Wavelength sensing lighting system and associated methods for national security application

• US 8,515,289 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2011
• Issued: 08/20/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Environmental Light Technologies Corporation
• Original Assignee: Environmental Light Technologies Corporation
• Inventors: Maxik, Fredric S., Bartine, David E., Medelius, Pedro
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Hanh
• Application Number:
  US13/300,930
• Publication Number:
  US 20130129349A1
• Time in Patent Office: 638 Days
• Field of Search: 398/172, 398/130, 398/128, 398/135, 398/33, 398/34, 398/115, 398/118, 398/169, 398/170, 398/103, 398/25, 398/183, 398/189, 398/202, 398/208, 398/209, 315/312, 315/152, 315/153, 315/291, 315/292, 315/294, 315/313, 315/308, 315/307, 315/185.R, 315/185.S, 315/224, 362/231, 362/545, 362/555, 362/234, 362/253
• US Class Current: 398/172
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 9/08 for producing coloured light, e.g. monochromatic; for reducing intensity of light with provision for controlling the colour F21V9/40
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/07 Arrangements for monitoring or testing transmission systems; Arrangements for fault measurement of transmission systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/116 Visible light communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/43 using a single component as both light source and receiver, e.g. using a photoemitter as a photoreceiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/56 provided with illuminating means
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/10 Controlling the intensity of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/22 using optical feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/24 using electrical feedback from LEDs or from LED modules
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/115 by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/195 the transmission using visible or infrared light
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A wavelength sensing lighting system may include a light source, a sensor and a controller. One or more light sources and sensors may be included in an array. The light source may emit an illuminating light and the sensor may sense an environmental light. The illuminating light may include data light. The lighting system may include a plurality of nodes connected in a network. The nodes may communicate by emitting and receiving the data light, which may be analyzed by the controller. The light source and the sensor may be provided by a light emitting semiconductor device that is capable of emitting illuminating light and receiving environmental light. A conversion material may convert the wavelength of a source light into a converted light. The conversion material may increase the wavelength range of light emittable and detectable by the lighting system.

Claims

1. A lighting system comprising:

a light source included in an array to emit illuminating light;

a sensor included in the array to sense environmental light from an environment;

a controller operatively connected to the sensor to analyze the environmental light that is sensed and operatively connected to the light source to control emitting the illuminating light;

wherein the controller analyzes the environmental light to detect or generate data relating to a condition of the environment, the data being transmittable in data light defined by at least one data wavelength, wherein the at least one data wavelength is defined relative to the illuminating light;

wherein the data is transmittable by the light source included in the array;

wherein the sensor selectively senses a dominant wavelength in the environmental light that is defined by the controller;

wherein the sensor selectively senses a plurality of dominant wavelengths in the environmental light;

wherein at least a part of the plurality of dominant wavelengths are concatenated to define the data relating to the condition in the environment;

wherein the controller receives the data using the sensor;

wherein the controller analyzes the data;

wherein the controller controls transmitting the data light from the light source;

wherein the controller designates at least a part of the illuminating light as a marker light,

wherein the light source is selectively operable;

wherein the sensor is selectively operable;

wherein the illuminating light is selectively emitted from the light source in a plurality of directions;

wherein the controller controls the light source to emit the illuminating light including the marker light to the environment;

wherein the illuminating light is reflected from a point of reflection in the environment as the environmental light, the environmental light continuing to include the marker light;

wherein the environmental light is received by the sensor from the plurality of directions;

wherein the sensor senses the environmental light including the marker light;

wherein the controller calculates a delay between emitting the marker light and sensing the marker light; and

wherein the controller analyzes the delay to determine a distance between the array and the point of reflection.

2. The lighting system of claim 1 wherein the data relating to the condition in the environment includes an image.

3. The lighting system of claim 2 wherein the image is included in a series of images;

and wherein the series of images are concatenated to create a video.

4. The lighting system of claim 2 wherein the data includes a plurality of images;

and wherein the plurality of images are compared to determine a proximate variance of an object among the plurality of images.

5. The lighting system of claim 4 wherein the proximate variance is analyzed by the controller to determine movement of the object.

6. The lighting system of claim 5 wherein the movement is analyzed by the controller to determine velocity of the movement.

7. The lighting system of claim 1 wherein the array includes a plurality of sensors;

wherein each sensor included in the plurality of sensors is sensitive to at least one wavelength respective to the each sensor;

wherein each sensor is selectively operable.

8. The lighting system of claim 1 wherein the light source and the sensor are included as a light emitting semiconductor device;

wherein the light emitting semiconductor device is selectively operable between a sensing operation and an emitting operation, the sensing operation being defined by the light emitting semiconductor device sensing the environmental light, and the emitting operation being defined by the light emitting semiconductor device emitting the illuminating light.

