# US 12,193,126 B2 · Linear lighting device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,193,126 B2 - Document ID: US12193126B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/545,178 - Filed: 2023-12-19 - Published: 2024-04-11 - Granted: 2025-01-07 - Earliest claimed: 2020-07-31 - Assignees: Lutron Technology Company LLC - Applicants: Lutron Technology Company LLC - Inventors: Ryan M. Bocock; Fangxu Dong; Ari L. Fox; Christopher M. Green; Peter W. Ogden, Jr.; Stephen Phillips; Jonathan R. Redus; Jaykrishna A. Shukla - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12193126B2 ## CPC - F21S 4/28: rigid, e.g. LED bars - H05B 45/10: Controlling the intensity of the light - F21V 5/007: {Array of lenses or refractors for a cluster of light sources, e.g. for arrangement of multiple light sources in one plane (combination of two or more refractors F21V5/008)} - F21V 7/0091: {using total internal reflection} - F21V 7/04: Optical design - F21V 23/06: the elements being coupling devices {, e.g. connectors} - H05B 47/18: via data-bus transmission - H05B 47/19: via wireless transmission - H05B 47/199: {Commissioning of light sources} - F21S: NON-PORTABLE LIGHTING DEVICES; SYSTEMS THEREOF; VEHICLE LIGHTING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLE EXTERIORS - H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL - F21V: FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS THEREOF; STRUCTURAL COMBINATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES WITH OTHER ARTICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract A linear lighting device may include an elongated housing that defines a cavity. The linear lighting device may include plurality of emitter printed circuit boards configured to be received within the cavity. Each of the plurality of emitter printed circuit boards may include a plurality of emitter modules mounted thereto. Each of the plurality of emitter printed circuit boards may include a control circuit configured to control the plurality of emitter modules mounted to the respective emitter printed circuit board based on receipt of one or more messages. The linear lighting device may include a total internal reflection lens for each of the plurality of emitter printed circuit boards. The total internal reflection lens may be configured to diffuse light emitted by the emitter modules of the plurality of emitter printed circuit boards. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A linear lighting device comprising: an elongated housing defining a cavity extending along a longitudinal axis of the housing; and a plurality of lighting modules, the plurality of lighting modules comprising one or more master modules and one or more drone modules, each of the one or more master modules and one or more drone modules comprising: a printed circuit board configured to be received within the cavity of the housing; a plurality of emitter modules mounted to the printed circuit board in a linear manner, the plurality of emitter modules comprising one or more emitters configured to emit light; a drive circuit mounted to the printed circuit board and configured to conduct drive currents through the one or more emitters of the plurality of emitter modules; and an emitter control circuit mounted to the printed circuit board, the emitter control circuit configured to control the drive circuit to control an intensity of the light emitted by each of the emitter modules; wherein each of the one or more master modules further comprises a serial communication circuit mounted to the respective printed circuit board and configured to receive messages via a serial communication bus; and wherein, in response to the messages received via the serial communication bus, the control circuit of each of the one or more master modules is configured to control the plurality of emitter modules mounted to the printed circuit board of the respective master module and to transmit, to at least one of the one or more drone modules via a respective drone communication bus, messages for control of the plurality of emitter modules of the one or more drone modules. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The linear lighting device of claim 1, wherein the printed circuit boards of each of the respective lighting modules are arranged end-to-end in the cavity of the housing such that the emitter modules are arranged in a linear manner along the longitudinal axis of the housing. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The linear lighting device of claim 2, wherein the printed circuit boards are electrically coupled together such that the drive circuit of each of the plurality of lighting modules is configured to receive the bus voltage on the power bus. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The linear lighting device of claim 3, wherein the emitter control circuit of each of the one or more drone modules is configured to control the plurality of emitter modules mounted to the printed circuit board of the respective drone module based on the messages received via the respective drone communication bus. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The linear lighting device of claim 1, wherein the emitter control circuit of a respective one of the plurality of lighting modules is configured to control each of the plurality of emitter modules on the respective lighting module to one or more of the same lighting intensity or color. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The linear lighting device of claim 1, further comprising a total internal reflection lens for each of the plurality of lighting modules, wherein the total internal reflection lens is configured to diffuse light emitted by the one or more emitters of the respective lighting module. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The linear lighting device of claim 6, wherein a lower surface of the total internal reflection lens comprises a plurality of parallel ridges. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The linear lighting device of claim 7, wherein the plurality of parallel ridges are perpendicular to a length of the housing along the longitudinal axis. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The linear lighting device of claim 1, wherein a first lighting module of the plurality of lighting modules has a length of three inches and a second lighting module of the plurality of lighting modules has a length of four inches. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The linear lighting device of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of lighting modules has a length of three inches or four inches such that the overall length of the linear lighting device is configurable. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The linear lighting device of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of lighting modules has a length of three centimeters or four centimeters such that the overall length of the linear lighting device is configurable. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The linear lighting device of claim 1, wherein each of the one or more master modules is configured to receive the messages from a controller via the serial communication bus, and wherein each of the one or more master modules relays the messages to a least one of the one or more drone modules. