Abstract: An electrical circuit for driving a light emitting diode (LED) string is described. The electrical circuit includes a first LED string having one or more color LED strings. A first current control transistor is coupled in series with the first LED string. A color bypass transistor may couple in parallel to one of the one or more color LED strings. A second LED string may also be coupled to the first LED string at an anode terminal of both LED strings. The second LED string may be coupled in parallel with a string bypass transistor and in series with a second current control transistor. Connection interfaces to control terminals of the first current control transistor, the color bypass transistor, the second current control transistor, and the string bypass transistor enable a control device to operate these transistors in linear mode to drive the LED strings.

Abstract: An electrical circuit is disclosed and methods for controlling the same. The electrical circuit may comprise a plurality of color strings coupled in series, where each color string has at least one lamp, preferably a light emitting diode. Improved efficiency may be accomplished in some embodiments using certain of the disclosed systems and methods.

Abstract: Lamp color matching and control systems and methods are described. One embodiment includes a lighting node and a controller. The lighting node can include a plurality of light emitting diodes configured for illumination and further configured for optical communication with the controller, a communicator configured for radio communication with the controller, a memory configured to store a node identifier, a control logic, and a temperature sensor. The controller can include an optical sensor configured to sense the correlated color temperature and brightness of the lighting node and further configured for optical communication with the lighting node, and a communicator configured for radio communication with the lighting node. The controller can calibrate the lighting node as well as perform light copy and paste, light following, and light harvesting operations with the lighting node.

Abstract: An electrical circuit for driving a light emitting diode (LED) string is described. The electrical circuit includes a first LED string having one or more color LED strings. A first current control transistor is coupled in series with the first LED string. A color bypass transistor may couple in parallel to one of the one or more color LED strings. A second LED string may also be coupled to the first LED string at an anode terminal of both LED strings. The second LED string may be coupled in parallel with a string bypass transistor and in series with a second current control transistor. Connection interfaces to control terminals of the first current control transistor, the color bypass transistor, the second current control transistor, and the string bypass transistor enable a control device to operate these transistors in linear mode to drive the LED strings.

Abstract: A method for communication between a lighting node and a controller is described. One embodiment of the method includes transmitting a command from the controller based on a target illumination profile stored on the controller to the lighting node utilizing a controller radio device and receiving the command from the controller at the lighting node utilizing a node radio device. The method may also include generating illumination having a spectral content from the lighting node utilizing at least a light emitting diode; and receiving the spectral content from the lighting node at the controller utilizing an optical sensor.

Abstract: A lighting system is described. The lighting system includes a lamp and a first container including a first phase change material thermally connected to the lamp. Heat generated by the lamp during operation is conducted to the first phase change material. The system also includes a second container including a second phase change material thermally connected to the lamp. Heat generated by the lamp during operation is also conducted to the second phase change material, and the second phase change material has a transition point temperature lower than the transition point temperature of the first phase change material of the first container to account for a temperature drop between the second container and the first container. The lighting system also includes a temperature sensor for reducing lamp power if the lamp becomes too hot, and a mounting bracket which may also conduct heat away from the lamp.

Abstract: A linear light module that uses a thermally conductive housing for dissipating heat generated by a lighting source within the housing is described. Light is thermally coupled away from the lighting source via a thermally conductive heating block. The heating block is thermally coupled to a thermally conductive heat pipe that runs along the length of the housing, where the length of the housing is substantially the same length as the linear light module. The housing is extruded to include a channel that runs the length of the housing for holding the heat pipe. Because the housing is long, the heat is easily conducted from the housing.

Abstract: A linear light module having an optical coupling element and a light pipe is described. The optical coupling element receives light emitted by multiple light emitting diodes (LEDs) having different emission wavelengths and couples the light efficiently to a linear light pipe. The light from the LEDs is efficiently mixed by the optical coupling element and the light pipe to produce a linear light output that is uniform in color and intensity. Light diffusers can be used with the optical coupling element and light pipe at various locations to further enhance the uniformity of the emitted light. Novel techniques for manufacturing the light diffusers that use patterning of a suspension solution or injection molding are described.

Abstract: Light source systems and methods of operating the light source systems are disclosed. A light source system may include a combination of two lighting modules in communication with each other. The lighting modules can operate in concert, in parallel, or as master or slave. A printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) of the light source system includes electrical circuitry to drive a set of light emitting diodes (LEDs). The PCBA can include a communication interface for communication amongst the lighting modules. The PCBA can also include an optical sensor to provide color spectrum feedback to a controller module for self calibration. A master PCBA can receive sensor feedbacks, such as thermal and optical feedbacks from a slave PCBA. The sensor feedbacks can then be used to tune a color spectrum of a slave lighting module including calibrating the slave lighting module.

Abstract: A linear light module having an optical coupling element and a light pipe is described. The optical coupling element receives light emitted by multiple light emitting diodes (LEDs) having different emission wavelengths and couples the light efficiently to a linear light pipe. The light from the LEDs is efficiently mixed by the optical coupling element and the light pipe to produce a linear light output that is uniform in color and intensity. Diffusers can be used with the optical coupling element and light pipe at various locations to further enhance the uniformity of the emitted light.

