Remote lighting device and associated methods

• US 8,439,515 B1
• Filed: 11/28/2011
• Issued: 05/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lighting Science Group Corporation (Pegasus Capital Advisors, L.P.)
• Original Assignee: Lighting Science Group Corporation (Pegasus Capital Advisors, L.P.)
• Inventors: Barine, David E., Maxik, Fredic S., Soler, Robert R.
• Primary Examiner(s): HAN, JASON
• Application Number:
  US13/305,434
• Publication Number:
  US 20130135847A1
• Time in Patent Office: 533 Days
• Field of Search: 362/84, 362/183, 362/192, 362/276, 362/293, 362/802
• US Class Current: 362/183
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 9/04 the power supply being a generator
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 14/006 by means of optical elements, e.g. films, filters or screens, being rolled up around a roller
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 14/04 by movement of reflectors in vehicle head lamps F21S41/675
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2105/00 Planar light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/15 Organic light-emitting diodes [OLED]

Abstract

A lighting device to receive solar light by a color conversion optic and convert the solar light into a powering light, increasing the efficiency of electrical power generation using a photovoltaic system. The electrical power may be stored by a battery, from which it may be drawn to drive a lighting element to emit illuminating light. The illuminating light may be received and converted by the color conversion optic into a converted light, providing illumination in a desired wavelength range. The color conversion optic may be positionable adjacent to the photovoltaic system or the lighting element to convert light. A controller may be included to control the color conversion operation. The controller may be connected to a sensor or a timer.

Claims

1. A lighting device comprising:

a photovoltaic system that accepts powering light;

a lighting element in communication with a battery and that emits illuminating light;

a controller in communication with the photovoltaic system, the lighting element, and the battery; and

a color conversion optic that is movable to convert a solar light to the powering light and to convert the illuminating light to a converted light;

wherein the photovoltaic system generates electrical power to be stored by the battery when the lighting device operates in a charge state, and wherein the lighting element is driven by the electrical power stored by the battery when the lighting device operates in a power state, and wherein the controller selectively enables operation between the charge state and the power state.

2. A lighting device according to claim 1 wherein the color conversion optic is movable between a first position and a second position;

wherein the first position is defined as the color conversion optic being positioned adjacent to the photovoltaic system to convert the solar light to the powering light; and

wherein the second position is defined as the color conversion optic being positioned adjacent to the lighting element to convert the illuminating light to the converted light.

3. A lighting device according to claim 2 further including an electromechanical device to move the color conversion optic between the first position and the second position.

4. A lighting device according to claim 1 further including a repositionable mirror to receive and reflect the solar light and to receive and reflect the illuminating light.

5. A lighting device according to claim 4 wherein the repositionable mirror is included in a microelectromechanical system (MEMS).

6. A lighting device according to claim 4 wherein the color conversion optic is positioned adjacent to the repositionable mirror.

7. A lighting device according to claim 1 wherein the color conversion optic is positioned adjacent to the photovoltaic system and the lighting element to allow substantially simultaneous operation in the charge state and power state.

8. A lighting device according to claim 1 wherein the controller includes a timer;

and wherein the controller analyzes data provided by the timer to control operation between the power state and the charge state.

9. A lighting device according to claim 1 wherein the controller is communicatively connected to a sensor to receive sensory information;

and wherein the controller analyzes the sensory information to control operation between the power state and the charge state.

10. A lighting device according to claim 9 wherein the sensor detects whether the solar light is present and generates the sensory information regarding presence of the solar light.

11. A lighting device according to claim 10 wherein the controller is communicatively connected to a timer;

wherein the controller controls operation between the power state and the charge state based on the sensor and the timer.

12. A lighting device according to claim 1 wherein the controller is communicatively connected to a radio logic board to transmit and receive communication information;

and wherein the communication information is used by the controller to control operation between the power state and the charge state.

13. A lighting device according to claim 1 wherein the lighting element is a light emitting diode.

14. A lighting device according to claim 13 wherein the light emitting diode emits the illuminating light within a wavelength range between 200 and 500 nanometers.

15. A lighting device according to claim 1 wherein the color conversion optic includes a conversion material selected from a group consisting of phosphors and quantum dots.

16. A lighting device according to claim 1 wherein the photovoltaic system is at least partially transparent.

17. A lighting device according to claim 1 further comprising an electro-active optic located adjacent to the photovoltaic system, wherein the electro-active optic is variable between being be at least partially transparent and being at least partially non-transparent.

18. A lighting device comprising:

a photovoltaic system that accepts powering light;

a lighting element in communication with a battery and that emits illuminating light;

a controller in communication with the photovoltaic system, the lighting element, and the battery;

a color conversion optic to convert a solar light to the powering light and to convert the illuminating light to a converted light; and

an electromechanical device to move the color conversion optic between a first position and a second position;

wherein the photovoltaic system generates electrical power to be stored by the battery when the lighting device operates in a charge state, and wherein the lighting element is driven by the electrical power stored by the battery when the lighting device operates in a power state, and wherein the controller selectively enables operation between the charge state and the power state;

wherein the controller is communicatively connected to a sensor to receive sensory information, and wherein the controller analyzes the sensory information to control operation between the power state and the charge state;

wherein the first position is defined as the color conversion optic being positioned adjacent to the photovoltaic system to convert the solar light to the powering light;

wherein the second position is defined as the color conversion optic being positioned adjacent to the lighting element to convert the illuminating light to the converted light.

