Solid state lighting devices with adjustable color point

• US 9,241,384 B2
• Filed: 04/23/2014
• Issued: 01/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IDEAL Industries Lighting, LLC (Ideal Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: CREE Incorporated (Wolfspeed, Inc.)
• Inventors: van de Ven, Antony Paul, Jacobson, Benjamin A., Medendorp, Nicholas W. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hollweg, Thomas A
• Assistant Examiner(s): QUARTERMAN, KEVIN J
• Application Number:
  US14/260,048
• Publication Number:
  US 20150312990A1
• Time in Patent Office: 636 Days
• Field of Search: 313498-512, 362/231, 362/612, 362/800, 362/84, 362/230, 362/249.02
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/73265 Layer and wire connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/0753 the devices being arranged next to each other
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00012 Relevant to the scope of the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/181 Encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/50 Wavelength conversion elements
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/00 Circuit arrangements for operating light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/20 Controlling the colour of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/37 Converter circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/46 having LEDs disposed in parallel lines
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/48 having LEDs organised in strings and incorporating parallel shunting devices

Abstract

A solid state lighting device includes multiple solid state light emitters and a control circuit configured to adjust aggregated emissions to produce a mixture of light having an adjustable color point together with high luminous efficacy, wherein at least one color point is on or near the white body line WBL (line of minimum tint). Adjustment of color point may provide substantially constant 1931 CIE x-values; substantially constant 1931 CIE y-values, or substantially constant distance relative to the blackbody locus (e.g., with variation in CCT of at least 100K for the color points). An adjustable color point may be arranged to transition between one point near the BBL and another point on or near the WBL. An adjustable color point may provide a first color point on or near the WBL and another point having different CCT and luminous flux. Emitters selected solely from discrete bins or subregions of a CIE diagram may be used in combination to yield a point on or near the WBL.

Claims

1. A solid state lighting device comprising:

a first electrically activated solid state emitter;

a second electrically activated solid state emitter; and

a control circuit configured to adjust aggregated light emissions of the solid state lighting device to move between at least two color points;

wherein at least a first color point of the at least two color points embodies a combination of light exiting the solid state lighting device that was emitted by the first electrically activated solid state emitter and the second electrically activated solid state emitter that produces, in the absence of any additional light, aggregated light emissions (i) having a luminous efficacy of at least 60 lumens per watt, and (ii) having (x, y) coordinates on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram that define a point on or within 7 MacAdam ellipses of a white body locus embodying a line including segments defined by the following x, y coordinates on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram;

(0.3114, 0.3386) to (0.3462, 0.3631), (0.3462, 0.3631) to (0.3777, 0.3790), (0.3777, 0.3790) to (0.3977, 0.3707), (0.3977, 0.3707) to (0.4211, 0.3713), and (0.4211, 0.3713) to (0.4437, 0.3808).

2. The solid state lighting device according to claim 1, being devoid of any electrically activated solid state light emitter arranged to generate emissions (i) having dominant wavelength in a range of from 430 nm to 480 nm and (ii) exiting the solid state lighting device without passage through a layer or region comprising a lumiphoric material.

3. The solid state lighting device according to claim 1, wherein aggregated light emissions of the solid state lighting device at the at least a first color point comprise a luminous efficacy of at least 60 lumens per watt.

4. The solid state lighting device according to claim 1, wherein aggregated light emissions of the solid state lighting device at the at least a first color point comprise a luminous flux of at least 500 lumens.

5. The solid state lighting device according to claim 1, wherein aggregated light emissions of the solid state lighting device at the at least a first color point comprise a color rendering index (CRI) value of at least 80 and a gamut area index (GAI) value in a range of from 80 to 100.

6. The solid state lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the at least a first color point is at least 7 MacAdam ellipses apart from a Planckian locus definable on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram.

7. The solid state lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the at least a first color point comprises a correlated color temperature (CCT) value in a range of from 2500K to 4000K.

