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US 8,264,155 B2Granted
Solid state lighting devices providing visible alert signals in general illumination applications and related methods of operation
AssigneeCree, Inc.
InventorsGerald H. Negley, Antony P. van de Ven
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A solid state lighting apparatus includes a plurality of light emitting diodes, a sensor configured to output a sensor signal indicative of at least one operating condition of the solid state lighting apparatus, and a control circuit coupled to the sensor. The control circuit is configured to temporarily interrupt electrical current to ones of the plurality of light emitting diodes at respective intervals responsive to the sensor signal indicating that the operating condition does not meet a desired operating threshold to provide a visible indicator thereof in light emitted by the apparatus. Related devices and methods of operation are also discussed.
Claims30
A solid state lighting apparatus, comprising:
- a plurality of light emitting diodes;
- a sensor configured to output a sensor signal indicative of at least one operating condition of the solid state lighting apparatus;
- and
- a control circuit coupled to the sensor and configured to temporarily interrupt electrical current to at least one but not all of the plurality of light emitting diodes responsive to the sensor signal to provide a visible indicator of the operating condition.
1 more element
A solid state lighting apparatus, comprising:
- a plurality of light emitting diodes;
- a sensor configured to output a sensor signal indicative of at least one operating condition of the solid state lighting apparatus;
- and
- a control circuit coupled to the sensor and configured to temporarily interrupt electrical current to at least one but not all of the plurality of light emitting diodes responsive to the sensor signal to provide a visible indicator of the operating condition,
- wherein the control circuit is configured to temporarily interrupt the electrical current for at least two intervals of respective durations sufficient to temporarily interrupt general illumination provided by the solid state lighting apparatus and provide an appearance of a flashing light pattern that is detectable by a human eye in light emitted by the apparatus.
2 more elements
A solid state lighting apparatus, comprising:
- a plurality of light emitting diodes;
- a sensor configured to output a sensor signal indicative of at least one operating condition of the solid state lighting apparatus;
- and
- a control circuit coupled to the sensor and configured to temporarily interrupt electrical current to at least one of the plurality of light emitting diodes responsive to the sensor signal to provide a visible indicator of the operating condition, wherein the control circuit comprises:
- a comparator circuit configured to compare a sensor signal value to a desired operating threshold value, and to either provide a fault signal responsive to the sensor signal value being greater than the desired operating threshold value or provide the fault signal responsive to the sensor signal value being less than the desired operating threshold value;
- and
- a timer circuit configured to provide a switching signal to temporarily interrupt the electrical current at respective intervals responsive to the fault signal.
4 more elements
A solid state lighting apparatus, comprising:
- a plurality of light emitting diodes;
- a sensor configured to output a sensor signal indicative of at least one operating condition of the solid state lighting apparatus;
- and
- a control circuit coupled to the sensor and configured to temporarily interrupt electrical current to at least one but not all of the plurality of light emitting diodes responsive to the sensor signal to provide a visible indicator of the operating condition,
- wherein the sensor signal indicates that the operating condition differs with respect to a desired operating threshold, and
- wherein the control circuit is configured to temporarily interrupt the electrical current to the one of the plurality of light emitting diodes independent of a subsequent value of the sensor signal.
3 more elements
A solid state lighting apparatus, comprising:
- a plurality of light emitting diodes;
- a sensor configured to output a sensor signal indicative of at least one operating condition of the solid state lighting apparatus;
- and
- a control circuit coupled to the sensor, wherein, responsive to the sensor signal, the control circuit is configured to temporarily interrupt electrical current to at least one of the plurality of light emitting diodes for intervals having respective durations to provide a visible indicator of the operating condition,
- wherein the respective durations for which the electrical current is temporarily interrupted and/or a period of the respective intervals are sufficient to reduce a subsequent value of the sensor signal.
2 more elements
A method of operating a solid state lighting apparatus including a plurality of light emitting diodes, the method comprising:
- receiving, from a sensor, a sensor signal indicative of at least one operating condition of the solid state lighting apparatus;
- and
- temporarily interrupting electrical current to at least one but not all of the plurality of light emitting diodes responsive to the sensor signal to provide a visible indicator of the operating condition.
