Plural Load Devices Patents (Class 315/152)
  • Publication number: 20120050606
    Abstract: A controllable lighting system may include a plurality of light source groups, a group controller for each light source group, a master controller, and a network communication system. Each group controller may be configured to control the light sources in its light source group based on a group control command. The master controller may be configured to receive a master control command relating to the light sources and to issue a group control command to each of the group controllers that collectively effectuate compliance with the master control command. The network communication system may be configured to communicate the group control commands from the master controller to the group controllers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2010
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Applicant: UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
    Inventors: Paul E. Debevec, Xueming Yu, Mark Bolas, Graham Fyffe, Jay Busch, Pieter Peers, Abhijeet Ghosh
  • Publication number: 20120038281
    Abstract: One embodiment of the invention relates to a system for operating a plurality of streetlights in response to motion from a vehicle. The system includes a sensor associated with at least one of the streetlights and configured to detect the presence of a moving vehicle and to provide a signal representative of the moving vehicle. The system further includes a radio frequency transceiver associated with each of the streetlights. The system yet further includes processing electronics configured to receive the signal representative of the moving vehicle from the sensor and to cause the radio frequency transceiver to transmit a command to one or more of the plurality of the streetlights to change lighting states along a pathway for the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2011
    Publication date: February 16, 2012
    Inventor: Neal R. Verfuerth
  • Patent number: 8115398
    Abstract: The invention relates to copying light conditions from one location and pasting into or providing similar light conditions to another location in a lighting system. A light detector (20) is provided which comprises a first sensor (50) configured to receive a first light directly from a first light source (14) and measure first light attributes of the first light, and a second sensor (52) configured to receive the first light influenced by reflections from surfaces (24) and measure second light attributes of the first light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Maurice H. J. Draaijer, Sel-Brian Colak
  • Patent number: 8110995
    Abstract: An illumination system (1) comprises a plurality of light sources (11, 12, 13), each provided with a driver (21, 22, 23); a controller (30) for generating control signals (Sc1, Sc2>Sc3) for controlling the respective drivers; temperature feed forward means (60, 61, 62, 63, 81) for establishing a temperature feed forward (TFF) correction mechanism; flux feedback means (71, 82, 83, 84) for establishing a flux feedback (FFB) correction mechanism. The controller is capable of operating in a first mode of operation wherein both the temperature feed forward correction mechanism and the flux feedback correction mechanism are active, and is capable of operating in a second mode of operation wherein the temperature feed forward correction mechanism is active and the flux feedback correction mechanism is inactive. The controller is designed to monitor the duty cycles of the control signals and to select its mode of operation based on said duty cycles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventor: Peter Hubertus Franciscus Deurenberg
  • Publication number: 20120025715
    Abstract: An optical lighting apparatus having a constant luminance with a drive current controlled by a controller unit. A temperature controlled photodetector indirectly monitors the luminance and informs the controller when a change in luminance has occurred so that the controller can make appropriate adjustments to the drive current. Also disclosed is a method of regulating the drive current to a light source to enable the luminance to remain fixed and independent of fluctuations in ambient temperature. A temperature compensated photodetector senses the amount of light reflected off a diffuser lens and feeds back the output to a controller circuit which regulates the drive current to the light source. The lighting apparatus has application in calibrating imaging systems, such as digital cameras, and for scanning devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2009
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Inventors: Carl Picciotto, Glen Eric Montgomery, Jeffrey Dicarlo
  • Publication number: 20120025717
    Abstract: Multiple control modules (14, 16, 18) provide various power control functions including occupancy sensing, ambient light level sensing, manual touch switch (push button) preset stations, light dimming and power control relay switching. The control modules (14, 16, 18) are interconnected in a conventional four-wire local area network for executing different power control functions in response to remote wireless commands as well as preset manual switch commands at the wall box level. The local area network (12) supplies DC operating power and communicates programming command and control module status information signals to all network control modules (14, 16, 18). One or more control modules (14, 16, 18) include an infrared signal sensor, a laser signal sensor, a signal decoder, a data microcontroller, a parameter lookup table and multiple light emitting diodes (LEDs).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2010
