Abstract: A method and apparatus for a horticultural light system for use in a greenhouse where aspects of ambient light in the greenhouse are measured and compared against a prescribed light recipe. A light controller commands a light fixture contained within the greenhouse to augment the ambient light in response to the comparison. Photosynthetic photon flux, light intensity, color temperature and color spectrum among other aspects of light generated by the light fixture are altered by the controller to fill in deficiencies of the ambient light as compared to the prescribed light recipe.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for a light fixture that uses current sharing across any one or more LED strings within the light fixture. A processor may determine the current requirements of the one or more LED strings that are needed to produce a given intensity level. The processor may then apportion the current generation capability of a power supply across all active LED strings using time division multiple access (TDMA) whereby each LED string may conduct its apportioned current within its allocated time slot to the mutual exclusion of the remaining active LED strings in any given time period. The processor may transition from a TDMA mode of operation to a direct drive mode of operation when the time duration of each of the mutually exclusive time slots are substantially equal to each other or within a percentage range of each other.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for a horticultural light for use in a horticultural facility that projects either a substantially uniform target illuminance onto a flat surface or an increasing target illuminance onto a flat surface that increases as the beam angle increases with respect to the optical axis. The horticultural light uses a refractor to receive the raw light distribution from one or more LEDs and then distributes an optically varied distribution having a minimized intensity at centerbeam with an increasing beam intensity as the beam width increases.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for a horticultural light system for use in a greenhouse where aspects of ambient light in the greenhouse are measured and compared against a prescribed light recipe. A light controller commands a light fixture contained within the greenhouse to augment the ambient light in response to the comparison. Photosynthetic photon flux, light intensity, color temperature and color spectrum among other aspects of light generated by the light fixture are altered by the controller to fill in deficiencies of the ambient light as compared to the prescribed light recipe.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for a horticultural light for use in a horticultural facility that projects either a substantially uniform target illuminance onto a flat surface or an increasing target illuminance onto a flat surface that increases as the beam angle increases with respect to the optical axis. The horticultural light uses a refractor to receive the raw light distribution from one or more LEDs and then distributes an optically varied distribution having a minimized intensity at centerbeam with an increasing beam intensity as the beam width increases.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for a horticultural light for use in a horticultural facility that uses current sharing across any one or more LED strings within the horticultural light. A processor determines the current requirements of the one or more LED strings that are needed to produce a given intensity level. The processor then apportions the current generation capability of a DC-DC converter across all active LED strings using time division multiple access whereby each LED string conducts its apportioned current within its allocated time slot to the mutual exclusion of the remaining active LED strings in the allocated time slot. The processor employs analog (continuous) and/or digital (discontinuous) dimming techniques within each time slot to further modulate the amount of current conducted by any LED string within its allocated time slot.

Abstract: An indoor horticultural system includes a grow bed and a lighting system arranged in proximity to the grow bed. The lighting system includes lighting fixtures having an optical axis and a light distribution whose intensity increases as the angle of the generated light increases in relation to the optical axis to increase cross-lighting. Alternately, the lighting system includes lighting fixtures mounted at varying angles and with varying beam widths so as to increase cross-lighting. Series connected light fixtures include a master light fixture that employs an intensity controller to control the intensity of light generated by each of the series-connected light fixtures, where the intensity controller derives operational power from an LED string contained within the master light fixture.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for a horticultural light for use in a horticultural facility that uses both continuous current control and discontinuous current control to select an intensity for each LED string in the horticultural light. Continuous current control is selected when the horticultural light is operating above a threshold intensity and discontinuous current control is selected when the horticultural light is operating below the threshold intensity for enhanced dimming fidelity. A CPU detects the number of LED strings present in the horticultural light and determines the optimal operating voltage for each detected LED string based upon the detected forward voltage of each detected LED string. Based upon the optimal operating voltage determined for each LED string, the CPU additionally selects an optimized current stabilization network for each detected LED string.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for a horticultural light for use in a horticultural facility that uses current sharing across any one or more LED strings within the horticultural light. A processor may determine the current requirements of the one or more LED strings that are needed to produce a given intensity level. The processor may then apportion the current generation capability of a DC-DC converter across all active LED strings using time division multiple access whereby each LED string may conduct its apportioned current within its allocated time slot to the mutual exclusion of the remaining active LED strings in any given time period. The processor may employ analog (continuous) and/or digital (discontinuous) dimming techniques within each time slot to further modulate the amount of current conducted by any LED string within its allocated time slot.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for a horticultural light for use in an indoor horticultural facility that produces broad spectrum white light with variable correlated color temperature (CCT) so as to better simulate various aspects of the sun, such as the multiple phases of the sun, aspects of the sun in all four seasons and latitude of the sun. One or more rows of fixed-color LEDs is used to obtain even wider ranges of CCT values, such as the use of red and/or blue LEDs. Even broader spectrums are achieved by utilizing LEDs that emit differing wavelengths within a particular color spectrum, such as a channel of red LEDs that emit two different wavelengths within the red spectrum and/or a channel of blue LEDs that emit two different wavelengths within the blue spectrum. Sensors with feedback control maintains the light within constraints defined by a light prescription database.

