Cree Gmbh

Ati Industrial Automation, Inc.

Ideal Industries Lighting LLC

Creeled, Inc.

Everett Bradford

John C Perry

Dwayne Perry

Shawn Hill

Light-emitting diode (LED) fixture circuits and devices with LEDs as shunt voltage regulators to power low-voltage circuits are disclosed. LED fixture circuits and devices are disclosed where a direct current (DC) input voltage supplied to an LED array of a plurality of LEDs is regulated using a shunt LED comprising one or more LEDs. The shunt LED is configured to provide a regulated voltage lower than the DC input voltage while generating a light that contributes to the overall luminescence of a given circuit or device.

Light-emitting diodes as shunt regulator to power low-voltage circuits

The lighting device includes a LED board that supports an LED. A communication interface is provided with the LED board. At least one of a dimming control command and a color control command is received at the communication interface on then LED board. The communication interface sends the received control signals to the LED board controller. If the control signal is a dimming control command the LED board controller transmits a driver control signal to the LED driver. The driver adjusts the current delivered to the LED board based on the driver control signal. If a color control command is received the LED board controller adjusts the color of the emitted light by selectively operating different color LEDs as programmed in the LED board controller.

LED lighting device with LED board on network

A force/torque sensor comprising a Tool Adapter Plate (TAP) connected to a Mounting Adapter Plate (TAP) by one or more radially-spaced, deformable beams features a pair of strain gages affixed to only one surface of each beam. The two strain gages are affixed to, e.g., the top surface on either side of, and spaced away from, a neutral axis of the beam. This enables a very compact sensor design, in one embodiment, machined from a single piece of metal stock. The two sensors may be connected in a quarter bridge topology. In one embodiment, another pair of strain gages is affixed to the same side of the beam, and the four gages are wired in a half-bridge topology. In another embodiment, a second pair of strain gages is affixed to the opposite side of the beam, and the four gages are wired in a half-bridge topology&#x2014;although this embodiment gives up some of the space and ease of manufacture advantages, it allows for electrical elimination of common-mode signal components, such as those induced by temperature drift. In one embodiment, a strain gage is connected to a non-stressed member of the sensorto provide a signal for temperature calibration.

Compact robotic force/torque sensor including strain gages

A controller in a solid state luminaire implements a nested control loop to drive multiple, parallel-connected, heterogeneous strings of series-connected LEDs using a constant current power supply. The current through each string is independently controlled by a current regulator in series with the LEDs. An inner (current) control loop alters the relative drive strength of each LED string, to achieve desired luminous characteristics, such as CRI, CCT, and the like. An outer (voltage) control loop monitors the output voltage of the power supply, and the total current drawn. The outer control loop adjusts a gain factor applied to the control signals for each current regulator, to control the total current drawn&#x2014;while maintaining the relative ratios of drive strength between the strings&#x2014;so as to maintain the power supply output voltage at a substantially constant value.

Multiple LED strings driven from a constant current power supply

A force/torque sensor includes a number n of deformable beams connecting the TAP to the MAP, wherein n&#x2265;4. At least four of the n deformable beams are instrumented with strain gages affixed to surfaces of the beams, such that each beam outputs two gage signals. The eight gage signals are grouped into four sets of six gage signals, such that each set includes the gage signals from three of the four instrumented beams. Each set of six gage signals is multiplied by a calibration matrix to yield a set of six force and torque values. The four sets of force and torque values are compared. If one set disagrees with the other three by greater than a predetermined tolerance, a sensor fault is signaled.

Force and torque sensor having redundant instrumentation and operative to detect faults

A lighting device employs at least one string of LEDs as a lighting source. The string of LEDs is coupled in series with a first switch, wherein the string of LEDs and the first switch are coupled between a power supply node and ground. During a normal operation mode, a system controller is configured to close the first switch to deliver a drive current to the string of LEDs from the power supply node. The system controller is further associated with a temperature sensor and is configured to detect an over-temperature condition based on information provided by the temperature sensor. Upon detecting the over-temperature condition, the system controller will open the first switch to stop the drive current from flowing through the string of LEDs.

Over-temperature handling for lighting device

A configurable LED lighting system and its method of operation are disclosed. A lighting system or apparatus includes a string of LEDs, wherein specific LEDs are operable to emit different colors of light. The string includes a plurality of series-connected color segments. A shunt segment includes additional LEDs. The LED shunt segment is connected in parallel with at least one of the color segments. A controller is connected to the LED shunt segment to selectively balance drive current between the LED shunt segment and the color segment to which it is connected in parallel so that a color temperature of light is controllable by a processor. The diverted power still produces light and power is not wasted. The controller can use a polynomial equation or a look-up table to calculate color output values.