19. A lighting device according to claim 18 further including a repositionable mirror to receive and reflect the solar light, and to receive and reflect the illuminating light.

20. A lighting device according to claim 19 wherein the repositionable mirror is included in a microelectromechanical system (MEMS).

21. A lighting device according to claim 19 wherein the color conversion optic is positioned adjacent to the repositionable mirror.

22. A lighting device according to claim 18 wherein the sensor detects whether the solar light is present and generates the sensory information regarding presence of the solar light.

23. A lighting device according to claim 18 wherein the controller is communicatively connected to a radio logic board to transmit and receive communication information;

and wherein the communication information is used by the controller to control operation between the power state and the charge state.

24. A lighting device according to claim 18 wherein the controller includes a timer;

wherein the controller analyzes data provided by the timer to control operation between the power state and the charge state.

25. A lighting device according to claim 18 wherein the lighting element is a light emitting diode.

26. A lighting device according to claim 25 wherein the light emitting diode emits the illuminating light within a wavelength range between 200 and 500 nanometers.

27. A lighting device comprising:

a photovoltaic system that is at least partially transparent and accepts powering light;

a light emitting diode (LED) in communication with a battery and omits illuminating light;

a controller in communication with the photovoltaic system, the LED, and the battery;

a color conversion optic to convert a solar light to the powering light and to convert the illuminating light to a converted light, the color conversion optic including a conversion material selected from a group consisting of phosphors and quantum dots; and

an electro-active optic located adjacent to the photovoltaic system;

wherein the electro-active optic is variable between being at least partially transparent and at least partially non-transparent;

wherein the photovoltaic system generates electrical power to be stored by the battery when the lighting device operates in a charge state, and wherein the lighting element is driven by the electrical power stored by the battery when the lighting device operates in a power state, and wherein the controller selectively enables operation between the charge state and the power state.

28. A lighting device according to claim 27 wherein the color conversion optic is positioned adjacent to the electro-active optic.

29. A lighting device according to claim 27 wherein the controller is communicatively connected to a sensor to receive sensory information;

and wherein the controller analyzes the sensory information to control operation between the power state and the charge state.

30. A lighting device according to claim 27 wherein the controller includes a timer, wherein the controller analyzes data provided by the timer to control operation between the power state and the charge state.

31. A lighting device according to claim 27 wherein the controller is communicatively connected to a radio logic board to transmit and receive communication information;

and wherein the communication information is used by the controller to control operation between the power state and the charge state.

32. A lighting device according to claim 27 wherein the light emitting diode emits the illuminating light within a wavelength range between 200 and 500 nanometers.

33. A method for using a lighting device, the lighting device comprising a photovoltaic system, a lighting element in communication with a battery, a controller, and a color conversion optic that is movable, the method comprising:

selectively enabling operation between a charge state and a power state using the controller,

wherein operating in the charge state is defined by

receiving a solar light by the color conversion optic,

converting the solar light into a powering light using the color conversion optic;

receiving the powering light and generating electrical power to be stored by the battery using the photovoltaic system;

wherein operating in the power state is defined by

driving the lighting element using the electrical power stored by the battery to emit an illuminating light, and

receiving the illuminating light and converting the illuminating light into a converted light using the color conversion optic.

34. A method according to claim 33 further comprising moving the color conversion optic between a first position and a second position;

wherein the first position is defined as the color conversion optic being positioned adjacent to the photovoltaic system to convert the solar light to the powering light, and wherein the second position is defined as the color conversion optic being positioned adjacent to the lighting element to convert the illuminating light to the converted light.

35. A method according to claim 34 wherein the color conversion optic is moved between the first position and the second position using an electromechanical device.

36. A method according to claim 33 further including receiving and reflecting the solar light and the illuminating light using a repositionable mirror adjacent to the color conversion optic.

37. A method according to claim 36 wherein the repositionable mirror is included in a microelectromechanical system (MEMS).

38. A method according to claim 33 further comprising operating the lighting device in the charge state and power state substantially simultaneously.

39. A method according to claim 33 wherein the controller includes a timer;

and further comprising analyzing the data provided by the timer using the controller to control operating between the power state and the charge state.

40. A method according to claim 33 further including receiving sensory information and analyzing the sensory information to control operation between the power state and the charge state.

41. A method according to claim 40 further including detecting whether the solar light is present using a sensor in communication with the controller and generating the sensory information relating to a presence of the solar light.

42. A method according to claim 33 wherein the controller is communicatively connected to a radio logic board to transmit and receive communication information;

and further including operating between the power state and the charge state based on the communication information.

43. A method according to claim 33 wherein the lighting element is a light emitting diode.

44. A method according to claim 43 wherein the light emitting diode emits the illuminating light within a wavelength range between 200 and 500 nanometers.

45. A method according to claim 33 wherein the color conversion optic includes a conversion material that is selected from a group consisting of phosphors and quantum dots.

46. A method according to claim 33 wherein the photovoltaic system is at least partially transparent.

47. A method according to claim 33 wherein an electro-active optic is located adjacent to the photovoltaic system;

further comprising varying the electro-active optic to be at least partially transparent during the power state and at least partially non-transparent during the charge state.