Wireless Lighting Control System

• US 20130249403A1
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Published: 09/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ilumi Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Ilumi Solutions, Inc.
• Inventors: Bora, Swapnil, Egan, Corey
• Granted Patent: US 8,896,218 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 315/113
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/10 Controlling the intensity of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/12 using optical feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/20 Controlling the colour of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/22 using optical feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/37 Converter circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/16 by timing means
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/30 Semiconductor lamps, e.g. solid state lamps [SSL] light emitting diodes [LED] or organic LED [OLED]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A lighting device includes a DC/DC power converter, a controller/processor electrically connected to the DC/DC power converter, a light emitting diode (LED) current control circuit communicably coupled to the controller/processor and electrically connected to the DC/DC power converter, and two or more LEDs comprising at least a first color LED and a second color LED electrically connected to the LED current control circuit. The LED current control circuit provides an on/off signal having a cycle time to each LED in response to one or more control signals received from the controller/processor such that the two or more LEDs produce a blended light having a specified color based on how long each LED is turned ON and/or OFF during the cycle time.

Claims

1. A lighting device comprising:

a flexible strip;

an electrical connector affixed to the flexible strip;

a DC/DC power converter;

a controller/processor electrically connected to the DC/DC power converter;

a light emitting diode (LED) current control circuit communicably coupled to the controller/processor and electrically connected to the DC/DC power converter;

two or more LEDs comprising at least a first color LED and a second color LED electrically connected to the LED current control circuit;

wherein the two or more LEDs are affixed to the flexible strip and electrically connected to the electrical connector;

wherein the DC/DC power converter, the controller/processor and the LED current control circuit are remotely located with respect to the flexible strip and electrically connected to the electrical connector via a wire, a cable or a connecting strip; and

wherein the LED current control circuit provides an on/off signal having a cycle time to each LED in response to one or more control signals received from the controller/processor such that the two or more LEDs produce a blended light having a specified color based on how long each LED is turned ON and/or OFF during the cycle time.

2. The lighting device as recited in claim 1, wherein the specified color is produced by turning ON the first color LED for a first portion of the cycle time and turning ON the second color LED for a second portion of the cycle time.

3. The lighting device as recited in claim 1, wherein the two or more LEDs are not turned ON at the same time.

4. The lighting device as recited in claim 1, wherein each on/off signal provides a maximum current supplied by the DC/DC power converter to the LED.

5. The lighting device as recited in claim 1, wherein the on/off signal for the first LED comprises two or more pulses during a portion of the cycle time that the first LED is turned ON.

6. The lighting device as recited in claim 1, wherein the on/off signals to the two or more LEDs further produce the blended light having a specified saturation.

7. The lighting device as recited in claim 1, wherein the on/off signals to the two or more LEDs further produce the blended light having specified brightness or intensity.

8. The lighting device as recited in claim 7, wherein the specified brightness or intensity is determined by a duty cycle of the on/off signals.

9. The lighting device as recited in claim 1, wherein the cycle time is less than 12 ms.

10. The lighting device as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the LEDs comprises a series of LEDs, a group of LEDs, an array of LEDs, two or more series-connected LEDs, two or more parallel-connected LEDs or a combination thereof.

11. The lighting device as recited in claim 1, wherein the first color LED and the second color LED are selected from the group consisting essentially of a red LED, a green LED, a blue LED, a red LED, a white LED and a tri-color LED.

12. The lighting device as recited in claim 1, further comprising a real time clock circuit communicably coupled to the controller/processor.

13. The lighting device as recited in claim 1, further comprising a memory communicably coupled to the controller/processor.

15. The lighting device as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a power supply connector/fastener; and

an AC/DC power converter electrically connected to the power supply connector/fastener and the DC/DC power converter.

16. The lighting device as recited in claim 1, wherein the LED current control circuit comprises a PWM driver, a switching or multiplexer circuit, or one or more LED driver circuit.

17. The lighting device as recited in claim 1, further comprising an ambient light sensor circuit communicably coupled to the controller/processor.

20. The lighting device as recited in claim 1, further comprising a hard reset circuit communicably coupled to the controller/processor.

21. The lighting device as recited in claim 1, further comprising an AC or DC power supply connected to the power supply connector.

22. The lighting device as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a wireless transceiver circuit communicably coupled to the controller/processor; and

an antenna communicably coupled to the wireless transceiver circuit.

23. The lighting device as recited in claim 22, wherein the controller/processor communicates with one or more other lighting devices, remote controllers, sensors, other devices, or a combination thereof.

24. The lighting device as recited in claim 23, wherein the lighting device and the other lighting devices are part of a mesh network, a group or a combination thereof.

