Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for digitally controlling a lighting device which enables a desired lighting device operational set point to be reached in a rapid manner while substantially reducing overshoot and oscillation about the desired lighting device operational set point. In particular the present invention is enabled by a PID controller configured to vary the PID controller parameters based on a relationship based at least in part on the desired lighting device operational set point, the present lighting device operational point or both.

Abstract: The present invention provides a drive and control apparatus provides a desired switched current to a load including a string of one or more electronic devices. A voltage conversion means, based on an input control signal converts the magnitude of the voltage from the power supply to another magnitude that is desired at the high side of the load. A dimming control means provides control for activation and deactivation of the load and may further provide a means for current limiting. A feedback means is coupled to the voltage conversion means and a current sensing means and provides a control signal to the voltage conversion means that is indicative of voltage drop across the current sensing means which represents the current flowing through the load. Based on the control signal received, the voltage conversion means can subsequently adjust its output voltage such that a constant switched current is provided to the load.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method for controlling one or more light-emitting elements which are driven by forward currents to generate mixed light for use, for example, through a luminaire. The system has one or more light sensors for acquiring feedback optical sensor data and a user interface for providing reference data representative of a desired mixed light. The system also has a controller for transforming either the sensor data or the reference data into the coordinate space of the other and to determine a difference between the sensor and the reference data in that coordinate space. The controller is configured to adjust the forward currents during operating conditions so that the sensor data matches the setpoint data. The present invention also provides a system and method that can at least partially compensate certain temperature induced effects when transforming the optical sensor or the reference data.

Abstract: The present invention provides an extension to a standard N-bit digital pulse width control method which can discriminate 2N discrete pulse widths per pulse cycle. The present invention provides a method and apparatus that can modulate the pulse widths over a period of 2M pulse cycles in which each pulse cycle can have its own pulse width or respective duty cycle. The resulting time averaged or effective pulse width therefore can be controlled with a resolution of 2N+M states rather than a resolution of 2N states as is common with standard methods.

Abstract: The present invention provides an integrated self-contained lighting module which can be used on its own, or in conjunction with other modules to produce white light, or light of any other colour within the colour spectrum. Each module comprises one or more light-emitting elements, a drive and control system, a feedback system, thermal management system, optical system, and optionally a communication system enabling communication between modules and/or other control systems. Depending on the configuration, the lighting module can operate autonomously or its functionality can be determined based on either or both internal signals and externally received signals.

Abstract: A method and system for controlling the chromaticity and luminous flux output of a digitally controlled luminaire. The luminaire includes one or more light-emitting elements and one or more light sensors for providing optical feedback, which is filtered to remove undesired frequencies. The method and system employs a control system which can sample the filtered signals from the light sensors according to a predetermined feedback sampling frequency scheme, wherein this scheme is specifically configured to provide sufficient iterations of the feedback loop to be performed for adjustment of the chromaticity and luminous flux output of the light-emitting elements, without perceptible visual flicker or momentary chromaticity shifts.

Abstract: A method and system for controlling the chromaticity and luminous flux output of a digitally controlled luminaire. The luminaire comprises one or more light-emitting elements and one or more light sensors which can provide optical feedback, wherein this optical feedback is filtered to remove undesired frequencies. The method and system comprises a control system which can sample the filtered signals from the light sensors according to a predetermined feedback sampling frequency scheme, wherein this scheme is specifically configured to provide sufficient iterations of the feedback loop to be performed for adjustment of the chromaticity and luminous flux output of the light-emitting elements, without perceptible visual flicker or momentary chromaticity shifts.

Abstract: The present invention provides a drive and control apparatus provides a desired switched current to a load including a string of one or more electronic devices. A voltage conversion means, based on an input control signal converts the magnitude of the voltage from the power supply to another magnitude that is desired at the high side of the load. A dimming control means provides control for activation and deactivation of the load and may further provide a means for current limiting. A feedback means is coupled to the voltage conversion means and a current sensing means and provides a control signal to the voltage conversion means that is indicative of voltage drop across the current sensing means which represents the current flowing through the load. Based on the control signal received, the voltage conversion means can subsequently adjust its output voltage such that a constant switched current is provided to the load.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method for controlling one or more light-emitting elements which are driven by forward currents to generate mixed light for use, for example, through a luminaire. The system has one or more light sensors for acquiring feedback optical sensor data and a user interface for providing reference data representative of a desired mixed light. The system also has a controller for transforming either the sensor data or the reference data into the coordinate space of the other and to determine a difference between the sensor and the reference data in that coordinate space. The controller is configured to adjust the forward currents during operating conditions so that the sensor data matches the setpoint data. The present invention also provides a system and method that can at least partially compensate certain temperature induced effects when transforming the optical sensor or the reference data.

