OPTICAL INTEGRATING CAVITY LIGHTING SYSTEM USING MULTIPLE LED LIGHT SOURCES
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Abstract
A system to provide radiant energy of selectable spectral characteristic (e.g. a selectable color combination) uses an integrating cavity to combine energy of different wavelengths from different sources. The cavity has a diffusely reflective interior surface and an aperture for allowing emission of combined radiant energy. Sources of radiant energy of different wavelengths, typically different-color LEDs, supply radiant energy into the interior of the integrating cavity. In the examples, the points of entry of the energy into the cavity typically are located so that they are not directly visible through the aperture. The cavity effectively integrates the energy of different wavelengths, so that the combined radiant energy emitted through the aperture includes the radiant energy of the various wavelengths. The apparatus also includes a control circuit coupled to the sources for establishing output intensity of radiant energy of each of the sources. Control of the intensity of emission of the sources sets the amount of each wavelength of energy in the combined output and thus determines a spectral characteristic of the radiant energy output through the aperture.
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Citations
71 Claims
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1-35. -35. (canceled)
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36. A system comprising:
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A) a light fixture for a visible illuminating type lighting application, to illuminate or to provide task or object illumination, in a region or area intended to be occupied by a person, the light fixture comprising; 1) an optical integrating cavity having at least one diffusely reflective interior surface and an optical passage; and 2) a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) coupled to supply light to the optical integrating cavity at points on an interior surface of the optical integrating cavity not directly visible through the optical passage in one or more directions to cause substantial portions of light supplied by the LEDs to reflect from said at least one diffusely reflective surface of the optical integrating cavity one or more times to optically integrate the light from the LEDs before emission as the optically integrated light through the optical passage of the integrating cavity for the visible lighting application, wherein the LEDs provide sufficient light energy in the optically integrated light to facilitate said visible illuminating type lighting application, and the optical integrating cavity is configured to direct the optically integrated light emitted through the optical passage in a direction to facilitate said visible illuminating type lighting application; and B) a control circuit coupled to the LEDs for establishing output intensity of light of a first one of the LEDs and separately establishing output intensity of light of a second one of the LEDS, to set light contributions of the LEDs to the optically integrated light within the cavity and thus set a characteristic of the optically integrated light emitted through the optical passage of the optical integrating cavity. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
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55. A light emitting diode (LED) downlight for a visible illuminating type lighting application in a region or area intended to be occupied by a person, the downlight comprising:
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an optical integrating cavity having at least one diffusely reflective interior surface and an optical passage oriented to permit emission of light from within the cavity in a direction downward when the downlight is mounted for implementation of the visible illuminating type lighting application in the region or area intended to be occupied, the optical integrating cavity being formed as part of a light fixture of the downlight; a plurality of LEDs coupled to supply light to the optical integrating cavity at points on an interior surface of the optical integrating cavity not directly visible through the optical passage in one or more directions to cause substantial portions of light supplied by the LEDs to reflect from said at least one diffusely reflective surface of the optical integrating cavity one or more times to optically integrate the light from the LEDs before downward emission as optically integrated light through the optical passage of the integrating cavity for the visible lighting application of the downlight, wherein the LEDs provide sufficient light energy in the optically integrated light emission through the optical passage to facilitate said visible illuminating type lighting application of the downlight; and a control circuit coupled to the LEDs for establishing output intensity of light of a first one of the LEDs and separately establishing output intensity of light of a second one of the LEDs, to set light contributions of the LEDs to the optically integrated light within the cavity and thus set a characteristic of the optically integrated light emitted through the optical passage of the optical integrating cavity. - View Dependent Claims (56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70)
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71. A light emitting diode (LED) downlight system, the downlight system comprising:
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a downlight fixture for emitting visible illuminating light downward, for a downlight application sufficient to illuminate or to provide task or object illumination downward, in a region or area intended to be occupied by a person, the downlight fixture comprising an optical integrating cavity having at least one diffusely reflective interior surface and an optical passage oriented to permit emission of light from within the cavity in a direction downward when the downlight is mounted for implementation of the downlight application in the region or area intended to be occupied; a plurality of LEDs coupled to supply light to the optical integrating cavity of the fixture at points on an interior surface of the optical integrating cavity not directly visible through the optical passage in one or more directions to cause substantial portions of light supplied by the LEDs to reflect from said at least one diffusely reflective surface of the optical integrating cavity one or more times to optically integrate the light from the LEDs before downward emission as optically integrated light through the optical passage of the integrating cavity for the downlight application, wherein the LEDs provide sufficient light energy in the optically integrated light emission through the optical passage to facilitate said downlight application in the region or area intended to be occupied; and an input for input of an indication of a user desired setting for a characteristic of the optically integrated light emitted through the optical passage of the optical integrating cavity; a sensor for sensing optically integrated light from the optical integrating cavity; a control circuit, responsive to the user desired setting and a signal from the sensor, coupled to the LEDs for establishing output intensity of light of a first one of the LEDs and separately establishing output intensity of light of a second one of the LEDs, to set and maintain light contributions of the LEDs to the optically integrated light within the cavity and thus set and maintain the characteristic of the optically integrated light emitted through the optical passage of the optical integrating cavity into the region or area intended to be occupied in accord with the user desired setting.
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Specification