Area lighting device using discrete light sources, such as LEDs

• US 6,705,744 B2
• Filed: 06/19/2002
• Issued: 03/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: David Allen Hubbell, Philip V. Desantis
• Original Assignee: David Allen Hubbell, Philip V. Desantis
• Inventors: Hubbell, David A., Desantis, Philip V.
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Shea, Sandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): Choi, Jacob Y.
• Application Number:
  US10/173,856
• Publication Number:
  US 20020163805A1
• Time in Patent Office: 636 Days
• Field of Search: 362/250, 362/233, 362/249
• US Class Current: 362/249.06
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/62 using mixing chambers, e.g. housings with reflective walls
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/088 with lighting device mounted on top of the standard, e.g. for pedestrian zones
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0442 activated by means of a sensor, e.g. motion or photodetectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/70 characterised by passive heat-dissipating elements, e.g. heat-sinks
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/103 of streets or roads
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2105/00 Planar light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/10 Controlling the light source
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/165 following a pre-assigned programmed sequence; Logic control [LC]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/72 in street lighting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/802 Position or condition responsive switch

Abstract

An area lighting device comprises a plurality of panels arranged into a hollow box having interconnected side walls and open bottom; and at least one of the side wall panels comprising a light emitting panel having a lighted side facing inside the hollow box.

Claims

1. A method for calculating the illumination intensity on a target surface provided by a plurality of light sources disposed in one location above the target surface, each light source providing a cone of light where the axis of the cone has the highest light intensity and the boundary of the cone represents a lesser percentage of the wavelength radiation intensity from the center, comprising:

a) subdividing the target surface into grids;

b) for each grid, calculating the light intensity provided by each light source by taking the cross product of a location vector represented by a line connecting the light source and the grid, and an aiming vector represented by the cone axis;

c) calculating the angle between the location vector and the aiming vector;

d) if the angle is less than one-half the cone angle, calculating the primary lighting intensity at the grid;

e) plotting the total light intensity at each grid.

2. A method as in claim 1, and further comprising:

a) if the angle is greater than one-half the cone angle, but less than the secondary angle, calculating the secondary light intensity at the grid.

3. A method as in claim 2, and further comprising:

a) disposing the light sources at an upper end of a pole;

b) calculating the amount of deflection of the pole at the location of the light sources due to wind;

c) repositioning the light sources by the amount of the deflection;

d) performing steps a)-e) to recalculate the light intensity at each grid from the light sources at the new position.