Abstract: The driving and control device provides a desired switched current to a load including two or more strings of one or more electronic devices. The device includes one or more voltage converters which convert the magnitude of the voltage from the power supply to another magnitude that is desired at the high side of the load. The device may also include one or more dimming controls which provide control of the activation and deactivation of the load. The device may further include a feedback signal to the voltage converter that is indicative of the current flowing through the load. Based on the feedback signal received, the voltage converter can subsequently adjust its output voltage such that a constant switched current is provided to the load.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for digitally controlling a lighting device which enables a desired lighting device operational set point to be reached in a rapid manner while substantially reducing overshoot and oscillation about the desired lighting device operational set point. In particular the present invention is enabled by a PID controller configured to vary the PID controller parameters based on a relationship based at least in part on the desired lighting device operational set point, the present lighting device operational point or both.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling lighting are described. In general, the system and method may be used for controlling generation of light from the one or more lighting devices within a lighting system, in response to an external input. The control system generally comprises a control interface module and a light generation module. The control interface module is configured to receive the external input and convert same in accordance with a predefined internal control protocol. The light generation module is communicatively linked to the control interface module to receive the converted input and is operatively linked to the one or more light-emitting element modules for controlling generation of light thereby in accordance with the converted input. In one example, the light generation module is either interchangeable or interchangeably adaptable to receive the external input in accordance with one of two or more control protocols.

Abstract: The driving and control device according to the present invention provides a desired switched current to a load including a string of one or more electronic devices, and comprises one or more voltage conversion means, one or more dimming control means, one or more feedback element and one or more sensing means. The voltage conversion means may be a DC-to-DC converter for example and based on an input control signal converts the magnitude of the voltage from the power supply to another magnitude that is desired at the high side of the load. The dimming control element may comprise a switch such as a FET, BJT, relay, or any other type of switching device, for example, and provides control for activation and deactivation of the load.

Abstract: The present invention provides a pulse-width modulation (PWM) method and apparatus, and light source driven thereby. In particular, the present invention provides a PWM method and apparatus for generating a PWM signal having a desired resolution and frequency using generating means traditionally limited to providing PWM signals having a lower resolution and/or frequency. The PWM method and apparatus of the present invention may be used in a number of applications where a relatively high PWM resolution and/or frequency is desired, but where selection of generating means for generating such PWM signals is relatively limited by cost and/or other such constraints. For example, a PWM signal generated by the method and apparatus of the present invention may be useful in accurately controlling the output of the one or more light-emitting elements of a light source, namely to control a dimming and/or colour level thereof, without using driving components that may be relatively costly for the application at hand.

Abstract: The present invention provides a luminaire system capable of generating light of a desired chromaticity and luminous flux output during continuous operation with varying ambient operating temperature. The luminaire system can be further capable of maintaining a desired correlated colour temperature during dimming of the luminaire. The luminaire system comprises one or more arrays of light-emitting elements for generating light with a current driver system coupled thereto for selectively supplying electrical drive current to each of the arrays, wherein the current driver system is responsive to drive signals received from a controller. The luminaire system further comprises an optical sensor system for generating optical signals representative of chromaticity and luminous flux output of the light. A heat sensing system is operatively coupled to the one or more arrays for generating signals representative of the junction temperatures of arrays of light-emitting elements during operation.

Abstract: The driving and control device according to the present invention provides a desired switched current to a load including a string of one or more electronic devices, and comprises one or more voltage conversion means, one or more dimming control means, one or more feedback means and one or more sensing means. The voltage conversion means may be a DC-to-DC converter for example and based on an input control signal converts the magnitude of the voltage from the power supply to another magnitude that is desired at the high side of the load. The dimming control means may comprise a switch such as a FET, BJT, relay, or any other type of switching device, for example, and provides control for activation and deactivation of the load. The feedback means is coupled to the voltage conversion means and a current sensing means and provides a feedback signal to the voltage conversion means that is indicative of the voltage drop across the current sensing means which thus represents the current flowing through the load.