Intelligent solid state lighting

• US 8,222,584 B2
• Filed: 04/05/2011
• Issued: 07/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ABL IP Holding LLC (Acuity Brands, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ABL IP Holding LLC (Acuity Brands, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rains, Jack C. Jr., May, Don F., Ramer, David P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ko, Tony
• Application Number:
  US13/080,178
• Publication Number:
  US 20110180687A1
• Time in Patent Office: 469 Days
• Field of Search: 250/228, 250/205, 362/231, 362/236, 362/241, 362/4, 362/5, 362/234, 362/249, 362/812
• US Class Current: 250/205
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/62 using mixing chambers, e.g. housings with reflective walls
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/68 Details of reflectors forming part of the light source
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 10/02 changing colors F21S10/002 - F21S10/007, F21S10/04 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 2/00 Systems of lighting devices, not provided for in main groups F21S4/00 - F21S10/00 or F21S19/00, e.g. of modular construction
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 11/10 of iris type
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 14/06 by movement of refractors in vehicle head lamps F21S41/635
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 2200/13 the light being emitted at the end of the guide
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0442 activated by means of a sensor, e.g. motion or photodetectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0457 the sensor sensing the operating status of the lighting device, e.g. to detect failure of a light source or to provide feedback to the device
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/008 Combination of two or more successive refractors along an optical axis
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/0008 providing for indirect lighting
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/24 characterised by the material
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/28 characterised by coatings
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/406 for theatres, stages or film studios
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2113/00 Combination of light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2113/13 comprising an assembly of point-like light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2113/20 of different form
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/08 Arrangements of light sources specially adapted for photometry standard sources, also using luminescent or radioactive material
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/02 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0216 : using light concentrators or collectors or condensers
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0218 : using optical fibers
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0254 : Spectrometers, other than colorimeters, making use of an integrating sphere
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0256 : Compact construction
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0264 : Electrical interface; User interface
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0286 : Constructional arrangements for compensating for fluctuations caused by temperature, humidity or pressure, or using cooling or temperature stabilization of parts of the device; Controlling the atmosphere inside a spectrometer, e.g. vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/10 : Arrangements of light sources specially adapted for spectrometry or colorimetry
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/50 : using electric radiation detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/501 : Colorimeters using spectrally-selective light sources, e.g. LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/0252 : using holographic or diffractive means
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/0278 : used in transmission
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/0284 : used in reflection
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0008 : the light being emitted at the end of the fibre
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/06 : Special arrangements of screening, diffusing, or reflecting devices, e.g. in studio
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/0404 : the light source being enclosed in a box forming the character of the sign
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/06 : using individual cut-out symbols or cut-out silhouettes, e.g. perforated signs
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/14 : Arrangements of reflectors therein
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/22 : electroluminescent electroluminescent light sources per se H05B33/00
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 35/00 : Electric light sources using a combination of different types of light generation
• 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 45/22 : using optical feedback
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/30 : Semiconductor lamps, e.g. solid state lamps [SSL] light emitting diodes [LED] or organic LED [OLED]

Abstract

A light fixture, using one or more solid state light emitting elements utilizes a diffusely reflect chamber to provide a virtual source of uniform output light, at an aperture or at a downstream optical processing element of the system. Systems disclosed herein also include a detector, which detects electromagnetic energy from the area intended to be illuminated by the system, of a wavelength absent from a spectrum of the combined light system output. A system controller is responsive to the signal from the detector. The controller typically may control one or more aspects of operation of the solid state light emitter(s), such as system ON-OFF state or system output intensity or color. Examples are also discussed that use the detection signal for other purposes, e.g. to capture data that may be carried on electromagnetic energy of the wavelength sensed by the detector.

Claims

1. A lighting system for humanly visible light illumination, the system comprising:

a light fixture, comprising;

(a) a solid state light source; and

(b) a detector of a type and located so as to sense a condition external to the light fixture, the detector being configured to output a signal responsive to the sensed condition;

a controller, comprising;

(i) a processor coupled to respond to the condition responsive signal of the sensor;

(ii) a memory accessible to the processor; and

(iii) a program stored in the memory for execution by the processor, for controlling at least one function of the processor responsive to the condition responsive signal of the sensor; and

a communication interface accessible by the controller, configured to enable the controller to transmit a message containing information resulting from the at least one function of the processor responsive to the condition responsive signal of the sensor through a communications network.

2. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein the communication interface accessible by the controller is further configured to enable the controller to receive a message containing an instruction for the controller through the communications network.

3. The lighting system of claim 2, wherein:

the controller is coupled to the solid state light source; and

the program further configures the processor so that the controller controls operation of the solid state light source at least in part based on the instruction from the received message.

4. The lighting system of claim 1, further comprising:

an optical integrating cavity having a reflective interior surface, at least a portion of which exhibits a diffuse reflectivity, and having an optical aperture for allowing emission of reflected light from within the interior of the optical integrating cavity into a region to illuminated by the lighting system;

wherein the solid state light source is coupled to emit light into the optical integrating cavity in such a manner that substantially all light emitted from solid state light source reflects diffusely at least once within the interior of the optical integrating cavity before emission through the optical aperture toward the region to illuminated by the lighting system.

5. The lighting system of claim 4, wherein the sensed condition is a wavelength at least substantially absent from a spectrum of the reflected light.

6. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein the controller uses the signal for to capture data carried on electromagnetic energy of a particular wavelength sensed by the detector.

7. A system, comprising:

lighting devices, each respective lighting device co p sing;

(a) a solid state light source;

(b) a detector of a type and located so as to sense a condition external to the lighting device, the detector being configured to output a signal responsive to the sensed condition;

(c) a controller, comprising;

(i) a processor coupled to respond to the condition responsive signal of the sensor;

(ii) a memory accessible to the processor; and

(iii) a program stored in the memory for execution by the processor, for controlling at least one function of the processor responsive to the condition responsive signal of the sensor; and

(d) a communication interface accessible by the controller, configured to enable the controller to transmit a message containing information resulting from the at least one function of the processor responsive to the condition responsive signal of the sensor through a communications network; and

a computer configured for communication with the controllers of the lighting devices through the communications network.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the communication interface accessible by the controller is further configured to enable the controller to receive a message containing an instruction for the controller through the communications network.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein:

the controller is coupled to each solid state light source; and

the program further configures the processor so that the controller controls operation of each solid state light source at least in part based on the instruction from the received message.

10. The system of claim 7, further comprising:

an optical integrating cavity having a reflective interior surface, at least a portion of which exhibits a diffuse reflectivity, and having an optical aperture for allowing emission of reflected light from within the interior of the optical integrating cavity into a region to illuminated by the system;

wherein each solid state light source is coupled to emit light into the optical integrating cavity in such a manner that substantially all light emitted from each solid state light source reflects diffusely at least once within the interior of the optical integrating cavity before emission through the optical aperture toward the region to illuminated by the system.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the controller uses the signal to capture data carried on electromagnetic energy of a particular wavelength sensed by the detector.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the sensed condition is selected from temperature, color or intensity.