LIGHTING OPTIMIZED FOR MELANOPIC VISION

• US 20170354000A1
• Filed: 12/16/2016
• Published: 12/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Musco Corporation
• Original Assignee: Musco Corporation
• Inventors: Gordin, Myron, Schlesselman, Bradley D.
• Granted Patent: US 10,212,766 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0618 Psychological treatment
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 44/00 Circuit arrangements for operating electroluminescent light sources for operating light emitting diodes H05B45/00
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/20 Controlling the colour of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/10 Controlling the light source

Abstract

Methods, apparatus, and systems for illumination, including wide area lighting applications. In one embodiment, a method of illumination comprises: comparing metamers at a known and similar CCT with at least one metamer having a higher M/P or S/P ratio; selecting at least one of said metamers for improved perceived brightness; evaluating the selected metamer(s) for desired CCT and acceptable CRI; manufacturing a lighting apparatus which emits light of a given CCT having increased melanopic content compared to one or more extant metameric variations of the same or similar CCT; wherein said light has an acceptable CRI. The method can be applied in various apparatus and systems. In one example, the methods, apparatus, and systems can be used to illuminate a wide area target area with increased perceived brightness compared to typical similar lighting. In some cases, this allows energy savings and/or less lighting sources or fixtures than typical lighting.

Claims

1. A method of illumination comprising:

a. comparing metamers at a known and similar CCT with at least one metamer having a higher M/P or S/P ratio;

b. selecting at least one of said metamers for improved perceived brightness;

c. evaluating the selected metamer(s) for desired CCT and acceptable CRI;

d. manufacturing a lighting apparatus which emits light of a given CCT having increased melanopic content compared to one or more extant metameric variations of the same or similar CCT;

e. wherein said light has an acceptable CRI.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein S/P ratio, M/P ratio (Lucas), or CCT is constrained at a level.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein melanopic content of the illumination comprises:

a. a relative value according to the SPD above approximately 50% at 490 nm;

b. a relative value according to the SPD above approximately 25% within 10 nm below and 15 nm above 490 nm; and

c. an M/P ratio on the order of 1.2 or higher.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the CCT is on the order of up to 10,000K.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the CCT is on the order of 5,700K.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the S/P is 3.57 or higher and the M/P ratio is 1.77 or higher and the CCT is on the order of up to 17,000K

7. The method of claim 1 wherein melanopic content of the illumination comprises:

a. a relative value according to the SPD above approximately 50% at 490 nm;

b. a relative value according to the SPD above approximately 25% within 10 nm below and 15nm above 490 nm;

c. an M/P ratio on the order of 0.75; and

d. having CCT on the order of 3,000K, CRI 73, R9 9, TLCI 40.

8. An apparatus for improved illumination with improved brightness comprising a solid state light source having an SPD output which has similar CCT compared to existing lighting but which is perceived of as significantly brighter for the same power input, or requires less power input for the same perceived brightness, by providing light which is a metamer of the existing lighting and which has a higher S/P or M/P ratio than the existing lighting.

9. A method of improved perceived brightness and/or visual acuity for observers of a scene illuminated with a plurality of light sources comprising:

a. providing a target area to illuminate;

b. designing illumination for the target area with light of at least relatively high melanopic content, wherein

(1) the light of relatively high melanopic content is determined by quantifying a scotopic/photopic ratio (S/P) or melanopic/photopic ratio (M/P); and

(2) selecting a quantified S/P or M/P ratio which;

(i) uses a high color temperature to increase the S/P or M/P ratio;

while

(ii) maintaining a predetermined acceptable color temperature;

c. implementing the designed illumination at the scene with a lighting system comprising the plurality of light sources operated collectively according to the designed illumination.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the illumination meets a given lighting standard relative to intensity and/or uniformity and the lighting system is implemented at:

a. lower energy usage and/or

b. fewer light sources

than illumination meeting the lighting standard but of lower melanopic content because of higher perceived brightness and/or visual acuity of the designed illumination.

11. A method of improved lighting of a scene or target with a plurality of light sources comprising:

a. determining an illumination color and intensity for the scene or target;

b. installing the plurality of light sources to direct light from them to illuminate the scene or target;

c. coordinating the operating characteristics of individual light sources of the plurality of light sources to elicit an effective amount of perceived increased brightness and/or visual acuity by normal human observers of the lighting from not only cones but other optical receptors relevant to pupil response of the observer to the light.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the other optical receptors comprise one or more of:

a. rods;

b. ipRGC cells.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the pupil response comprises a reduction in dilation or pupil constriction.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the operating characteristics of the light sources can be varied in SPD.

15. A product made by the process of claim 11.

16. A method of operating an LED lighting system capable of high melanopic content lighting comprising:

a. selecting desired color properties of the LED lighting system based, at least in part, on the general purpose of the lighting or a task to be performed thereunder;

b. selecting a high melanopic content LED at a specified correlated color temperature wherein;

i. the correlated color temperature is based, at least in part, on the task or general purpose;

c. calculating equal perceived brightness of the high melanopic content LED; and

d. varying the operating conditions of the high melanopic content LED and low melanopic content LED at a constant perceived brightness in accordance with an operating profile.

17. An LED lighting fixture comprising:

a. a thermally conductive housing;

with one or more subsets of LEDs;

b. a first subset of LEDs in said housing having a first melanopic content and SPD;

c. a second subset of LEDs in said housing having a second melanopic content and SPD;

d. electrical means to power said LEDs according to the foregoing.

18. The LED lighting fixture of claim 17 wherein a single controller adapted to adjust the power to the first and second subset of LEDs according to an operating profile wherein the profile is determined, at least in part, on physiological/biological benefits associated with the melanopic content of the first and second subsets of LEDs.

19. The LED lighting fixture of claim 17 wherein a controller having two or more control means is adapted to adjust the power to the first and second subset of LEDs to create a composite beam from said lighting fixture having a specific and high melanopic content at a specific CCT.

20. The LED lighting fixture of claim 17 wherein the CCT is on the order of 5,700K and the melanopic content as described by the M/P (Lucas) ratio is 2.0 or greater.

21. A method of illuminating a target area with a plurality of LED light sources comprising:

a. configuring the lighting sources to have relatively high melanopic content, wherein the relatively high melanopic content comprises;

i. above approximately 50% within 5°

of 490 nm;

ii. above approximately 25% within 10°

below and 15°

above 490 nm; and

iii. an M/P ratio on the order of 1.2 or higher.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the step of configuring the light sources comprises configuring individual LEDs with an SPD at a given power level to produce the relatively high melanopic content.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein the step of configuring the light sources comprises configuring combinations of individual LEDs driven at individual power levels to produce a composite SPD to produce the relatively high melanopic content.