US 7,961,113 B2 · Networkable LED-based lighting fixtures and methods for powering and controlling same

Abstract

A lighting fixture, and methods for powering and operating same. The fixture comprises a housing having multiple portions. One or more power and control circuit boards are disposed in a first portion of the housing, comprising one or more switching power supplies for receiving an A.C. line voltage and providing a D.C. output voltage, and a communication protocol converter for receiving first lighting instructions formatted according to a first communication protocol and converting at least some of the first lighting instructions to second lighting instructions formatted according to a second communication protocol. A plurality of modular circuit boards are disposed in the second portion of the housing and coupled to the power and control circuit board(s). Each modular circuit board comprises a plurality of LED-based lighting units coupled to the D.C. output voltage and responsive to the second lighting instructions formatted according to the second communication protocol.

Claims12

Dependent claims

A lighting fixture, comprising:

a housing having a least a first portion and a second portion;
at least one power and control circuit board disposed in the first portion of the housing, the at least one power and control circuit board comprising:
at least one switching power supply for receiving an A.C. line voltage and providing a D.C. output voltage;
and
a communication protocol converter for receiving first lighting instructions formatted according to a first communication protocol and converting at least some of the first lighting instructions to second lighting instructions formatted according to a second communication protocol;
and
a plurality of modular circuit boards disposed in the second portion of the housing and coupled to the at least one power and control circuit board, each modular circuit board of the plurality of modular circuit boards comprising a plurality of LED-based lighting units coupled to the D.C. output voltage and responsive to the second lighting instructions formatted according to the second communication protocol.

4 more elements

A lighting system, comprising:

a first plurality of serially-connected modular lighting fixtures, at least a first modular lighting fixture of the first plurality of serially-connected modular lighting fixtures configured to receive both an A.C. line voltage and Ethernet-based communications via a first single multiple-conductor cable, each modular lighting fixture comprising:
at least one switching power supply to convert the A.C. line voltage to a D.C. output voltage;
a communication protocol converter to convert the Ethernet-based communications to lighting instructions formatted according to a serial-based protocol;
and
a plurality of serially-connected LED-based lighting units coupled to the D.C. voltage for generating variable color, variable color temperature, and/or variable intensity light based on the lighting instructions formatted according to the serial-based protocol.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Networkable LED-based lighting fixtures and methods for powering and controlling same

Life of this patent

Networkable LED-based lighting fixtures and methods for powering and controlling same

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims12