LIGHTING DEVICE AND METHOD OF LIGHTING

• US 20070279440A1
• Filed: 05/30/2007
• Published: 12/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IDEAL Industries Lighting, LLC (Ideal Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: LED Lighting Fixtures, Inc. (Wolfspeed, Inc.)
• Inventors: NEGLEY, Gerald
• Granted Patent: US 7,852,010 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/691
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/46 having LEDs disposed in parallel lines

Abstract

A lighting device, comprising at least first and second current regulators, each switchable among two settings, and at least first and second groups of solid state light emitters. If the first regulator is in a first setting, a first current is supplied to the first group and a second current is supplied to the second group, and if the first regulator is in a second setting, a third current is supplied to the first group and a fourth current is supplied to the second group. In some embodiments, a ratio of the third current divided by the first current differ'"'"'s from a ratio of the fourth current divided by the second current by at least 5 %. Also, a method comprising substantially simultaneously adjusting current supplied to a first group, and adjusting a current supplied to a second group.

Claims

1. A lighting device, comprising:

a first group of solid state light emitters, said first group of solid state light emitters comprising at least one first group solid state light emitter;

a second group of solid state light emitters, said second group of solid state light emitters comprising at least one second group solid state light emitter;

a first current regulator; and

a second current regulator;

said first current regulator being switchable among at least two first current regulator settings, said at least two first current regulator settings comprising a first current regulator first setting and a first current regulator second setting;

said second current regulator being switchable among at least two second current regulator settings, said at least two second current regulator settings comprising a second current regulator first setting and a second current regulator second setting;

such that;

(1) if said lighting device is energized and said first current regulator is in said first current regulator first setting, a first group first current would be supplied to said first group solid state light emitter;

(2) if said lighting device is energized and said first current regulator is in said first current regulator second setting, a first group second current would be supplied to said first group solid state light emitter;

(3) if said lighting device is energized and said second current regulator is in said second current regulator first setting, a second group first current would be supplied to said second group solid state light emitter; and

(4) if said lighting device is energized and said second current regulator is in said second current regulator second setting, a second group second current would be supplied to said second group solid state light emitter;

said first group first current differing from said second group first current,

said first group second current differing from said second group second current.

2. A lighting device as recited in claim 1, wherein:

if said first group first current is supplied to each of said first group of solid state light emitters and said second group first current is supplied to each of said second group of solid state light emitters, a combined intensity of said first group of solid state light emitters is a first group first intensity and a combined intensity of said second group of solid state light emitters is a second group first intensity,

if said first group second current is supplied to each of said first group of solid state light emitters and said second group second current is supplied to each of said second group of solid state light emitters, a combined intensity of said first group of solid state light emitters is a first group second intensity and a combined intensity of said second group of solid state light emitters is a second group second intensity, and

a ratio of said first group first intensity to said second group first intensity differs by not more than 5% from a ratio of said first group second intensity to said second group second intensity.

3. A lighting device as recited in claim 1, wherein:

if said first group first current is supplied to each of said first group of solid state light emitters and said second group first current is supplied to each of said second group of solid state light emitters, a combined illumination from said first group of solid state light emitters and said second group of solid state light emitters would be perceived as white, and

if said first group second current is supplied to each of said first group of solid state light emitters and said second group second current is supplied to each of said second group of solid state light emitters, a combined illumination from said first group of solid state light emitters and said second group of solid state light emitters would also be perceived as white.

4. A lighting device as recited in claim 3, wherein

if said first group first current is supplied to each of said first group of solid state light emitters and said second group first current is supplied to each of said second group of solid state light emitters, a combined illumination from said first group of solid state light emitters and said second group of solid state light emitters corresponds to a first point on a 1976 CIE diagram, said first point having a first correlated color temperature,

if said first group second current is supplied to each of said first group of solid state light emitters and said second group second current is supplied to each of said second group of solid state light emitters, a combined illumination from said first group of solid state light emitters and said second group of solid state light emitters corresponds to a second point on said 1976 CIE diagram, said second point having a second correlated color temperature,

said first correlated color temperature differing from said second correlated color temperature by not more than 4 MacAdam ellipses.

