Abstract: An illumination system includes an input device configured to generate a first luminescent light beam; a pumping assembly, optically coupled to the input device, configured to project a pumping light beam into the input device; a focusing lens, aligned with the first luminescent light beam, to focus the first luminescent light beam enhanced by the pumping light beam as an output beam; and an output device, optically coupled to the focusing lens, configured to: receive the output beam from the focusing lens, and project an application output, formed with the output beam, from a projection device.

Abstract: A billboard or other large display for displaying information has a billboard frame, an artwork layer, and either a plurality of columns of LED light plates or vertical strips of LED lights. The LED plates are small backlight panels formed in an array covering large areas suitable for standard billboards. The LED plates are secured to one another to hang from the billboard frame in separate columns. The columns are situated between the artwork layer and the billboard frame to provide a backlight for the artwork layer. The artwork layer can include two or more layers such that different artwork is displayed depending on the ambient lighting conditions as well as the backlight operation. The LEDs are preferably controlled by a controller to provide desired backlight conditions as well as to display content.

Abstract: A billboard or other large display for displaying information has a billboard frame, an artwork layer, and either a plurality of columns of LED light plates or vertical strips of LED lights. The LED plates are small backlight panels formed in an array covering large areas suitable for standard billboards. The LED plates are secured to one another to hang from the billboard frame in separate columns. The columns are situated between the artwork layer and the billboard frame to provide a backlight for the artwork layer. The artwork layer can include two or more layers such that different artwork is displayed depending on the ambient lighting conditions as well as the backlight operation. The LEDs are preferably controlled by a controller to provide desired backlight conditions as well as to display content.

Abstract: A system for growing a plant includes an inwardly reflective enclosure and preferably a top. A plurality of LEDs, preferably controlled by a control unit, selectively emit light onto predetermined portions of the plant. The control unit controls the growing conditions inside the enclosure with the use of air vents and air flow, an optional heater, and feedback from light intensity and color sensors. The inwardly reflective enclosure can be formed of inner and outer walls with a reflective film sandwiched in between. If desired, a recycling collar can be used with any of the LEDs to increase the intensity of the light ray. The top cover can be formed of a plurality of panels rotatable about their longitudinal axis between a closed position and open position. In another embodiment, pair of inwardly reflective enclosures share a common, reflective wall with holes.

Abstract: A projector includes a laser for forming blue or UV light and a rotatable color wheel having at least one sector coated with a phosphor for converting such blue or UV light into green light. The projector further includes a source of red light and a source of blue light which, in certain embodiments, is the color wheel. At least one imaging device is positioned to receive, directly or indirectly, the green, red and blue light for forming a green, red, and blue portions of an image to be projected. The projector further has projection optics for receiving the green, red, and blue portions for projecting the image. The projection optics may receive sequential green, red, and blue portions of the image to be projected or the green, red, and blue portions can be formed by separate light sources and combined into the final image and projected.

Abstract: An electrical device, preferably a light bulb having an electrical base, comprises a container having a sealed interior, an electrical component contained within the sealed interior; a liquid filling the sealed interior; and a pressure relief member. The pressure relief member has an interior tubular passage. The tubular passage has an inlet which is in fluid communication with the liquid. The tubular passage is filled with liquid from the inlet partially toward an outer end of the passage. The remainder of the passage is filled with gas. The pressure relief member provides relief from increases of pressure caused by heating the liquid. Preferably, a heat sink is provided for the electrical component and contacts the liquid coolant. The pressure relief member may be located either in the sealed interior or outside of the container.

Abstract: A lighting device includes an LED light source for emitting light in a first direction about an axis, a projection lens mounted on the axis, and a gobo having a preselected design which is mountable along the axis between the LED light source and lens to intercept at least some of the emitted light. The lens is moveable along the axis, preferably positionable at least at three axial positions. The first such axial position is the distance from the LED light source corresponding to the focal point of the lens. The second axial position is the distance from the gobo corresponding to the focal point of the lens. The third axial position is a distance from the LED light source corresponding to less than the focal point of the lens. In one embodiment, the lighting device includes a recycling collar having a central opening through which the axis extends. In another embodiment, the projection lens is a TIR lens.

Abstract: An LED illumination system includes at least one LED element and a recycling reflector having a transmissive aperture through which emitted light passes. The recycling reflector has a curved surface adapted to reflect the impinging light back to the LED element for improved light output through the transmissive aperture.

Abstract: An aerial projection display project an image of an object to a remote location for viewing. The display includes a pair of spherical, parabolic, or elliptical reflectors positioned and oriented relative to one another such that, when the object is placed at one or more predetermined locations, an image of such object is transmitted to the first reflector of said pair, reflected by said first reflector to the second reflector, and refocused by the second reflector as an undistorted 3-D image. In a second embodiment, the reflectors are paraboloid reflectors sharing a common axis of revolution. In another embodiment, the reflectors are elliptical reflectors each having a pair of foci. The foci lie along a common axis, and one of said foci is common to both reflectors.

Abstract: A method for retrofitting a billboard system illuminated by an arc lamp which includes a reflector with reflector features and an output lens includes the steps of removing the lens from the arc lamp housing, mapping the light pattern output of the arc lamp, and then removing the arc lamp and reflector from the housing. Next, a plurality of LEDs is mounted on an LED circuit board in a pattern so that light output by the LEDs replicates the light pattern of the arc lamp, including the reflected light. The circuit board is then installed inside the housing, and the lens is reattached. Preferably, the LEDs include a central LED cluster of densely packed LEDs to replicate the original output of the arc and a pair of LED groups of less densely packed LEDs, located on either side of the LED cluster, to replicate the output from the reflector.

