Abstract: The present invention provides an optical device configured for the creation of an asymmetric illumination beam pattern while additionally mixing the light created by two or more light-emitting elements. The optical device comprises a reflector body which extends between an entrance aperture and an exit aperture, wherein the two or more light emitting elements are positioned relative to the entrance aperture and light is reflected within the reflector body exiting at the exit aperture. The reflector body includes a first pair of walls including symmetric reflective elements and a second pair of walls orthogonal to the first pair of walls, wherein the second pair of walls includes asymmetric reflective elements. The first pair of walls provides a means for mixing the light generated by the two of more light-emitting elements and generating a symmetric beam pattern about a first axis.

Abstract: The light source comprises one or more first light-emitting elements for generating light having a first wavelength range and one or more second light-emitting elements for generating light having a second wavelength range. The first light-emitting elements and second light-emitting elements are responsive to separate control signals provided thereto. A control system receives a signal representative of the operating temperature from one or more sensing devices and determines first and second control signals based on the desired colour of light and the operating temperature. The light emitted by the first and second light-emitting elements as a result of the received first and second control signals can be blended to substantially obtain the desired colour of light. The desired colour of light generated can thus be substantially independent of junction temperature induced changes in the operating characteristics of the light-emitting elements.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for controlling the activation of an electronic device. For a desired activation ratio, which defines the “ON” time relative to the “OFF” time of the electronic device for a given time period, the method and apparatus according to the present invention evaluates an activation sequence. The activation sequence comprises two or more activation time periods and one or more deactivation periods, wherein the ratio between the two or more activation periods and the predetermined time period is equivalent to the desired activation ratio.

Abstract: The present invention combines point light sources in combination with a light guide element and light redirecting elements into a system which can emit light across one or more extended surfaces of the light guide and may be designed to be able to emit light uniformly across the extended surfaces. The system comprises one or more light-emitting elements and a light guide in which are defined one or more voids. The light-emitting elements are optically coupled to the light guide by positioning them adjacent to a surface of the light guide, or by positioning them proximal to one or more of the voids. One or more light-emitting elements can be optically coupled to one void such that they emit light into the light guide substantially through that void and not through any other void of the one or more voids.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for optical feedback control for an illumination device, wherein the control signal for each array of one or more light-emitting elements corresponding to a particular colour, is independently configured using a modification signal whose frequency is different for each colour. Electronic filters whose center frequencies are substantially equal to the modification signal frequencies of the drive currents for the light-emitting elements are used to discriminate between the radiant flux corresponding to each of the different colours of light-emitting elements, from a sample of the mixed radiant flux output collected by one or more optical sensors. The output of an individual electronic filter is substantially directly proportional to the radiant flux output of the light-emitting elements of the associated colour, which together with the desired luminous flux and chromaticity of the output light, the controller can use to adjust the control signals.

Abstract: The invention provides an apparatus for sampling and determining characteristics of a light source. The apparatus comprises a sensor system configured to sample the spatial and spectral radiation characteristics of the light source and a goniometer that is configured to desirably control and adjust the relative position between the sensor system and the light source. The goniometer is configured to position the sensor system relative to the light source using two or more degrees of freedom. The apparatus additionally includes a control system configured to control the operation of the sensor system and the sampling of the spatial and spectral radiation characteristics of the light source. The control system is further configured to control operation of the goniometer for the relative positioning of the sensor system and the light source.

Abstract: The present invention provides a drive and control apparatus provides a desired switched current to a load including a string of one or more electronic devices. A voltage conversion means, based on an input control signal converts the magnitude of the voltage from the power supply to another magnitude that is desired at the high side of the load. A dimming control means provides control for activation and deactivation of the load and may further provide a means for current limiting. A feedback means is coupled to the voltage conversion means and a current sensing means and provides a control signal to the voltage conversion means that is indicative of voltage drop across the current sensing means which represents the current flowing through the load. Based on the control signal received, the voltage conversion means can subsequently adjust its output voltage such that a constant switched current is provided to the load.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for controlling the thermal stress in lighting devices, for example light-emitting elements, that are exposed to large thermal gradients typically upon start-up, for example light-emitting elements operating in relatively cold ambient environments. The present invention provides an apparatus that can reduce this thermal stress, wherein the apparatus comprises a temperature determination mechanism for evaluating the temperature of the light-emitting elements prior to activation, and a control system to control the drive current such that it is gradually ramped up to the desired steady state peak current value, wherein the ramping of the drive current is dependent on the evaluated temperature of the light-emitting element.

Abstract: The present invention provides a solid-state lighting network with one or more master controllers and one or more nodes which are interconnected by an interconnect system. The one or more nodes and the one or more master controllers are configured to generate messages and exchange the messages via the interconnect system. Each message comprises a message code and optional parameters.

Abstract: The present invention provides an electronic device package that can be fabricated using standard package fabrication technologies while providing a desired level of thermal transfer capability to an attachable thermal management system. The electronic device package according to the present invention comprises a housing that is specifically designed to couple with an evaporator portion of a thermal management system, for example a heat pipe. One or more electronic devices are mounted in thermal contact with the evaporator portion of the thermal management system. Upon completion of the fabrication of the package using standard techniques, the evaporator portion of the electronic device package is operatively coupled with a secondary portion of the thermal management system. In this manner the electronic device package can be fabricated to incorporate a desired thermal management system, while being fabricated using standard package fabrication processes and machinery.

