Modular lighting arrays

• US 8,066,403 B2
• Filed: 06/19/2008
• Issued: 11/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nila, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nila, Inc.
• Inventors: McFarland, Alan, Sanfilippo, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Alavi; Ali
• Application Number:
  US12/142,720
• Publication Number:
  US 20090009997A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,258 Days
• Field of Search: 362/217, 362/219, 362/277, 362/249.01, 362/240.02, 362/249.06, 362/218, 362/294, 362/373
• US Class Current: 362/219
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 2/005 of modular construction
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/005 for several lighting devices in an end-to-end arrangement, i.e. light tracks
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/18 via data-bus transmission

Abstract

Apparatus, systems, architectures, and methods provide interlocked modular lighting array units to operate as a single large light source. The modular lighting array units may be connected by a network, and the modular lighting array units may communicate and send and receive control or status signals. In some embodiments, the signals may correspond to status of light sources or LEDs, lighting functions, effects routines, and various other signals of communication.

Claims

1. A lighting apparatus comprising:

a plurality of modular lighting array units interconnected for reconfiguring size and output of the lighting apparatus,

wherein each modular lighting array unit includes a two-dimensional array of light sources and an on-board regulated power supply,

wherein each modular lighting array unit is mechanically connected to another modular lighting array unit,

wherein each light source throughout the plurality of modular lighting array units is equally spaced apart from all neighboring light sources in each of the two array dimensions.

2. The lighting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the array of light sources has interchangeable lenses to control one or more beams of light.

3. The lighting apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the lighting array units are mechanically connected by a male mating portion of one modular lighting array unit coupled to a female mating portion of another modular lighting array unit.

4. The lighting apparatus of claim 3,

wherein the male mating portion and the female mating portion have a diamond-like shape, a spherical-like shape, or a tongue and groove shape.

5. The lighting apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the lighting array units are mechanically connected by complementary mating portions having mirroring mating portions.

6. The lighting apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the power supply is a direct current power supply or a common alternating current power supply.

7. The lighting apparatus of claim 1, wherein each modular lighting array unit includes a controller adapted to manage other modular lighting array units.

8. The lighting apparatus of claim 7, wherein the plurality of modular lighting array unit are interconnected by a communications network.

9. The lighting apparatus of claim 8, wherein the communications network is implemented with stranded wire pairs, a cable medium, an optical fiber, a power line, infrared, laser-linking, electromagnetic induction coupling, sonic communications, ultrasonic communications, or RF communications.

10. The lighting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the light sources are light emitting diodes.

11. A modular lighting array unit comprising:

a two-dimensional array of light sources,

an on-board regulated power supply,

a mechanical connection device configured to mechanically connect the modular lighting array unit to another identical modular lighting array unit,

a controller adapted to manage other modular lighting array units.

12. The modular lighting array unit of claim 11, wherein the array of light sources has interchangeable lenses to control one or more beams of light.

13. The modular lighting array unit of claim 11,

wherein the mechanical connection device comprises a male mating portion configured to couple to a female mating portion of said another identical modular lighting array unit.

14. The modular lighting array unit of claim 13,

wherein the male mating portion and the female mating portion have a diamond-like shape, a spherical-like shape, or a tongue and groove shape.

15. The modular lighting array unit of claim 11,

wherein the mechanical connection device comprises complementary mating portions having mirroring mating portions.

16. The modular lighting array unit of claim 11,

wherein the power supply is a direct current power supply or a common alternating current power supply.

17. The modular lighting array unit of claim 11, wherein the light sources are light emitting diodes.