IP Library Granted Patent US 12,078,342
Granted Patent B2
US 12,078,342 · App. 18/006,118 · Granted Sep 3, 2024

Lighting fixture with peripheral light emission feature

Inventors: Nathan R. Snell (Raleigh, NC); Randy Bernard (Durham, NC); Kurt Schreib (Waukesha, WI); Moxuan Zhu (Cary, NC); Kurt S. Wilcox (Libertyville, IL)
Assignee: Cree Lighting USA LLC
F21V9/02F21S8/024F21S8/026F21S8/06F21S10/005F21V7/0016G02B6/0075H05B45/10H05B45/20F21V2200/20F21Y2113/13F21Y2115/10
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,078,342
App. No.
18/006,118
Granted
Sep 3, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

A lighting fixture incorporates a peripheral light emission feature, such as a peripheral waveguide and/or a peripheral reflector region. A peripheral light emission feature may at least partially surround a non-peripheral feature that may include a light-transmissive panel. At least one first light source may illuminate a peripheral light emission feature, and at least one second light source may illuminate a light transmissive panel. Control circuitry is configured to selectively adjust intensity and/or color temperature of the light sources to cause aggregate emissions of the lighting fixture (or a lighting system with multiple lighting fixtures) to dynamically change over time (e.g., with different intensities and color temperature), so as resemble a skylight or window. A viewer may thereby perceive at least portions of a space as being naturally illuminated.

Claims (29)

1. A lighting fixture comprising:

a light-transmissive panel;

at least one waveguide positioned along a perimeter of the light-transmissive panel, wherein the at least one waveguide comprises a face that is transversely oriented relative to the light-transmissive panel and extends from the light-transmissive panel to a waveguide distal edge spaced from the light-transmissive panel;

at least one first light source configured to illuminate the light-transmissive panel;

at least one second light source configured to illuminate the at least one waveguide; and

control circuitry configured to selectively adjust, for one or more of the at least one first light source and the at least one second light source, at least one of intensity and color temperature to cause aggregate emissions of the lighting fixture to dynamically change over time;

wherein the lighting fixture is configured to be suspended by one or more elongated suspension elements from, and spatially segregated from, a ceiling structure.

2. The lighting fixture of claim 1 , wherein the at least one first light source comprises a first plurality of LEDs, and the at least one second light source comprises a second plurality of LEDs.

3. The lighting fixture of claim 1 , wherein the light-transmissive panel in combination with the first light source are configured to emulate a window portion of a traditional skylight, without allowing transmission of natural light from an external environment through the light-transmissive panel.

4. The lighting fixture of claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to selectively adjust at least one of intensity and color temperature for the at least one first light source and for the at least one second light source to illuminate the light-transmissive panel and the at least one waveguide such that the lighting fixture resembles a skylight that is externally illuminated by the sun, and such that a perceived direction of external illumination of the lighting fixture moves from east to west over time.

5. The lighting fixture of claim 1 , wherein the at least one waveguide comprises a plurality of waveguides, the at least one second light source comprises a plurality of second light sources, and each second light source is configured to illuminate a different waveguide of the plurality of waveguides.

6. The lighting fixture of claim 1 , further comprising a third light source configured to transmit emissions in an upward direction.

7. The lighting fixture of claim 6 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to selectively adjust, for the third light source, at least one of intensity and color temperature of to cause emissions of the third light source to dynamically change over time.

8. A lighting system comprising:

a plurality of lighting fixtures arranged in a single space to be illuminated, wherein each lighting fixture of the plurality of lighting fixtures comprises:

a light-transmissive panel;

at least one waveguide positioned along a perimeter of the light-transmissive panel, wherein the at least one waveguide comprises a face that is transversely oriented relative to the light-transmissive panel and extends from the light-transmissive panel to a waveguide distal edge spaced from the light-transmissive panel

at least one first light source configured to illuminate the light-transmissive panel; and

at least one second light source configured to illuminate the at least one waveguide; and

control circuitry configured to selectively adjust, for one or more of (i) at least one light source and (ii) the at least one second light source and separately for each lighting fixture of the plurality of lighting fixtures, at least one of intensity and color temperature to cause emissions of the lighting system to dynamically change over time, wherein during at least some times the dynamic change of emissions of the lighting system includes simultaneous illumination of different lighting fixtures of the plurality of lighting fixtures at different intensities and/or color temperatures;

wherein at least one lighting fixture of the plurality of lighting fixtures is configured to be suspended by one or more elongated suspension elements from, and spatially segregated from, a ceiling structure.

9. The lighting system of claim 8 , wherein:

at least a portion of each lighting fixture of the plurality of lighting fixtures resembles a skylight that is externally illuminated by the sun, and

the dynamic change of emissions of the lighting system includes illumination of different lighting fixtures of the plurality of lighting fixtures at different intensities and/or color temperatures to cause a perceived direction of external illumination of the plurality of lighting fixtures to move from east to west over time.

10. The lighting system of claim 8 , wherein for each lighting fixture of the plurality of lighting fixtures, the at least one waveguide comprises a plurality of waveguides, the at least one second light source comprises a plurality of second light sources, and each second light source is configured to illuminate a different waveguide of the plurality of waveguides.

11. The lighting system of claim 8 , wherein at least one other lighting fixture of the plurality of lighting fixtures is configured to be recessed into the ceiling structure.

12. The lighting system of claim 8 , wherein the at least one lighting fixture further comprises a third light source configured to transmit emissions in an upward direction.

13. The lighting system of claim 12 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to selectively adjust, for the third light source of the at least one lighting fixture, at least one of intensity and color temperature of to cause emissions of the third light source to dynamically change over time.

14. The lighting system of claim 8 , wherein the at least one lighting fixture is configured to be suspended below, and spatially segregated from, a visible plane of the ceiling structure that is visible from an environment enclosed by the ceiling structure.

Assignments (4)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 22, 2026
From: LUMEN ACQUISITION HOLDINGS, LLC
To: LED-IP MANAGEMENT, LLC
Reel/Frame 075624/0358 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jun 27, 2024
From: IDEAL INDUSTRIES LIGHTING LLC
To: CREE LIGHTING USA LLC
Reel/Frame 068051/0027 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 13, 2023
From: IDEAL INDUSTRIES LIGHTING LLC
To: FGI WORLDWIDE LLC
Reel/Frame 064897/0413 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 26, 2023
From: SNELL, NATHAN R.; BERNARD, RANDY; SCHREIB, KURT; ZHU, MOXUAN; WILCOX, KURT S.
To: IDEAL INDUSTRIES LIGHTING LLC
Reel/Frame 063770/0806 →