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
    Inventors: Donald Louis Klusmann, Michael Shawn Murphy
  • Publication number: 20120025716
    Abstract: Disclosed is a backlight device that suppresses the increase of maximum power consumption. A light-emitting unit (121) is provided with a plurality of light-emitting areas that individually emit illumination light. A power estimation unit (136) estimates the power consumption of the light-emitting unit (121). A duty lower-limit setting unit (137) varies the range in which drive conditions that include the duty and peak value of a drive pulse for causing each of the plurality of light-emitting areas to emit light can be set, in accordance with changes in the estimated power consumption. A drive condition specification unit specifies the drive conditions for each of the plurality of light-emitting areas within the varied range. An LED driver (123) drives each of the plurality of light-emitting areas under the specified drive conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2010
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hideyuki Nakanishi, Yoshio Umeda, Toshiki Onishi, Seiji Hamada
  • Publication number: 20120013257
    Abstract: The present invention addresses the problem of providing illumination in a manner that is energy efficient and intelligent. In particular, the present invention uses distributed processing across a network of illuminators to control the illumination for a given environment. The network controls the illumination level and pattern in response to light, sound, and motion. The network may also be trained according to uploaded software behavior modules, and subsets of the network may be organized into groups for illumination control and maintenance reporting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Publication date: January 19, 2012
    Inventor: W. Olin Sibert
  • Patent number: 8098017
    Abstract: An automatic, low level floor lighting system includes a light unit including a light operable to produce visible light when energized by a power source and a control means for allowing a user to adjust an intensity of the visible light. The light unit also includes an ambient light sensor to inhibit the light from being energized when an ambient light is above a predetermined level. The light unit further includes a receiver for receiving an activation signal to energize the light and a deactivation signal to de-energize the light. A transmitter transmits the activation and deactivation signals to an additional light unit. The system also includes a remote activation unit for transmitting the activation and deactivation signals to the receiver when the user engages the remote activation unit where the user can remotely turn the light on and off when the ambient light is below the predetermined level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Inventor: Daniel William Chidester
  • Publication number: 20120007511
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for cooperatively controlling ambient level lighting in a controlled area, and task level lighting for task areas in the controlled area, wherein each task area is a separate sub-area of the controlled area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2010
    Publication date: January 12, 2012
    Applicant: DAINTREE NETWORKS, PTY. LTD.
    Inventors: Jason Yew Choo Choong, Tony Garcia, Dallas Ivanhoe Buchanan, III, Danny Yu
  • Publication number: 20120007512
    Abstract: A power supply device for driving a light emitting diode (LED) capable of controlling the switching of multiple output powers, in synchronization with the frequency of one of the multiple output powers and simplifying a power conversion stage in supplying power for driving an LED.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2011
    Publication date: January 12, 2012
    Inventors: Tae Shik KIM, Heung Gyoon Choi, Yun Ki Kang, Tae Hyung Kang, Sang Gab Park
  • Publication number: 20110316428
    Abstract: System and method for adjusting brightness of one or more cold-cathode fluorescent lamps. The system includes a voltage selector configured to receive a dimming voltage and a first threshold voltage and generate an output voltage. The output voltage is selected from a group consisting of the dimming voltage and the first threshold voltage. Additionally, the system includes an oscillator coupled to a first capacitor and configured to generate a ramp signal with the first capacitor, and a signal generator configured to receive the ramp signal and the output voltage and generate a first signal. The first signal corresponds to a lamp brightness level. Moreover, the system includes a brightness detector configured to receive the first signal and output a second signal. The second signal indicates whether the lamp brightness level is higher than a threshold brightness level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2010
    Publication date: December 29, 2011
    Applicant: ON-BRIGHT ELECTRONICS (SHANGHAI) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Miao Li, Liqiang Zhu, Lieyi Fang
  • Publication number: 20110313254