9. The lighting system of claim 8 wherein the array includes a plurality of light emitting semiconductor devices.

10. The lighting system of claim 8 further comprising a switching circuit to alternate the light emitting semiconductor device between the sensing operation and the emitting operation.

11. The lighting system of claim 8 wherein the light emitting semiconductor device emits the illuminating light and receives the environmental light substantially simultaneously, the light emitting semiconductor device including a light emitting diode to emit the illuminating light and a photodiode to sense the environmental light, the light emitting diode being operable as the photodiode.

12. The lighting system of claim 11 wherein the controller analyzes the environmental light by measuring a drive voltage of the light emitting semiconductor device, determining a difference between a measured voltage across the light emitting semiconductor device and the drive voltage, and performing time-domain matching of the measured voltage and the environmental light using cross-correlation.

13. The lighting system of claim 1 further comprising:

a network of nodes, each of the nodes in the network of nodes including the light source, the sensor, and the controller;

wherein each node in the network of nodes is proximately aware of an additional node in the network;

wherein the delay is analyzed by a node in the network to determine the distance between the node and the point of reflection,

wherein the distance is intercommunicated within the network by transmitting and receiving the data light;

wherein the condition in the environment is determined by analyzing the distance calculated by at least a portion of the nodes in the network.

14. The lighting system of claim 13 wherein the controller analyzes the distance calculated by at least a portion of the nodes in the network to determine a multidimensional arrangement of the condition in the environment.

15. The lighting system of claim 1 wherein the dominant wavelength is indicative of a substance present in the environment.

16. The lighting system of claim 1 wherein the controller controls the array to emit an alert upon sensing an event.

17. The lighting system of claim 1 wherein the array includes a plurality of light sources;

and wherein at least a portion of the light sources included in the array are selected from a group consisting of monochromatic light emitting diodes (LED), white light emitting diodes (LED), and infrared light (IR) emitting diodes (LED).

18. The lighting system of claim 1 further comprising a network of nodes, each node including the light source, the sensor, and the controller;

wherein the nodes intercommunicate by transmitting and receiving an electromagnetic signal.

19. The lighting system of claim 18 wherein at least a portion of the nodes in the network perform analysis using distributed computing.

20. The lighting system of claim 18 wherein at least a portion of the nodes in the network synchronize by including a synchronization signal in the electromagnetic signal.

21. The lighting system of claim 1 wherein at least a part of the illuminating light selectively includes a biological affective wavelength to affect an object in the environment.

22. The lighting system of claim 1 wherein the data light is defined by a plurality of data wavelengths;

wherein the data is transmittable at the plurality of data wavelengths; and

wherein a quantity of data wavelengths included in the data light correlates with a bandwidth at which the data is transmittable.

23. The lighting system of claim 1 wherein the data light includes at least one addressing bit to address the nodes intended to receive the data.

24. The lighting system of claim 1 wherein the data included in the data light includes at least one error detection bit.

25. The lighting system of claim 19 wherein feedback regarding an analysis performed by the controller is stored in a memory;

wherein the feedback from the analysis is intercommunicated within the network.

26. The lighting system of claim 25 wherein the feedback is analyzed using machine learning.

27. The lighting system of claim 25 wherein the feedback is analyzed using a neural network.

28. The lighting system of claim 1 wherein feedback regarding a prior analysis performed by the controller is stored in a memory;

wherein the controller receives the feedback regarding the prior analysis from the memory; and

wherein the controller analyzes the feedback regarding the prior analysis to perform a subsequent analysis.

29. The lighting system of claim 28 wherein the subsequent analysis is performed using machine learning.

30. The lighting system of claim 1 further comprising a wavelength conversion material between the array and the environment to absorb at least part of a source light and emit a converted light having a converted wavelength range, the source light being received and absorbed by the wavelength conversion material, and the converted light being emitted by the wavelength conversion material.

31. The lighting system of claim 30 wherein the wavelength conversion material is selected from a group consisting of a fluorescent material, a luminescent material, and a phosphorescent material.

32. The lighting system of claim 30 wherein the converted wavelength range of the converted light includes a variable dominant wavelength respective to the condition in the environment;

wherein the dominant wavelength is indicative of a substance in the environment; and

wherein the controller correlates the dominant wavelength with the substance.

33. The lighting system of claim 32 wherein the substance is selected from a group consisting of an object, element, compound, particulate, and biological agent.

34. The lighting system of claim 30 wherein the illuminating light is received by the wavelength conversion material as the source light;

wherein the wavelength conversion material converts the source light to the converted light; and

wherein the converted light is emitted by the wavelength conversion material within the converted wavelength range.