Abstract: A lighting system comprising multiple linear lighting module building blocks is described. A lighting module is designed to emit light in a linear configuration, and multiple lighting modules are concatenated to emit light in a single linear configuration. A mechanical coupling system allows the lighting modules to be inserted into the linear configuration from a direction perpendicular to the linear configuration. The housing of the lighting modules is designed to allow the module to be clipped together in the linear configuration.

Abstract: One heat removal assembly includes a plurality of fins configured to receive heat from a light emitting diode. In the plurality of fins, two adjacent fins are separated by a gap width, and each fin has a fin length. The heat removal assembly also includes a duct configured to draw a stack-effect airflow through the plurality of fins to remove heat from the plurality of fins. The gap width separating two adjacent fins and the fin length of each of the fins are configured to prevent boundary layer choking the plurality of fins. The heat removal assembly also includes a conductor and a thermal storage system configured to receive heat from the light emitting diode.

Abstract: An active cooling assembly is described. One embodiment of the active cooling assembly includes a fin configured to enable convective heat transfer to an airflow passing over the fin. A boundary layer accumulates between the fin and the airflow, and the boundary layer includes a region of heated air attached to a side of the fin. The embodiment also includes a blade configured to oscillate proximate to the fin to shear the boundary layer that accumulates between the fin and the airflow. The region of heated air is sheared from the side of the fin so that the impedance attributable to the boundary layer of the convective heat transfer from the fin to the airflow is reduced. The fin is coupled to a stationary arm, and the blade is coupled to a swing arm. The swing arm and a spring are driven at a resonant frequency by an actuator.

Abstract: A lighting and control system is described. One embodiment of the lighting and control system includes a controller. The controller may include an optical sensor configured to sense illumination from the lighting node, wherein the lighting node includes one or more light-emitting diodes; a memory configured to store a target color profile for the lighting node; and a radio device configured for radio communication with the lighting node including for communicating a color adjustment command to the lighting node based on the stored target color profile and the sensed illumination.

Abstract: Systems and methods for using an LED-based lamp for reproducing a target light are disclosed. A color-space searching technique is introduced here that enables the LED-based lamp to be tuned to generate light at a specific CCT by adjusting the amount of light contributed by each of the LED strings in the lamp. The target light is decomposed into different wavelength bands, and light generated by the LED-based lamp is also decomposed into the same wavelength bands and compared. The color-searching techniques allow the LED-based lamp to closely emulate a black body radiator given the limitations of the physical specification of color string in the LED strings.

Abstract: An electrical circuit is disclosed. The electrical circuit comprises a plurality of color strings coupled in series, where each color string has at least one lamp, preferably a light emitting diode. The color strings may be of dissimilar length and may contain light emitting diodes of different colors. In one embodiment, a switch coupled in parallel with one of the color strings is configured to shunt power away from the color string to a power supply. In another embodiment, a switch coupled in parallel with one of the color strings is configured to shunt power away from the color string to one or more other color strings. In several embodiments, passive storage elements are utilized to store shunted power. In another embodiment, a current injector is configured to inject or remove current from a node adjacent to a color string. In several embodiments the invention is implemented as a light emitting diode driver integrated circuit or chip.

Abstract: A light source apparatus is disclosed. The light source includes an array of light emitting diodes (LEDs) including at least three color channels, the at least three color channels includes: a yellow-greenish channel including a YAG:Ce phosphor emitter pumped by a royal blue InGaN LED; a red channel including a second LED, the second LED being either phosphor-based LED or AlInGaP LED; and a blue green channel including a third LED wherein the third LED is a royal blue InGaN LED. The light source further includes a mixing barrel around the array of LEDs for mixing light generated from the three color channels to simulate a black body radiator at different correlated color temperatures. Each of the at least three color channels includes one or more LEDs emitting the same color.

Abstract: Systems and methods for using an expert system to develop a color model for and LED-based lamp for reproducing a target light and calibrating the lamp are disclosed. The CCT of light generated by the lamp is tunable by adjusting the amount of light contributed by each of the LED strings in the lamp. The target light is decomposed into different wavelength bands, and light generated by the LED-based lamp is also decomposed into the same wavelength bands and compared. A color model for the lamp provides information on how hard to drive each LED string in the lamp to generate light over a range of CCTs, and the color model is used to search for the appropriate operating point of the lamp to reproduce the target light.

Abstract: A mobile application is disclosed that allows a user to configure an LED-based lamp. The LED-based lamp has the capability of color matching color spectrums and calibrating its correlated color temperatures, brightness, and hue based on a color model. The mobile application can send or schedule commands actively or passively to activate the color matching and calibration process on the LED-based lamp. The mobile application can further receive status information regarding the LED-based lamp including fault detection, estimated life time, temperature, power consumption, or any combination thereof.

Abstract: Lighting and control systems and methods for a lighting node and a remote control device are disclosed. The remote control device may be coupled to the lighting node via an identification process, such as broadcasting an identification request from the remote control device to nearby lighting nodes. The lighting node can respond to the identification request by sending an identifier to the remote control device such that future commands sent from the remote control device is limited to be responded by the lighting node having the identifier stored thereon. Once coupled, the remote control device can adjust spectral content produced by the lighting node based on user-configuration or a color profile captured via an optical sensor. The adjustment via the remote control device may further include calibration and recalibration of the lighting node utilizing a feedback mechanism with the optical sensor.