    Abstract: An object is to provide a light source device that can readily synchronize the lighting cycle of light sources and the rotation cycle of a light guide rod. Provided is a light source device (10) that includes LEDs (11) arranged in the form of a ring and each configured to emit illumination light; a light guide member (15) that optically guides the illumination light, emitted from each LED (11), along a central axis of the ring; a rotary motor that rotationally drives the light guide member (15) about the central axis; a reflective photo-sensor that detects rotation of the rotary motor; a CCD (5) that detects an amount of the illumination light optically guided by the light guide member (15); and a control section (6) that controls these sections and adjusts a phase difference between a lighting signal, which is used for performing lighting control of the LEDs (11), and a rotation detection signal, which is detected by the reflective photo-sensor, on the basis of the amount of light detected by the CCD (5).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2010
    Publication date: December 22, 2011
    Applicant: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hirokazu Godo
  • Publication number: 20110304599
    Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention includes an LED driving device that causes a plurality of LEDs to emit light, wherein the device includes: an LED driving circuit configured to drive the LEDs so that at least one of the plurality of LEDs emits light as a first. LED and an LED around the first LED is prevented from emitting light as a second LED; a photodetection unit configured to detect light emission of the first LED through the second LED and detect a light emission quantity of the first LED; and a controller configured to adjust a light emission quantity of the first LED based on the light emission quantity of the light emission of the first LED detected by the photodetection unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2011
    Publication date: December 15, 2011
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Hidenori Yasui
  • Publication number: 20110299689
    Abstract: A flameless candle having speaker and lighting capability is provided. Multiple of such flameless candles can be used in a system to generate stereo or surround sound, as well as various lighting modes. The flameless candle or flameless candle system can have AM/FM radio functions, clock functions, alarm functions, etc., and can be used as an audio monitor. In addition, the flameless candle or candle system may be equipped with video capability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2011
    Publication date: December 8, 2011
    Inventors: Moshe Avtzon, Michael Friend
  • Publication number: 20110289658
    Abstract: A helmet with an illumination device with at least one electric light source arranged on the outside of the helmet shell, a sensor for detecting the arrangement of the helmet on a head, an electric control device and an electric voltage source electrically connected with the electric light source and the sensor, wherein the electric control device is designed such that it switches on the electric light source or only permits the switching on of the electric light source when the sensor detects the arrangement of the helmet on a head.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2010
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Applicant: TECASIA AG
    Inventors: Martin Knoepfli, Jonas Gmuer
  • Publication number: 20110291572
    Abstract: An active matrix display comprises a display area of the matrix comprising drive circuitry including a control circuit comprising chiplets outside the display area. The output of the control circuit is distributed among the plurality of chiplets. This arrangement is advantageous in that the chiplets allow for a much smaller fan-in and fan-out structure, thus allowing a much larger percentage of the substrate to be devoted to display area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2009
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Applicant: CAMBRIDGE DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY LIMITED
    Inventors: Jeremy Burroughes, Stephen Coats, Haydn Gregory, Euan Smith, Julian Carter
  • Publication number: 20110291564
    Abstract: An integrated photonic device includes a number of LEDs and a feedback mechanism that measures individual LED light outputs using a photo sensor via a light transmitter disposed in the vicinity of individual LEDs. A controller or driver adjusts a current driven to each LED using the detected values according to various logic based on the device application.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2010
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Applicant: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Hsin-Chieh HUANG
  • Publication number: 20110291571
    Abstract: An intelligent energy-saving lamp includes a power source circuit, a main control circuit, a lighting circuit, and an infrared sensor circuit. The outgoing line of the power source circuit is connected to the incoming line of the main control circuit. The outgoing line of the main control circuit is connected to the incoming line of the lighting circuit. The infrared sensor circuit regulates the lighting circuit via the main control circuit. More specifically, the infrared sensor circuit senses the presence or absence of a person in the lighting area and instructs the main control circuit to regulate the lighting circuit accordingly, thereby saving energy. When people leave the lighting area, the lighting circuit enters the energy-saving mode and is prevented from working at maximum power. When people return, however, normal lighting resumes. Power consumption of the lamp in the energy-saving mode is only 20% of that for normal lighting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2010
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Applicant: FONG KAI USA INC.
