Abstract: A method for making a light-emitting diode (LED) emitter module includes providing a substrate and providing two or more groups of LED dies disposed on the substrate. Each group has one or more LED dies, and each of the LED dies is coupled to an electrical contact and electrical paths are configured for feeding separate electrical currents to the groups of LED dies. The method also includes determining information associating a plurality output light colors with a corresponding plurality of combinations of electrical currents, each combination specifying a plurality of electrical current values, each electrical current value being associated with an LED die from one of the two or more groups of LED dies. The method also includes storing the information in the memory device, and providing a circuit for accessing the information in a memory device.

Abstract: An optical system for a multi-color, multi-emitter LED-based lighting device can include a lens array. The lens array can include a number of color-mixing rod members extending parallel to each other along an optical axis, the color-mixing rod members being arranged and spaced so that the rear end of each color-mixing rod member aligns with a different one of the emitters. A beam-forming section can be formed at the front ends of the color mixing rod members. The beam-forming section can include nonplanar (e.g., convex or concave) front surface features, each nonplanar front surface feature being aligned with a front end of a corresponding one of the color-mixing rod members. The beam-forming section and color-mixing rod members can be formed as a unitary structure.

Abstract: An emitter for an LED-based lighting device can incorporate “flip-chip” LEDs, in which all electrical contacts are disposed on the bottom surface of the chip. The emitter base can be a multilayer high-temperature cofired ceramic (HTCC) substrate, with metal traces formed between the layers and vias through the layers to join traces in different layers, thereby providing electrical connectivity to each LED. The paths can be arranged such that current can be supplied independently to different subsets of the LEDs. The top layer of the emitter base is fabricated with exposed vias at the top surface. Metal pads are then printed onto the exposed vias on the top surface, and flip-chip LEDs are bonded to the metal pads, e.g., using solder.

Abstract: An emitter for an LED-based lighting device has multiple groups of LEDs that are independently addressable, allowing the emitter to be tuned to a desired color bin (e.g., a specific white color) by adjusting the relative current supplied to different groups. The LED dies for the groups and a phosphor chip for each LED die are individually selected such that each LED-die/phosphor-chip combination produces light in a desired source region associated with the group to which the LED belongs. Robotic pick-and-place systems can be used to automate assembly of the emitters by selecting LED dies from a bin based on spectral characteristics and phosphor chips from a number of distinct phosphor chip types.

Abstract: A lens system includes a TIR (Total Internal Reflection) lens and a diffuser. The lens has an optical body member including an upper end, a lower end opposite the upper end, and an outer surface. The outer surface is shaped to provide total internal reflection for light from a light source. An upper surface extends in a series of steps from the upper end to a first interior portion of the optical body member. A substantially cylindrical cavity extends from the lower end to a second interior portion of the optical body member. A middle portion separates the first and second interior portions and has a flat upper surface and a curved lower surface. The diffuser has a curved shell configured for disposing over a light source and configured to fit inside the cylindrical cavity of the optical body member, the diffuser having a circular rim fused to the lower end of the optical body member.

Abstract: An optical system for a multi-color, multi-emitter LED-based lighting device can include a lens array. The lens array can include a number of color-mixing rod members extending parallel to each other along an optical axis, the color-mixing rod members being arranged and spaced so that the rear end of each color-mixing rod member aligns with a different one of the emitters. A beam-forming section can be formed at the front ends of the color mixing rod members. The beam-forming section can include nonplanar (e.g., convex or concave) front surface features, each nonplanar front surface feature being aligned with a front end of a corresponding one of the color-mixing rod members. The beam-forming section and color-mixing rod members can be formed as a unitary structure.

Abstract: An emitter for an LED-based lighting device can incorporate “flip-chip” LEDs, in which all electrical contacts are disposed on the bottom surface of the chip. The emitter base can be a multilayer high-temperature cofired ceramic (HTCC) substrate, with metal traces formed between the layers and vias through the layers to join traces in different layers, thereby providing electrical connectivity to each LED. The paths can be arranged such that current can be supplied independently to different subsets of the LEDs. The top layer of the emitter base is fabricated with exposed vias at the top surface. Metal pads are then printed onto the exposed vias on the top surface, and flip-chip LEDs are bonded to the metal pads, e.g., using solder.

