Smart light bulb

• US 6,528,954 B1
• Filed: 12/17/1998
• Issued: 03/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Philips Lighting North America Corporation (Signify N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Color Kinetics Incorporated (Signify N.V.)
• Inventors: Lys, Ihor, Mueller, George G.
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, DAVID HUNG
• Application Number:
  US09/215,624
• Time in Patent Office: 1,538 Days
• Field of Search: 315/291, 315/149, 315/152, 315/153, 315/155, 315/156-159
• US Class Current: 315/291
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0652 Arrays of diodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0616 Skin treatment other than tanning
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0618 Psychological treatment
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/00 Light sources using semiconductor devices as light-generating elements, e.g. using light-emitting diodes [LED] or lasers
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/28 rigid, e.g. LED bars
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/004 Sanitary equipment, e.g. mirrors, showers, toilet seats or paper dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/006 General building constructions or finishing work for buildings, e.g. roofs, gutters, stairs or floors; Garden equipment; Sunshades or parasols
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2111/027 for indicating kerbs, steps or stairs
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2111/08 for handles or handrails
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/06 Passive matrix structure, i.e. with direct application of both column and row voltages to the light emitting or modulating elements, other than LCD or OLED
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0626 for control of overall brightness
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0666 for control of colour parameters, e.g. colour temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/14 Semiconductor devices, e.g. diodes
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/2014 by modulation of the duration of a single pulse during which the logic level remains constant
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/32 semiconductive, e.g. using light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3283 in which the data driver supplies a variable data current for setting the current through, or the voltage across, the light-emitting elements
• 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 45/325 Pulse-width modulation [PWM]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/3725 : Switched mode power supply [SMPS]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/38 : using boost topology
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/395 : Linear regulators
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/46 : having LEDs disposed in parallel lines
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 : by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/155 : Coordinated control of two or more light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/165 : following a pre-assigned programmed sequence; Logic control [LC]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/18 : via data-bus 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 smart light bulb is provided which may include a housing, an illumination source, disposed in the housing, and a processor, disposed in the housing, for controlling the illumination source. The housing may be configured to fit a conventional light fixture. The illumination source may be an LED system or other illumination source. The processor may control the intensity or the color of the illumination source. The housing may also house a transmitter and/or receiver. The smart light bulb may respond to a signal from another device or send a signal to another device. The other device may be another smart light bulb or another device. The smart light bulb may be associated with a wide variety of illumination applications and environments.

Claims

1. A light bulb, comprising:

a housing configured to fit at least one of a halogen, incandescent and fluorescent light fixture;

an illumination source including a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs);

a processor coupled to the illumination source and controlling current to the plurality of LEDs to generate color within a color spectrum, wherein the illumination source and the processor are disposed within the housing; and

,

at least one of a receiver and a transmitter coupled to the processor for respectively receiving or transmitting a data signal from an external device.

2. The light bulb of claim 1 wherein the housing is further configured to resemble at least one of a halogen, incandescent and fluorescent light bulb.

3. The light bulb of claim 1 wherein the at least one of a halogen, incandescent and fluorescent light fixture is a swimming pool light fixture.

4. The light bulb of claim 1, wherein the data signal is selected from the group consisting of infrared, optical, electrical, radio, electromagnetic, and acoustic signals.

5. The light bulb of claim 1 wherein the light bulb includes both a receiver and a transmitter.

6. The light bulb of claim 1, wherein the external device is at least one of another light bulb, a motor, a television, a security system, a video cassette recorder, a video cassette player, a disc player, a receiver, a stereo, a turntable, a personal computer, a microprocessor, a network, a pager, a security badge, a web television, an alarm system, a server, a phone, a disc drive, a laptop computer, a microwave, an oven, an alarm, a clock, a radio, a tape player, a manual input device, and a tape recorder.

7. The light bulb of claim 1, wherein the external device is a device for directing the illumination source.

8. The light bulb of claim 1, further comprising:

memory coupled to the processor wherein the memory stores at least one program for controlling current to the plurality of LEDs.

9. The light bulb of claim 1, further comprising:

memory coupled to the processor wherein the memory stores at least one program for interfacing with the external device.

10. The light bulb of claim 1, wherein the housing is configured as a platform bearing the plurality of light emitting diodes.

11. A light bulb, comprising:

a housing configured to fit at least one of a halogen, incandescent and fluorescent light fixture;

an illumination source having at least one blue LED; and

a processor coupled to the illumination source and controlling current to the illumination source to generate color within a color spectrum, wherein the illumination source and the processor are disposed within the housing,

and wherein the processor is configured to receive and respond to at least one control signal transmitted to the light bulb from a remote user interface.

12. The light bulb of claim 11 wherein the housing is further configured to resemble at least one of a halogen, incandescent and fluorescent light bulb.

13. The light bulb of claim 11, further comprising:

memory coupled to the processor wherein the memory stores at least one program for controlling current to the illumination source.

14. The light bulb of claim 11 further comprising at least one of a receiver and a transmitter coupled to the processor for respectively receiving or transmitting a data signal from an external device.

15. The light bulb of claim 14, wherein the data signal is selected from the group consisting of infrared, optical, electrical, radio, electromagnetic, and acoustic signals.

16. The light bulb of claim 14 wherein the light bulb includes both a receiver and a transmitter.

17. The light bulb of claim 14, wherein the external device is at least one of another light bulb, a motor, a television, a security system, a video cassette recorder, a video cassette player, a disc player, a receiver, a stereo, a turntable, a personal computer, a microprocessor, a network, a pager, a security badge, a web television, an alarm system, a server, a phone, a disc drive, a laptop computer, a microwave, an oven, an alarm, a clock, a radio, a tape player, a manual input device, and a tape recorder.

18. The light bulb of claim 14, wherein the external device is a device for directing the illumination source.

19. The light bulb of claim 14, further comprising:

memory coupled to the processor wherein the memory stores at least one program for interfacing with the external device.

20. The light bulb of claim 11, wherein the housing is configured as a platform bearing the illumination source.

21. A light bulb, comprising:

illumination means for generating light of variable color,

control means, coupled to the illumination means, for controlling the color of the light generated,

housing means for containing the illumination means and the control means, wherein the housing means is configured to fit at least one of a halogen, incandescent and fluorescent light fixture, and

communication means, coupled to the control means, for transmitting or receiving at least one control signal to or from at least once external device.

22. The light bulb of claim 21 wherein the housing means is further configured to resemble at least one of a halogen, incandescent and fluorescent light bulb.

23. The lightbulb of claim 21, wherein the communications means comprises a receiver.

24. The lightbulb of claim 21, wherein the communications means comprises a transmitter.

25. The lightbulb of claim 21, wherein the control means comprises a processor.

26. The lightbulb of claim 21, wherein the illumination means comprises a plurality of LEDs.

27. The light bulb of claim 21, further comprising:

memory means, coupled to the control means, for storing at least one program for controlling current to the illumination means.

28. The light bulb of claim 21, further comprising:

memory means, coupled to the control means, for storing at least one program for interfacing with the external device via the communications means.

29. The light bulb of claim 21, wherein the housing means is configured as a platform bearing the illumination means.