US 7,521,667 B2Granted

Intelligent solid state lighting

AssigneeAdvanced Optical Technologies, LLC

InventorsJack C. Rains, Jr., Don F. May, David P Ramer

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A light fixture, using one or more solid state light emitting elements utilizes a diffusely reflect chamber to provide a virtual source of uniform output light, at an aperture or at a downstream optical processing element of the system. Systems disclosed herein also include a detector, which detects electromagnetic energy from the area intended to be illuminated by the system, of a wavelength absent from a spectrum of the combined light system output. A system controller is responsive to the signal from the detector. The controller typically may control one or more aspects of operation of the solid state light emitter(s), such as system ON-OFF state or system output intensity or color. Examples are also discussed that use the detection signal for other purposes, e.g. to capture data that may be carried on electromagnetic energy of the wavelength sensed by the detector.

Claims41

Dependent claims

A lighting system, comprising:

an optical integrating cavity having a reflective interior surface, at least a portion of which exhibits a diffuse reflectivity, and having an optical aperture for allowing emission of reflected light from within the interior of the optical integrating cavity into a region to facilitate a humanly perceptible lighting application for the system;
at least one solid state light emitting element for emitting visible light, each solid state light emitting element being coupled to supply visible light to enter the optical integrating cavity in such a manner that substantially all light emitted from each solid state light emitting element reflects diffusely at least once within the interior of the optical integrating cavity before emission through the optical aperture toward the region;
a detector for detecting electromagnetic energy from the region of a wavelength at least substantially absent from a spectrum of the reflected light;
and
a controller for controlling an amount of visible light supplied to the cavity by the at least one solid state light emitting element,
wherein the controller receives a detection signal from the detector.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 11/593,015Filed 6 Nov 2006 · continuation in part
Priority: 23 Jun 2003
Published: US 2007/0045524 A11 Mar 2007
Granted: 21 Apr 2009
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification53 codes

F21V 7/0008
Reflectors for light sources: providing for indirect lighting
F21K 9/62
Optical arrangements integrated in the light source, e.g. for improving the colour rendering index or the light extraction: using mixing chambers,…
F21K 9/68
Optical arrangements integrated in the light source, e.g. for improving the colour rendering index or the light extraction: details of reflectors…
F21S 2/00
Systems of lighting devices, not provided for in main groups f21s4/00 -

Family

Application10/601,101Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 23 Jun 2003
Application10/832,464Parent of this continuation · filed 27 Apr 2004
Application11/294,564Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 6 Dec 2005
US 2007/0045524 A1Pre-grant publication · published 1 Mar 2007
US 7,148,470 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 6,995,355 B2Parent of this continuation
Application11/294,564Parent of this continuation
US 7,145,125 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part
Application10/832,464Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 2005/0156103 A1Published application
US 2005/0161586 A1Published application
US 2006/0081773 A1Published application
US 7,521,667 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.