8. A method of operating a solid state lighting device according to claim 1, the method comprising utilizing the control circuit to move from one to the other of the first color and a second color point of the at least two color points, wherein at least the first color point produces aggregated light emissions (i) having a luminous efficacy of at least 60 lumens per watt, and (ii) having (x, y) coordinates on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram that define a point on or within 7 MacAdam ellipses of a white body locus embodying a line including segments defined by the following x, y coordinates on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram:

(0.3114, 0.3386) to (0.3462, 0.3631), (0.3462, 0.3631) to (0.3777, 0.3790), (0.3777, 0.3790) to (0.3977, 0.3707), (0.3977, 0.3707) to (0.4211, 0.3713), and (0.4211, 0.3713) to (0.4437, 0.3808).

9. A solid state lighting device comprising:

a first electrically activated solid state emitter;

a second electrically activated solid state emitter; and

a control circuit configured to adjust aggregated light emissions of the solid state lighting device to move between at least two color points;

wherein at least a first color point of the at least two color points embodies a combination of light exiting the solid state lighting device that was emitted by the first and the second electrically activated solid state emitter that produces, in the absence of any additional light, aggregated light emissions having (x, y) coordinates on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram that define a point on or within 7 MacAdam ellipses of a white body locus embodying a line including segments defined by the following x, y coordinates on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram;

(0.3114, 0.3386) to (0.3462, 0.3631), (0.3462, 0.3631) to (0.3777, 0.3790), (0.3777, 0.3790) to (0.3977, 0.3707), (0.3977, 0.3707) to (0.4211, 0.3713), and (0.4211, 0.3713) to (0.4437, 0.3808); and

wherein the at least two color points are related according to one of the following conditions (a) to (c);

(a) the at least two color points comprise a variation in x coordinate value of (x, y) coordinates on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram of less than 0.001;

(b) the at least two color points comprise a variation in y coordinate value of (x, y) coordinates on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram of less than 0.001; and

(c) the at least two color points, when plotted on a CIE 1976 u′

-v′

chromaticity diagram, differ in Delta u′

v′

values relative to one another by an amount of no greater than 0.01, and differ in correlated color temperature (CCT) values by an amount of at least 100K relative to one another.

10. The solid state lighting device according to claim 9, wherein the at least two color points comprise a variation in x coordinate value of (x, y) coordinates on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram of less than 0.001.

11. The solid state lighting device according to claim 10, wherein:

the first electrically activated solid state emitter comprises a first LED including a dominant wavelength in a range of from 430 nm to 480 nm and a first lumiphor arranged to receive and be excited by at least a portion of emissions of the first LED, and emit lumiphor emissions including a dominant wavelength in a range of from 631 nm to 700 nm; and

the second electrically activated solid state emitter comprises a second LED including a dominant wavelength in a range of from 506 nm to 560 nm.

12. The solid state lighting device according to claim 9, wherein the at least two color points comprise a variation in y coordinate value of (x, y) coordinates on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram of less than 0.001.

13. The solid state lighting device according to claim 12, wherein:

the first electrically activated solid state emitter comprises a first LED including a dominant wavelength in a range of from 430 nm to 480 nm and a first lumiphor arranged to receive and be excited by at least a portion of emissions of the first LED, and emit lumiphor emissions including a dominant wavelength in a range of from 590 nm to 630 nm; and

the second electrically activated solid state emitter comprises a second LED including a dominant wavelength in a range of from 481 nm to 505 nm.

14. The solid state lighting device according to claim 9, wherein the at least two color points, when plotted on a CIE 1976 u′

-v′

chromaticity diagram, differ in Delta u′

v′

values relative to one another by an amount of no greater than 0.01, and differ in correlated color temperature (CCT) values by an amount of at least 100K relative to one another.

15. The solid state lighting device according to claim 9, wherein the at least two color points comprise at least three color points.

16. The solid state lighting device according to claim 9, being devoid of any electrically activated solid state light emitter arranged to generate emissions (i) having dominant wavelength in a range of from 430 nm to 480 nm and (ii) exiting the solid state lighting device without passage through a layer or region comprising a lumiphoric material.

17. The solid state lighting device according to claim 9, wherein aggregated light emissions of the solid state lighting device at the at least a first color point comprise a luminous efficacy of at least 60 lumens per watt.

