Abstract: Lighting applications which are particularly difficult to light because of “non-standard” target area characteristics or the like would benefit from advancements in lighting design. That being said, conventional wisdom in lighting design has reached a point of diminishing returns in terms of beam control. Envisioned is an LED lighting system designed for precision lighting insomuch that—as compared to state-of-the-art LED lighting fixtures—sharpness of cutoff is improved while in at least some cases simultaneously allowing a steeper cutoff without undesirable beam shift. Furthermore, overall beam dimensions can be tailored fixture-to-fixture for an application without replacing an entire optic system or designing an entirely new fixture, and control of intensity distribution is improved (e.g., by avoiding striations at the edge of beam patterns). Said envisioned LED lighting system employs a number of materials not used in conventional LED lighting systems in novel ways to achieve the aforementioned.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and systems for illumination, including wide area lighting applications. In one embodiment, a method of illumination comprises: comparing metamers at a known and similar CCT with at least one metamer having a higher M/P or S/P ratio; selecting at least one of said metamers for improved perceived brightness; evaluating the selected metamer(s) for desired CCT and acceptable CRI; manufacturing a lighting apparatus which emits light of a given CCT having increased melanopic content compared to one or more extant metameric variations of the same or similar CCT; wherein said light has an acceptable CRI. The method can be applied in various apparatus and systems. In one example, the methods, apparatus, and systems can be used to illuminate a wide area target area with increased perceived brightness compared to typical similar lighting. In some cases, this allows energy savings and/or fewer lighting sources or fixtures than typical lighting.

Abstract: There is a category of situations which may have previously been considered direct replacement but in fact takes on many elements of a true retrofit; namely, replacing existing LED lighting systems (which they themselves were retrofits) with different LED lighting systems that (i) overcome a deficiency or inadequacy of the existing LED lighting system retrofit, (ii) adds a functionality to the existing LED lighting system retrofit, or (iii) reestablishes functionality that would otherwise be lost with the existing LED lighting system retrofit. Discussed herein are means to provide improved glare control, horizontal beam containment, playability and control functionality for interfacing with third party controls in these so-called retrofit-of-a-retrofit, or “upgrade” situations.

Abstract: As lighting systems age the need for retrofits—namely where newer lighting technology is used to replace older or different technology, but where a direct replacement is not possible without some kind of modification to the rest of the lighting system—increases. The residential lighting retrofit market is well established with a one-for-one light source replacement approach that is widely embraced; for example, a table lamp with a failed incandescent bulb can be readily replaced with an LED bulb despite the disparate power requirements because of the onboard driver system, and this avoids having to modify the lamp itself, the outlet, incoming power, etc. No such solution exists for specialized lighting systems such as sports and wide area lighting systems. The present invention is directed to such a solution, and one which is cost effective, easy to implement, and customizable to meet the varying site requirements of such specialized systems.

Abstract: Discussed herein is a new way to light baseball fields or other target areas (e.g., target areas including a plane and an aerial space) according to accepted standards or desired levels which provides both target area lighting and uplighting and in a manner that reduces or eliminates glare for certain playing positions while maintaining lighting levels across both the target area and the aerial space above the target area without necessitating the use of low-mounted uplights.

Abstract: Precision lighting design is a subcategory of lighting design which benefits from a concerted, synergistic effort to improve beam control; sports lighting is one such example. Beam control is improved when all light directing and redirecting devices are considered together, and insomuch that adverse lighting effects are best avoided when considering how all the lighting fixtures in an array interact with one another. To that end, envisioned is a multi-part visoring (i.e., light redirecting) and optic (i.e., light directing) system designed with consideration towards how a fixture lives in a mounted space—how its photometric and physical presence affects other fixtures in or proximate said space—while demonstrating improved beam control over that which is available to general purpose (e.g., indoor residential) lighting.

Abstract: Disclosed and described herein is a sharp cutoff LED lighting luminaire and methods of use thereof. Further disclosed is a modification thereof which allows baseballs or detritus trapped by the luminaire to fall to the ground. In the state of the art often designers will use the same type of LED lighting fixtures at the top of the pole as for low-mounted uplighting; specifically, taking an additional fixture similarly configured, inverting the orientation (i.e., so to project upward instead of downward), and mounting it relatively low on the pole. The envisioned sharp cutoff LED lighting fixture is better suited for low-mounted uplighting insomuch that it reduces back light, haze, internal glow, and perceived glare as compared to current LED lighting fixtures typically used for the same purpose.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and systems for illumination, including wide area lighting applications. In one embodiment, a method of illumination comprises: comparing metamers at a known and similar CCT with at least one metamer having a higher M/P or S/P ratio; selecting at least one of said metamers for improved perceived brightness; evaluating the selected metamer(s) for desired CCT and acceptable CRI; manufacturing a lighting apparatus which emits light of a given CCT having increased melanopic content compared to one or more extant metameric variations of the same or similar CCT; wherein said light has an acceptable CRI. The method can be applied in various apparatus and systems. In one example, the methods, apparatus, and systems can be used to illuminate a wide area target area with increased perceived brightness compared to typical similar lighting. In some cases, this allows energy savings and/or less lighting sources or fixtures than typical lighting.

Abstract: Methods and systems for illuminating areas or objects in areas by manipulating the spectral power distributions (SPDs) of light sources. In one aspect, light of a given desired correlated color temperature (CCT), white in one example, is adjusted by a metamer to a different SPD designed to produce improved perceived brightness by observers. This retains the desired CCT but can allow for such things as reduced number of light fixtures or light sources, less energy, and/or longer effective light source lives for the same perceived brightness of conventional lightings. In another aspect, composite SPD regardless of CCT can be manipulated for other benefits such as highlighting portions of or objects in the area, or improving lighting performance for such things as weather conditions (e.g. snow or fog) or ambient conditions (e.g. twilight).

Abstract: Lighting applications which are particularly difficult to light because of “non-standard” target area characteristics or the like would benefit from advancements in lighting design. That being said, conventional wisdom in lighting design has reached a point of diminishing returns in terms of beam control. Envisioned is an LED lighting system designed for precision lighting insomuch that—as compared to state-of-the-art LED lighting fixtures—sharpness of cutoff is improved while in at least some cases simultaneously allowing a steeper cutoff without undesirable beam shift. Furthermore, overall beam dimensions can be tailored fixture-to-fixture for an application without replacing an entire optic system or designing an entirely new fixture, and control of intensity distribution is improved (e.g., by avoiding striations at the edge of beam patterns). Said envisioned LED lighting system employs a number of materials not used in conventional LED lighting systems in novel ways to achieve the aforementioned.

Abstract: A high-intensity LED lighting system is presented whereby one or more LED lighting fixtures are affixed to an elevating structure, the elevating structure having a substantially continuous internal pathway. Said pathway can be used as a conduit or duct for pressurized air which is introduced at or near the bottom of the elevating structure and forced upwardly toward the lighting fixtures so to provide cooling of one or more components of the lighting fixtures so to, ultimately, improve the efficacy of the LEDs contained therein. A method of designing lighting systems, including analysis of whether or not to add air cooling to increase light source efficiency is also disclosed.