Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090278474 | LOW-PROFILE PATHWAY ILLUMINATION SYSTEM - A luminaire to illuminate surfaces comprises a housing, a mounting fixture and a light source. The housing includes a base having a bottom surface positionable on a surface to be illuminated, an interior, and at least one window providing access between the interior and an exterior of the housing. The mounting fixture extends at least approximately perpendicularly downward with respect to the bottom surface of the base to secure the housing into a peripheral portion of the surface to be illuminated. The light source has a principal axis of emission that is directed outwardly through the window of the housing at a downwardly oriented angle with respect to the bottom surface of the base such that, when in use with the luminaire mounted to the surface to be illuminated, the principal axis of emission of the light source is directed at a portion of the surface to be illuminated. | 11-12-2009 |
20090284155 | GAS-DISCHARGE LAMP REPLACEMENT - An illumination device comprising a housing fixture, a light source, and an active heat transfer device is provided. The housing fixture includes a base adapted to be receivable in a light fixture receptacle configured to receive a gas-discharge lamp. The light source emits light with a color rendering index higher than a respective color rendering index of at least a type of gas-discharge lamp. The active heat transfer device is physically coupled to the light source and mounted to the housing fixture. The active heat transfer device receives power from a power supply to remove thermal energy from the light source. | 11-19-2009 |
20100090577 | TURBULENT FLOW COOLING FOR ELECTRONIC BALLAST - An apparatus for heat dissipation for a luminaire comprises an active heat transfer device and a thermally-conductive housing. The active heat transfer device causes turbulence in an ambient fluid. The thermally-conductive housing includes a cavity and a first end. The cavity is structured for an electronic ballast of the luminaire to be housed therein and thermally attached to an interior surface of the housing to allow the housing to absorb at least a portion of heat generated by the electronic ballast. The first end is structured for the active heat transfer device to be mountable to the first end of the housing. The housing further includes at least one thermally-conductive protrusion extending from an exterior surface of the housing and exposed to the turbulence in the ambient fluid to transfer at least a portion of the heat absorbed by the housing to the ambient fluid. | 04-15-2010 |
20100123403 | ELECTRONIC CONTROL TO REGULATE POWER FOR SOLID-STATE LIGHTING AND METHODS THEREOF - Apparatus and methods to regulate an input power applied to a plurality of light emitters are provided. A regulator device includes a plurality of switches and a control circuit that controls the plurality of switches. The plurality of switches selectively couple respective strings of the light emitters in series to the input power to emit light when deactivated. The control circuit may deactivate a number of the switches to couple the respective light emitters to the input power in response to a sensed operational parameter of the input power. The control circuit may adjust the number of the switches deactivated in response to a change in the sensed operational parameter of the input power. A number of the light emitters may be coupled to the input power regardless of the sensed operational parameter of the input power. | 05-20-2010 |
20100277082 | GAS-DISCHARGE LAMP REPLACEMENT WITH PASSIVE COOLING - An illumination device comprises a solid-state lighting device and a heat sink. The heat sink is configured to be attachable to a fixture for a gas-discharge lamp to retrofit existing gas-discharge fixtures. The heat sink is conductively thermally coupled to the solid-state lighting device to dissipate heat generated by the solid-state lighting device. | 11-04-2010 |
20100295454 | APPARATUS AND METHOD OF ENERGY EFFICIENT ILLUMINATION - An illumination system reduces a level of light output, and hence power consumption, at a time after turning ON a light source, and increases the level of light output at a time prior to turning OFF the light source. A control subsystem can determine when to increase the level of light based on a predicted time when the light source will be turned OFF. The control subsystem may determine an average or median length of time that the light source has been turned on for a number of recent daily cycles. A control subsystem may be an integral part of a luminaire or may be a retrofit. | 11-25-2010 |
20100295455 | APPARATUS AND METHOD OF ENERGY EFFICIENT ILLUMINATION - An illumination system correlates solar time to a clock and controls lighting or illumination based on time. The illumination system may turn ON light source(s) at a first level at a turn ON time, correlated to be around or at dusk, and turn OFF light source(s) at a turn OFF time, correlated to be around or at dawn. The illumination system may reduce a level of light output, and hence power consumption, at a time after turning ON a light source, and increases the level of light output at a time prior to turning OFF the light source. Turn ON, turn OFF, decrease and increase times may be determined based on recent levels of light or illumination in the environment, for example via average or median levels over a number of previous daily cycles. Filtering may eliminate aberrant events. | 11-25-2010 |
