Fluid-cooled LED-based lighting methods and apparatus for controlled environment agriculture with integrated cameras and/or sensors and wireless communications

A fluid-cooled LED-based lighting fixture, comprising:

• an extruded aluminum frame including at least a first channel formed therein, a second channel formed therein, and at least one enclosed cavity formed therein, the extruded aluminum frame further including a fin protruding from the frame and having a plurality of holes to facilitate mechanical coupling of the lighting fixture to at least one support structure;
• at least one LED light source mechanically supported by the extruded aluminum frame, the at least one LED comprising:
• a first plurality of LEDs to provide illumination in an environment of the lighting fixture during operation of the lighting fixture;
• and
• a second plurality of LEDs to irradiate at least one object in the environment of the lighting fixture with at least:
• a first wavelength or first wavelength band of radiation;
• and
• a second wavelength or second wavelength band of radiation different from the first wavelength or first wavelength band of radiation;
• a first copper pipe to carry a fluid coolant to extract heat generated by at least the at least one LED light source during operation of the lighting fixture, wherein the first copper pipe is press-fit into the first channel of the extruded aluminum frame so as to establish a first thermal connection between the first copper pipe and the extruded aluminum frame;
• a second copper pipe to carry the fluid coolant, wherein the second copper pipe is press-fit into the second channel of the extruded aluminum frame so as to establish a second thermal connection between the second copper pipe and the extruded aluminum frame;
• control circuity, disposed in the at least one enclosed cavity of the extruded aluminum frame, to receive AC power and to control the at least one LED light source;
• at least one camera disposed in or on the extruded aluminum frame;
• at least one wireless communications device disposed in or on the extruded aluminum frame;
• and
• a plurality of ports, electrically coupled to at least some of the control circuitry, to provide DC power to at least one auxiliary device coupled to at least one of the plurality of ports,
• wherein the second plurality of LEDs facilitates sensing, by the at least one camera, of reflected or emitted radiation reflected or emitted by the at least one object in the environment in response to irradiation by the second plurality of LEDs.

A lighting and imaging system, comprising:

• a first housing;
• a first LED light source, mechanically supported by the first housing, to illuminate a plant with photosynthetically active radiation (PAR);
• a multi spectral imaging module comprising:
• a second housing coupled to the first housing;
• at least one of a camera or a sensor disposed in the second housing;
• a second LED light source, disposed in the second housing, to irradiate at least one object in an environment of a lighting fixture to facilitate sensing, by the at least one camera or sensor, of reflected or emitted radiation reflected or emitted by the at least one object in response to irradiation by the second LED light source, the second LED light source comprising:
• at least one first LED to emit first essentially monochromatic or relatively narrowband radiation;
• and
• at least one second LED to emit second essentially monochromatic or relatively narrowband radiation different from the first essentially monochromatic or relatively narrowband radiation;
• and
• at least one processor, coupled to the second LED light source and the at least one of the camera or the sensor, to sequentially control the at least one first LED and the at least one second LED and monitor the at least one camera or sensor by:
• A) controlling the at least one first LED to emit the first essentially monochromatic or relatively narrowband radiation to irradiate the at least one object;
• B) during A), acquiring first information from the at least one of the camera or the sensor representing first reflected or emitted radiation from the at least one object based on the first essentially monochromatic or relatively narrowband radiation irradiating the at least one object;
• C) controlling the at least one second LED to emit the second essentially monochromatic or relatively narrowband radiation;
• and
• D) during C), acquiring second information from the at least one of the camera or the sensor representing second reflected or emitted radiation from the at least one object based on the second essentially monochromatic or relatively narrowband radiation irradiating the at least one object.

A method for controlling a lighting and imaging system to illuminate and acquire images of an agricultural environment, the lighting and imaging system comprising:

• a fluid-cooled first LED light source to illuminate at least one plant with photosynthetically active radiation (PAR);
• and
• a multi spectral imaging module coupled to the fluid-cooled first LED light source and comprising:
• at least one of a camera or a sensor;
• and
• a second LED light source comprising:
• at least one first LED to emit first essentially monochromatic or relatively narrowband radiation;
• and
• at least one second LED to emit second essentially monochromatic or relatively narrowband radiation different from the first essentially monochromatic or relatively narrowband radiation,
• the method comprising:
• A) controlling the at least one first LED to emit the first essentially monochromatic or relatively narrowband radiation to irradiate the at least one plant;
• B) during A), acquiring first information from the at least one of the camera or the sensor representing first reflected or emitted radiation from the at least one plant based on the first essentially monochromatic or relatively narrowband radiation irradiating the at least one plant;
• C) controlling the at least one second LED to emit the second essentially monochromatic or relatively narrowband radiation;
• and
• D) during C), acquiring second information from the at least one of the camera or the sensor representing second reflected or emitted radiation from the at least one plant based on the second essentially monochromatic or relatively narrowband radiation irradiating the at least one plant.