provide the sense signal to the computer;

wherein the computer is configured to receive the sense signal and provide a grow light signal to the grow light array to adjust the spectrum of light output from the grow light array to adjust the light spectrum sense parameter to match a desired light spectrum sense parameter.