Methods and apparatus for illumination of liquids

• US 6,781,329 B2
• Filed: 10/25/2001
• Issued: 08/24/2004
• 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 A., Mueller, George G., Dowling, Kevin J., Morgan, Frederick M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Philogene, Haissa
• Application Number:
  US10/040,253
• Publication Number:
  US 20020171377A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,034 Days
• Field of Search: 315/295, 315/297, 315/302, 315/307, 315/308, 315/312, 315/316-318, 362/800, 362/152, 362/158, 362/558, 362/562
• US Class Current: 315/297
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/23 Retrofit light sources for lighting devices with a single fitting for each light source, e.g. for substitution of incandescent lamps with bayonet or threaded fittings
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 2/00 Systems of lighting devices, not provided for in main groups F21S4/00 - F21S10/00 or F21S19/00, e.g. of modular construction
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/00 Lighting devices intended for fixed installation F21S9/00, F21S10/00 take precedence; using a string or strip of light sources F21S4/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/092 Suction devices
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/096 Magnetic devices
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0442 activated by means of a sensor, e.g. motion or photodetectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/503 of light sources cooling arrangements structurally associated with gas-discharge or vapour-discharge lamps H01J61/52; cooling arrangements structurally associated with electric incandescent lamps H01K1/58; cooling arrangements structurally associated with light-emitting diodes H01L33/64
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/507 of means for protecting lighting devices from damage, e.g. housings
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/56 using liquid coolants F21V29/51 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/004 Sanitary equipment, e.g. mirrors, showers, toilet seats or paper dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2121/02 for fountains
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/401 for swimming pools
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2113/13 comprising an assembly of point-like light sources
• 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 2310/0272 Details of drivers for data electrodes, the drivers communicating data to the pixels by means of a current
• 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: H05B 45/20 : Controlling the colour of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/325 : Pulse-width modulation [PWM]
• 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: H05B 47/19 : via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 : Light emitting diode

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for illumination of liquids in a variety of environments. In one example, multi-color LED-based light sources are employed to achieve a wide range of enhanced lighting effects in liquids. In another example, a pool or spa is illuminated by one or more multi-color light sources that may be employed as individually and independently controllable devices, or coupled together to form a networked lighting system to provide a variety of programmable and/or coordinated color illumination effects in the pool or spa environment.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

one of a pool and a spa to contain a liquid;

at least one light source supported by the one of the pool and the spa to illuminate the liquid; and

at least one microprocessor-based controller, coupled to the at least one light source, to control radiation output by the at least one light source.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the one of the pool and the spa includes at least one wall; and

the at least one light source is supported by the at least one wall.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the one of the pool and the spa includes a floor; and

the at least one light source is supported by the floor.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one of the pool and the spa has a range of typical liquid levels of the liquid during use, and wherein the at least one light source is disposed below the range of typical liquid levels.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one light source is adapted to be submersible in the liquid.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the at least one light source includes at least one waterproof surface.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one light source is adapted to generate radiation of different colors without requiring the use of a color filter.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one light source includes at least two differently colored LEDs.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one light source includes at least one red LED, at least one green LED, and at least one blue LED.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one light source includes at least two independently controllable LEDs.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one light source includes at least two independently controllable light sources.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least two independently controllable light sources include at least two independently addressable light sources.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one light source is adapted to generate a remotely controllable variable radiation output.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one light source includes at least one LED.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one microprocessor-based controller is adapted to control a color of the radiation output by the at least one light source.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one microprocessor-based controller is adapted to control an intensity of the radiation output by the at least one light source.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one microprocessor-based controller outputs at least one control signal to the at least one light source to control the radiation output by the at least one light source; and

the at least one control signal includes at least one pulse width modulated signal.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one microprocessor-based controller outputs at least one control signal to the at least one light source to control the radiation output by the at least one light source; and

the at least one control signal includes at least one variable analog signal.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one light source includes at least a first LED and a second LED, the first and second LEDs having different colors; and

the at least one microprocessor-based controller is adapted to control a first intensity of the first LED and a second intensity of the second LED.

20. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one storage device, coupled to the at least one microprocessor-based controller, to store at least one illumination program, wherein the at least one microprocessor-based controller is adapted to execute the at least one illumination program so as to control the radiation output by the at least one light source.

21. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one light source includes at least a first light source and a second light source, wherein the at least one microprocessor-based controller includes at least a first controller coupled to the first light source and a second controller coupled to the second light source, and wherein:

each of the first controller and the second controller is adapted to be independently addressable; and

the first controller and the second controller are coupled together to form a networked lighting system.

22. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is configured such that the at least one light source is capable of illuminating the liquid with substantially unguided radiation.

23. The apparatus of claim 1, further including a housing to enclose the at least one light source and the at least one microprocessor-based controller.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the housing is supported by the one of the pool and the spa.

25. An apparatus, comprising:

one of a pool and a spa to contain a liquid;

at least one light source supported by the one of the pool and the spa to illuminate the liquid;

at least one controller coupled to the at least one light source to control radiation output by the at least one light source; and

at least one storage device, coupled to the at least one controller, to store at least one illumination program,

wherein the at least one controller is adapted to execute the at least one illumination program so as to control the radiation output by the at least one light source.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the apparatus is configured such that the at least one light source is capable of illuminating the liquid with substantially unguided radiation.