20100295946 | LONG-RANGE MOTION DETECTION FOR ILLUMINATION CONTROL - An illumination system and methods to control a light source are provided. An illumination system includes a light source, a two-dimensional non-Passive Infrared (non-PIR) imager, and a controller. The light source provides at least two levels of illumination. The non-PIR imager images an area and to produce image data representative of images across at least part of a visible portion of an electromagnetic spectrum. The controller is communicatively coupled to receive the image data from the non-PIR imager and process the received image data to detect at least one ambient environmental characteristic of the area in the part of the visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, where the ambient environmental characteristic is indicative of a presence or imminent presence of a body in the area. The controller is also coupled to control operation of the light source based on, at least in part, detection of the ambient characteristic of the environment. | 11-25-2010 |
20110026264 | ELECTRICALLY ISOLATED HEAT SINK FOR SOLID-STATE LIGHT - An illumination device comprises a solid-state light source and a heat transfer structure. The solid-state light source is thermally conductively coupled to the heat transfer structure to dissipate heat thereby. The heat transfer structure includes a first thermally conductive element and a second thermally conductive element. The first thermally conductive element is configured to transfer at least a portion of the heat from the light source to an external ambient environment. The second thermally conductive element is electrically non-conductive and electrically isolates the first thermally conductive element from the light source. | 02-03-2011 |
20110175518 | APPARATUS, METHOD TO CHANGE LIGHT SOURCE COLOR TEMPERATURE WITH REDUCED OPTICAL FILTERING LOSSES - The efficiency and color temperature of a lighting device may be improved by using wavelength shifting material, such as a phosphor, to absorb less desired wavelengths and transmit more desired wavelengths. A reflective filter (e.g., dichroic or dielectric mirror material) may pass desired wavelengths while returning or reflecting less desired wavelengths away from an optical exit back toward wavelength shifting material which may either be disposed in the optical path or on the periphery of the light source. | 07-21-2011 |
20110310605 | SOLID STATE LIGHTING DEVICE AND METHOD EMPLOYING HEAT EXCHANGER THERMALLY COUPLED CIRCUIT BOARD - An illumination device comprises a circuit board that carries solid-state light sources and a heat transfer structure to which the circuit board is intimately physically coupled such that the circuit board is curved along at least one of a longitudinal dimension or a lateral dimension thereof. Such may allow less fasteners to be used than would otherwise be possible, while maintaining close contact over a large portion of the surface area. Some embodiments may employ a clamp, for example a peripheral clamp such as a cover or bezel clamp. | 12-22-2011 |
20120262069 | APPARATUS AND METHOD OF ENERGY EFFICIENT ILLUMINATION USING RECEIVED SIGNALS - Illumination sources are turned ON and turned OFF in response to detected levels of illumination in an ambient environment reaching respective thresholds, which may be user set. The detection of these turn ON and turn OFF events is verified, for instance against expected events or conditions for the particular location, date and/or time. An alert or log entry may be generated if a detected event or condition appears to be invalid. For instance, if an amount of illumination in the environment is different than predicted by a threshold amount or if a time that the event occurs or is detected is different than expected or predicted by more than a threshold amount. A level of illumination may be decreased to some non-zero level after a specified time after turn ON, and increased at some specified time before turnOFF. Use of information from external sources (e.g., satellites, cell towers) may allow times to be using local time, including daylight savings if applicable. | 10-18-2012 |
20130043792 | ELECTROSTATIC DISCHARGE PROTECTION FOR LUMINAIRE - An apparatus for protecting a solid state retrofit lighting or illumination system from electrostatic discharge damage caused by charge induced onto conductive surfaces of the lighting or illumination system. | 02-21-2013 |
20130049613 | RESONANT NETWORK FOR REDUCTION OF FLICKER PERCEPTION IN SOLID STATE LIGHTING SYSTEMS - An apparatus and method for reducing the perception of flicker of solid state light sources. An alternating current (AC) signal is passed through an AC conditioning circuit and a passive resonating circuit before being supplied to a string of solid state light sources, such as light emitting diodes. | 02-28-2013 |