35. The lighting system of claim 30 wherein the environmental light is received by the wavelength conversion material as the source light;

wherein the wavelength conversion material converts the source light to the converted light; and

wherein the converted light is received by the sensor within the converted wavelength range.

36. The lighting system of claim 30 wherein the converted wavelength range includes shorter wavelengths than the source wavelength range;

and wherein the wavelength conversion material converts the source light to the converted light by performing an anti-Stokes shift.

37. The lighting system of claim 30 wherein the converted wavelength range includes longer wavelengths than the source wavelength range;

and wherein the wavelength conversion material converts the source light to the converted light by performing a Stokes shift.

38. The lighting system of claim 1 wherein the controller is operatively connected to a voltage sensor to sense an open circuit voltage across the sensor.

39. The lighting system of claim 1 wherein the data light transmits the data using an operation selected from a group consisting of pulse width modulation (PWM), pulse amplitude modulation (PAM), intensity modulation, color sequencing, and duty cycle variation.

40. The lighting system of claim 1 wherein a sample rate at which the data is transmitted in the data light is dynamically adjustable by the controller;

and wherein an increased sample rate correlates with an increased resolution sensed by the array.

41. The lighting system of claim 1 wherein the data is included in the data light digitally.

42. The lighting system of claim 1 wherein the data included in the data light is encrypted.

43. The lighting system of claim 1 further comprising a power supply to drive the array.

44. The lighting system of claim 1 wherein the light source is operable in a pulsed mode.

45. The lighting system of claim 1 wherein the controller processes the environmental light to remove noise.

46. The lighting system of claim 1 wherein the controller characterizes luminosity of the environmental light.

47. The lighting system of claim 1 wherein the array includes a piezoelectric substrate.

48. A lighting system comprising:

a network of nodes, wherein each node in the network of nodes is proximately aware of an additional node in the network, each node including;

a sensor to sense environmental light from an environment;

a controller operatively connected to the sensor to detect or generate data relating to a condition of the environment based on the environmental light that is sensed by the sensor; and

a wavelength conversion material between the node and the environment to absorb at least part of a source light and emit a converted light having a converted wavelength range, the source light being received and absorbed by the wavelength conversion material, and the converted light being emitted by the wavelength conversion material

wherein the sensor selectively senses a plurality of dominant wavelengths in the environmental light;

wherein at least a part of the plurality of dominant wavelengths are concatenated by the controller to define the data;

wherein the controller analyzes the data;

wherein the sensor is sensitive to a dominant wavelength included in the plurality of dominant wavelengths;

wherein the environmental light is received by the sensor from a plurality of directions.

49. The lighting system of claim 48 wherein the data includes an image.

50. The lighting system of claim 49 wherein the image is included in a series of images;

and wherein the series of images are concatenated to create a video.

51. The lighting system of claim 48 wherein the data includes a plurality of images;

and wherein the plurality of images are compared to determine a proximate variance of an object among the plurality of images.

52. The lighting system of claim 51 wherein the proximate variance is analyzed by the controller to determine movement of the object.

53. The lighting system of claim 52 wherein the movement of the object is analyzed by the controller to determine velocity of the movement.

54. The lighting system of claim 48 wherein the dominant wavelength is indicative of a substance present in the environment.

55. The lighting system of claim 48 wherein at least a portion of the nodes in the network perform analysis using distributed computing.

56. The lighting system of claim 48 wherein the nodes intercommunicate by transmitting and receiving an electromagnetic signal;

and wherein at least a portion of the nodes in the network synchronize by including a synchronization signal in the electromagnetic signal.

57. The lighting system of claim 48 wherein feedback regarding an analysis performed by the controller is stored in a memory;

wherein the feedback from the analysis is intercommunicated within the network.

58. The lighting system of claim 57 wherein the feedback is analyzed using machine learning.

59. The lighting system of claim 57 wherein the feedback is analyzed using a neural network.

60. The lighting system of claim 48 wherein feedback regarding a prior analysis performed by the controller is stored in a memory;

wherein the controller receives the feedback regarding the prior analysis from the memory; and

wherein the controller analyzes the feedback regarding the prior analysis to perform a subsequent analysis.

61. The lighting system of claim 60 wherein the subsequent analysis is performed using machine learning.

62. The lighting system of claim 48 wherein the wavelength conversion material is selected from a group consisting of a fluorescent material, a luminescent material, and a phosphorescent material.

63. The lighting system of claim 48 wherein the converted wavelength range of the converted light includes a variable dominant wavelength respective to the condition in the environment;

wherein the dominant wavelength is indicative of a substance in the environment; and

wherein the controller correlates the dominant wavelength with the substance.

64. The lighting system of claim 63 wherein the substance is selected from a group consisting of an object, element, compound, particulate, and biological agent.

