The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 25, 2018
Filed:
Apr. 25, 2016
3m Innovative Properties Company, St. Paul, MN (US);
Mark G. Mathews, Oakdale, MN (US);
James F. Poch, Empire, MN (US);
Kayla A. McGrath, Cottage Grove, MN (US);
Jake D. Swensen, Woodbury, MN (US);
Blake R Shamla, Minneapolis, MN (US);
James C. Medek, Shoreview, MN (US);
3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY, St. Paul, MN (US);
Abstract
A method for a light bulb or fixture to emit light and measure ambient light. The method includes driving solid state light sources, such as LEDs, in the bulb with a cyclical signal to repeatedly turn them off and on, where the light sources are turned off and on at a rate sufficient for the bulb to appear on. The method also includes measuring ambient light via a light sensor in or on the bulb during at least some times when the light sources are off, and outputting a signal related to the measured ambient light. In some cases the light sensor saturates when the solid state light sources are active and measures the ambient light level when the solid state light sources are not active. The ambient light level signal can be used to control when the light bulb is on and an intensity of light output by the bulb.