    Inventor: JIA-HUA FAN
  • Publication number: 20110285295
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an artificial solar light system, and more particularly, to an artificial solar light system using light emitting diodes. The present invention can provide an artificial solar light system using light emitting diodes, which can represent the same light emission effects as the sun with time. Further, the present invention can provide an artificial solar light system using light emitting diodes, which is inexpensive and is not affected by positions or climate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Publication date: November 24, 2011
    Applicant: SEOUL SEMICONDUCTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Won Kuk SON, Seok Jin KANG, Won CHO
  • Publication number: 20110285294
    Abstract: Described herein is a LED PAPI having an array of light emitting diodes (LEDs), the array of LEDs comprising a first set of LEDs emitting a first color and a second set of LEDs emitting a second color. Light from the array of LEDs passes through a pair of apertures separated by a precision ground blade. The precision ground blade has a first edge that is closest to the array of LEDs and a second edge opposite the first edge. The first and second edges have different thicknesses. After passing through the apertures, the light passes through a first lens and a second lens.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2010
    Publication date: November 24, 2011
    Inventors: Richard Hansler, David L. Ruffini, Edward Carome, Vilnis Kubulins
  • Patent number: 8063568
    Abstract: A device is disclosed for wireless control of color of light emitted by a lighting system. The lighting system comprises signal receiving means and means for adjusting the color of light emitted from at least one lighting element, in response to a received color control signal from the device. The device for wireless control comprises means for—generating color information data, said data being indicative of a desired color of light to be emitted by the lighting system, means for modulating a first carrier signal in accordance with the color information data, and means for transmitting said color control signal in the form of a beam of said first modulated carrier signal to the lighting system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Anthonie Hendrik Bergman, Franciscus Paulus Maria Budzelaar, Hubertus Maria Rene Cortenraad, Oscar Hendrikus Willemsen, Eduard Johannes Meijer, Ralph Kurt, Eindhoven Petrus Carolus Michael Krijn, Elmo Marcus Attila Diederiks, Bartel Marinus Van De Sluis, Galileo June Destura, Bart Andre Salters
  • Publication number: 20110279041
    Abstract: An illumination apparatus includes a power supply, a detection unit, a PWM unit, a constant current circuit and an illumination unit. The detection unit detects the brightness of the ambient light and generates a detecting signal according to the brightness of the ambient light. The PWM unit outputs a pulse voltage according to the detecting signal. The constant current circuit supplies a constant current to the illumination unit. The illumination unit emits light according to the pulse voltage. When the brightness of the ambient light is increased, the magnitude of the detecting signal increases and the duty cycle of the pulse voltage increases. The luminous intensity of the illumination apparatus increases. When the brightness of the ambient light is decreased, the magnitude of the detecting signal decreases and the duty cycle of the pulse voltage decreases. The luminous intensity of the illumination apparatus decreases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2011
    Publication date: November 17, 2011
    Applicants: HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD., HONG FU JIN PRECISION INDUSTRY(ShenZhen) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: LUNG DAI, SHAO-LIN ZHANG
  • Patent number: 8058819
    Abstract: An illumination system includes a plurality of illumination devices and a number of sensor blocks. In each of the sensor blocks, an active sensor is provided to detect a moving object traveling within a detection area thereof and plural amplifier circuits is provided to divide a detection signal transmitted from the active sensor into plural frequency bands and for amplifying signal components of the frequency bands. Provided in a one-to-one relationship with the amplifier circuits is plural judgment units that, based on the amplified signal components of the frequency bands provided from the amplifier circuits, judges whether the moving object is travelling at a travel velocity corresponding to any one of the frequency bands. A control unit is also provided to perform a turn-on control on at least one of the illumination devices based on judgment results made by the judgment units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Electric Works Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tadashi Murakami, Tamami Sobagaki, Shigeo Gotou
  • Patent number: 8058816
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for providing control signals for a light whose color or color temperature is variable. The invention also relates to a corresponding control apparatus and a corresponding lighting system. In the method, a series of at least three color locations (F1, F2, F3) is determined, which lie on a predetermined color change curve (K1) in a corresponding coordinate system. By way of example, the color change curve may be the Planck curve train or a straight line. The color locations (F1, F2, F3) are in this case chosen such that the respectively corresponding colors have a color distance (d) which, at least approximately, is subjectively perceived as in each case being of the same magnitude. This makes it easier to adjust the light to give a specific desired light impression.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Ledon Lighting GmbH
