Device and method for observing plant health

• US 20050281027A1
• Filed: 07/25/2005
• Published: 12/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Solaroasis, LLC
• Original Assignee: Solaroasis, LLC
• Inventors: Capen, Larry Stephen, Anderson, William Grant Jr.
• Application Number:
  US11/189,244
• Publication Number:
  US 20050281027A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/231
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 7/045 with electric lighting
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2113/10 of different colours
• 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: Y02P 60/14 Measures for saving energy, e.g. in green houses

Abstract

A lamp for growing plants includes a first set of orange light emitting diodes that have a peak wavelength emission of about 612 nanometers, a second set of red light emitting diodes that have a peak wavelength emission of about 660 nanometers and a third set of blue light emitting diodes that have a peak wavelength emission of about 465 nanometers. The lamp also includes a green light emitting diode that has a wavelength emission that is between 500 and 600 nanometers. The green light emitting diode provides a human observer with an indication of general plant health.

Claims

1. A lamp for plants comprising:

(a) a first set of orange light emitting diodes having a peak wavelength emission of about 612 nanometers;

(b) a second set of red light emitting diodes having a peak wavelength emission of about 660 nanometers;

(c) a third set of blue light emitting diodes that have a peak wavelength emission of about 465 nanometers; and

(c) a fourth light emitting diode having a peak wavelength emission between 500 and 600 nanometers.

2. The lamp of claim 1 wherein the fourth light emitting diode provides a human observer with an indication of plant health.

3. The lamp of claim 1 wherein the fourth light emitting diode is a green light emitting diode.

4. The lamp of claim 1 wherein the fourth light emitting diode is a white light emitting diode.

5. The lamp of claim 1 wherein the light emitting diodes have a beam spread angle between eight and forty-five degrees.

6. The lamp of claim 1 wherein about half of the first and second set of the light emitting diodes have a beam spread angle of about thirty degrees and the remaining half of the first and second set of light emitting diodes have a beam spread angle of about forty-five degrees.

7. The lamp of claim 1 wherein about half of the first and second set of the light emitting diodes have a beam spread angle of about fifteen degrees and the remaining half of the first and second set of light emitting diodes have a beam spread angle of about forty-five degrees.

27. The lamp of claim 1 further comprising a sensor that is responsive to the peak wavelength emission between 500 and 600 nanometers.

28. The lamp of claim 27 wherein the sensor is in communication with a computer.

8. A method of determining plant health comprising the steps of:

(a) providing an LED lamp emitting green light having a wavelength between 500 and 600 nanometers;

(b) illuminating at least one plant with incident light generated by the LED lamp; and

(c) allowing an observer to view the light reflected from the plant, the reflected light giving an indication of plant health to the observer.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the LED lamp emitting green light further emits orange light having a peak wavelength emission of about 612 nanometers, red light having a peak wavelength of about 660 nanometers and blue light having a peak wavelength of about 465 nanometers.

10. A lamp for facilitating plant growth comprising:

(a) a lamp housing;

(b) a first set of orange light emitting diodes mounted in the housing and having a peak wavelength of about 612 nanometers;

(c) a second set of red light emitting diodes mounted in the housing and having a peak wavelength of about 660 nanometers; and

(d) a third light emitting diode mounted in the housing and having a peak wavelength between 500 and 600 nanometers, wherein the first and second light emitting diodes in combination output light that stimulates plant growth and the third light emitting diode provides an observer with an indication of plant health.

11. The lamp of claim 10 wherein the third light emitting diode is a green light emitting diode.

12. The lamp of claim 10 wherein the third light emitting diode is a white light emitting diode.

13. The lamp of claim 10 further comprising a fourth set of blue light emitting diodes that have a peak wavelength of about 465 nanometers.

29. The lamp of claim 10 further comprising a sensor that is responsive to the peak wavelength between 500 and 600 nanometers.

30. The lamp of claim 29 wherein the sensor is in communication with a computer.

14. A lamp for plants comprising:

(a) a first set of light emitting diodes, the first set of light emitting diodes having a wavelength emission that is optimized to stimulate plant growth; and

(b) a second light emitting diode having a wavelength emission between 500 and 600 nanometers, the second light emitting diode providing a human observer with an indication of general plant health.

15. The lamp of claim 14 wherein the first set of light emitting diodes and the second light emitting diode are mounted in a lamp housing.

16. The lamp of claim 14 wherein the second light emitting diode is mounted adjacent to a lamp housing.

17. The lamp of claim 14 wherein the second light emitting diode is a green light emitting diode.

18. The lamp of claim 14 wherein the second light emitting diode is a white light emitting diode.

19. The lamp of claim 14 wherein the light emitting diodes have a beam spread angle between eight and forty-five degrees.

20. A lamp for facilitating plant growth comprising:

(a) orange light generating means for generating orange light having a wavelength of about 612 nanometers;

(b) red light generating means for generating red light having a wavelength of about 660 nanometers, the orange and red light generating means being adapted in combination to output light frequencies that stimulate plant growth; and

(c) green light generating means for generating green light having a wavelength between 500 to 600 nanometers, the green light generating means being adapted to indicate plant health to an observer.

21. The lamp of claim 20, wherein the orange light generating means, the red light generating means and the green light generating means are mounted in a lamp housing.

22. The lamp of claim 20, wherein the orange light generating means and the red light generating means are mounted in a lamp housing, the green light generating means being mounted adjacent the lamp housing.

23. The lamp of claim 20 wherein the green light generating means is a green light emitting diode.

24. The lamp of claim 20 wherein the green light generating means is a white light emitting diode.

25. The lamp of claim 20 further comprising blue light generating means for generating blue light having a peak wavelength of about 465 nanometers.

26. The lamp of claim 20 wherein the light emitting diodes have a beam spread angle between eight and forty-five degrees.