Solid state lighting circuit and controls

• US 8,710,764 B2
• Filed: 03/08/2013
• Issued: 04/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MetroSpec Technology LLC
• Original Assignee: MetroSpec Technology LLC
• Inventors: Holec, Henry V., Crandell, Wm. Todd
• Primary Examiner(s): Hammond, Crystal L
• Application Number:
  US13/791,228
• Publication Number:
  US 20140015414A1
• Time in Patent Office: 417 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 315/294
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/20 Light sources comprising attachment means
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/005 the substrate is supporting also the light source
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2107/30 on the outer surface of cylindrical surfaces, e.g. rod-shaped supports having a circular or a polygonal cross section
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/395 Linear regulators
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/48 having LEDs organised in strings and incorporating parallel shunting devices
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/60 Circuit arrangements for operating LEDs comprising organic material, e.g. for operating organic light-emitting diodes [OLED] or polymer light-emitting diodes [PLED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0263 High current adaptations, e.g. printed high current conductors or using auxiliary non-printed means; Fine and coarse circuit patterns on one circuit board H05K1/0293 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09309 Core having two or more power planes; Capacitive laminate of two power planes
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10106 Light emitting diode [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10166 Transistor
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/30 Semiconductor lamps, e.g. solid state lamps [SSL] light emitting diodes [LED] or organic LED [OLED]

Abstract

In some embodiments, a solid state lighting circuit may include one or more of the following features: (a) a plurality of emitters operably connected to a power supply (b) the power supply operably coupled in series with a current limiting device, where one or more of the emitters is bypassed with a switched circuit, and (c) at least one MOSFET switch operably coupled to the voltage divider circuit.

Claims

1. A solid state lighting circuit, comprising:

a plurality of emitters operably connected to a power supply, the plurality of emitters comprising at least two emitters with different color output than one another, the two emitters comprising a first emitter having a first color output and a second emitter having a second color output; and

a switched circuit configured to bypass one or more of the emitters;

wherein a controlling signal for the switched circuit to bypass one or more of the emitters is derived from the voltage of the power supply, wherein when the voltage is at a first voltage the emitters with the second color output are bypassed and when voltage is at a second voltage that is higher than the first voltage the emitters with the second color output are not bypassed.

2. The solid state lighting circuit of claim 1, the first emitter having a first white color temperature and the second emitter having a second white color temperature, wherein the second white color temperature is higher than the first white color temperature.

3. The solid state lighting circuit of claim 1, the power supply operably connected in series with a current limiting device.

4. The solid state lighting circuit of claim 1, wherein the power supply is operably connected to an AC power source.

5. The solid state lighting circuit of claim 1, wherein each switched circuit comprises at least one MOSFET switch.

6. The solid state lighting circuit of claim 1, wherein the emitters are light emitting diodes.

7. A solid state lighting circuit, comprising:

a plurality of emitters operably connected to a power supply path, the plurality of emitters comprising at least two emitter color outputs comprising a first color output and a second color output that is different than the first color output;

a plurality of switches, the switches arranged in parallel with one or more of the plurality of the emitters in order to bypass one or more of the plurality of emitters by shunting current back to a power return path when the switches are activated;

wherein the number of switches activated to bypass emitters is dependent on the voltage of the power supply path such that when the voltage is at a first voltage at least some of the emitters with the second color output are bypassed and when voltage is at a second voltage that is higher than the first voltage the previously bypassed emitters with the second color output are no longer bypassed;

wherein the number of switches activated decreases as the voltage of the power supply path increases.

8. The solid state lighting circuit of claim 7, the first color output comprising a first white color temperature and the second color output comprising a second white color temperature, wherein the second white color temperature is higher than the first white color temperature.

9. The solid state lighting circuit of claim 7, the emitters having a minimum onset voltage to produce light, wherein the number of emitters reaching the minimum onset voltage increases as the voltage of the power supply path increases.

10. The solid state lighting circuit of claim 7, the power supply operably connected in series with a current limiting device.

11. The solid state lighting circuit of claim 7, wherein the power supply is operably connected to an AC power source.

12. The solid state lighting circuit of claim 7, wherein each switch comprises a MOSFET switch.

13. The solid state lighting circuit of claim 7, wherein the emitters are light emitting diodes.

14. A method for changing the net color output of a solid state lighting fixture comprising:

receiving an input voltage;

emitting light from a first emitter having a first color output;

bypassing a second emitter having a second color output using a switched circuit configured to bypass the second emitter when the input voltage is at a first voltage, the second color output different than the first color output; and

emitting light from the second emitter when the input voltage is at a second voltage, the second voltage greater than the first voltage.

15. The method of claim 14, the first color output comprising a first white color temperature and the second color output comprising a second white color temperature, wherein the second white color temperature is higher than the first white color temperature.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the input voltage is AC.

17. The method of claim 14, the switched circuit comprising at least one MOSFET switch.

18. The method of claim 14, the emitters comprising light emitting diodes.