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 lighting and control system is described. One embodiment of the lighting and control system includes a lighting node and a controller. The lighting node may include a light emitting diode configured for illumination and further configured for optical communication with the controller, a node radio device configured for radio communication with the controller, and a node memory configured to store a node identifier and a group identifier. The controller may include an optical sensor configured to sense illumination of the lighting node and further configured for optical communication with the lighting node, a controller radio device configured for radio communication with the lighting node, and a controller memory configured to store a group identifier. The lighting node and the controller may each further include a power supply and a processor. In one embodiment, the lighting node and the controller belong to a wireless mesh network.

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 heat removal assembly for a light emitting diode lighting apparatus is described. One embodiment of the 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. In one embodiment, the heat removal assembly also includes a conductor and a thermal storage system configured to receive heat from the light emitting diode. A lighting apparatus including the heat removal assembly, a light emitting diode, and a connector plug is also described.