Abstract: An indoor horticultural system includes a grow bed and a lighting system arranged in proximity to the grow bed. The lighting system may include lighting fixtures having an optical axis and a light distribution whose intensity increases as the angle of the generated light increases in relation to the optical axis to increase cross-lighting. Alternately, the lighting system may include lighting fixtures mounted at varying angles and with varying beam widths so as to increase cross-lighting. Series connected light fixtures may include a master light fixture that employs an intensity controller to control the intensity of light generated by each of the series-connected light fixtures, where the intensity controller derives operational power from an LED string contained within the master light fixture.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for a horticultural light for use in a horticultural facility that uses both continuous current control and discontinuous current control to select an intensity for each LED string in the horticultural light. Continuous current control eciis selected when the horticultural light is operating above a threshold intensity and discontinuous current control is selected when the horticultural light is operating below the threshold intensity for enhanced dimming fidelity. A CPU detects the number of LED strings present in the horticultural light and determines the optimal operating voltage for each detected LED string based upon the detected forward voltage of each detected LED string. Based upon the optimal operating voltage determined for each LED string, the CPU may additionally select an optimized current stabilization network for each detected LED string.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for a horticultural light for use in a horticultural facility that projects a substantially uniform target illuminance onto a flat surface or that projects increasing target illuminance onto a flat surface that increases as the beam angle increases with respect to the optical axis. A lens array of the horticultural light mechanically maintains an optimal separation distance between each LED of the horticultural light and the corresponding lens of the lens array. Each lens of the lens array receives the raw light distribution from the LED and then distributes an optically varied distribution having a nominal centerbeam intensity with an increasing beam intensity as the beam width increases. As the distance to target increases, so does the intensity of the light distribution, which projects a substantially uniform target illuminance, or an increasing target illuminance with increasing angle of incidence, onto a flat surface.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for a curved lighting fixture that is symmetric about a longitudinal axis of the curved lighting fixture. The curved lighting fixture includes end caps that are parallel to the longitudinal axis. Each end cap includes two mounting studs that secure the lighting fixture to mounting brackets, where a first mounting stud provides an axis of rotation for the lighting fixture and a second mounting stud facilitates the rotation. The two mounting studs do not enter into an interior portion of the lighting fixture so as to facilitate externally serviceable hardware. A bushing provides an external retention mechanism to retain the two mounting studs within each end cap.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for a horticultural light for use in a horticultural facility that projects a substantially uniform target illuminance onto a flat surface or that projects increasing target illuminance onto a flat surface that increases as the beam angle increases with respect to the optical axis. A lens array of the horticultural light mechanically maintains an optimal separation distance between each LED of the horticultural light and the corresponding lens of the lens array. Each lens of the lens array receives the raw light distribution from the LED and then distributes an optically varied distribution having a nominal centerbeam intensity with an increasing beam intensity as the beam width increases. As the distance to target increases, so does the intensity of the light distribution, which projects a substantially uniform target illuminance, or an increasing target illuminance with increasing angle of incidence, onto a flat surface.