5. A lighting device as recited in claim 1, wherein:

if said first group first current is supplied to each of said first group of solid state light emitters and said second group first current is supplied to each of said second group of solid state light emitters, a combined illumination from said first group of solid state light emitters and said second group of solid state light emitters corresponds to a first point on a 1976 CIE diagram having coordinates u′

, v′

,

if said first group second current is supplied to each of said first group of solid state light emitters and said second group second current is supplied to each of said second group of solid state light emitters, a combined illumination from said first group of solid state light emitters and said second group of solid state light emitters corresponds to a second point on said 1976 CIE diagram having coordinates u′

, v′

, and

said first point is spaced from said second point by a distance such that delta u′

, v′

is not more than 0.005 on the 1976 CIE diagram.

6. A lighting device as recited in claim 1, further comprising

a third group of solid state light emitters, said third group of solid state light emitters comprising at least one third group solid state light emitter;

and

a third current regulator;

said third current regulator being switchable among at least two third current regulator settings, said at least two third current regulator settings comprising a third current regulator first setting and a third current regulator second setting;

such that;

(5) if said lighting device is energized and said third current regulator is in said third current regulator first setting, a third group first current would be supplied to said third group solid state light emitter; and

(6) if said lighting device is energized and said third current regulator is in said third current regulator second setting, a third group second current would be supplied to said third group solid state light emitter;

said third group first current differing from said first group first current and differing from said second group first current, and

said third group second current differing from said first group second current and differing from said second group second current.

7. A lighting device as recited in claim 1, wherein:

said first current regulator is switchable among at least three first current regulator settings, said at least three first current regulator settings comprising said first current regulator first setting, said first current regulator second setting, and a first current regulator third setting; and

said second current regulator is switchable among at least three second current regulator settings, said at least three second current regulator settings comprising said second current regulator first setting, said second current regulator second setting and a second current regulator third setting;

such that;

(5) if said lighting device is energized and said first current regulator is in said first current regulator third setting, a first group third current would be supplied to said first group solid state light emitter; and

(6) if said lighting device is energized and said second current regulator is in said second current regulator third setting, a second group third current would be supplied to said second group solid state light emitter;

said first group third current differing from said second group third current.

8. A lighting device as recited in claim 1, further comprising a master currents regulator,

said master currents regulator being switchable among at least two master currents regulator settings, said at least two master currents regulator settings comprising a master currents regulator first setting and a master currents regulator second setting,

such that:

(1) if said master currents regulator is in said master currents regulator first setting, said first current regulator would be in said first current regulator first position and said second current regulator would be in said second current regulator first position, and

(2) if said master currents regulator is in said master currents regulator second setting, said first current regulator would be in said first current regulator second position and said second current regulator would be in said second current regulator second position.

9. A lighting device as recited in claim 1, wherein:

each of said first group solid state light emitters has a dominant wavelength within 20 nanometers of a first group wavelength; and

each of said second group solid state light emitters has a dominant wavelength within 20 nanometers of a second group wavelength.

10. A lighting device as recited in claim 1, wherein:

said first group first current differs from said first group second current, differs from said second group first current, and differs from said second group second current, and said second group first current differs from said first group first current, differs from

said first group second current, and differs from said second group second current.

11. A lighting device as recited in claim 1, wherein:

(1) if said lighting device is energized and said first current regulator is in said first current regulator first setting, said first group first current would be supplied to each of said first group solid state light emitters;

(2) if said lighting device is energized and said first current regulator is in said first current regulator second setting, said first group second current would be supplied to each of said first group solid state light emitters;

(3) if said lighting device is energized and said second current regulator is in said second current regulator first setting, said second group first current would be supplied to each of said second group solid state light emitters; and

(4) if said lighting device is energized and said second current regulator is in said second current regulator second setting, said second group second current would be supplied to each of said second group solid state light emitters.