18. A method of operating a solid state lighting device according to claim 9, the method comprising utilizing the control circuit to move from one to the other of the first color and a second color point of the at least two color points;

wherein at least the first color point embodies a combination of light exiting the solid state lighting device that was emitted by the first and the second electrically activated solid state emitter that produces, in the absence of any additional light, aggregated light emissions having (x, y) coordinates on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram that define a point on or within 7 MacAdam ellipses of a white body locus embodying a line including segments defined by the following x, y coordinates on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram;

(0.3114, 0.3386) to (0.3462, 0.3631), (0.3462, 0.3631) to (0.3777, 0.3790), (0.3777, 0.3790) to (0.3977, 0.3707), (0.3977, 0.3707) to (0.4211, 0.3713), and (0.4211, 0.3713) to (0.4437, 0.3808); and

wherein the first color point and the second color point are related according to one of the following conditions (a) to (c);

(a) the first and second color points comprise a variation in x coordinate value of (x, y) coordinates on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram of less than 0.001;

(b) the first and second color points comprise a variation in y coordinate value of (x, y) coordinates on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram of less than 0.001; and

(c) the first and second color points, when plotted on a CIE 1976 u′

-v′

chromaticity diagram, differ in Delta u′

v′

values relative to one another by an amount of no greater than 0.01, and differ in correlated color temperature (CCT) values by an amount of at least 100K relative to one another.

19. A solid state lighting device comprising:

a first electrically activated solid state emitter;

a second electrically activated solid state emitter; and

a control system configured to adjust aggregated light emissions of the solid state lighting device to move between at least two color points;

wherein at least a first color point of the at least two color points embodies a combination of light exiting the solid state lighting device that was emitted by the first electrically activated solid state emitter and the second electrically activated solid state emitter that produces, in the absence of any additional light, aggregated light emissions having (x, y) coordinates on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram that define a point on or within 7 MacAdam ellipses of a white body locus embodying a line including segments defined by the following x, y coordinates on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram;

(0.3114, 0.3386) to (0.3462, 0.3631), (0.3462, 0.3631) to (0.3777, 0.3790), (0.3777, 0.3790) to (0.3977, 0.3707), (0.3977, 0.3707) to (0.4211, 0.3713), and (0.4211, 0.3713) to (0.4437, 0.3808);

wherein at least a second color point of the at least two color points embodies a combination of light exiting the solid state lighting device that was emitted by the first electrically activated solid state emitter and the second electrically activated solid state emitter that produces, in the absence of any additional light, aggregated light emissions having (x, y) coordinates on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram that define a point on or within 10 MacAdam ellipses of a Planckian locus; and

wherein the at least a first color point and the at least a second color point differ in correlated color temperature (CCT) by a value of less than or equal to 100K relative to one another.

20. The solid state lighting device according to claim 19, being devoid of any electrically activated solid state light emitter arranged to generate emissions (i) having dominant wavelength in a range of from 430 nm to 480 nm and (ii) exiting the solid state lighting device without passage through a layer or region comprising a lumiphoric material.

21. The solid state lighting device according to claim 19, wherein aggregated light emissions of the solid state lighting device at the at least a first color point comprise a luminous efficacy of at least 60 lumens per watt.

22. The solid state lighting device according to claim 19, wherein aggregated light emissions of the solid state lighting device at the at least a first color point comprise a luminous flux of at least 500 lumens.

23. The solid state lighting device according to claim 19, wherein aggregated light emissions of the solid state lighting device at the at least a first color point comprise a color rendering index (CRI) value of at least 50.

24. A method of operating a solid state lighting device according to claim 19, the method comprising utilizing the control system to move from one to the other of the first color and a second color point of the at least two color points;

wherein at least the first color point embodies a combination of light exiting the solid state lighting device that was emitted by the first electrically activated solid state emitter and the second electrically activated solid state emitter that produces, in the absence of any additional light, aggregated light emissions having (x, y) coordinates on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram that define a point on or within 7 MacAdam ellipses of a white body locus embodying a line including segments defined by the following x, y coordinates on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram;

(0.3114, 0.3386) to (0.3462, 0.3631), (0.3462, 0.3631) to (0.3777, 0.3790), (0.3777, 0.3790) to (0.3977, 0.3707), (0.3977, 0.3707) to (0.4211, 0.3713), and (0.4211, 0.3713) to (0.4437, 0.3808);

wherein at least the second color point embodies a combination of light exiting the solid state lighting device that was emitted by the first electrically activated solid state emitter and the second electrically activated solid state emitter that produces, in the absence of any additional light, aggregated light emissions having (x, y) coordinates on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram that define a point on or within 10 MacAdam ellipses of a Planckian locus; and

wherein the at least a first color point and the at least a second color point differ in correlated color temperature (CCT) by a value of less than or equal to 100K relative to one another.