A method of operating a solid state lighting apparatus including a plurality of light emitting diodes, the method comprising:
- receiving, from a sensor, a sensor signal indicative of at least one operating condition of the solid state lighting apparatus, wherein the sensor signal indicates that the operating condition differs with respect to a desired operating threshold;
- and
- temporarily interrupting electrical current to at least one but not all of the plurality of light emitting diodes responsive to the sensor signal to provide a visible indicator of the operating condition, wherein temporarily interrupting the electrical current comprises:
- temporarily interrupting the electrical current for at least two intervals of respective durations sufficient to temporarily interrupt general illumination provided by the solid state lighting apparatus and provide an appearance of a flashing light pattern that is detectable by a human eye in light emitted by the apparatus.
1 more element
A solid state lighting apparatus comprising:
- means for receiving, from a sensor, a sensor signal indicative of at least one operating condition of the solid state lighting apparatus, wherein the sensor signal indicates that the operating condition differs with respect to a desired operating threshold;
- and
- means for temporarily interrupting electrical current to at least one but not all of the plurality of light emitting diodes responsive to the sensor signal to provide a visible indicator of the operating condition, wherein the means for temporarily interrupting the electrical current comprises means for temporarily interrupting the electrical current for at least two intervals of respective durations sufficient to temporarily interrupt general illumination provided by the solid state lighting apparatus and provide an appearance of a flashing light pattern that is detectable by a human eye in light emitted by the apparatus.
A method of operating a solid state lighting apparatus, the method comprising:
- providing general illumination using a plurality of light emitting diodes;
- detecting an operating condition of the solid state lighting apparatus;
- and
- controlling current to at least one but not all of the light emitting diodes in response to detecting the operating condition to provide a visible indicator of the operating condition.
1 more element
A method of operating a solid state lighting apparatus, the method comprising:
- providing general illumination using a plurality of light emitting diodes;
- detecting an operating condition of the solid state lighting apparatus;
- and
- controlling current to at least one but not all of the light emitting diodes in response to detecting the operating condition to provide a visible indicator of the operating condition,
- wherein controlling the current comprises temporarily interrupting the current to the at least one but not all of the light emitting diodes to temporarily interrupt the general illumination and provide the visible indicator of the operating condition, and
- wherein temporarily interrupting the electrical current comprises temporarily interrupting the current for respective durations sufficient such that light emitted by the apparatus provides an appearance of a flashing light pattern that is detectable by a human eye.
3 more elements
A method of operating a solid state lighting apparatus, the method comprising:
- providing general illumination using a plurality of light emitting diodes;
- detecting an operating condition of the solid state lighting apparatus;
- and
- controlling current to at least one of the light emitting diodes in response to detecting the operating condition to provide a visible indicator of the operating condition, wherein controlling the current comprises temporarily interrupting the current to the at least one of the light emitting diodes to temporarily interrupt the general illumination and provide the visible indicator of the operating condition,
- wherein temporarily interrupting the current comprises:
- generating a sensor signal having a signal value indicative of the operating condition;
- comparing the signal value to one or more values indicative of a desired operating range;
- generating a fault signal responsive to the signal value differing with respect to the one or more values indicative of the desired operating range;
- and
- generating a switching signal to temporarily interrupt the current at respective intervals responsive to the fault signal.
7 more elements
A method of operating a solid state lighting apparatus including a plurality of light emitting diodes, the method comprising:
- receiving, from a sensor, a sensor signal indicative of at least one operating condition of the solid state lighting apparatus;
- and
- temporarily interrupting electrical current to at least one of the plurality of light emitting diodes responsive to the sensor signal to provide a visible indicator of the operating condition,
- wherein temporarily interrupting the electrical current comprises:
- comparing a sensor signal value to one or more values indicative of a desired operating range;
- generating a fault signal responsive to the sensor signal value differing from the one or more values indicative of the desired operating range;
- and
- generating a switching signal to temporarily interrupt the electrical current at respective intervals responsive to the fault signal.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.