Illumination control through selective activation and de-activation of lighting elements
View Patent ↗In various embodiments, an illumination system includes multiple light-emitting strings that are selectively activated or deactivated to regulate an overall output of the array.
1. An illumination system comprising:
a light-emitting array comprising a plurality of light-emitting strings, each light-emitting string comprising a plurality of light-emitting elements electrically connected in series;
a plurality of constant current sources, each constant current source providing a constant current to a different one of the light-emitting strings;
a power supply for supplying power to the plurality of constant current sources; and
a controller for selectively activating or deactivating various ones of the light-emitting strings to regulate an overall output of the array,
wherein (i) the light-emitting strings are not individually dimmable by the controller, and the light output of the light-emitting strings is regulated only by the selective activation or deactivation of various ones of the light-emitting strings, (ii) the light-emitting array comprises a first group of one or more light-emitting strings and, associated therewith, at least one first lens having a first optical characteristic, (iii) the light-emitting array comprises a second group, different from the first group, of one or more light-emitting strings and, associated therewith, at least one second lens having a second optical characteristic, (iv) activation of the first group and deactivation of the second group produces a first light intensity distribution through the at least one first lens, and (v) activation of the second group and deactivation of the first group produces a second light intensity distribution different from the first light intensity distribution, through the at least one second lens.
2. The illumination system of claim 1 , wherein the controller selectively activates or deactivates various ones of the light-emitting strings in a pattern.
3. The illumination system of claim 1 , wherein the light-emitting elements are light-emitting diodes.
4. The illumination system of claim 1 , wherein at least some of the light-emitting strings have light-emitting elements that emit light having a chromaticity different from a chromaticity of light emitted by at least some other light-emitting strings.
5. The illumination system of claim 1 , wherein each said at least one first lens is associated with a single light-emitting element.
6. The illumination system of claim 1 , wherein each said at least one second lens is associated with a single light-emitting element.
7. The illumination system of claim 1 , further comprising an activation system for regulating the controller.
8. The illumination system of claim 7 , wherein the activation system comprises at least one sensor to detect an environmental condition, the controller selectively activating or deactivating various ones of the light-emitting strings in response thereto.
9. The illumination system of claim 8 , wherein the sensor is at least one of an occupancy sensor, a thermal sensor, an ambient light sensor, a smoke sensor, or a fire sensor.
10. The illumination system of claim 7 , wherein the activation system comprises at least one timer.
11. The illumination system of claim 7 , wherein the activation system is responsive to an external command source.
12. The illumination system of claim 11 , wherein the external command source is a user remote control.
13. The illumination system of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of switches, each switch being associated with one of the light-emitting strings and controlling supply of current thereto from one of the constant current sources.
14. An illumination system comprising:
a light-emitting array comprising a plurality of light-emitting strings, each light-emitting string comprising a plurality of light-emitting elements electrically connected in series;
at least one power source for providing power to the light-emitting strings;
a controller for selectively activating or deactivating various ones of the light-emitting strings to regulate an overall output of the array;
a plurality of switches, each switch being associated with one of the light-emitting strings and controlling supply of power thereto from at least one said power source; and
a plurality of shift registers for receiving signals from the controller and outputting the signals to the switches.
15. The illumination system of claim 14 , further comprising a data bus connecting the shift registers to the controller.
16. The illumination system of claim 15 , wherein the shift registers have inputs connected in parallel to the controller, whereby data transmitted on the data bus shifts into and out of each register simultaneously with a plurality of latch signals each associated with a shift register.
17. The illumination system of claim 15 , wherein the shift registers are connected in series with each other, whereby data transmitted on the data bus shifts into and out of each register sequentially with a single common latch signal provided substantially simultaneously to all of the shift registers.
18. The illumination system of claim 14 , wherein the shift registers are electronic D-type flip-flops.
19. The illumination system of claim 14 , wherein the light-emitting strings are not individually dimmable by the controller, and the light output of the light-emitting strings is regulated only by the selective activation or deactivation of various ones of the light-emitting strings.
20. The illumination system of claim 14 , wherein the controller selectively activates or deactivates various ones of the light-emitting strings in a pattern.
21. The illumination system of claim 14 , wherein the light-emitting elements are light-emitting diodes.
22. The illumination system of claim 14 , wherein at least some of the light-emitting strings have light-emitting elements that emit light having a chromaticity different from a chromaticity of light emitted by at least some other light-emitting strings.
23. The illumination system of claim 14 , wherein the light-emitting array comprises a first group of one or more light-emitting strings and, associated therewith, at least one first lens having a first optical characteristic.
24. The illumination system of claim 23 , wherein each said at least one first lens is associated with a single light-emitting element.
25. The illumination system of claim 23 , wherein:
the light-emitting array comprises a second group, different from the first group, of one or more light-emitting strings and, associated therewith, at least one second lens having a second optical characteristic,
activation of the first group and deactivation of the second group produces a first light intensity distribution through the at least one first lens, and
activation of the second group and deactivation of the first group produces a second light intensity distribution different from the first light intensity distribution, through the at least one second lens.
26. The illumination system of claim 25 , wherein each said at least one second lens is associated with a single light-emitting element.