65. The lighting system of claim 48 wherein the environmental light is received by the wavelength conversion material as the source light;

wherein the wavelength conversion material converts the source light to the converted light; and

wherein the converted light is received by the sensor within the converted wavelength range.

66. The lighting system of claim 48 wherein the converted wavelength range includes shorter wavelengths than the source wavelength range;

and wherein the wavelength conversion material converts the source light to the converted light by performing an anti-Stokes shift.

67. The lighting system of claim 48 wherein the controller is operatively connected to a voltage sensor to sense an open circuit voltage across the sensor.

68. The lighting system of claim 48 wherein at least a portion of the nodes in the network of nodes processes the environmental light to remove noise.

69. The lighting system of claim 48 wherein at least a portion of the nodes in the network of nodes characterizes luminosity of the environmental light.

70. The lighting system of claim 48 wherein at least a portion of the nodes in the network of nodes includes a piezoelectric substrate.

71. The lighting system of claim 48 further comprising:

a light source to emit illuminating light;

wherein the controller is operatively connected to the light source to control emitting the illuminating light;

wherein the data analyzed by the controller is transmittable in data light defined by at least one data wavelength, wherein the at least one data wavelength is defined relative to the illuminating light;

wherein the data is transmittable by the light source;

wherein the controller controls transmitting the data light from the light source; and

wherein the illuminating light is selectively emitted from the light source in a plurality of directions.

72. The lighting system of claim 71

wherein the light source in each of the nodes is included in an array to be selectively enabled and disabled by the controller;

wherein the array includes a plurality of light sources;

wherein each light source included in the plurality of light sources emits at least one wavelength respective to each light source; and

wherein the plurality of light sources is selectively operable.

73. The lighting system of claim 72:

wherein the sensor in each of the nodes is included in the array to be selectively enabled and disabled by the controller;

wherein the array includes a plurality of sensors;

wherein each sensor included in the plurality of sensors is sensitive to at least one wavelength respective to the each sensor;

wherein the plurality of sensors is selectively operable.

74. The lighting system of claim 72 wherein the light source and the sensor are included as a light emitting semiconductor device;

wherein the light emitting semiconductor device is selectively operable between a sensing operation and an emitting operation, the sensing operation being defined by the light emitting semiconductor device sensing the environmental light, and the emitting operation being defined by the light emitting semiconductor device emitting the illuminating light;

wherein the array includes a plurality of light emitting semiconductor devices.

75. The lighting system of claim 71

wherein the controller designates at least a part of the illuminating light as a marker light;

wherein the controller controls the light source to emit the illuminating light including the marker light to the environment;

wherein the illuminating light is reflected from a point of reflection in the environment as the environmental light, the environmental light continuing to include the marker light;

wherein the sensor senses the environmental light including the marker light;

wherein the controller calculates a delay between emitting the marker light and sensing the marker light; and

wherein the controller analyzes the delay to determine a distance between the array and the point of reflection.

76. The lighting system of claim 75 wherein the delay is analyzed by a node in the network of nodes to determine the distance between the node and the point of reflection;

wherein the distance is intercommunicated within the network by transmitting and receiving the data light; and

wherein the condition in the environment is determined by analyzing the distance calculated by at least a portion of the nodes in the network.

77. The lighting system of claim 76 wherein the controller analyzes the distance calculated by at least a portion of the nodes in the network to determine a multidimensional arrangement of the condition in the environment.

78. The lighting system of claim 71 wherein the controller controls the light source to emit an alert upon the sensor sensing an event.

79. The lighting system of claim 71 wherein the light source and the sensor are included as a light emitting semiconductor device;

wherein the light emitting semiconductor device is selectively operable between a sensing operation and an emitting operation, the sensing operation being defined by the light emitting semiconductor device sensing the environmental light, and the emitting operation being defined by the light emitting semiconductor device emitting the illuminating light; and

further comprising a switching circuit to alternate the light emitting semiconductor device between the sensing operation and the emitting operation.

80. The lighting system of claim 79 wherein the light emitting semiconductor device emits the illuminating light and receives the environmental light substantially simultaneously, the light emitting semiconductor device including a light emitting diode to emit the illuminating light and a photodiode to sense the environmental light, the light emitting diode being operable as the photodiode.

81. The lighting system of claim 80 wherein the controller analyzes the environmental light by measuring a drive voltage of the light emitting semiconductor device, determining a difference between a measured voltage across the light emitting semiconductor device and the drive voltage, and performing time-domain matching of the measured voltage and the environmental light using cross-correlation.

82. The lighting system of claim 71 wherein at least a portion of the plurality of light sources included in the array are selected from a group consisting of monochromatic light emitting diodes (LED), white light emitting diodes (LED), and infrared light (IR) emitting diodes (LED).