20130062637 | APPARATUS, METHOD TO ENHANCE COLOR CONTRAST IN PHOSPHOR-BASED SOLID STATE LIGHTS - The efficiency and color contrast of a lighting device may be improved by using wavelength shifting material, such as a phosphor, to absorb less desired wavelengths and transmit more desired wavelengths. A double-notch reflective filter may pass desired wavelengths such as red and green, while returning or reflecting less desired wavelengths (blue and yellow) away from an optical exit back toward wavelength shifting material and re-emitted as light of more desirable wavelengths. | 03-14-2013 |
20130141010 | ADJUSTABLE OUTPUT SOLID-STATE LAMP WITH SECURITY FEATURES - Disclosed herein is a remotely adjustable lighting system with security features. The lighting system includes a lamp (e.g., luminaire) which carries solid-state light sources and a sensor. The solid-state light sources emit visible light at an adjustable output intensity. The sensor is responsive to line-of-sight wireless signals, and the lamp increases and decreases the output intensity of the light sources in response to output signals of the sensor. The lamp provides security features by selectively accepting and rejecting instructions carried by the line-of-sight wireless signals to vary the output intensity of the light sources. | 06-06-2013 |
20130163243 | ADJUSTABLE OUTPUT SOLID-STATE LIGHTING DEVICE - A solid-state lighting device has user-engageable actuator physically manipulable by a user and accessible from an exterior of the device to adjust an amount of light output. The user-engageable actuator may take the form of a knob, slider, lever, or other manipulable surface or structure. The user-engageable actuator may extend partially or fully from a housing, or alternatively be recessed or otherwise within the housing with access provided via an aperture, slot or opening. Access may be directly by the user (e.g., finger) or via a tool (e.g., screw driver, Allen wrench, socket) manipulated by the user. The actuator may form part of an adjustment component (e.g., potentiometer, rheostat) which supplies an adjustable output to a drive circuit or electronics. The adjustment component may be electrically coupled to either a primary or secondary side of a transformer, which forms part of a power converter (e.g., flyback). | 06-27-2013 |
20130229518 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS THAT EMPLOY OBJECT RECOGNITION - An illumination system and methods to control a light source are provided. An illumination system includes a light source, a two-dimensional non-Passive Infrared (non-PIR) imager, and a controller. The light source may provide at least two levels of illumination. The non-PIR imager images an area and to produce image data representative of images across at least part of a visible portion of an electromagnetic spectrum. The controller is communicatively coupled to receive the image data from the non-PIR imager and process the received image data to detect at least one object in the area of a defined type of object. The controller is also coupled to control operation of the light source based on, at least in part, detection of the ambient characteristic of the environment. Alternatively, one or more components of a system may be used to monitor traffic, with or without active illumination. | 09-05-2013 |
20130293112 | REMOTELY ADJUSTABLE SOLID-STATE LAMP - Disclosed herein is a remotely adjustable lighting system. The lighting system includes a luminaire including one or more solid-state light systems and a non-line-of-sight wireless transceiver. The output intensity of the solid-state light systems is adjustable. The non-line-of-sight transceiver in the luminaire can receive one or more non-line-of-sight wireless signals transmitted by a transceiver in a general purpose handheld computing device. Instructions and data including configuration and output intensity adjustments may be communicated between the general purpose handheld computing device and the luminaire via one or more non-line-of-sight wireless signals. | 11-07-2013 |
20130307418 | APPARATUS AND METHOD OF ENERGY EFFICIENT ILLUMINATION - An illumination system correlates solar time to a clock and controls lighting or illumination based on time. The illumination system may turn ON light source(s) at a first level at a turn ON time, correlated to be around or at dusk, and turn OFF light source(s) at a turn OFF time, correlated to be around or at dawn. The illumination system may reduce a level of light output, and hence power consumption, at a time after turning ON a light source, and increases the level of light output at a time prior to turning OFF the light source. Turn ON, turn OFF, decrease and increase times may be determined based on recent levels of light or illumination in the environment, for example via average or median levels over a number of previous daily cycles. Filtering may eliminate aberrant events. | 11-21-2013 |
20130313982 | SOLID STATE LIGHTING, DRIVE CIRCUIT AND METHOD OF DRIVING SAME - A power converter output stage provides acceptable current matching between sets or strings of solid state light sources (e.g., LEDs) with different forward voltages, and protects the sets or strings from excessive over-current in the case of a light source failing as a short. The sets or strings are electrically coupled across respective inductors of a secondary of a transformer, the sets or strings not electrically in parallel with one another. The secondary of the transformer essentially self balances. The embodiments described employ an LLC resonator converter topology, but could be implemented as part of a Flyback, LLC resonator or other switch mode topology. | 11-28-2013 |