27. A method for illuminating a liquid, comprising an act of illuminating the liquid with radiation output simultaneously by at least two differently colored microprocessor-controlled LEDs.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the act of illuminating the liquid with radiation output simultaneously by at least two differently colored microprocessor-controlled LEDs includes an act of illuminating the liquid with substantially unguided radiation output simultaneously by at least two differently colored microprocessor-controlled LEDs.

29. A method for illuminating a liquid in one of a pool and a spa, comprising an act of illuminating the liquid with radiation output by at least two independently controllable microprocessor-controlled light sources disposed together in a housing coupled to the one of the pool and the spa.

30. A method for illuminating a liquid, comprising an act of illuminating the liquid with radiation output by at least one microprocessor-controlled light source, wherein the at least one microprocessor-controlled light source is adapted to generate radiation of different colors without requiring the use of a color filter.

31. A method for illuminating a liquid, comprising an act of illuminating the liquid with substantially unguided radiation output by at least one microprocessor-controlled light source.

32. A method for illuminating a liquid, comprising an act of executing at least one illumination program to control substantially unguided radiation output by at least one microprocessor-controlled light source that illuminates the liquid.

33. A method for illuminating a liquid, comprising an act of illuminating the liquid with radiation output by at least two independently addressable light sources coupled together to form a networked lighting system.

34. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one light source adapted to be supported by one of a pool and a spa so as to illuminate with variable color radiation a liquid contained in the one of the pool and the spa; and

at least one controller, coupled to the at least one light source, to control at least one other device associated with the one of the pool and the spa based on the variable color radiation.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the at least one other device includes at least one accessory to operate the one of the pool and the spa, and wherein the at least one controller is adapted to control the at least one accessory based on the generation of a particular color of the variable color radiation.

36. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the at least one accessory includes at least one blower to agitate the liquid contained in the one of the pool and the spa, and wherein the at least one controller is adapted to control the at least one blower based on the generation of a particular color of the variable color radiation.

37. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the at least one accessory includes at least one heater to heat the liquid contained in the one of the pool and the spa, and wherein the at least one controller is adapted to control the at least one heater based on the generation of a particular color of the variable color radiation.

38. A method, comprising acts of:

a) illuminating a liquid contained in at least one of a pool and a spa with variable color radiation; and

b) controlling at least one device associated with the one of the pool and the spa based on the variable color radiation.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the at least one device includes at least one accessory to operate the one of the pool and the spa, and wherein the act b) comprises an act of:

b1) controlling the at least one accessory based on the generation of a particular color of the variable color radiation.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the at least one accessory includes at least one blower to agitate the liquid contained in the one of the pool and the spa, and wherein the act

b1) comprises an act of:

controlling the at least one blower based on the generation of a particular color of the variable color radiation.

41. The method of claim 39, wherein the at least one accessory includes at least one heater to heat the liquid contained in the one of the pool and the spa, and wherein the act b1) comprises an act of:

controlling the at least one heater based on the generation of a particular color of the variable color radiation.

42. In a variable color illumination system capable of generating radiation having at least one hue in a non-liquid medium, the at least one hue including at least a first amount of red and a second amount of one other color in combination, a method for generating at least one liquid hue to illuminate a liquid, the at least one liquid hue, when viewed in the liquid, approximating the at least one hue in the non-liquid medium, the method comprising an act of:

including a third amount of red in the at least one liquid hue, the third amount of red being greater than the first amount of red included in the at least one hue.

43. A method for generating at least one dynamic variable color illumination effect to illuminate a liquid, comprising an act of:

omitting a red color from the at least one dynamic variable color illumination effect.

44. An apparatus, comprising:

one of a pool and a spa to contain a liquid;

at least one housing supported by the one of the pool and the spa;

at least two independently controllable light sources, disposed in a single housing of the at least one housing, to illuminate the liquid; and

at least one microprocessor-based controller, coupled to at least one of the at least two independently controllable light sources, to control radiation output by the at least one of the at least two independently controllable light sources.

45. An apparatus, comprising:

one of a pool and a spa to contain a liquid;

at least one light source, supported by the one of the pool and the spa, to illuminate the liquid, wherein the at least one light source is adapted to generate radiation of different colors without requiring the use of a color filter; and

at least one microprocessor-based controller, coupled to the at least one light source, to control radiation output by the at least one light source.

46. An apparatus, comprising:

one of a pool and a spa to contain a liquid; and

a networked lighting system coupled to the one of the pool and the spa to illuminate the liquid, the networked lighting system comprising;

a first independently controllable light source supported by the one of the pool and the spa;

a first independently addressable controller coupled to the first independently controllable light source;

at least one other independently controllable light source supported by the one of the pool and the spa; and

at least one other independently addressable controller coupled to the at least one other independently controllable light source and the first independently addressable controller.

47. A method for illuminating a liquid in one of a pool and a spa, comprising an act of illuminating the liquid in the one of the pool and the spa with radiation output by at least one microprocessor-controlled LED.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein the act of illuminating the liquid in the one of the pool and the spa with radiation output by at least one microprocessor-controlled LED includes an act of illuminating the liquid in the one of the pool and the spa with substantially unguided radiation output by at least one microprocessor-controlled LED.

49. The method of claim 47, wherein the act of illuminating the liquid in the one of the pool and the spa with radiation output by at least one microprocessor-controlled LED includes an act of illuminating the liquid in the one of the pool and the spa with radiation output by at least one microprocessor-controlled LED supported by the one of the pool and the spa.