    Inventor: Gunther Sejkora
  • Publication number: 20110266958
    Abstract: An alternating-current (AC) light-emitting diode (LED) apparatus is disclosed. A rectifier rectifies a power AC voltage to generate a rectified voltage, which is monitored by a controller. A number of LEDs are electrically coupled between the rectified voltage and a ground. A number of switches correspondingly control at least a portion of the LEDs respectively, wherein one terminal of each switch is electrically coupled to one electrode of the corresponding LED or LEDs. The switches are controlled by the controller according to the rectified voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2010
    Publication date: November 3, 2011
    Inventor: Wen-Kuei TSAI
  • Publication number: 20110260626
    Abstract: This invention relates to an ambience lighting system for a display device, where light sources are mounted at the periphery or at the rear side of the display device for emitting an ambience light onto a wall behind the display device. An input means receives color information indicating the color of the wall. A processor then adjusts the color of the emitted ambience light to the received color information of the wall such that the light reflected from the wall towards a viewing area of the display device matches the screen colors of the display device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2009
    Publication date: October 27, 2011
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
    Inventor: Erwin Marcel Anna Matthys
  • Publication number: 20110254453
    Abstract: A method of controlling a light level in a space of a building, the method comprising the steps of measuring the light level in the space; automatically adjusting the light level in the space towards a control setpoint; receiving an input to manually override the light level in the space to an override light level; adjusting the light level in the space to the override light level; temporarily adjusting the control setpoint from a default setpoint to a temporary setpoint in response to the manual override of the light level, the temporary setpoint representative of the override light level; subsequently adjusting the control setpoint from the temporary setpoint back to the default setpoint; and adjusting the default setpoint in response to repeated manual overrides of the light level that result in repeated adjustments of the control setpoint.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2011
    Publication date: October 20, 2011
    Inventor: Dragan Veskovic
  • Publication number: 20110248974
    Abstract: Backlight drive units included in a backlight drive device of at least one embodiment of the present invention each have a plurality of metal pads functioning as a plurality of address setting terminals. To provide a potential for setting a unique address by coming into contact with the metal pads, metal protrusions are provided at corresponding locations of a backlight housing. A backlight drive control unit is directly connected to each unit through an IIC bus by a bus scheme and receives, via the IIC bus, a detected amount of light and temperature from each unit identified by the address. With such a simple configuration, a unique address can be automatically set for each unit, obtaining the commonization of backlight drive units.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2010
    Publication date: October 13, 2011
    Applicant: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takayuki Murai, Kohji Fujiwara
  • Publication number: 20110241552
    Abstract: A method for maximizing the performance of a luminaire (1) emitting light is provided, which method comprises determining a target color point (T) corresponding to a predetermined color, providing a first light source (2) emitting light at a fixed reference color point (W), and providing a second light source (4) being able to emit light at an adjustable color point (RGB). Said adjustable color point (RGB) is selected such that a combination of light emitted by the first and the second light sources (2, 4) together produces light at the target color point (T), wherein the adjustable color point (RGB) is selected based on the position of the target color point (T) and the reference color point (W) for maximizing the performance of the luminaire (1). With the provision of a solution in accordance with the present invention, fewer computations need to be performed in order to maximize the illumination performance of the luminaire (1).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2009
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
    Inventors: Berend J. W. Ter Weeme, Theodoor C. Treurniet, Wido Van Duijneveldt, Erwin D. Stinstra
  • Publication number: 20110215724
    Abstract: The present invention provides a system for intelligently controlling the ON/OFF modes and dimming functionality for lighting devices with built in redundancy. The system comprises: a plurality of sensor banks having a plurality of sensors capable of operating over exclusive ambient light levels and creating redundancy; and a micro-controller configured to add dimming functionality and automatically detecting faulty sensing situations and sudden change in the light level, wherein computing logics are adapted with the help of a high end micro-controller to increase sensitivity of the system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2010
    Publication date: September 8, 2011
    Inventors: Jyotirmoy Chakravarty, Sarosij Sengupta
  • Publication number: 20110210671
