logo

For the Inventor, By the Inventor

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.:

US 11191220 B1

PDFFull Text
Date of Patent:
Dec. 07, 2021

Filed:

Feb. 02, 2020

Method and apparatus for horticultural lighting with current sharing

Applicant:

Illum Technology, Llc, Mesa, AZ (US);

Inventors:

Stephen P. Adams, Mesa, AZ (US);

Arthur A. Wilkes, Mesa, AZ (US);

Assignee:

Illum Horticulture LLC, Mesa, AZ (US);

Attorney:

Michael T. Wallace

Primary Examiner:

Kurtis R Bahr

Int. Cl.
CPC ...
H05B 45/20 (2020.01); A01G 7/04 (2006.01); H05B 47/11 (2020.01); H05B 45/37 (2020.01); H05B 45/10 (2020.01); H05B 45/00 (2020.01); G01J 1/42 (2006.01); G01J 1/32 (2006.01); F21V 23/00 (2015.01); G01J 1/02 (2006.01); F21V 9/40 (2018.01); F21V 5/00 (2018.01); A01G 9/20 (2006.01); A01G 9/14 (2006.01); H05B 47/105 (2020.01); F21Y 115/10 (2016.01); A01G 9/24 (2006.01); F21Y 113/13 (2016.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
A01G 7/045 (2013.01); A01G 9/14 (2013.01); A01G 9/20 (2013.01); F21V 5/007 (2013.01); F21V 9/40 (2018.02); F21V 23/003 (2013.01); G01J 1/029 (2013.01); G01J 1/32 (2013.01); G01J 1/4204 (2013.01); H05B 45/00 (2020.01); H05B 45/10 (2020.01); H05B 45/20 (2020.01); H05B 45/37 (2020.01); H05B 47/105 (2020.01); H05B 47/11 (2020.01); A01G 9/249 (2019.05); F21V 5/008 (2013.01); F21Y 2113/13 (2016.08); F21Y 2115/10 (2016.08);
Abstract

A method and apparatus for a light fixture that uses current sharing across any one or more parallel LED strings within the light fixture. 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 power supply across all active LED strings using time division multiple access (TDMA) whereby each LED string conducts its apportioned current within its allocated time slot to the mutual exclusion of the remaining active LED strings in any given time period. The light fixture utilizes LEDs with increased forward voltage interspersed with LEDs having reduced forward voltage in the same LED string. A processor utilizes shunt devices across the one or more LEDs with increased forward voltage to substantially match the cumulative forward voltage of each LED string.

Find Patent Forward Citations

Loading…