25. A solid state lighting device comprising:

a first electrically activated solid state emitter;

a second electrically activated solid state emitter; and

a control system configured to adjust aggregated light emissions of the solid state lighting device to move between at least two color points;

wherein at least a first color point of the at least two color points embodies a combination of light exiting the solid state lighting device that was emitted by the first electrically activated solid state emitter and the second electrically activated solid state emitter that produces, in the absence of any additional light, aggregated light emissions having a first correlated color temperature (CCT) value and having (x, y) coordinates on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram that define a point on or within 7 MacAdam ellipses of a white body locus embodying a line including segments defined by the following x, y coordinates on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram;

(0.3114, 0.3386) to (0.3462, 0.3631), (0.3462, 0.3631) to (0.3777, 0.3790), (0.3777, 0.3790) to (0.3977, 0.3707), (0.3977, 0.3707) to (0.4211, 0.3713), and (0.4211, 0.3713) to (0.4437, 0.3808);

wherein at least a second color point of the at least two color points embodies a combination of light exiting the solid state lighting device that was emitted by the first electrically activated solid state emitter and the second electrically activated solid state emitter that produces, in the absence of any additional light, aggregated light emissions having a second correlated color temperature (CCT) value;

wherein the first CCT value and the second CCT value differ by at least 500K; and

wherein aggregated light emissions at the first color point and aggregated light emissions at the second color point differ in luminous flux by at least 30%.

26. The solid state lighting device according to claim 25, being devoid of any electrically activated solid state light emitter arranged to generate emissions (i) having dominant wavelength in a range of from 430 nm to 480 nm and (ii) exiting the solid state lighting device without passage through a layer or region comprising a lumiphoric material.

27. The solid state lighting device according to claim 25, wherein aggregated light emissions of the solid state lighting device at the at least a first color point comprise a luminous efficacy of at least 60 lumens per watt.

28. A method of operating a solid state lighting device according to claim 25, the method comprising utilizing the control system to move from one to the other of the first color point and a second color point of the at least two color points;

wherein at least the first color point embodies a combination of light exiting the solid state lighting device that was emitted by the first electrically activated solid state emitter and the second electrically activated solid state emitter that produces, in the absence of any additional light, aggregated light emissions having (x, y) coordinates on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram that define a point on or within 7 MacAdam ellipses of a white body locus embodying a line including segments defined by the following x, y coordinates on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram;

(0.3114, 0.3386) to (0.3462, 0.3631), (0.3462, 0.3631) to (0.3777, 0.3790), (0.3777, 0.3790) to (0.3977, 0.3707), (0.3977, 0.3707) to (0.4211, 0.3713), and (0.4211, 0.3713) to (0.4437, 0.3808);

wherein at least the second color point embodies a combination of light exiting the solid state lighting device that was emitted by the first electrically activated solid state emitter and the second electrically activated solid state emitter that produces, in the absence of any additional light, aggregated light emissions having a second correlated color temperature (CCT) value;

wherein the first CCT value and the second CCT value differ by at least 500K; and

wherein aggregated light emissions at the first color point and aggregated light emissions at the second color point differ in luminous flux by at least 30%.

29. A solid state lighting device comprising:

at least one first electrically activated solid state light emitter arranged to produce, in the absence of any additional light, light emissions within a first bin defining a first continuous region occupying an area not exceeding 10% of a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram;

at least one second electrically activated solid state light emitter arranged to produce, in the absence of any additional light, light emissions within a second bin defining a second continuous region occupying an area not exceeding 10% of a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram, wherein the second continuous region is non-overlapping with the first continuous region, and the at least one first electrically activated solid state light emitter is independently controllable relative to the at least one second electrically activated solid state light emitter;

a control circuit configured to adjust aggregated light emissions of the solid state lighting device to move between at least two color points;

wherein at least a first color point of the at least two color points embodies a combination of light exiting the solid state lighting device that was emitted by the at least one first electrically activated solid state emitter and the at least one second electrically activated solid state emitter that produces, in the absence of any additional light, aggregated light emissions having (x, y) coordinates on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram that define a point on or within 7 MacAdam ellipses of a white body locus embodying a line including segments defined by the following x, y coordinates on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram;