Abstract: An illumination system comprises an arc lamp having a cathode and an anode which emit light from a hot spot. A dual paraboloid retroreflector comprising upper and lower halves intercept light emitted rearwardly from the arc lamp and reflects the intercepted light back towards the hot spot. The retroreflector is spaced from the hot spot at a distance such that light rays emitted from the hot spot which are incident on the upper or lower half are redirected to a corresponding surface of the other half and reflected back to the hot spot. The system may further include a main dual paraboloid reflector for redirecting output light from the arc lamp and retroreflector. Light emitted from the arc lamp is intercepted by a first half paraboloid reflector and collimated to be redirected toward to a corresponding surface of a second half paraboloid reflector member, so as to be reflected in a direction opposite to the arc lamp output.

Abstract: An LED illumination system includes a plurality of LED modules and a plurality of corresponding collimating lenses to provide increased brightness. Each LED module has at least one LED chip having a light emitting area that emits light and a recycling reflector. The reflector is positioned to reflect the light from the light emitting area back to the LED chip and has a transmissive aperture through which the emitted light exits. The collimating lenses are arranged to receive and collimate the light exiting from the LED modules.

Abstract: A network comprises a plurality of modules, wherein each module comprises a communications circuit with an antenna for sending information signals to and receiving control signals from a remote base over a wifi connection. Each module includes either a lighting element or a security camera for providing images. Each module may further include sensors to provide information to the base concerning operating conditions. Preferably, each module is programmed to receive signals from other modules and to relay such signals to the remote base, and similarly route control signals from the remote base intended for a different module to the intended module. In one embodiment, the network is a lighting network in which each module includes a light source controlled by the remote base or by a control terminal connected to the remote base.

Abstract: An electrical device, preferably a light bulb having an electrical base, comprises a container having a sealed interior, an electrical component contained within the sealed interior; a liquid filling the sealed interior; and a pressure relief member. The pressure relief member has an interior tubular passage. The tubular passage has an inlet which is in fluid communication with the liquid. The tubular passage is filled with liquid from the inlet partially toward an outer end of the passage. The remainder of the passage is filled with gas. The pressure relief member provides relief from increases of pressure caused by heating the liquid. Preferably, a heat sink is provided for the electrical component and contacts the liquid coolant. The pressure relief member may be located either in the sealed interior or outside of the container.

Abstract: A liquid cooled LED lighting device includes a sealed housing containing an LED element that emits light. Cooling liquid is contained in the housing to disperse heat generated by the LED element. An enclosure containing compressible material is preferably immovably positioned within the housing and outside of the optical path of the emitted light. The enclosure containing the compressible material compresses in response to expansion of the cooling liquid as it absorbs heat from the LED element. Advantageously, the cooling liquid and the enclosure containing the compressible material act to more efficiently cool the LED element, thereby providing higher light output and increased lifetime of the LED element.

Abstract: A lamp system comprises a light source and a parabolic reflecting collar positioned around the light source and having an aperture through which a center axis extends. The aperture permits light rays emitted by the light source at low angles relative to the axis to be emitted from the parabolic reflecting collar, while light rays emitted by said light source at higher angles are reflected by the collar for recycling. The parabolic reflecting collar is positioned such that higher angle light rays are reflected twice, off opposing wall reflecting portions, back to their point of origin. Preferably the light source is an array of multiple LEDs having different colors and sizes.

Abstract: A phosphor-based lamp includes a phosphor material and an excitation source, which may be a laser or an LED, or both. Preferably, the lamp includes a recycling collar to reflect and recycle high angle light to increase brightness. Preferably, when the excitation source is a laser, a beam splitter redirects the laser beam to direct the laser beam through the recycling collar aperture onto the phosphor material. Light emitted by the phosphor material which exits the aperture passes through the beam splitter as the output of the lamp. Alternatively, lenses are used to redirect the laser beam around the recycling collar towards the phosphor material. Preferably, a plurality of excitation lasers are disposed around the recycling collar and aimed either to direct their outputs onto the phosphor material or toward an opposing wall, where the outputs are reflected onto the phosphor material. Such lamp may be used as part of a projection system. In one embodiment, the phosphor material is contained on the color wheel.

Abstract: Multi-color light sources are mixed in a recycling housing to achieve high light output. Light from each color light source is multiplexed and a portion of the mixed light passes through an output aperture in the light pipe and a portion light is recycled back, for example, by a shaped reflective surface and/or a reflective coating adjacent the aperture. In one embodiment, the light is directed back from the output side of the housing to an input light source having the same color. In another embodiment, the light is directed back from the output side of the housing to a coating designed to reflect that color. The reflected light is then reflected back toward the output aperture and a portion of that reflected light is again reflected toward the input and impacts the original source for that color light. In this way, light theoretically recycles infinitely.

Abstract: An ultra-bright back-light LCD video display comprises a housing containing a light source such as one or more LEDs. A collimating lens receives substantially all of the light generated by said light source, and directs such light through a polarizer. The polarizer output is sent to an LCD panel having an array of pixels dynamically controlled to permit light to pass through predetermined pixels. The LCD panel output passes through a diffuser forming a video image screen.

Abstract: An illumination system for increasing the brightness of a light source comprises an optical recycling device coupled to the light source, preferably light emitting diode (LED), for spatially and/or angularly recycling light. The optical recycling device spatially recycles a portion of rays of light emitted by the LED back to the light source using a reflector or mirror and/or angularly recycles high angle rays of light and transmits small angle rays of light, thereby increasing the brightness of the light source's output.