20140028198 | APPARATUS AND METHOD OF OPERATING A LUMINAIRE - An illumination system verifies whether one or more aspects of an output signal provided by a photosensitive transducer fall within a threshold of an expected value for the aspect. The aspect may include a sunrise time, a sunset time, a dawn time, a dusk time, a solar noon time, a solar midnight time, or similar. Upon verification the illumination system uses a microcontroller to adjust one or more output parameters of a solid-state light source responsive to the output signal provided by the photosensitive transducer. Where verification is not possible, the illumination system uses the microcontroller to adjust one or more output parameters of the solid-state light source responsive to a schedule. | 01-30-2014 |
20140055990 | SOLID STATE HOSPITALITY LAMP - A luminaire includes one or more solid state light modules, each having one or more theft deterrent features. Each of the one or more solid state light modules can include a number of solid state light sources. The one or more solid state light modules can be physically and electrically coupled to the luminaire such that any attempt to remove the solid state light module renders the solid state light module or the solid state light sources permanently inoperable. One or more theft deterrent features may be incorporated into the luminaire to deter theft. In one instance an external power converter supplying the solid state light module can be physically secured to a power source using one or more security mechanisms. | 02-27-2014 |
20140062312 | LUMINAIRE WITH ATMOSPHERIC ELECTRICAL ACTIVITY DETECTION AND VISUAL ALERT CAPABILITIES - An illumination system can provide at least a first state and a second state of a luminaire equipped with at least one lighting subsystem. In the first state, the luminous intensity of the lighting subsystem is controlled based on the occurrence of a detected solar event or the occurrence of an expected solar event. In the second state, the luminous intensity of the lighting subsystem forms a visually distinct pattern based on the detection of atmospheric electrical activity exceeding a defined threshold by an electrical activity sensor disposed within the luminaire. The visually distinctive luminous output can alert persons within line of sight of the luminaire of the proximity of threatening atmospheric electrical activity. | 03-06-2014 |
20140062341 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR SCHEDULE BASED OPERATION OF A LUMINAIRE - An illumination system verifies controls the operation of a luminaire without the use of any photometric data. The illumination system uses data indicative of a current time, date or latitude to determine one or more aspects of a solar event. Such aspects can include a scheduled, predicted or expected time of occurrence of the scheduled solar event. Responsive to the determination of a scheduled, predicted or expected time of occurrence of the scheduled solar event, a control subsystem can adjust the luminous output of a light source. | 03-06-2014 |
20140139116 | LUMINAIRE WITH AMBIENT SENSING AND AUTONOMOUS CONTROL CAPABILITIES - A number of luminaires can be communicably coupled and networked. Some or all of the luminaires may be equipped with a number of sensors including motion sensors. Upon detecting motion of an object in the vicinity of a luminaire, the luminaire can increase the luminous output of the lighting subsystem in the luminaire and communicate a targeted or broadcast output signal to some or all of the remaining luminaires in the network. The output signal may variously contain data indicative of one or more parameters related to motion of the object (direction of travel, velocity, etc.) or one or more parameters related to the increased luminous output of the luminaire. Responsive to the receipt of an output signal generated by another luminaire, the luminaire may autonomously adjust the luminous output of the lighting subsystems responsive to an event detected by the other luminaire. | 05-22-2014 |
20140159585 | LUMINAIRE WITH SWITCH-MODE CONVERTER POWER MONITORING - The power consumption of a switch-mode power converter can be determined based upon at least one of a converter drive signal pulse width or a converter drive signal frequency. Such power consumption can be determined using an algorithm providing a functional relationship between switch-mode power converter power consumption and at least converter drive signal pulse width or frequency. Such algorithms can be either calculated using known component values or empirically determined. Such power consumption may also be determined using store power consumption data in a data store that is indexed by at least one of the converter drive signal pulse width or frequency. | 06-12-2014 |