25. The lighting device as recited in claim 24, wherein the controller/processor provides a status information to the other lighting devices, remote controllers or other devices within the mesh network or group.

26. The lighting device as recited in claim 23, wherein the controller/processor receives a status information from the other lighting devices, remote controllers or other devices within the mesh network and uses the status information as an input to execute one or more commands, change the on/off signals, trigger a communication or command to the mesh network or group, or a combination thereof.

27. The lighting device as recited in claim 23, wherein the controller/processor enters a discovery mode to detect the other lighting devices within the mesh network or group when the lighting device is turned on.

28. The lighting device as recited in claim 1, wherein the controller/processor executes one or more programs to control the LED current control circuit to produce a light in accordance with the one or more programs.

29. The lighting device as recited in claim 30, wherein the one or more programs comprise one or more default programs, one or more user created programs, or a combination thereof.

30. The lighting device as recited in claim 1, wherein the controller/processor includes a security program that prevents unauthorized access to the one or more programs.

31. The lighting device as recited in claim 1, further comprising a heat sink affixed to the flexible strip.

32. The lighting device as recited in claim 1, further comprising a reflector affixed to the flexible strip behind or around the two or more LEDs.

33. The lighting device as recited in claim 1, further comprising a diffuser or lens affixed to the flexible strip above the two or more LEDs.

34. The lighting device as recited in claim 1, further comprising a light strip connector affixed to the flexible strip and electrically connected to the LED current control circuit.

35. The lighting device as recited in claim 34, where in the light strip connector is connected in parallel or series with the two or more LEDs.

36. The lighting device as recited in claim 1, further comprising a housing wherein the DC/DC power converter, the controller/processor and the LED current control circuit are disposed within the housing, and the two or more LEDs are proximate to or within an aperture of the housing.

37. The lighting device as recited in claim 36, further comprising a heat sink disposed within or outside the housing.

38. The lighting device as recited in claim 36, further comprising a reflector disposed within the aperture of the housing and around the two or more LEDs.

39. The lighting device as recited in claim 36, further comprising a diffuser or lens sealing the aperture of the housing.

14. The lighting device as recited in claim 14, wherein the memory is integrated into the controller/processor.

19. The lighting device as recited in claim 19, wherein the ambient light sensor is located to detect an ambient light and a light emitted by the lighting device such that the controller/processor adjusts one or more of the on/off signals provided to the two or more LEDs.

18. The lighting device as recited in claim 19, wherein the ambient light sensor detects a level of one or more color components of an ambient light, wherein the one or more color components comprise a red, a green, a blue, a cyan, a yellow, a magenta, or a black.

40. A lighting system comprising:

two or lighting devices, wherein each lighting device comprises;

a DC/DC power converter,

a controller/processor electrically connected to the DC/DC power converter,

a light emitting diode (LED) current control circuit communicably coupled to the controller/processor and electrically connected to the DC/DC power converter,

two or more LEDs comprising at least a first color LED and a second color LED electrically connected to the LED current control circuit,

a wireless transceiver circuit communicably coupled to the controller/processor,

an antenna communicably coupled to the wireless transceiver circuit, and

wherein the LED current control circuit provides an on/off signal having a cycle time to each LED in response to one or more control signals received from the controller/processor such that the two or more LEDs produce a blended light having a specified color based on how long each LED is turned ON and/or OFF during the cycle time; and

wherein the controller/processors of the two or more lighting devices communicate with one another using the wireless transceivers and antennas of the two or more lighting devices.

41. A method for controlling one or more lighting devices comprising the steps of:

providing the one or lighting devices, wherein each lighting device comprises;

a flexible strip,

an electrical connector affixed to the flexible strip,

a DC/DC power converter,

a controller/processor electrically connected to the DC/DC power converter,

a light emitting diode (LED) current control circuit communicably coupled to the controller/processor and electrically connected to the DC/DC power converter,

two or more LEDs comprising at least a first color LED and a second color LED electrically connected to the LED current control circuit,

wherein the two or more LEDs are affixed to the flexible strip and electrically connected to the electrical connector,

wherein the DC/DC power converter, the controller/processor and the LED current control circuit are remotely located with respect to the flexible strip and electrically connected to the electrical connector via a wire, a cable or a connecting strip; and

sending one or more control signals from the controller/processor to the LED current control circuit corresponding to a blended light having a specified color; and

sending an on/off signal having a cycle time from the LED current control circuit to each LED in response to the one or more control signals such that the two or more LEDs produce the blended light having the specified color based on how long each LED is turned ON and/or OFF during the cycle time.