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The linear lighting device of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of emitter modules comprises a plurality of emitters and a plurality of detectors mounted to a substrate and encapsulated by a dome. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The linear lighting device of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of lighting modules comprises a receptacle configured to connect adjacent lighting modules of the plurality of lighting modules. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The linear lighting device of claim 14, further comprising a printed circuit board connector that is configured to connect a first lighting module of the plurality of lighting modules to a second lighting module of the plurality of lighting modules via the receptacle. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The linear lighting device of claim 15, wherein the printed circuit board connector is a flat flexible cable jumper. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The linear lighting device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of lighting modules are attached within the cavity defined by the housing using an adhesive. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The linear lighting device of claim 17, wherein the adhesive is thermal tape. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The linear lighting device of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of mounting brackets configured to attach the linear lighting device to a horizontal structure. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The linear lighting device of claim 1, further comprising a cover lens. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The linear lighting device of claim 1, further comprising: an input end cap configured to cover a first end of the cavity of the housing; and an output end cap configured to cover a second end of the cavity of the housing. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) The linear lighting device of claim 1, further comprising an electro-magnetic interference (EMI) shield between the plurality of lighting modules and a lens. ### Claim 23 (depends on 1) The linear lighting device of claim 1, further comprising a reflector configured to direct the light emitted by the plurality of emitter modules toward a lens. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The linear lighting device of claim 23, wherein the printed circuit board of each of the plurality of lighting modules comprises mounting studs that are configured to secure the reflector within the linear lighting device. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The linear lighting device of claim 24, wherein the reflector is soldered to a pair of mounting studs on at least one printed circuit board of the plurality of lighting modules. ### Claim 26 (depends on 24) The linear lighting device of claim 24, wherein the reflector comprises slots at opposed ends that are configured to receive the mounting studs of the at least one printed circuit board. ### Claim 27 (depends on 1) The linear lighting device of claim 1, wherein the linear lighting device comprises one master module and a plurality of drone modules, wherein each of the plurality of drone modules has one of the emitter printed circuit boards having one of the emitter control circuits and one or more emitter modules mounted thereto, the master module comprising one of the emitter printed circuit boards having a master control circuit, the serial communication circuit, one of the emitter control circuits, and one or more emitter modules mounted thereto, the master control circuit configured to control a plurality of emitter control circuits of the plurality of emitter printed circuit boards, the master control circuit configured to: transmit a first control message to a first emitter control circuit of the plurality of emitter control circuits; measure, after sending the first control message, a first voltage on a communication line; transmit a second control message to a second emitter control circuit of the plurality of emitter control circuits; measure, after sending the second control message, a second voltage on the communication line; and determine an order of the drone modules that are communicatively coupled to the master module based on the first voltage and the second voltage. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The linear lighting device of claim 27, wherein the communication line is an interrupt request (IRQ) line. ### Claim 29 (depends on 27) The linear lighting device of claim 27, wherein the first control message indicates a first command instructing the first emitter control circuit to pull an output port connected to the communication line low. ### Claim 30 (depends on 27) The linear lighting device of claim 27, wherein the second control message indicates a second command instructing the second emitter control circuit to pull an output port connected to the communication line low. ### Claim 31 (depends on 27) The linear lighting device of claim 27, wherein the master control circuit is further configured to determine whether a voltage has been measured on the communication line for each of the plurality of emitter control circuits. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) The linear lighting device of claim 31, wherein the master control circuit determines the order of the drone modules when the communication line voltage has been measured for each of the plurality of emitter control circuits. ### Claim 33 (depends on 27) The linear lighting device of claim 27, wherein the order of the drone modules is determined in ascending order of measured voltage. ### Claim 34 (depends on 27) The linear lighting device of claim 27, wherein the master control circuit is configured to: receive, from a power supply via the serial communication circuit, a synchronization pulse that indicates a length of a synchronization frame; generating, based on the synchronization pulse, a timing signal that indicates a synchronization period during which a first plurality of emitters of each of the plurality of drone modules are able to synchronize; and sending, to the plurality of drone modules via a synchronization line, the generated timing signal. ### Claim 35 (depends on 34) The linear lighting device of claim 34, wherein the synchronization pulse indicates a communication period between successive synchronization pulses. ### Claim 36 (depends on 35) The linear lighting device of claim 35, wherein the communication period indicates when the master module can send feedback to a control device. ### Claim 37 (depends on 35) The linear lighting device of claim 35, wherein the master control circuit is configured to send, via the serial communication circuit, feedback to a control device. ### Claim 38 (depends on 34) The linear lighting device of claim 34, wherein the synchronization frame corresponds with a zero crossing of an AC mains voltage received by a control device. ### Claim 39 (depends on 34) The linear lighting device of claim 34, further comprising: a second plurality of emitters; and an emitter control circuit configured to control the second plurality of emitters, wherein the second plurality of emitters are configured to synchronize according to the generated timing signal.