12. A lighting device, comprising:

a first group of solid state light emitters, said first group of solid state light emitters comprising at least one first group solid state light emitter;

a second group of solid state light emitters, said second group of solid state light emitters comprising at least one second group solid state light emitter;

a first current regulator; and

a second current regulator;

said first current regulator being switchable among at least two first current regulator settings, said at least two first current regulator settings comprising a first current regulator first setting and a first current regulator second setting;

said second current regulator being switchable among at least two second current regulator settings, said at least two second current regulator settings comprising a second current regulator first setting and a second current regulator second setting;

such that;

(1) if said lighting device is energized and said first current regulator is in said first current regulator first setting, a first group first current would be supplied to said first group solid state light emitter;

(2) if said lighting device is energized and said first current regulator is in said first current regulator second setting, a first group second current would be supplied to said first group solid state light emitter;

(3) if said lighting device is energized and said second current regulator is in said second current regulator first setting, a second group first current would be supplied to said second group solid state light emitter; and

(4) if said lighting device is energized and said second current regulator is in said second current regulator second setting, a second group second current would be supplied to said second group solid state light emitter;

a first group second setting/first setting ratio being defined as said first group second current divided by said first group first current,

a second group second setting/first setting ratio being defined as said second group second current divided by said second group first current,

said first group second setting/first setting ratio differing from said second group second setting/first setting ratio by at least 5%.

13. A lighting device as recited in claim 12, wherein:

if said first group first current is supplied to each of said first group of solid state light emitters and said second group first current is supplied to each of said second group of solid state light emitters, a combined intensity of said first group of solid state light emitters is a first group first intensity and a combined intensity of said second group of solid state light emitters is a second group first intensity,

if said first group second current is supplied to each of said first group of solid state light emitters and said second group second current is supplied to each of said second group of solid state light emitters, a combined intensity of said first group of solid state light emitters is a first group second intensity and a combined intensity of said second group of solid state light emitters is a second group second intensity, and

a ratio of said first group first intensity to said second group first intensity differs by not more than 5% fiom a ratio of said first group second intensity to said second group second intensity.

14. A lighting device as recited in claim 12, wherein:

if said first group first current is supplied to each of said first group of solid state light emitters and said second group first current is supplied to each of said second group of solid state light emitters, a combined illumination from said first group of solid state light emitters and said second group of solid state light emitters would be perceived as white, and

if said first group second current is supplied to each of said first group of solid state light emitters and said second group second current is supplied to each of said second group of solid state light emitters, a combined illumination from said first group of solid state light emitters and said second group of solid state light emitters would also be perceived as white.

15. A lighting device as recited in claim 14, wherein

if said first group first current is supplied to each of said first group of solid state light emitters and said second group first current is supplied to each of said second group of solid state light emitters, a combined illumination from said first group of solid state light emitters and said second group of solid state light emitters corresponds to a first point on a 1976 CIE diagram, said first point having a first correlated color temperature,

if said first group second current is supplied to each of said first group of solid state light emitters and said second group second current is supplied to each of said second group of solid state light emitters, a combined illumination from said first group of solid state light emitters and said second group of solid state light emitters corresponds to a second point on said 1976 CIE diagram, said second point having a second correlated color temperature,

said first correlated color temperature differing from said second correlated color temperature by not more than 4 MacAdam ellipses.

16. A lighting device as recited in claim 12, wherein:

if said first group first current is supplied to each of said first group of solid state light emitters and said second group first current is supplied to each of said second group of solid state light emitters, a combined illumination from said first group of solid state light emitters and said second group of solid state light emitters corresponds to a first point on a 1976 CIE diagram having coordinates u′

, v′

,

if said first group second current is supplied to each of said first group of solid state light emitters and said second group second current is supplied to each of said second group of solid state light emitters, a combined illumination from said first group of solid state light emitters and said second group of solid state light emitters corresponds to a second point on said 1976 CIE diagram having coordinates u′

, v′

, and

said first point is spaced from said second point by a distance such that delta u′

, v′

is not more than 0.005 on the 1976 CIE diagram.

