Light emitting diode based products

• US 20050236998A1
• Filed: 03/08/2005
• Published: 10/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/1997
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Color Kinetics Incorporated (Signify N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Color Kinetics Incorporated (Signify N.V.)
• Inventors: Lys, Ihor A., Mueller, George G.
• Application Number:
  US11/076,461
• Publication Number:
  US 20050236998A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 315/51
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/233 specially adapted for generating a spot light distribution, e.g. for substitution of reflector lamps
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/035 by means of plugging into a wall outlet, e.g. night light
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2121/006 for illumination or simulation of snowy or iced items, e.g. icicle
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2103/10 comprising a linear array of point-like light-generating elements
• 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 45/28 using temperature feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/325 Pulse-width modulation [PWM]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/33 Pulse-amplitude modulation [PAM]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/3577 Emulating the dimming characteristics, brightness or colour temperature of incandescent lamps
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/3578 Emulating the electrical or functional characteristics of discharge lamps
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/37 Converter circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/155 Coordinated control of two or more light sources

Abstract

Methods and systems for controlled semiconductor-based illumination. In one example, one or more semiconductor-based illumination systems are configured to illuminate an area about the illumination system(s). A user interface facility is employed to instruct one or more of the semiconductor-based illumination systems to produce a desired mixed light output to illuminate the area about the illumination system(s).

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

at least one semiconductor-based illumination system configured to illuminate an area about the at least one semiconductor-based illumination system; and

a user interface facility for instructing the at least one semiconductor-based illumination system to produce a desired mixed light output to illuminate the area about the at least one semiconductor-based illumination system.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one semiconductor-based illumination system includes at least one architectural lighting fixture to provide at least some of the mixed light output.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the user interface facility includes a remotely controlled user interface facility.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the at least one semiconductor-based illumination system includes at least one architectural lighting fixture to provide at least some of the mixed light output.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the user interface facility comprises a network interface.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the at least one semiconductor-based illumination system includes at least one architectural lighting fixture to provide at least some of the mixed light output.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the user interface facility includes a dipswitch.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the at least one semiconductor-based illumination system includes at least one architectural lighting fixture to provide at least some of the mixed light output.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the user interface facility includes a computer.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the computer is at least one of a laptop computer, a personal computer, a network computer, and a personal digital assistant.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one semiconductor-based illumination system includes at least one architectural lighting fixture to provide at least some of the mixed light output.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one semiconductor-based illumination system includes a plurality of semiconductor-based illumination systems, and wherein the user interface facility employs a data protocol that permits each semiconductor-based illumination system to have an address.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the data protocol is a DMX protocol.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the at least one semiconductor-based illumination system includes at least one architectural lighting fixture to provide at least some of the mixed light output.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the user interface facility comprises an interface for programming an on-board memory of the at least one semiconductor-based illumination system.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the at least one semiconductor-based illumination system includes at least one architectural lighting fixture to provide at least some of the mixed light output.

17. A system of claim 1, wherein the user interface facility comprises an interface for a wireless data facility.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the at least one semiconductor-based illumination system includes at least one architectural lighting fixture to provide at least some of the mixed light output.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the user interface facility includes a digital facility.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the at least one semiconductor-based illumination system includes at least one architectural lighting fixture to provide at least some of the mixed light output.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein the user interface facility in configured to modulate at least one pulse width modulation signal.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the at least one semiconductor-based illumination system includes at least one architectural lighting fixture to provide at least some of the mixed light output.

23. The system of claim 1, wherein the user interface facility includes an analog facility.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the at least one semiconductor-based illumination system includes at least one architectural lighting fixture to provide at least some of the mixed light output.

25. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one semiconductor-based illumination system is configured to generate at least red, green, and blue light, and wherein the user interface facility is configured to controllably vary respective intensities of the red, green and blue light.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the at least one semiconductor-based illumination system includes at least one architectural lighting fixture to provide at least some of the mixed light output.

27. A method, comprising steps of:

A) generating light from at least one semiconductor-based illumination system to illuminate an area about the at least one semiconductor-based illumination system; and

B) instructing the at least one semiconductor-based illumination system, via a user interface facility, to produce a desired mixed light output to illuminate the area about the illumination system.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the at least one semiconductor-based illumination system includes at least one architectural lighting fixture to provide at least some of the mixed light output.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the step B) includes a step of remotely instructing the at least one semiconductor-based illumination system via a remote user interface facility.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the at least one semiconductor-based illumination system includes at least one architectural lighting fixture to provide at least some of the mixed light output.

31. A system, comprising:

at least one semiconductor-based illumination system configured to illuminate an area about the at least one semiconductor-based illumination system; and

a user interface facility for instructing the at least one semiconductor-based illumination system to produce a desired mixed light output to illuminate the area about the at least one semiconductor-based illumination system,

wherein the user interface facility includes one of a remote control apparatus, a transmitter, a transceiver, a network interface, a personal computer, a handheld computer, at least one push button, at least one dial, and a dipswitch.