83. The lighting system of claim 71 wherein at least a part of the illuminating light selectively includes a biological affective wavelength to affect an object in the environment.

84. The lighting system of claim 71 wherein the data light is defined by a plurality of data wavelengths;

wherein the data is transmittable at the plurality of data wavelengths; and

wherein a quantity of data wavelengths included in the data light correlates with a bandwidth at which the data is transmittable.

85. The lighting system of claim 71 wherein the data light includes at least one addressing bit to address the nodes intended to receive the data.

86. The lighting system of claim 71 wherein the data included in the data light includes at least one error detection bit.

87. The lighting system of claim 71 further comprising a wavelength conversion material between the node and the environment to absorb at least part of a source light and emit a converted light having a converted wavelength range, the source light being received and absorbed by the wavelength conversion material, and the converted light being emitted by the wavelength conversion material;

wherein the illuminating light is received by the wavelength conversion material as the source light;

wherein the wavelength conversion material converts the source light to the converted light; and

wherein the converted light is emitted by the wavelength conversion material within the converted wavelength range.

88. The lighting system of claim 87 wherein the converted wavelength range includes longer wavelengths than the source wavelength range;

and wherein the wavelength conversion material converts the source light to the converted light by performing a Stokes shift.

89. The lighting system of claim 71 wherein the data light transmits the data using an operation selected from a group consisting of pulse width modulation (PWM), pulse amplitude modulation (PAM), intensity modulation, color sequencing, and duty cycle variation.

90. The lighting system of claim 71 wherein a sample rate at which the data is transmitted in the data light is dynamically adjustable by the controller;

and wherein an increased sample rate correlates with an increased resolution sensed by the node.

91. The lighting system of claim 71 wherein the data is included in the data light digitally.

92. The lighting system of claim 71 wherein the data included in the data light is encrypted.

93. The lighting system of claim 71 wherein the light source is operable in a pulsed mode.

94. The lighting system of claim 48 further comprising a power supply to drive each of the nodes in the network of nodes.

95. A method for using a lighting system that comprises a light source included in an array to emit illuminating light, a sensor included in the array to sense environmental light from an environment, and a controller operatively connected to the sensor to analyze the environmental light that is sensed and operatively connected to the light source to control emitting the illuminating light, the method comprising:

analyzing the environmental light to detect or generate data relating to a condition of the environment, the data being transmittable in data light by the light source included in the array and defined by at least one data wavelength, wherein the at least one data wavelength is defined relative to the illuminating light;

selectively sensing a plurality of dominant wavelengths in the environmental light that is defined by the controller,

concatenating at least a part of the plurality of dominant wavelengths to define the data relating to the condition in the environment;

using the controller to receive the data using the sensor;

using the controller to analyze the data;

using the controller to control transmitting the data light from the light source;

selectively operating the light source;

selectively operating the sensor;

designating at least a part of the illuminating light as a marker light;

selectively emitting the illuminating light from the light source in a plurality of directions to the environment so that at least part of the illuminating light is reflected from a point of reflection in the environment as the environmental lightm the environmental light continuing to include the marker light;

receiving the environmental light from the plurality of directions

calculating a delay between emitting the marker light and sensing the marker light; and

analyzing the delay to determine a distance between the array and the point of reflection.

96. The method of claim 95 wherein the data relating to the condition in the environment includes an image.

97. The method of claim 96 wherein the image is included in a series of images;

and further comprising concatenating the series of images to create a video.

98. The method of claim 96 wherein the data includes a plurality of images;

and further comprising comparing the plurality of images to determine a proximate variance of an object among the plurality of images.

99. The method of claim 98 further comprising analyzing the proximate variance to determine movement of the object.

100. The method of claim 99 further comprising analyzing the movement to determine velocity of the movement.

101. The method of claim 95 wherein the array includes a plurality of sensors;

wherein each sensor included in the plurality of sensors is sensitive to at least one wavelength respective to the each sensor; and

further comprising selectively operating the plurality of sensors.

102. The method of claim 95 wherein the light source and the sensor are included as a light emitting semiconductor device;

and further comprising selectively operating the light emitting semiconductor device between a sensing operation and an emitting operation, the sensing operation being defined by the light emitting semiconductor device sensing the environmental light, and the emitting operation being defined by the light emitting semiconductor device emitting the illuminating light.

103. The method of claim 102 wherein the array includes a plurality of light emitting semiconductor devices.

104. The method of claim 102 further comprising alternating the light emitting semiconductor device between the sensing operation and the emitting operation.

105. The method of claim 102 wherein the light emitting semiconductor device includes a light emitting diode to emit the illuminating light and a photodiode to sense the environmental light;

and further comprising emitting the illuminating light and receiving the environmental light substantially simultaneously, the light emitting diode being operable as the photodiode.