    Abstract: Flashing light module for a traffic safety cone has multiple stacked arrays of LED lights providing 360-degree visibility around the cone. The LED arrays are mounted onto a battery container, and a transparent or translucent housing covers the arrays and mounts onto the battery container to provide a water-tight seal for the enclosed electronics. The battery container fits into the upper opening in a truncated traffic safety cone. The LED light arrays have a variable flash rate. Optionally, an ambient light sensor is used to control the intensity of the light produced by the LED lights.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2010
    Publication date: September 1, 2011
    Inventor: Lewis A. Nielson
  • Publication number: 20110204795
    Abstract: A light emission driving device sequentially on a time division basis drives a red light source 200R, a green light source 200G, and a blue light source 200B, to calculate a light emission amount control parameter PWM(k+1) for setting the light emission amount for one of the light sources. The following values are used: a detected light emission amount DET(k) detected for a previous illumination of the same light source, a predetermined value REF(k+1) for comparison to the detected light emission amount DET(k), and the light emission amount control parameters PWM(k) for a previous illumination of the same light source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2011
    Publication date: August 25, 2011
    Applicant: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hidenori Uehara
  • Publication number: 20110204796
    Abstract: Disclosed is a lighting device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2011
    Publication date: August 25, 2011
    Applicant: LG INNOTEK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sungho HONG, Jae Hun YOON
  • Publication number: 20110204794
    Abstract: A light control device for public lighting lamps (31), installed on carriageways (32) and provided with at least one light emitter (30) comprising a plurality of light sources (35) and a plurality of reflectors or mirrors (38, 39) housed inside at least one casing laterally bounded by closure sides (41, 42); in particular, reflectors or mirrors (38, 39) include a first set of reflectors (38) having a surface with fixed inclination and a second set of reflectors (39) having surface with adjustable inclination, wherein the reflectors (39) with adjustable inclination are pivoted on relative shafts (40), which are sliding along fixed cams (43) that correspond to respective grooves made in said closure sides (41, 42) and in the lateral walls of a sliding lever (44), which, by shifting with respect to the sides (41, 42), with said cams (43) fixed, causes the inclination of the aforesaid second set of reflectors (39).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2011
    Publication date: August 25, 2011
    Applicant: BEGHELLI S.p.A.
    Inventor: Gian Pietro Beghelli
  • Publication number: 20110204791
    Abstract: An electrodeless plasma lamp array structure uses multiple plasma lamps to produce large amounts of electromagnetic radiation (visible, IR, UV, or a combination of visible, IR, and UV). An M by N array configuration is powered by either a single RF power source or multiple RF power sources. The array incorporates controllers to adjust the power delivered from the RF power source to each lamp within the array. By adjusting the delivered RF power, the intensity of electromagnetic radiation that is emitted from each lamp is controlled independently allowing for the creation of an array of lamps that emit electromagnetic radiation of varying intensity levels at different places within the array. Using lamps with different color temperatures as part of the array allows the color temperature and the color rendering index of the illumination to achieve different lighting conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2010
    Publication date: August 25, 2011
    Applicant: Topanga Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas A. Doughty, Mehran Matloubian, Frederick M. Espiau
  • Publication number: 20110199582
    Abstract: A light source unit includes an optical coupler, light sources, a light output portion, a light sensor, and a controller. The optical coupler is formed by joining intermediate portions of plural optical fibers together and multiplexes lights, which have entered respective one ends of the optical fibers, in a coupling region where the intermediate portions of the optical fibers are joined together. The light sources emit light of different wavelengths that enter the respective one ends of the plural optical fibers. The light output portion is formed by the other end of one of the plural optical fibers and outputs the multiplexed lights. The light sensor detects light emerging from the other end of at least another one of the plural optical fibers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2011
    Publication date: August 18, 2011
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuichiro KURIKI, Mitsugi TANAKA
  • Publication number: 20110199005
    Abstract: The invention provides systems and methods for providing illumination. A lighting unit may have a support structure, and one or more light emitting elements supported by a circuit board contacting the support structure. A first optical element and a second optical element may be provided. A remote luminescent material may be provided on one or more optical elements. Light emitting elements configured to excite the luminescent material such as highly efficient light emitting diodes may be directed towards the luminescent material. The support structure may be a heat dissipating element, which may conduct heat from a heat source to a surface of the support structure. The heat dissipating element may have a passageway permitting the formation of a convection path to dissipate heat from the support structure. Such lighting units may be used to replace conventional fluorescent light tubes or other lighting devices, or may be provided as standalone lighting units.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2011
    Publication date: August 18, 2011