17. A lighting device as recited in claim 12, further comprising

a third group of solid state light emitters, said third group of solid state light emitters comprising at least one third group solid state light emitter;

and

a third current regulator;

said third current regulator being switchable among at least two third current regulator settings, said at least two third current regulator settings comprising a third current regulator first setting and a third current regulator second setting;

such that;

(5) if said lighting device is energized and said third current regulator is in said third current regulator first setting, a third group first current would be supplied to said third group solid state light emitter; and

(6) if said lighting device is energized and said third current regulator is in said third current regulator second setting, a third group second current would be supplied to said third group solid state light emitter;

a third group second setting/first setting ratio being defined as said third group second current divided by said third group first current,

said third group second setting/first setting ratio differing from said first group second setting/first setting ratio by at least 5%, and differing from said second group second setting/first setting ratio by at least 5%.

18. A lighting device as recited in claim 12, wherein:

said first current regulator is switchable among at least three first current regulator settings, said at least three first current regulator settings comprising said first current regulator first setting, said first current regulator second setting, and a first current regulator third setting; and

said second current regulator is switchable among at least three second current regulator settings, said at least three second current regulator settings comprising said second current regulator first setting, said second current regulator second setting and a second current regulator third setting;

such that;

(5) if said lighting device is energized and said first current regulator is in said first current regulator third setting, a first group third current would be supplied to said first group solid state light emitter; and

(6) if said lighting device is energized and said second current regulator is in said second current regulator third setting, a second group third current would be supplied to said second group solid state light emitter;

a first group third setting/second setting ratio being defined as said first group third current divided by said first group second current,

a second group third setting/second setting ratio being defined as said second group third current divided by said second group second current,

said first group third setting/second setting ratio differing from said second group third setting/second setting ratio by at least 5%.

19. A lighting device as recited in claim 12, further comprising a master currents regulator,

said master currents regulator being switchable among at least two master currents regulator settings, said at least two master currents regulator settings comprising a master currents regulator first setting and a master currents regulator second setting,

such that:

(1) if said master currents regulator is in said master currents regulator first setting, said first current regulator would be in said first current regulator first position and said second current regulator would be in said second current regulator first position, and

(2) if said master currents regulator is in said master currents regulator second setting, said first current regulator would be in said first current regulator second position and said second current regulator would be in said second current regulator second position.

20. A lighting device as recited in claim 12, wherein:

each of said first group solid state light emitters has a dominant wavelength within 20 nanometers of a first group wavelength; and

each of said second group solid state light emitters has a dominant wavelength within 20 nanometers of a second group wavelength.

21. A lighting device as recited in claim 12, wherein:

(1) if said lighting device is energized and said first current regulator is in said first current regulator first setting, said first group first current would be supplied to each of said first group solid state light emitters;

(2) if said lighting device is energized and said first current regulator is in said first current regulator second setting, said first group second current would be supplied to each of said first group solid state light emitters;

(3) if said lighting device is energized and said second current regulator is in said second current regulator first setting, said second group first current would be supplied to each of said second group solid state light emitters; and

(4) if said lighting device is energized and said second current regulator is in said second current regulator second setting, said second group second current would be supplied to each of said second group solid state light emitters.

22. A method of lighting, comprising:

substantially simultaneously;

(a) adjusting a current supplied to a first group of solid state light emitters from a first group first current to a first group second current; and

(b) adjusting a current supplied to a second group of solid state light emitters from a second group first current to a second group second current;

said first group of solid state light emitters comprising at least one first group solid state light emitter;

said second group of solid state light emitters comprising at least one second group solid state light emitter;

said first group first current differing from said second group first current, said first group second current differing from said second group second current.

23. A method as recited in claim 22, wherein:

a combined intensity of said first group of solid state light emitters prior to said adjusting a current supplied to said first group of solid state light emitters is a first group first intensity,

a combined intensity of said second group of solid state light emitters prior to said adjusting a current supplied to said second group of solid state light emitters is a second group first intensity,

a combined intensity of said first group of solid state light emitters after said adjusting a current supplied to said first group of solid state light emitters is a first group second intensity,

a combined intensity of said second group of solid state light emitters after said adjusting a current supplied to said second group of solid state light emitters is a second group second intensity, and

a ratio of said first group first intensity to said second group first intensity differs by not more than 5% from a ratio of said first group second intensity to said second group second intensity.