106. The method of claim 102 further comprising analyzing the environmental light by measuring a drive voltage of the light emitting semiconductor device, determining a difference between a measured voltage across the light emitting semiconductor device and the drive voltage, and performing time-domain matching of the measured voltage and the environmental light using cross-correlation.

107. The method of claim 95 wherein the lighting system includes a network of nodes, each of the nodes in the network of nodes including the light source, the sensor, and the controller, wherein each node in the network of nodes is proximately aware of an additional node in the network, wherein the method further comprises:

analyzing the delay by a node to determine the distance between the node and the point of reflection,

intercommunicating the distance within the network by transmitting and receiving the data light;

determining the condition in the environment by analyzing the distance calculated by at least a portion of the nodes in the network.

108. The method of claim 107 further comprising analyzing the distance calculated by at least a portion of the nodes in the network to determine a multidimensional arrangement of the condition in the environment.

109. The method of claim 107 wherein the data light is defined by a plurality of data wavelengths;

and further comprising transmitting the data at the plurality of data wavelengths, wherein a quantity of data wavelengths included in the data light correlates with a bandwidth at which the data is transmittable.

110. The method of claim 107 wherein the data light includes at least one addressing bit to address the nodes intended to receive the data.

111. The method of claim 95 wherein the dominant wavelength is indicative of a substance present in the environment.

112. The method of claim 95 further comprising controlling the array to emit an alert upon sensing an event.

113. The method of claim 95 wherein the array includes a plurality of light sources;

and wherein at least a portion of the light sources included in the array are selected from a group consisting of monochromatic light emitting diodes (LED), white light emitting diodes (LED), and infrared light (IR) emitting diodes (LED).

114. The method of claim 95 wherein the lighting system further comprises a network of nodes, each node including the light source, the sensor, and the controller;

wherein the nodes intercommunicate by transmitting and receiving an electromagnetic signal.

115. The method of claim 114 wherein at least a portion of the nodes in the network perform analysis using distributed computing.

116. The method of claim 114 wherein at least a portion of the nodes in the network synchronize by including a synchronization signal in the electromagnetic signal.

117. The method of claim 114 further comprising storing feedback regarding an analysis performed by the controller in a memory;

and intercommunicating the feedback from the analysis within the network.

118. The method of claim 117 further comprising analyzing the feedback using machine learning.

119. The method of claim 117 further comprising analyzing the feedback using a neural network.

120. The method of claim 95 further comprising affecting an object in the environment by selectively including a biological effective wavelength in at least a part of the illuminating light.

121. The method of claim 95 wherein the data included in the data light includes at least one error detection bit.

122. The method of claim 95 further comprising storing feedback regarding a prior analysis performed by the controller in a memory;

and analyzing the feedback regarding the prior analysis to perform a subsequent analysis.

123. The method of claim 122 wherein the subsequent analysis is performed using machine learning.

124. The method of claim 95 wherein a wavelength conversion material is positioned between the array and the environment;

further comprising absorbing at least part of a source light and emitting a converted light having a converted wavelength range, the source light being received and absorbed by the wavelength conversion material, and the converted light being emitted by the wavelength conversion material.

125. The method of claim 124 wherein the wavelength conversion material is selected from a group consisting of a fluorescent material, a luminescent material, and a phosphorescent material.

126. The method of claim 124 wherein the converted wavelength range of the converted light includes a variable dominant wavelength respective to the condition in the environment;

wherein the dominant wavelength is indicative of a substance in the environment; and

wherein the controller correlates the dominant wavelength with the substance.

127. The method of claim 126 wherein the substance is selected from a group consisting of an object, element, compound, particulate, and biological agent.

128. The method of claim 124 further comprising receiving the illuminating light by the wavelength conversion material as the source light;

converting the source light to the converted light; and

emitting the converted light the converted wavelength range.

129. The method of claim 124 further comprising receiving the environmental light by the wavelength conversion material as the source light;

converting the source light to the converted light; and

receiving the converted light by the sensor within the converted wavelength range.

130. The method of claim 124 wherein the converted wavelength range includes shorter wavelengths than the source wavelength range;

and wherein the wavelength conversion material converts the source light to the converted light by performing an anti-Stokes shift.

131. The method of claim 124 wherein the converted wavelength range includes longer wavelengths than the source wavelength range;

and wherein the wavelength conversion material converts the source light to the converted light by performing a Stokes shift.

132. The method of claim 95 wherein the controller is operatively connected to a voltage sensor to sense an open circuit voltage across the sensor.