    Inventors: Eric Bretschneider, Zach Berkowitz, Randall Sosnick, Lisa Pattison, P. Morgan Pattison
  • Publication number: 20110199004
    Abstract: Commissioning a lighting system is disclosed. A user can be provided with a pointing device capable of emitting or returning a signal which can be received by detectors co-located with each fixture in the lighting system. The user can add a fixture to a group by aiming the pointing device at the fixture when the fixture is not assigned to the group, and the user can remove a fixture from a group in the same way when the fixture was previously assigned to the group. Additional user gestures are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2011
    Publication date: August 18, 2011
    Applicant: REDWOOD SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Robert Henig, David Fowler, Deepak Nulu, David Leonard, Carl P. Zwanzig
  • Publication number: 20110187273
    Abstract: A lighting control system includes a plurality of luminaires each having a selectively powerable first light source and a selectively powerable second light source. The luminaires are powerable and controllable by a common AC power source. A signal receiving controller of each of the luminaires is electrically connected to the first light source and the second light source and selectively causes power to be routed to either the first light source or the second light source dependent on a control signal sent via the AC power source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2011
    Publication date: August 4, 2011
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
    Inventors: ROBERT L. SUMMERFORD, CODY JINKINS, JEFFREY WILSON
  • Publication number: 20110187271
    Abstract: A system and method for detecting light fixture failure and for enhancing energy efficient operation of multiple light fixtures. The system includes multiple light control modules and a gateway. The light control modules alert the gateway of a bulb or ballast failure based on light fixture power consumption. The light control module can indicate a sudden failure, a slow failure, a striating failure, a stuck relay failure and a start-up failure. The light control modules can include a photo-sensor and an occupancy sensor for measuring brightness and occupancy, respectively, in the vicinity of one or more light fixtures. The gateway can distribute operating instructions to the light control modules based on changes in the ambient temperature and based on the power consumption of nearby light fixtures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2011
    Publication date: August 4, 2011
    Applicant: TWISTHINK, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Brent Bouws, Warren E. Guthrie, Pat Burel, Kurt Dykema
  • Publication number: 20110183368
    Abstract: There is provided a modular LED system comprising a frame (1) having a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) (8) of at least two different colors for generating light within a color spectrum, said LEDs (8) being mounted, preferably clickable, on or adjacent to a, preferably heat conductive, plate equipped with cooling means (3) for cooling the LEDs with cooling medium; a processor for controlling an amount of electrical current supplied to the plurality of LEDs, so that a particular amount of current supplied thereto determines a color of light generated by the plurality of LEDs, —and a flat translucent member (5) having translucent lenses (4) associated with the LEDs for decreasing or increasing the diffusion angle for light emitted from each LED. The LED system is suitable as an illumination system for plants to supplement natural light without substantially interfering with the amount of natural light. The system delivers uniform illumination and reduces energy and maintenance costs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2009
    Publication date: July 28, 2011
    Applicant: Fionia Lighting ApS
    Inventors: Kirk Chapman, Thomas Rubaek, John Erland Oestergaard, Soeren Hasing, Poul Lindstrorff Johansen
  • Publication number: 20110175553
    Abstract: The Distributed Lighting Control System (DLCS) is based upon a distributed lighting system, which imbeds luminaire devices in structural materials such as ceiling tiles and wallboard. Each luminaire device is attached to a power network, and each luminaire device includes, or is directly associated with, an electronic circuit component that controls the activation and operation of the luminaire. In normal operation the power network is energized based on signals conveyed to the circuit through wireless means or through signals imposed upon the power grid. Said signals are generated by the DLCS-controller, which is resident within the structure that contains the DLCS.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2011
    Publication date: July 21, 2011
    Applicant: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Jeffrey B. Sampsell
  • Publication number: 20110169413
    Abstract: The invention relates to the controlling of a lighting system with a plurality of light sources, particularly to the semi-automatic commissioning of light sources of the lighting system or controlling of the creation of lighting scenes with the lighting system. A basic idea of the invention is to use a spatial coding of light for controlling a lighting system, particularly for commissioning of light sources of the lighting system instead of or in addition to the temporal light coding as applied in the prior art.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2009
    Publication date: July 14, 2011
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
    Inventors: Matthias Wendt, Harald J. G. Radermacher, Paul Leyten
  • Publication number: 20110163677
