LED-based lighting network power control methods and apparatus

A method, comprising acts of:

• A) distributing a DC supply voltage to at least first and second apparatus to provide a power source;
• B) in each of the first and second apparatus, generating first radiation having a first spectrum from at least one first LED;
• C) transmitting to both the first and second apparatus at least one radiation control signal that includes information representing a first intensity of the first radiation generated by each of the first and second apparatus;
• and
• D) in each of the first and second apparatus, controlling the first intensity of the first radiation, in response to the at least one radiation control signal, without monitoring or regulating a first voltage or a first current provided to the at least one first LED,
• wherein the act D) further comprises:
• storing input energy derived from the power source to at least on energy transfer element;
• providing output energy from the at least one energy transfer element to the at least one first LED;
• and
• controlling at least the input energy stored to the at least one energy transfer element via at least one switch coupled to the at least one energy transfer element.

A network, comprising:

• a distributed AC line voltage;
• at least first and second apparatus coupled to the distributed AC line voltage, each of the first and second apparatus including:
• at least one first LED configured to generate first radiation having a first spectrum;
• and
• a first feed-forward driver coupled to the at least one first LED and configured to control a first intensity of the first radiation without monitoring or regulating a first voltage or a first current provided to the at least one first LED, the first feed-forward driver comprising at least one energy transfer element to store input energy derived from the power source and to provide output energy to the at least one first LED and at least one switch coupled to the at least one energy transfer element to control at least the input energy stored to the at least one energy transfer element;
• and
• at least one network controller, coupled to each of the first and second apparatus, to generate at least one radiation control signal that includes information representing the first intensity of the first radiation generated by each of the first and second apparatus.

A method, comprising acts of:

• A) distributing an AC line voltage to at least first and second apparatus;
• B) in each of the first and second apparatus, generating first radiation having a first spectrum from at least one first LED;
• C) transmitting to both the first and second apparatus at least one radiation control signal that includes information representing a first intensity of the first radiation generated by each of the first and second apparatus;
• and
• D) in each of the first and second apparatus, controlling the first intensity of the first radiation, in response to the at least one radiation control signal, without monitoring or regulating a first voltage or a first current provided to the at least one first LED,
• wherein the act D) comprises:
• storing input energy derived from the power source to at least on energy transfer element;
• providing output energy from the at least one energy transfer element to the at least one first LED;
• and
• controlling at least the input energy stored to the at least one energy transfer element via at least one switch coupled to the at least one energy transfer element.