133. The method of claim 95 further comprising transmitting the data using an operation selected from a group consisting of pulse width modulation (PWM), pulse amplitude modulation (PAM), intensity modulation, color sequencing, and duty cycle variation.

134. The method of claim 95 further comprising dynamically adjusting a sample rate at which the data is transmitted;

and wherein the sample rate correlates with a resolution sensed by the array.

135. The method of claim 95 further comprising including data in the data light digitally.

136. The method of claim 95 further comprising encrypting the data included in the data light.

137. The method of claim 95 wherein the lighting system further comprises a power supply to drive the array.

138. The method of claim 95 further comprising operating the light source in a pulsed mode.

139. The method of claim 95 further comprising processing the environmental light to remove noise.

140. The method of claim 95 further including characterizing characterizes luminosity of the environmental light using the controller.

141. The method of claim 95 wherein the array includes a piezoelectric substrate.

142. A method of using a lighting system comprising a network of nodes, each node including a light source to emit illuminating light, a sensor to sense environmental light from an environment and a controller operatively connected to the sensor to analyze the environmental light that is sensed and operatively connected to the light source to control emitting the illuminating light, the method comprising:

analyzing the environmental light to detect or generate data relating to a condition of the environment, the data being transmittable in data light defined by at least one data wavelength, wherein the at least one data wavelength is defined relative to the illuminating light;

using the light source to transmit the data;

selectively sensing a plurality of dominant wavelength in the environmental light defined by the controller, wherein at least a part of the plurality of dominant wavelengths are concatenated to define the data relating to the condition in the environment;

receiving and analyzing the data;

transmitting the data light from the light source;

selectively emitting the illuminating light from the light source in a plurality of directions;

receiving the environmental light from the plurality of directions; and

controlling the light source to emit an alert upon the sensor sensing an event;

wherein each node in the network of nodes is proximately aware of an additional node in the network.

143. The method of claim 142 wherein the data relating to the condition in the environment includes an image.

144. The method of claim 143 wherein the image is included in a series of images;

and further comprising concatenating the series of images to create a video.

145. The method of claim 142 wherein the data relating to the condition in the environment includes a plurality of images;

and further comprising comparing the plurality of images to determine a proximate variance of an object among the plurality of images.

146. The method of claim 145 further comprising analyzing the proximate variance to determine movement of the object.

147. The method of claim 146 further comprising analyzing the movement of the object to determine velocity of the movement.

148. The method of claim 142 wherein the light source in each of the nodes is included in an array to be selectively enabled and disabled by the controller, wherein the array includes a plurality of light sources, wherein each light source included in the plurality of light sources emits at least one wavelength respective to each light source;

and further comprising selectively operating the plurality of light sources.

149. The method of claim 148 wherein the sensor in each of the nodes is included in the array to be selectively enabled and disabled by the controller;

wherein the array includes a plurality of sensors;

wherein each sensor included in the plurality of sensors is sensitive to at least one wavelength respective to the each sensor; and

further comprising selectively operating the plurality of sensors.

150. The method of claim 149 wherein the light source and the sensor are included as a light emitting semiconductor device;

and further comprising selectively operating the light emitting semiconductor device between a sensing operation and an emitting operation, the sensing operation being defined by the light emitting semiconductor device sensing the environmental light, and the emitting operation being defined by the light emitting semiconductor device emitting the illuminating light.

151. The method of claim 150 wherein the array includes a plurality of light emitting semiconductor devices.

152. The method of claim 148 wherein at least a portion of the plurality of light sources included in the array are selected from a group consisting of monochromatic light emitting diodes (LED), white light emitting diodes (LED), and infrared light (IR) emitting diodes (LED).

153. The method of claim 142 further comprising:

designating at least a part of the illuminating light as a marker light;

emitting the illuminating light including the marker light to the environment;

sensing environmental light that is reflected and that includes the marker light;

calculating a delay between emitting the marker light and sensing the marker light; and

analyzing the delay to determine a distance between the array and the point of reflection.

154. The method of claim 153 further comprising:

analyzing the delay using a node in the network of nodes;

determining the distance between the node and the point of reflection;

intercommunicating the distance within the network by transmitting and receiving the data light;

analyzing the distance calculated by at least a portion of the nodes in the network of nodes to determine the condition in the environment.

155. The method of claim 154 further comprising analyzing the distance calculated by at least a portion of the nodes in the network to determine a multidimensional arrangement of the condition in the environment.

156. The method of claim 142 wherein the dominant wavelength is indicative of a substance present in the environment.

157. The method of claim 142 wherein the light source and the sensor are included as a light emitting semiconductor device;

and further comprising selectively operating the light emitting semiconductor device between a sensing operation and an emitting operation, the sensing operation being defined by the light emitting semiconductor device sensing the environmental light, and the emitting operation being defined by the light emitting semiconductor device emitting the illuminating light; and

further comprising using a switching circuit to alternate the light emitting semiconductor device between the sensing operation and the emitting operation.