Abstract: The present invention provides a parallel pulse code modulation system enabling the independent control of a plurality of groups of one or more electronic devices. A memory unit receives control data from an external source, and a multiplexer connected to the memory unit receives control data therefrom and organizes it into a serial data stream. A shift register connected to the multiplexer receives the serial data stream and translates groups of data into parallel data stream output, representing control parameters for a particular group of one or more electronic devices. A latch connected to the shift register and to the groups of electronic devices receives each parallel data stream output and sends a particular parallel data stream output to a corresponding group electronic devices. A logic sequencer provides sequencing and timing signals to the memory unit, the multiplexer, the shift register and the latch.

Abstract: The present invention provides an integrated power and control unit for use with a solid-state lighting device. The integrated power and control unit comprises a power input and a data input. The power input receives power from a power source, wherein this power is configured in a first power format and the data input receives control data from a control data source, wherein the control data is configured in a first data format. The integrated power and control unit further comprises a translation device coupled to the power input and the data input. The translation device is configured to convert the power in the first power format to power in a second power format and further configured to convert the control data in the first data format to control data in a second data format.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for adaptive control of a solid-state lighting system consisting of one or more groups of one or more light-emitting elements The invention comprises a voltage control device to provide each group with an independently controllable voltage A feedback system to detect and generate a signal representative of drive currents through the one or more groups A computing device then adaptively evaluates, based on the signal, a required voltage that achieves a desired respective drive current in each of the one or more groups.

Abstract: A light source is configured to send a beacon signal representative of the unique identifier thereof, on command, constantly or at a predetermined interval. The beacon signal is integrated into the light emitted by the light source, wherein the integration of the beacon signal is performed in a manner that visible flicker of the resultant light is imperceptible. A remote detection unit is configured to receive the light and extract the beacon signal therefrom. In this manner the remote detection device is capable of wirelessly determining the unique identifier of a light source. The collected unique identifier of the light source can subsequently be provided to a controller associated with the light source, thereby providing individual control of the light source by the controller. Through the use of electronic data transfer from the remote detection unit to the controller, the provision of the one or more unique identifiers to the controller can be enabled in an efficient and accurate manner.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for scaling the average drive current supplied to a light-emitting element or string thereof by coupling a scaling signal to an original control signal thereby generating an effective control signal for control of the light-emitting element(s). The scaling signal can be a modulated signal, for example a Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) signal, Pulse Code Modulation (PCM) signal, or other signal and modifies the original control signal to produce an effective control signal. The effective control signal is subsequently used to control the supply of power to the light-emitting element(s) from a power source via a switching device. The effective control signal essentially modifies the ON time of the light-emitting element(s), thereby modifying the average drive current passing through the light-emitting element(s).

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for controlling the correlated colour temperature (CCT) or colour of light produced by an array of light-emitting elements by providing multiple selectable paths for the flow of drive current. The apparatus includes a primary path comprising primary light-emitting elements, and one or more secondary paths comprising secondary light-emitting elements that are used for compensation or correction of the colour of light emitted by the primary light-emitting elements. A plurality of control means, for example switches are used to direct current through particular paths. During operation, the drive current primarily flows through the primary light-emitting elements and is redirected, periodically for example, to a secondary path comprising light-emitting elements of a particular colour that is desired in addition to the colour produced by the primary light-emitting elements.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method for controlling one or more light-emitting elements which are driven by forward currents to generate mixed light for use, for example, through a luminaire. The system has one or more light sensors for acquiring feedback optical sensor data and a user interface for providing reference data representative of a desired mixed light. The system also has a controller for transforming either the sensor data or the reference data into the coordinate space of the other and to determine a difference between the sensor and the reference data in that coordinate space. The controller is configured to adjust the forward currents during operating conditions so that the sensor data matches the setpoint data. The present invention also provides a system and method that can at least partially compensate certain temperature induced effects when transforming the optical sensor or the reference data.

Abstract: The driving and control device provides a desired switched current to a load including two or more strings of one or more electronic devices. The device includes one or more voltage converters which convert the magnitude of the voltage from the power supply to another magnitude that is desired at the high side of the load. The device may also include one or more dimming controls which provide control of the activation and deactivation of the load. The device may further include a feedback signal to the voltage converter that is indicative of the current flowing through the load. Based on the feedback signal received, the voltage converter can subsequently adjust its output voltage such that a constant switched current is provided to the load.

Abstract: The present invention provides an illumination module comprising one or more light-emitting elements which are thermally coupled to one or more heat extraction elements. The one or more heat extraction elements are configured to transfer heat in substantially a first direction. One or more optical elements are further integrated into the illumination module, wherein the one or more optical elements are optically coupled to the one or more light-emitting elements and configured to redirect the light emitted by the one or more light-emitting elements in substantially the first direction.

Abstract: The present invention provides a programmable lighting system comprising a plurality of light-emitting elements and a controller responsive to a hierarchically encoded data input stream. The controller determines and provides appropriate control signals for controlling the characteristics of the light generated by the plurality of light-emitting elements operatively coupled thereto. The data input stream may use a DMX512 or other network protocol and can be hierarchically encoded by varying the value of the START code of the data packets. When a DMX512 or other data packet with a NULL START code or “color” packet is received by the controller, the controller interprets the frames to be intensity control data wherein each frame can correspond to a particular light-emitting element or group of light-emitting elements. The color packet can provide data for the generation of a particular temporal color sequence or a temporal color sequence that is random or any other lighting sequence.