Multi-channel lamp system and method with mixed spectrum
View Patent ↗Composite light sources and methods use a low-blue component light source emitting first substantially white light and a high-blue component light source emitting second substantially white light. The second substantially white light has a greater correlated color temperature than the first substantially white light. The first and second substantially white light combine to provide substantially intermediate warm-white light.
1. A composite light source, comprising:
a low-blue component light source emitting first substantially white light; and
a high-blue component light source emitting second substantially white light, the second substantially white light having a greater correlated color temperature than the first substantially white light, wherein at least one of the low-blue component light source and the high-blue component light source comprises a narrow-band red emitter,
wherein the first and second substantially white light combine to provide a combined substantially white light having an intermediate correlated color temperature, wherein the combined substantially white light comprises a standard red color chip (R 9 ) value of at least 51 and has a correlated color temperature that is at least 2500 K and no more than 3200 K and that has a Duv value of at least −0.025 and no more than −0.005.
2. The composite light source of claim 1 , wherein the combined substantially white light has a color correlated temperature that is at least 2700 K and no more than 3000 K and that has a Duv value of at least −0.015 and that lies on or below a white body locus.
3. The composite light source of claim 1 , further comprising
a switch configured to be actuated to a first state to cause the low-blue component light source to emit the first substantially white light while the high-blue component light source does not emit the second substantially white light, the switch further configured to be actuated to a different, second state to cause the low-blue component light source to not emit the first substantially white light while the high-blue component light source does emit the second substantially white light,
the switch yet further configured to be actuated to a different, third state to cause the low-blue component light source to emit the first substantially white light while the high-blue component light source emits the second substantially white light to provide the combined substantially intermediate light.
4. The composite light source of claim 1 , further comprising a timer that controls the ratio and the total light flux of the low-blue component light source and the high-blue component light sources at different times of a day.
5. The composite light source of claim 4 , wherein the timer activates the low-blue component light source to emit the first substantially white light and deactivates the high-blue component light source during a pre-sleep time period, the timer activates the high-blue component light source to emit the second substantially white light and deactivates the low-blue component light source during a post-sleep time period, and the timer activates the low-blue component light source and the high-blue component light source during a time period subsequent to the post-sleep time period and prior to the pre-sleep time period.
6. The composite light source of claim 1 , wherein the narrow-band red emitter is a phosphor.
7. The composite light source of claim 6 , wherein the phosphor is formed from potassium fluoro-silicate.
8. The composite light source of 6 , wherein the substantially intermediate light includes one or more of a standard red color chip (R 9 ) value of at least 80, a gamut area index value of at least 80, and a lighting preference index of at least 110.
9. A method comprising:
emitting first substantially white light from a low-blue component light source of a composite light source during a first time period; and
emitting second substantially white light from a high-blue component light source during a different, second time period, the second substantially white light having a greater correlated color temperature than the first substantially white light;
wherein at least one of the low-blue component light source and the high-blue component light source comprises a narrow-band red emitter; and
wherein the method further comprises concurrently emitting the first substantially white light and emitting the second substantially white light during a different, third time period, wherein the first and second substantially white light combine to provide combined substantially intermediate light;
wherein the combined substantially white light has a color correlated temperature that is at least 2500 K and no more than 3200 K and that has a Duv value of at least −0.025 and no more than −0.005.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the combined substantially white light has a color correlated temperature that is at least 2700 K and no more than 3000 K and that has a Duv value of at least −0.015 and that lies on or below a white body locus.
11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising one or more of:
switching from emitting the first substantially white light from the low-blue component light source to emitting the second substantially white light from the high-blue component light source responsive to actuation of a switch of the composite light source;
switching from emitting the second substantially white light from the high-blue component light source to emitting the first substantially white light from the low-blue component light source responsive to actuation of the switch; and
switching from emitting only the first substantially white light from the low-blue component light source or emitting only the second substantially white light from the high-blue component light source to concurrently emitting both the first substantially white light from the low-blue component light source and the second substantially white light from the high-blue component light source responsive to actuation of the switch.
12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising one or more of:
autonomously switching from emitting the first substantially white light from the low-blue component light source to emitting the second substantially white light from the high-blue component light source based on a time of day;
autonomously switching from emitting the second substantially white light from the high-blue component light source to emitting the first substantially white light from the low-blue component light source based on the time of day; and
autonomously switching from emitting only the first substantially white light from the low-blue component light source or emitting only the second substantially white light from the high-blue component light source to concurrently emitting both the first substantially white light from the low-blue component light source and the second substantially white light from the high-blue component light source responsive to actuation of the switch based on the time of day.
13. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
activating the low-blue component light source to emit the first substantially white light and deactivating the high-blue component light source during a pre-sleep time period;
activating the high-blue component light source to emit the second substantially white light and deactivating the low-blue component light source during a post-sleep time period; and
activating the low-blue component light source and the high-blue component light source during a time period subsequent to the post-sleep time period and prior to the pre-sleep time period.
14. A composite light source, comprising:
a low-blue component light source emitting first substantially white light; and
a high-blue component light source emitting second substantially white light, the second substantially white light having a greater correlated color temperature than the first substantially white light, wherein both the low-blue component light source and the high-blue component light source comprises a narrow-band red phosphor emitter,
wherein the first and second substantially white light combine to provide a combined substantially white light having an intermediate correlated color temperature with an R9 value of at least 80 and a Duv value of at least −0.025 and no more than −0.005.