Abstract: A method and apparatus for an adaptable vehicle light fixture is provided to activate directional illumination aspects of the light fixture based upon sensed characteristics of the vehicle. The vehicle may automatically sense its position, speed, acceleration, heading and angular velocity and may command the light fixture to emit symmetric and/or asymmetric beam patterns based upon the sensed vehicle characteristics. Directional light incident upon the light fixture may also be detected to allow intensity control thereby reducing glare to oncoming traffic. A vehicle light fixture may be pre-configured with lenses and wirelessly programmed for manual and/or automatic operation that is responsive to the pre-configuration. A plurality of vehicles with light fixtures mounted thereon comprise a network of light fixtures that are manually or adaptively controlled as a group.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for an indoor horticultural system that utilizes both a wireless and a wired network to control lighting. The wireless interface is used in a primary mode of operation to control all aspects of lighting including intensity, spectrum and color temperature. The wired interface is used in a secondary mode of operation, whereby an analog signal is used to control the intensity of all LED arrays in each lighting fixture and a digital signal is used to control the intensity of each individual LED array in each lighting fixture. Both the analog and digital signals utilize the same physical interface.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for a light fixture that uses current sharing across any one or more parallel LED strings within the light fixture. A processor determines the current requirements of the one or more LED strings that are needed to produce a given intensity level. The processor then apportions the current generation capability of a power supply across all active LED strings using time division multiple access (TDMA) whereby each LED string conducts its apportioned current within its allocated time slot to the mutual exclusion of the remaining active LED strings in any given time period. The light fixture utilizes LEDs with increased forward voltage interspersed with LEDs having reduced forward voltage in the same LED string. A processor utilizes shunt devices across the one or more LEDs with increased forward voltage to substantially match the cumulative forward voltage of each LED string.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for a horticultural light system for use in a greenhouse where aspects of ambient light in the greenhouse are measured and compared against a prescribed light recipe. A light controller commands a light fixture contained within the greenhouse to augment the ambient light in response to the comparison. Photosynthetic photon flux, light intensity, color temperature and color spectrum among other aspects of light generated by the light fixture are altered by the controller to fill in deficiencies of the ambient light as compared to the prescribed light recipe.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for a light fixture that uses current sharing across any one or more LED strings within the light fixture. A processor may determine the current requirements of the one or more LED strings that are needed to produce a given intensity level. The processor may then apportion the current generation capability of a power supply across all active LED strings using time division multiple access (TDMA) whereby each LED string may conduct its apportioned current within its allocated time slot to the mutual exclusion of the remaining active LED strings in any given time period. The processor may transition from a TDMA mode of operation to a direct drive mode of operation when the time duration of each of the mutually exclusive time slots are substantially equal to each other or within a percentage range of each other.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for a wirelessly controlled, battery powered, universal serial bus (USB) charged, digital multiplex (DMX) master controller with remote device management (RDM) capability. The DMX controller includes a single DMX interface for DMX mastering that is RDM compliant. The DMX controller includes an optional DMX interface that may be used to allow miscellaneous data transfer that may not only include light intensity control information, but other non-lighting control information between serially connected devices using only DMX as a form of communication in a “token ring” arrangement.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for a horticultural light system for use in a greenhouse where aspects of ambient light in the greenhouse are measured and compared against a prescribed light recipe. A light controller commands a light fixture contained within the greenhouse to augment the ambient light in response to the comparison. Photosynthetic photon flux, light intensity, color temperature and color spectrum among other aspects of light generated by the light fixture are altered by the controller to fill in deficiencies of the ambient light as compared to the prescribed light recipe.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for a horticultural light for use in a horticultural facility that projects either a substantially uniform target illuminance onto a flat surface or an increasing target illuminance onto a flat surface that increases as the beam angle increases with respect to the optical axis. The horticultural light uses a refractor to receive the raw light distribution from one or more LEDs and then distributes an optically varied distribution having a minimized intensity at centerbeam with an increasing beam intensity as the beam width increases.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for a lighting network is provided whereby both legacy and next generation lighting may be controlled by a harmonized controller. Wireless controllers are deployed within the lighting network to control the operation of the harmonized controller. Wireless interconnectivity allows each of the wireless controllers to independently command the harmonized controller and allows each wireless controller to correctly display through visible feedback the current status of the lighting network.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for a horticultural light for use in a horticultural facility that uses current sharing across any one or more LED strings within the horticultural light. A processor may determine the current requirements of the one or more LED strings that are needed to produce a given intensity level. The processor may then apportion the current generation capability of a DC-DC converter across all active LED strings using time division multiple access whereby each LED string may conduct its apportioned current within its allocated time slot to the mutual exclusion of the remaining active LED strings in any given time period. The processor may employ analog (continuous) and/or digital (discontinuous) dimming techniques within each time slot to further modulate the amount of current conducted by any LED string within its allocated time slot.

Abstract: An indoor horticultural system includes a grow bed and a lighting system arranged in proximity to the grow bed. The lighting system may include lighting fixtures having an optical axis and a light distribution whose intensity increases as the angle of the generated light increases in relation to the optical axis to increase cross-lighting. Alternately, the lighting system may include lighting fixtures mounted at varying angles and with varying beam widths so as to increase cross-lighting. Series connected light fixtures may include a master light fixture that employs an intensity controller to control the intensity of light generated by each of the series-connected light fixtures, where the intensity controller derives operational power from an LED string contained within the master light fixture.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for a horticultural light for use in a horticultural facility that uses both continuous current control and discontinuous current control to select an intensity for each LED string in the horticultural light. Continuous current control eciis selected when the horticultural light is operating above a threshold intensity and discontinuous current control is selected when the horticultural light is operating below the threshold intensity for enhanced dimming fidelity. A CPU detects the number of LED strings present in the horticultural light and determines the optimal operating voltage for each detected LED string based upon the detected forward voltage of each detected LED string. Based upon the optimal operating voltage determined for each LED string, the CPU may additionally select an optimized current stabilization network for each detected LED string.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for a horticultural light for use in a horticultural facility that projects a substantially uniform target illuminance onto a flat surface or that projects increasing target illuminance onto a flat surface that increases as the beam angle increases with respect to the optical axis. A lens array of the horticultural light mechanically maintains an optimal separation distance between each LED of the horticultural light and the corresponding lens of the lens array. Each lens of the lens array receives the raw light distribution from the LED and then distributes an optically varied distribution having a nominal centerbeam intensity with an increasing beam intensity as the beam width increases. As the distance to target increases, so does the intensity of the light distribution, which projects a substantially uniform target illuminance, or an increasing target illuminance with increasing angle of incidence, onto a flat surface.

Abstract: A phase cut dimming LED driver includes a rectifier, a phase cut hold, a local regulator, controller, a power switch, a transformer, and a load detector. The phase cut hold is connected to the rectifier, one terminal of the primary winding of the transformer, and the local regulator. The controller includes pins connected to the local regulator, the power switch, and the aux winding of the transformer. The power switch is connected to the other terminal of the primary winding. The load detector is connected between the secondary winding of the transformer and a LED. The load detector sends the voltage or current signal of the LED to the controller, and the controller controls the power switch in an uninterrupted mode to keep the current or voltage in a condition to obtain higher PF and lower THD.