Lighting Device Supplying Temporally Appropriate Light
AssigneeEnergy Focus, Inc.
InventorRoger F. Buelow, II
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A lighting device operable to supply temporally appropriate light to a user comprises a light socket adapter interposed between a primary socket and a first type of lamp. The primary socket is connected to a switchable supply of electrical power. A first type of lamp includes wavelengths below 530 nm that are suppressive of melatonin production in a user viewing the light. There is a second type of lamp that supplies light substantially all above 530 nm so as to avoid suppressing melatonin production in a user viewing the light. The light socket adapter has at least one mode of operation in which automatic means causes the first and second types of lamp to be exclusively operable during respective predetermined periods of time.
Claims41
A lighting device operable to supply temporally appropriate light to a user, comprising:
- a) a light socket adapter for interposing between a primary socket and a first type of lamp;
- b) said primary socket being connected to a supply of electrical power when an associated power switch is in a power-on state and being disconnected from the supply of electrical power when the associated power switch is in a power-off state;
- c) the light socket adapter including a body portion;
- at least one of a second type of lamp being mounted on said body portion;
- and said body portion having a first type of socket for receiving and supplying power to said first type of lamp;
- d) the first type of lamp supplying light that includes wavelengths below 530 nm that are suppressive of melatonin production in a user viewing said light, and the second type of lamp supplying light that is substantially all above 530 nm so as to avoid suppressing melatonin production in a user viewing the light;
- and
- e) the light socket adapter having at least one mode of operation in which automatic means causes—
- i) only the first type of lamp to be operable during predetermined periods of time when the user determines that melatonin-suppression will not adversely affect the user and only when the power switch is in a power-on state, and
- ii) only the second type of lamp to be operable during predetermined periods of time when avoidance of melatonin suppression is desired by the user and only when the power switch is in a power-on state.
The lighting device of 26, wherein said externally-oriented surface comprises a series of facets extending 360 degrees about said axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.