Abstract: A method for making a light-emitting diode (LED) emitter module includes providing a substrate and providing two or more groups of LED dies disposed on the substrate. Each group has one or more LED dies, and each of the LED dies is coupled to an electrical contact and electrical paths are configured for feeding separate electrical currents to the groups of LED dies. The method also includes determining information associating a plurality output light colors with a corresponding plurality of combinations of electrical currents, each combination specifying a plurality of electrical current values, each electrical current value being associated with an LED die from one of the two or more groups of LED dies. The method also includes storing the information in the memory device, and providing a circuit for accessing the information in a memory device.

Abstract: A light emitting device can include a substrate with LED chips disposed on a surface of the substrate. The LED chips can include chips of at least four different colors. Electrical paths disposed in part on the substrate and in part within the substrate can connect the LED chips into at least three independently addressable groups, and the number of independently addressable groups can be less than the number of colors of LED chips, so that at least one of the groups includes LED chips of two or more different colors.

Abstract: A substrate for an LED emitter includes a body with a recess region formed therein. Bonding pads are disposed within the recess region, including LED bonding pads for LEDs and supporting chip bonding pads for one or more semiconductor chips that provide supporting circuitry (e.g., driver and/or controller circuitry) to support operation of the LEDs. External electrical contacts can be disposed outside the recess region. Electrical paths, disposed at least partially within the body of the substrate, connect the external electrical contacts to a first subset of the supporting chip bonding pads and connect a second subset of the supporting chip bonding pads to the plurality of LED bonding pads such that one or more supporting chips connected to the controller pads can be operated to deliver different operating currents to different ones of the LEDs.

Abstract: A method for making a light-emitting diode (LED) emitter module includes providing a substrate and providing two or more groups of LED dies disposed on the substrate. Each group has one or more LED dies, and each of the LED dies is coupled to an electrical contact and electrical paths are configured for feeding separate electrical currents to the groups of LED dies. The method also includes determining information associating a plurality output light colors with a corresponding plurality of combinations of electrical currents, each combination specifying a plurality of electrical current values, each electrical current value being associated with an LED die from one of the two or more groups of LED dies. The method also includes storing the information in the memory device, and providing a circuit for accessing the information in the memory device.

Abstract: A light emitting device can include a substrate with LED chips disposed on a surface of the substrate. The LED chips can include chips of at least four different colors. Electrical paths disposed in part on the substrate and in part within the substrate can connect the LED chips into at least three independently addressable groups, and the number of independently addressable groups can be less than the number of colors of LED chips, so that at least one of the groups includes LED chips of two or more different colors.

Abstract: According to some embodiments of the invention, a light-emitting device package includes a body including top and bottom surfaces and a cavity in the body, the cavity extending from the top surface towards the bottom surface and having a floor. The light-emitting device package also includes a plurality of LED (light-emitting-diode) dies disposed on the floor of the cavity. A socket is formed over the plurality of LED dies. The socket includes a top surface, a socket sidewall, and a bottom surface, the socket sidewall disposed between the top surface and the bottom surface of the socket. A lens is disposed over the over the socket. The lens includes two or more optical materials with different indices of refraction. The lens includes a cap and a plug. The cap has an upper surface and a lower surface, and the plug has a lower surface and a plug sidewall between the lower surface of the plug and the lower surface of the cap.

Abstract: An LED-based lamp can be made to have a form factor compatible with fixtures designed for MR16 lamps. Such a lamp can have a housing that provides an external electrical connection. Inside the housing is disposed a single emitter structure having a substrate with multiple light-emitting diodes (LEDs) arranged thereon. Different LEDs produce light of different colors (or color temperatures). For example, at least one LED can produce a warm white light, while at least one other LED produces a cool white light and at least one other LED produces a red light. A total-internal-reflection (TIR) lens is positioned to collect light emitted from the single emitter structure and adapted to mix the light from the LEDs to produce a uniform white light. A diffusive coating is applied to a front face of the TIR lens for further color mixing.