(0.3114, 0.3386) to (0.3462, 0.3631), (0.3462, 0.3631) to (0.3777, 0.3790), (0.3777, 0.3790) to (0.3977, 0.3707), (0.3977, 0.3707) to (0.4211, 0.3713), and (0.4211, 0.3713) to (0.4437, 0.3808); and

wherein the solid state lighting device is devoid of any electrically activated solid state light emitter arranged to produce, in the absence of any additional light, light emissions outside either the first bin or the second bin.

30. The solid state lighting device according to claim 29, wherein area of each of the first bin and the second bin is non-overlapping with a Planckian locus definable on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram.

31. The solid state lighting device according to claim 29, being devoid of any electrically activated solid state light emitter arranged to generate emissions (i) having dominant wavelength in a range of from 430 nm to 480 nm and (ii) exiting the solid state lighting device without passage through a layer or region comprising a lumiphoric material.

32. The solid state lighting device according to claim 29, wherein aggregated emissions at the at least a first point comprise a luminous efficacy of at least 60 lumens per watt.

37. A method of operating a solid state lighting device according to claim 29, the method comprising utilizing the control circuit to move from one to the other of the first color and a second color point of the at least two color points;

wherein at least the first color point embodies a combination of light exiting the solid state lighting device that was emitted by the first electrically activated solid state emitter and the second electrically activated solid state emitter that produces, in the absence of any additional light, aggregated light emissions having (x, y) coordinates on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram that define a point on or within 7 MacAdam ellipses of a white body locus embodying a line including segments defined by the following x, y coordinates on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram;

(0.3114, 0.3386) to (0.3462, 0.3631), (0.3462, 0.3631) to (0.3777, 0.3790), (0.3777, 0.3790) to (0.3977, 0.3707), (0.3977, 0.3707) to (0.4211, 0.3713), and (0.4211, 0.3713) to (0.4437, 0.3808).

33. A solid state lighting device comprising:

at least one first electrically activated solid state light emitter arranged to produce, in the absence of any additional light, light emissions within a first bin defining a first continuous region occupying an area not exceeding 10% of a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram;

at least one second electrically activated solid state light emitter arranged to produce, in the absence of any additional light, light emissions within a second bin defining a second continuous region occupying an area not exceeding 10% of a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram; and

a first power line, wherein each of the at least one first and the at least one second solid state light emitter is electrically connected to the first power line;

wherein the second continuous region is non-overlapping with the first continuous region, and the at least one first electrically activated solid state light emitter is independently controllable relative to the at least one second electrically activated solid state light emitter;

wherein a combination of light exiting the solid state lighting device that was emitted by the first electrically activated solid state emitter and the second electrically activated solid state emitter produces, in the absence of any additional light, aggregated light emissions having (x, y) coordinates on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram that define a color point on or within 7 MacAdam ellipses of a white body locus embodying a line including segments defined by the following x, y coordinates on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram;

(0.3114, 0.3386) to (0.3462, 0.3631), (0.3462, 0.3631) to (0.3777, 0.3790), (0.3777, 0.3790) to (0.3977, 0.3707), (0.3977, 0.3707) to (0.4211, 0.3713), and (0.4211, 0.3713) to (0.4437, 0.3808); and

wherein the solid state lighting device is devoid of any electrically activated solid state light emitter arranged to produce, in the absence of any additional light, light emissions outside either the first bin or the second bin.

34. The solid state lighting device according to claim 33, wherein area of each of the first bin and the second bin is non-overlapping with a Planckian locus definable on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram.

35. The solid state lighting device according to claim 33, being devoid of any electrically activated solid state light emitter arranged to generate emissions (i) having dominant wavelength in a range of from 430 nm to 480 nm and (ii) exiting the solid state lighting device without passage through a layer or region comprising a lumiphoric material.

36. The solid state lighting device according to claim 33, wherein aggregated light emissions of the solid state lighting device at the color point comprise a luminous efficacy of at least 60 lumens per watt.