Lighting device having cross-fade and method thereof

• US 8,324,836 B2
• Filed: 01/19/2011
• Issued: 12/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Energizer Brands, LLC (Energizer Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Eveready Battery Company Incorporated (Energizer Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Crawford, John D., Spartano, David A., Hoffman, Peter F.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, THUY V
• Application Number:
  US13/009,091
• Publication Number:
  US 20110115397A1
• Time in Patent Office: 685 Days
• Field of Search: 315/291, 315/292, 315/294, 315/299, 315/7, 315/312, 315/324, 315/360, 315/362
• US Class Current: 315/292
• CPC Class Codes: F21L 4/02 characterised by the provision of two or more light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0414 specially adapted to be used with portable lighting devices
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/75 with fins or blades having different shapes, thicknesses or spacing
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/76 with essentially identical parallel planar fins or blades, e.g. with comb-like cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/006 applied to portable lighting devices
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/007 Array of lenses or refractors for a cluster of light sources, e.g. for arrangement of multiple light sources in one plane combination of two or more refractors F21V5/008
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2111/10 for personal use, e.g. hand-held
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2113/00 Combination of light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/10 Controlling the intensity of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/18 using temperature feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/32 Pulse-control circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/3725 Switched mode power supply [SMPS]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/56 involving measures to prevent abnormal temperature of the LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/10 Controlling the light source

Abstract

A lighting device includes a first lighting source, a second lighting source, and a controller. The first lighting source yields a first illumination pattern. The second lighting source yields a second illumination pattern. The patterns overlay to yield a third illumination pattern. The controller shifts available power between the first lighting source and the second lighting source.

Claims

1. A hand-held lighting device comprising:

a plurality of lighting sources comprising;

a first lighting source, wherein the first lighting source emits light in a first illumination pattern; and

a second lighting source, wherein the second lighting source emits light in a second illumination pattern that is different than the first illumination pattern, and the first and second illumination patterns at least partially overlap to yield a third illumination pattern; and

a controller that proportionally shifts available power between the first lighting source and the second lighting source to control an intensity of the first illumination pattern and the second illumination pattern, wherein the first lighting source is a flood lighting source and the first illumination pattern is a flood illumination pattern and the second lighting source is a spot lighting source and the second illumination pattern is a spot illumination pattern, wherein the third illumination patern is altered when the controler alters the intensity associated with at least one of the first illumination pattern or the second illumination pattern.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the controller utilizes pulse width modulation to shift the available power.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the controller controls current to the first lighting source and the second lighting source to shift the available power between the first lighting source and the second lighting source.

4. The device of claim 1, further comprising a default state where fifty percent of the available power is provided to the first lighting source and fifty percent of the available power is provided to the second lighting source.

5. The device of claim 4, further comprising a level where twenty percent of the available power is provided to the first lighting source and eighty percent of the available power is provided to the second lighting source.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the controller alters the first and second electrical powers supplied to the first and second lighting sources linearly.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the controller further comprises a plurality of dimming levels that are obtained by adjusting the available power.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the controller further comprises a plurality of cross fading levels and the controller maintains a selected cross fading level of the plurality of cross fading levels for the plurality of dimming levels.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the selected cross fading level is fifty percent of the available power to the first lighting source and fifty percent of the available power to the second lighting source.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the controller utilizes pulse width modulation to shift the available power.

11. A hand-held lighting device comprising:

a plurality of lighting sources comprising;

a first lighting source, wherein the first lighting source emits light in a first illumination pattern; and

a second lighting source, wherein the second lighting source emits light in a second illumination pattern that is different than the first illumination pattern, and the first and second illumination patterns at least partially overlap to yield a third illumination pattern; and

a controller that proportionally shifts available power between the first lighting source and the second lighting source to control an intensity of the first illumination pattern and the second illumination pattern, wherein the first lighting source is a flood lighting source having a half angle of greater than approximately twelve degrees (12°

), and the second lighting source is a spot lighting source having a half angle of less than approximately twelve degrees (12°

), wherein the third illumination pattern is altered when the controller alters the intensity associated with at least one of the first illumination pattern or the second illumination pattern.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the controller controls current to the first lighting source and the second lighting source to shift the available power between the first lighting source and the second lighting source.

13. The device of claim 11, further comprising a default state where fifty percent of the available power is provided to the first lighting source and fifty percent of the available power is provided to the second lighting source.

14. The device of claim 13, further comprising a level where twenty percent of the available power is provided to the first lighting source and eighty percent of the available power is provided to the second lighting source.

15. The device of claim 11, wherein the controller alters the first and second electrical powers supplied to the first and second lighting sources linearly.

16. The device of claim 11, wherein the controller further comprises a plurality of dimming levels that are obtained by adjusting the available power.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the controller further comprises a plurality of cross fading levels and the controller maintains a selected cross fading level of the plurality of cross fading levels for the plurality of dimming levels.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the selected cross fading level is fifty percent of the available power to the first lighting source and fifty percent of the available power to the second lighting source.