Abstract: A substrate for an LED emitter includes a body with a recess region formed therein. Bonding pads are disposed within the recess region, including LED bonding pads for LEDs and supporting chip bonding pads for one or more semiconductor chips that provide supporting circuitry (e.g., driver and/or controller circuitry) to support operation of the LEDs. External electrical contacts can be disposed outside the recess region. Electrical paths, disposed at least partially within the body of the substrate, connect the external electrical contacts to a first subset of the supporting chip bonding pads and connect a second subset of the supporting chip bonding pads to the plurality of LED bonding pads such that one or more supporting chips connected to the controller pads can be operated to deliver different operating currents to different ones of the LEDs.

Abstract: Methods of fabricating a light-emitting device are provided. A light-emitting device can be formed from bonding a lens including a plug and a cap to an LED package including a socket configured to receive the plug. The lens can be fabricated using an injection mold formed from a well secured to the LED package and injecting a material into the injection mold to cure into a shape of the lens. The lens can also be fabricated using a blank about the shape of the lens and machining the blank to produce the plug and the cap of the lens. The lens can be bonded to the LED package using a convex bead of adhesive deposited on the surface of the LED package and spreading the adhesive between the lens and the LED package.

Abstract: A flexible sheet of light-emitting diode (LED) light emitters includes a support substrate having a thermally conductive material. The flexible sheet of LED light emitters also has an LED emitter sheet overlying the support substrate, and the LED emitter sheet including a plurality of LED light emitters. The flexible sheet of LED light emitters also has a flexible circuit sheet overlying the LED emitter sheet, and a phosphor sheet overlying the flexible circuit sheet. The phosphor sheet includes a wave-length converting material. The flexible sheet of LED light emitters also has a lens sheet overlying the phosphor sheet. The lens sheet includes a plurality of lenses.

Abstract: LED-based light source modules can incorporate color tunability and brightness control, allowing a user to select a desired color temperature and/or brightness and to change either or both dynamically. An emitter can include multiple independently addressable groups of LEDs, each emitting light of a different color. By controlling the relative operating current provided to each group, a desired color temperature can be achieved, and by controlling the absolute operating currents, the brightness of the output light can be controlled. Pulse width modulation (PWM) can be used to control the relative and absolute operating currents. Smooth, gradual transitions between brightness and/or color temperature settings in response to changes can be provided.

Abstract: A package for multiple LED's and for attachment to a substrate includes a body, which includes a top body layer, a cavity disposed through the top body layer and having a floor for bonding to the multiple LED's, and a thermal conduction layer bonded to the top body layer and having a top surface forming the floor of the cavity and a bottom surface. The thermal conduction layer includes a thermally conducting ceramic material disposed between the floor and the bottom surface. The package also includes a plurality of LED bonding pads in direct contact with the floor and configured to bond to the multiple LED's and a plurality of electrical bonding pads in direct contact with the floor, proximate to the LED bonding pads, and in electrical communication with a plurality of electrical contacts disposed on a surface of the body.

Abstract: A substrate for an LED emitter includes a body with a recess region formed therein. Bonding pads are disposed within the recess region, including LED bonding pads for LEDs and supporting chip bonding pads for one or more semiconductor chips that provide supporting circuitry (e.g., driver and/or controller circuitry) to support operation of the LEDs. External electrical contacts can be disposed outside the recess region. Electrical paths, disposed at least partially within the body of the substrate, connect the external electrical contacts to a first subset of the supporting chip bonding pads and connect a second subset of the supporting chip bonding pads to the plurality of LED bonding pads such that one or more supporting chips connected to the controller pads can be operated to deliver different operating currents to different ones of the LEDs.