Bi-Chromatic Illumination Apparatus

• US 20080043464A1
• Filed: 08/03/2007
• Published: 02/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Ashdown, Ian
• Application Number:
  US11/833,358
• Publication Number:
  US 20080043464A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/231
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/22 using optical feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/17 Operational modes, e.g. switching from manual to automatic mode or prohibiting specific operations

Abstract

The present invention provides an illumination apparatus comprising one or more first light-emitting elements and one or more second light-emitting elements and a control system configured to control the operation of the one or more first and one or more second light-emitting elements. As the illumination apparatus according to the present invention is configured to generate utility illumination using two different and substantially monochromatic light-emitting element light sources, the light pollution resulting from the utility illumination generated by the illumination apparatus is reduced, when compared to a polychromatic light source.

Claims

1. An illumination apparatus for providing utility illumination to an environment while limiting a level of light pollution generated thereby, the apparatus comprising:

a) one or more first light emitting elements for generating light within a first wavelength range;

b) one or more second light-emitting elements for generating light within a second wavelength range;

c) a control system operatively coupled to the one or more first light-emitting elements and the one or more second light-emitting elements, the control system configured to control activation of the one or more first and one or more second light-emitting elements for generating utility illumination;

wherein the first wavelength range is about yellow and the second wavelength range is about blue.

2. The illumination apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first wavelength range extends from 560 nm to 600 nm.

3. The illumination apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second wavelength range extends from 450 nm to 500 nm.

4. The illumination apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control system comprises a feedback mechanism, the feedback mechanism configured to obtain data relating to the operation of the one or more first light-emitting elements and the one or more second light-emitting elements, the control system configured to control activation of the one or more first light-emitting elements and the one or more second light-emitting elements based on the data.

5. The illumination apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the feedback mechanism comprises a first current sensing mechanism configured to generate data indicative of drive current supplied to the one or more first light-emitting elements.

6. The illumination apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the feedback mechanism comprises a second current sensing mechanism configured to generate data indicative of drive current supplied to the one or more second light-emitting elements.

7. The illumination apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the feedback mechanism comprises a second current sensing mechanism configured to generate data indicative of drive current supplied to the one or more second light-emitting elements.

8. The illumination apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the feedback mechanism comprises an optical sensor configured to generate data indicative of utility light characteristics.

9. The illumination apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an optical system configured to blend the light within the first wavelength range and the light within the second wavelength range.

10. The illumination apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the optical system comprises one or more optical elements selected from the group comprising reflective element, refractive element, diffractive element, diffusive element and holographic element.

11. The illumination apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control system is configured to control operation of the one or more first light-emitting elements and the one or more second light-emitting elements using pulse width modulation, pulse code modulation, or analog modulation.

12. The illumination apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first wavelength range extends from 570 nm to 590 nm.

13. The illumination apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the second wavelength range extends from 460 nm to 490 nm.

14. The illumination apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the first wavelength range is about 580 nm.

15. The illumination apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the second wavelength range is about 480 nm.

16. Use of the illumination apparatus according to claim 1 for illuminating areas contributing to light pollution.