Configurable LED lighting apparatus

The present disclosure relates to a lighting device that employs at least one string of LEDs as a lighting source. The string of LEDs is coupled in series with a first semiconductor switch, wherein the string of LEDs and the first semiconductor switch are coupled between a power supply node and ground. During a period when the lighting device is powering up after being initially provided power by a power supply, the system controller is configured to monitor a drive current through the first string of LEDs and modulate a control signal provided to the first semiconductor switch based on the drive current to prevent the drive current from exceeding a maximum allowable drive current value for the first string of LEDs.

Over-voltage handling of lighting device

The disclosure relates to a lighting fixture, which includes an array of solid-state light sources that are configured to generate light for general illumination lighting purposes and control circuitry. A drive signal is used to drive solid-state light sources. The control circuitry is configured to use a control output to control the drive signal to at least one of the solid-state light sources. The control output is configured to control the drive signal to 1) set at least one characteristic of the light generated by the array of the solid-state light sources, and 2) modulate the light with data for transmission. The light is modulated such that any change in the at least one characteristic based on the light being modulated is anthropically imperceptible. The characteristic of the light generated by the array of solid-state light sources may include the intensity, color, color temperature and the like.

Optical communication for solid-state light sources

An apparatus includes a bus configured to be coupled to a controlled current source and at least one light emitting device coupled to the bus. The apparatus further includes a voltage regulator circuit configured to regulate a voltage at the bus and a current regulator circuit configured to control a current through the at least one light emitting device. In some embodiments, the current regulator circuit is used to control a color output of the apparatus.

Lighting apparatus for use with controlled current drivers

A lighting device employs at least one string of LEDs as a lighting source. The string of LEDs may be coupled in series between a power supply node and ground. In order to accurately determine a drive current running through or drive voltage across the string of LEDs, the drive current through the string of LEDs or the drive voltage across the string of LEDs is sampled randomly or semi-randomly, and a moving average is determined from each one of the samples. By sampling the drive current through or drive voltage across the string of LEDs randomly or semi-randomly, inaccuracies due to synchronization of the sampling with interference in the drive current signal or the drive voltage signal are effectively prevented. Accordingly, an accurate measurement of the drive current through or the drive voltage across the string of LEDs may be obtained.

Solid state lighting device and method for operating the same

A lighting device employs an array of LEDs as a lighting source. The array of LEDs may be coupled in series between a power supply node and ground. In order to determine whether the input drive signal to the array of LEDs is a pulse width modulated (PWM) signal or a linear signal, the voltage across the string of LEDs is sampled and stored in a cyclical buffer. The variance of the samples stored in the cyclical buffer is then calculated and used to determine whether the input signal provided to the string of LEDs at the power supply node is a PWM signal or a linear signal. In one embodiment, the variance is compared to a predetermined threshold value to determine whether the input signal is a PWM signal or a linear signal.

Detection of linear and PWM dimming in a solid state lighting device

Dynamic light emitting device (LED) lighting adjustment systems and related methods are disclosed. In one aspect, a method can receive, at an LED lighting fixture, a lighting adjustment signal corresponding to a target lighting level and determine a delta value that represents a difference between a current lighting level of the LED lighting fixture and the target lighting level and a step time value associated with the determined delta value. The method can further include adjusting the current lighting level of the LED lighting fixture to a new current lighting level for the duration of the step time value and repeating the determining and adjusting steps until the new current lighting level equals the target lighting level.

Dynamic light emitting device (LED) lighting control systems and related methods

A lighting device includes one or more lumiphoric materials spatially segregated from one or more electrically activated (e.g., solid state) emitters and arranged to emit light toward a reflector for reflection of lumiphor-converted light emissions toward a light transmissive end of the lighting device. One or more adjustment elements may be arranged adjust position of the at least one lumiphoric material, and/or to adjust at least one of (a) position, (b) aim, and (c) focus, of the at least one electrically activated light emitting source.

Lighting device including spatially segregated lumiphor and reflector arrangement

The present disclosure relates to a lighting device that employs at least one string of LEDs as a lighting source. The string of LEDs is coupled in series with a first switch, wherein the string of LEDs and the first switch are coupled between a power supply node and ground. During a normal operation mode, a system controller is configured to operate the first switch to deliver a drive current to the string of LEDs from the power supply node. The system controller is associated with circuitry that allows the system controller to monitor the drive current and determine when an overcurrent condition occurs. Upon detecting the overcurrent condition, the system controller will open the first switch to stop the drive current from flowing through the string of LEDs.

Growing community of inventors

Apex, NC, United States of America

Everett Bradford