158. The method of claim 157 further comprising emitting the illuminating light and receiving the environmental light substantially simultaneously from the light emitting semiconductor device;

wherein the light emitting semiconductor device includes a light emitting diode to emit the illuminating light and a photodiode to sense the environmental light, the light emitting diode being operable as the photodiode.

159. The method of claim 158 further comprising analyzing the environmental light by measuring a drive voltage of the light emitting semiconductor device, determining a difference between a measured voltage across the light emitting semiconductor device and the drive voltage, and performing time-domain matching of the measured voltage and the environmental light using cross-correlation.

160. The method of claim 142 wherein at least a portion of the nodes in the network perform analysis using distributed computing.

161. The method of claim 142 further comprising intercommunicating among the nodes by transmitting and receiving an electromagnetic signal;

and synchronizing at least a portion of the nodes in the network by including a synchronization signal in the electromagnetic signal.

162. The method of claim 142 further comprising selectively including a biological affective wavelength in at least a part of the illuminating light to affect an object in the environment.

163. The method of claim 142 wherein the data light is defined by a plurality of data wavelengths;

wherein the data is transmittable at the plurality of data wavelengths; and

wherein a quantity of data wavelengths included in the data light correlates with a bandwidth at which the data is transmittable.

164. The method of claim 142 wherein the data light includes at least one addressing bit to address the nodes intended to receive the data.

165. The method of claim 142 wherein the data included in the data light includes at least one error detection bit.

166. The method of claim 142 further comprising storing feedback regarding an analysis in a memory;

and intercommunicating the feedback from the analysis within the network.

167. The method of claim 166 further comprising analyzing the feedback using machine learning.

168. The method of claim 166 further comprising analyzing the feedback using a neural network.

169. The method of claim 142 further comprising storing feedback regarding a prior analysis performed by the controller in a memory;

and analyzing the feedback regarding the prior analysis to perform a subsequent analysis.

170. The method of claim 169 wherein the subsequent analysis is performed using machine learning.

171. The method of claim 142 wherein a wavelength conversion material is positioned between the array and the environment;

further comprising absorbing at least part of a source light and emitting a converted light having a converted wavelength range, the source light being received and absorbed by the wavelength conversion material, and the converted light being emitted by the wavelength conversion material.

172. The method of claim 171 wherein the wavelength conversion material is selected from a group consisting of a fluorescent material, a luminescent material, and a phosphorescent material.

173. The method of claim 171 further comprising receiving the illuminating light by the wavelength conversion material as the source light;

converting the source light to the converted light; and

emitting the converted light the converted wavelength range.

174. The method of claim 171 further comprising receiving the environmental light by the wavelength conversion material as the source light;

converting the source light to the converted light; and

receiving the converted light by the sensor within the converted wavelength range.

175. The method of claim 171 wherein the converted wavelength range includes shorter wavelengths than the source wavelength range;

and wherein the wavelength conversion material converts the source light to the converted light by performing an anti-Stokes shift.

176. The method of claim 171 wherein the converted wavelength range includes longer wavelengths than the source wavelength range;

and wherein the wavelength conversion material converts the source light to the converted light by performing a Stokes shift.

177. The method of claim 142 wherein the converted wavelength range of the converted light includes a variable dominant wavelength respective to the condition in the environment;

wherein the dominant wavelength is indicative of a substance in the environment; and

wherein the controller correlates the dominant wavelength with the substance.

178. The method of claim 177 wherein the substance is selected from a group consisting of an object, element, compound, particulate, and biological agent.

179. The method of claim 142 wherein the controller is operatively connected to a voltage sensor to sense an open circuit voltage across the sensor.

180. The method of claim 142 further comprising transmitting the data using an operation selected from a group consisting of pulse width modulation (PWM), pulse amplitude modulation (PAM), intensity modulation, color sequencing, and duty cycle variation.

181. The method of claim 142 further comprising dynamically adjusting a sample rate at which the data is transmitted;

and wherein the sample rate correlates with a resolution sensed by the array.

182. The method of claim 142 further comprising including data in the data light digitally.

183. The method of claim 142 further comprising encrypting the data included in the data light.

184. The method of claim 142 wherein the lighting system further comprises a power supply to drive the array.

185. The method of claim 142 further comprising operating the light source in a pulsed mode.

186. The method of claim 142 further comprising processing the environmental light to remove noise.

187. The method of claim 142 further including characterizing characterizes luminosity of the environmental light using the controller.

188. The method of claim 142 wherein at least a portion of the nodes in the network of nodes includes a piezoelectric substrate.