24. A method as recited in claim 22, wherein:

a combined illumination from said first group of solid state light emitters and said second group of solid state light emitters prior to said adjusting a current supplied to said first group of solid state light emitters corresponds to a first point on a 1976 CIE diagram which has coordinates u′

, v′

,

a combined illumination from said first group of solid state light emitters and said second group of solid state light emitters after said adjusting a current supplied to said first group of solid state light emitters corresponds to a second point on said 1976 CIE diagram which has coordinates u′

, v′

, and

said first point is spaced from said second point by a distance such that delta u′

, v′

is not more than 0.005 on the 1976 CIE diagram.

25. A method as recited in claim 22, wherein:

each of said first group solid state light emitters has a dominant wavelength within 20 nanometers of a first group wavelength; and

each of said second group solid state light emitters has a dominant wavelength within 20 nanometers of a second group wavelength.

26. A method as recited in claim 22, wherein:

said first group first current differs from said first group second current, differs from said second group first current, and differs from said second group second current, and

said second group first current differs from said first group first current, differs from said first group second current, and differs from said second group second current.

27. A method of lighting, comprising:

substantially simultaneously;

(a) adjusting a current supplied to a first group of solid state light emitters from a first group first current to a first group second current; and

(b) adjusting a current supplied to a second group of solid state light emitters from a second group first current to a second group second current;

said first group of solid state light emitters comprising at least one first group solid state light emitter;

said second group of solid state light emitters comprising at least one second group solid state light emitter;

a first group second setting/first setting ratio being defined as said first group second current divided by said first group first current,

a second group second setting/first setting ratio being defined as said second group second current divided by said second group first current,

said first group second setting/first setting ratio differing from said second group second setting/first setting ratio by at least 5%.

28. A method as recited in claim 27, wherein:

a combined intensity of said first group of solid state light emitters prior to said adjusting a current supplied to said first group of solid state light emitters is a first group first intensity,

a combined intensity of said second group of solid state light emitters prior to said adjusting a current supplied to said second group of solid state light emitters is a second group first intensity,

a combined intensity of said first group of solid state light emitters after said adjusting a current supplied to said first group of solid state light emitters is a first group second intensity,

a combined intensity of said second group of solid state light emitters after said adjusting a current supplied to said second group of solid state light emitters is a second group second intensity, and

a ratio of said first group first intensity to said second group first intensity differs by not more than 5% from a ratio of said first group second intensity to said second group second intensity.

29. A method as recited in claim 27, wherein:

a combined illumination from said first group of solid state light emitters and said second group of solid state light emitters prior to said adjusting a current supplied to said first group of solid state light emitters corresponds to a first point on a 1976 CIE diagram which has coordinates u′

, v′

,

a combined illumination from said first group of solid state light emitters and said second group of solid state light emitters after said adjusting a current supplied to said first group of solid state light emitters corresponds to a second point on said 1976 CIE diagram which has coordinates u′

, v′

, and

said first point is spaced from said second point by a distance such that delta u′

, v′

is not more than 0.005 on the 1976 CIE diagram.

30. A method as recited in claim 29, wherein said first point has first point u′

, v′

coordinates and said second point has second point u′

, v′

coordinates, said second point u′

, v′

coordinates being identical to said first point u′

, v′

coordinates.

31. A method as recited in claim 27, wherein:

each of said first group solid state light emitters has a dominant wavelength within 20 nanometers of a first group wavelength; and

each of said second group solid state light emitters has a dominant wavelength within 20 nanometers of a second group wavelength.

32. A method as recited in claim 27, wherein:

said first group first current differs from said first group second current, differs from said second group first current, and differs from said second group second current, and

said second group first current differs from said first group first current, differs from said first group second current, and differs from said second group second current.