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a lighting device and a lighting method, in particular for a swimming pool. It relates in particular to a lighting device, particularly a lighting device for a swimming pool, which comprises: at least one control unit capable of controlling the operation of at least one spotlight; at least one spotlight, each spotlight being itself associated with a light source; at least one receiver, itself associated with one or more spotlight(s); and a external electric power supply; said control unit capable of being adapted to send control instructions to each receiver by powerline communication (PLC), and said receiver being capable of including a means for decoding said instructions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2009
    Publication date: July 7, 2011
    Inventors: Emmanuel Baret, Gaëtan Grignon
  • Patent number: 7973498
    Abstract: An illumination control system includes lighting apparatuses connected to a communications line and a number of functional units of plural kinds functioning to detect information from ambient environments of the lighting apparatuses. Each lighting apparatus includes a lamp, an illumination circuit, a communication unit, a control unit, and a unit attaching part to which the functional unit is detachably attached. Each lighting apparatus belongs to one or more of plural groups corresponding to the functional units, the groups being operated based on information detected by the respective functional units. A functional unit having a detecting function corresponding to an operation of each group is attached to each unit attaching part of at least one lighting apparatus of each group, and each communication unit of the at least one lighting apparatus sends the control signal including information detected by the corresponding functional unit to another lighting apparatus in the same group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Electric Works Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshikazu Kawashima, Junichi Katou, Atsuo Nanahara
  • Publication number: 20110156595
    Abstract: A light-guide device is provided for detecting and amplify the light emitted by indicator lamps of functional modules mounted in a chassis. The light-guide device includes a plurality of light-guide columns, a circuit board, and a plurality of light-guide blocks. The circuit board includes a plurality of amplifying circuits, each including a photosensitive diode and a plurality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs). One of the LEDs is lit when the photosensitive diode detecting the light emitted by the indicator lamp of one corresponding functional modules. The light-guide blocks guide lights emitted by the corresponding LEDs to an outside of the chassis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2010
    Publication date: June 30, 2011
    Applicant: HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: ZHENG-HENG SUN
  • Publication number: 20110154985
    Abstract: A plant air purifier and associated method for purifying air, comprising: at least one grow container; a filter bed comprising a surface which is horizontal within 20 degrees of a horizontal plane; at least one plant which grows within the filter bed; a reservoir for containing water for watering the at least one plant; a mechanical watering device which waters the filter bed from the top down; a pump for pumping water from the reservoir to and through the mechanical watering device; and an air propulsion mechanism for propelling air through the filter bed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2009
    Publication date: June 30, 2011
    Inventor: Martin Mittelmark
  • Publication number: 20110156596
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed for providing combined time-varying light comprising light from one or more light sources (132, 134, 136), and determining aspects of light from one or more light sources based on measurements of the combined light. Light sources of one or more colours can be controlled to provide time-varying combined light outputs (310, 360) using different switching sequences for different light sources, for example according to PWM, PCM, or other modulation methods. By appropriately configuring the timing of the switching sequences, the combined light output can be made to exhibit a plurality of lighting combinations. A broadband optical sensor (148) can be configured to measure (145) some or all of the plurality of lighting combinations, and the measurements used to determine light output measurements of portions of the combined light, and optionally of ambient light, by appropriate processing (150) of the measurements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2009
    Publication date: June 30, 2011
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
    Inventor: Marc Salsbury
  • Publication number: 20110133654
    Abstract: A tunable colour LED module comprises at least two sub-modules, each comprising an LED (104), a wavelength converting element (WCE) (201, 112, 203) and a reflector cup. The total light emitted by the module comprises light generated from each LED and WCE and the module is configured to emit a total light having a predefined colour chromaticity when activation properties of the LEDs are managed appropriately. The total light may have a broad white emission spectrum (106). The module combines the benefits of a low cost with uniform chromaticity properties in the far field, and offers long and controlled lifetime at the same time as flexibility and intelligence of tunable colour chromaticity, Colour Rendering Index (CRI) and intensity, either at manufacture or in an end user lighting application. A controlled LED module system comprises a control system for the managing activation properties of the LEDs in the sub-modules. Also described is a method of manufacture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2009
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Applicant: PHOTONSTAR LED LIMITED
    Inventors: James Stuart McKenzie, Majd Zoorob, Thomas David Matthew Lee