27. The illumination system of claim 14 , wherein the at least one power source is a constant voltage source.
28. The illumination system of claim 14 , wherein the at least one power source is a constant current source.
29. The illumination system of claim 28 , wherein the constant current source comprises at least one electronic component for providing a stable current to the light-emitting elements.
30. The illumination system of claim 14 , wherein the at least one power source comprises a plurality of power sources, and each light-emitting string is associated with a different power source.
31. The illumination system of claim 14 , further comprising an activation system for regulating the controller.
32. The illumination system of claim 31 , wherein the activation system comprises at least one sensor to detect an environmental condition, the controller selectively activating or deactivating various ones of the light-emitting strings in response thereto.
33. The illumination system of claim 32 , wherein the sensor is at least one of an occupancy sensor, a thermal sensor, an ambient light sensor, a smoke sensor, or a fire sensor.
34. The illumination system of claim 31 , wherein the activation system comprises at least one timer.
35. The illumination system of claim 31 , wherein the activation system is responsive to an external command source.
36. The illumination system of claim 35 , wherein the external command source is a user remote control.
37. A method for controlling a light-emitting array comprising a plurality of light-emitting strings, each light-emitting string comprising a plurality of light-emitting elements electrically connected in series, the method comprising:
providing a constant current to each of the light-emitting strings;
selectively activating or deactivating various ones of the light-emitting strings to regulate an overall output of the array, wherein (i) the light-emitting strings are not individually dimmable, and the light output of the light-emitting strings is regulated only by the selective activation or deactivation of various ones of the light-emitting strings, (ii) the light-emitting array comprises a first group of one or more light-emitting strings and, associated therewith, at least one first lens having a first optical characteristic, (iii) the light-emitting array comprises a second group, different from the first group, of one or more light-emitting strings and, associated therewith, at least one second lens having a second optical characteristic;
activating the first group and deactivating the second group to produce a first light intensity distribution through the at least one first lens; and
activating the second group and deactivating the first group to produce a second light intensity distribution different from the first light intensity distribution, through the at least one second lens.
38. The method of claim 37 , wherein each said at least one first lens is associated with a single light-emitting element.
39. The method of claim 37 , wherein each said at least one second lens is associated with a single light-emitting element.
40. The method of claim 37 , wherein constant current is provided to each of the light-emitting strings by a plurality of constant current sources, each constant current source providing a constant current to a different one of the light-emitting strings.
41. The method of claim 40 , wherein power is supplied to the plurality of constant current sources from a constant voltage power supply.
42. The method of claim 40 , wherein each constant current source comprises at least one resistor and at least one transistor.
43. An illumination system comprising:
a light-emitting array comprising a plurality of light-emitting strings, each light-emitting string comprising a plurality of light-emitting elements electrically connected in series;
a plurality of constant current sources, each constant current source providing a constant current to a different one of the light-emitting strings;
a power supply for supplying power to the plurality of constant current sources; and
a controller for selectively activating or deactivating various ones of the light-emitting strings to regulate an overall output of the array,
wherein the light-emitting strings are not individually dimmable by the controller, and the light output of the light-emitting strings is regulated only by the selective activation or deactivation of various ones of the light-emitting strings to produce a pattern of activated and deactivated light-emitting strings that is visibly perceptible to an observer of the illumination system.
44. The illumination system of claim 43 , wherein the controller selectively activates or deactivates various ones of the light-emitting strings in a pattern.
45. The illumination system of claim 43 , wherein the light-emitting elements are light-emitting diodes.
46. The illumination system of claim 43 , wherein at least some of the light-emitting strings have light-emitting elements that emit light having a chromaticity different from a chromaticity of light emitted by at least some other light-emitting strings.
47. The illumination system of claim 43 , wherein the light-emitting array comprises a first group of one or more light-emitting strings and, associated therewith, at least one first lens having a first optical characteristic.
48. The illumination system of claim 47 , wherein each said at least one first lens is associated with a single light-emitting element.
49. The illumination system of claim 47 , wherein:
the light-emitting array comprises a second group, different from the first group, of one or more light-emitting strings and, associated therewith, at least one second lens having a second optical characteristic,
activation of the first group and deactivation of the second group produces a first light intensity distribution through the at least one first lens, and
activation of the second group and deactivation of the first group produces a second light intensity distribution different from the first light intensity distribution, through the at least one second lens.
50. The illumination system of claim 49 , wherein each said at least one second lens is associated with a single light-emitting element.
51. The illumination system of claim 43 , further comprising an activation system for regulating the controller.
52. The illumination system of claim 51 , wherein the activation system comprises at least one sensor to detect an environmental condition, the controller selectively activating or deactivating various ones of the light-emitting strings in response thereto.
53. The illumination system of claim 52 , wherein the sensor is at least one of an occupancy sensor, a thermal sensor, an ambient light sensor, a smoke sensor, or a fire sensor.
54. The illumination system of claim 51 , wherein the activation system comprises at least one timer.
55. The illumination system of claim 51 , wherein the activation system is responsive to an external command source.
56. The illumination system of claim 55 , wherein the external command source is a user remote control.
57. The illumination system of claim 43 , further comprising a plurality of switches, each switch being associated with one of the light-emitting strings and controlling supply of current thereto from one of the constant current sources.
58. The illumination system of claim 43 , wherein each constant current source comprises at least one resistor and at least one transistor.