20140320027 | APPARATUS AND METHOD OF ENERGY EFFICIENT ILLUMINATION - An illumination system correlates solar time to a clock and controls lighting or illumination based on time. The illumination system may turn ON light source(s) at a first level at a turn ON time, correlated to be around or at dusk, and turn OFF light source(s) at a turn OFF time, correlated to be around or at dawn. The illumination system may reduce a level of light output, and hence power consumption, at a time after turning ON a light source, and increases the level of light output at a time prior to turning OFF the light source. Turn ON, turn OFF, decrease and increase times may be determined based on recent levels of light or illumination in the environment, for example via average or median levels over a number of previous daily cycles. Filtering may eliminate aberrant events. | 10-30-2014 |
20150015716 | LONG-RANGE MOTION DETECTION FOR ILLUMINATION CONTROL - An illumination system and methods to control a light source are provided. An illumination system includes a light source, a two-dimensional non-Passive Infrared (non-PIR) imager, and a controller. The light source provides at least two levels of illumination. The non-PIR imager images an area and to produce image data representative of images across at least part of a visible portion of an electromagnetic spectrum. The controller is communicatively coupled to receive the image data from the non-PIR imager and process the received image data to detect at least one ambient environmental characteristic of the area in the part of the visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, where the ambient environmental characteristic is indicative of a presence or imminent presence of a body in the area. The controller is also coupled to control operation of the light source based on, at least in part, detection of the ambient characteristic of the environment. | 01-15-2015 |
20150028693 | PHOTOCONTROL FOR LUMINAIRE CONSUMES VERY LOW POWER - A photocontrol includes a switch that consumes very low power when the switch is turned ON and when it is turned OFF. The photocontrol can provide low-power digital control signals to high-impedance inputs of control devices that control the delivery of power to load devices, such as LED drivers that control the delivery of power to arrays of LEDs. The photocontrol also can provide power signals to control devices that control the delivery of power to light sources, such as electronic transformers that control the delivery of power to fluorescent lamps. The photocontrol may include a comparator that causes the photocontrol to have switching hysteresis. | 01-29-2015 |
20150077019 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR SCHEDULE BASED OPERATION OF A LUMINAIRE - An illumination system verifies controls the operation of a luminaire without the use of any photometric data. The illumination system uses data indicative of a current time, date or latitude to determine one or more aspects of a solar event. Such aspects can include a scheduled, predicted or expected time of occurrence of the scheduled solar event. Responsive to the determination of a scheduled, predicted or expected time of occurrence of the scheduled solar event, a control subsystem can adjust the luminous output of a light source. | 03-19-2015 |
20150078005 | SOLID-STATE LIGHTING DEVICES AND SYSTEMS - A solid-state lighting device for use in lieu of a gas discharge lamp, includes a housing; a lens coupled to the housing; a circuit board; and a plurality of solid-state light emitters carried by the circuit board and arranged to generate light to pass through the lens. An entirety of a form factor of the solid-state lighting device may be located within a cylindrical envelope having a length less than or about equal to an overall length of the gas discharge lamp and a diameter less than or about equal to the overall diameter of the gas discharge lamp. In addition, a light center length of the solid-state lighting device may be about equal to the light center length of the gas discharge lamp. Solid-state light emitters are arrayed with principal axes of emission radially spaced at least partially around and extending from a central axis of the lens. | 03-19-2015 |
20150084520 | APPARATUS AND METHOD OF ENERGY EFFICIENT ILLUMINATION USING RECEIVED SIGNALS - Illumination sources are turned ON and turned OFF in response to detected levels of illumination in an ambient environment reaching respective thresholds, which may be user set. The detection of these turn ON and turn OFF events is verified, for instance against expected events or conditions for the particular location, date and/or time. An alert or log entry may be generated if a detected event or condition appears to be invalid. For instance, if an amount of illumination in the environment is different than predicted by a threshold amount or if a time that the event occurs or is detected is different than expected or predicted by more than a threshold amount. A level of illumination may be decreased to some non-zero level after a specified time after turn ON, and increased at some specified time before turn OFF. Use of information from external sources (e.g., satellites, cell towers) may allow times to be using local time, including daylight savings if applicable. | 03-26-2015 |