Methods and systems for selectively activating led groups
Systems, apparatus and methods for selectively activating and/or deactivating one or more groups of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) of a luminaire. In an embodiment, a multi-LED luminaire includes a detection and control circuit, a first light emitting diode (LED) Group, a second LED Group connected in series to the first LED Group, and a first switch operably connected across the second LED Group. The detection and control circuit detects either a power sequence or a dimming sequence and, in response to detection of the power sequence or to the dimming sequence, operates to close the first switch to short-out the second LED Group such that no light is emitted from the second LED Group, operate to open the first switch to power the second LED Group to emit light along with the first LED Group, or operate the switch in a manner to alter the light output of at least one of the first LED Group and the second LED Group.
1 . A multi-LED multicolor luminaire for obtaining different desired color light emissions comprising:
a detection and control circuit;
a first light emitting diode (LED) Group operable to emit light of a first color and operably connected to the detection and control circuit;
a second LED Group operable to emit light of a second color and operably connected to the detection and control circuit and wherein the second LED Group is connected in series to the first LED Group; and
a first switch operably connected across the second LED Group;
wherein the detection and control circuit is operable to:
detect one of a power sequence or a dimming sequence for controlling the photo-morphology and coloration of plants at specific growth stages; and
in response to detection of the power sequence or to the dimming sequence, operates to at least one of:
close the first switch to short-out the second LED Group such that no light of the second color is emitted from the second LED Group,
open the first switch to power the second LED Group to emit light of the second color along with light of the first color from the first LED Group, or
operate the switch in a manner to alter the light output of at least one of the first LED Group and the second LED Group.
2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the detection and control circuit comprises one of a microcontroller or a logic circuit.
3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the detection and control circuit comprises a sensing component operably connected to a microcontroller.
4 . The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the sensing component comprises one of a voltage detection circuit, a current detection circuit, a temperature sensor, and a light output detection circuit.
5 . The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the detection and control circuit detects one of the power sequence or the dimming sequence via the sensing component, and wherein the detection and control circuit operates on a predetermined schedule to one of:
close the first switch to short-out the second LED Group such that no light is emitted from the second LED Group,
open the first switch to power the second LED Group to emit light of the second color, or
operates the switch in a manner to alter the light output of the first LED Group and of the second LED group.
6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first switch comprises one of a relay, a transistor, a switching device, a resistor, or a specially designed semiconductor device.
7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an LED driver circuit operably connected to the detection and control circuit.
8 . The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the LED driver circuit, the detection and control circuit, the first LED Group, the second LED Group, the switch and the power sensing portion are operably connected together on a printed circuit board (PCB).
9 . The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the LED driver circuit, the detection and control circuit, the first LED Group, the second LED Group, the switch and the power sensing portion are separate components operably connected together via luminaire wiring.
10 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a third LED Group operably connected in series to the second LED Group; and
a second switch connected across the third LED Group and operably connected to the detection and control circuit;
wherein the detection and control circuit is operable to:
detect one of a power sequence or a dimming sequence; and
in response to detecting the power sequence or the dimming sequence, operates to one of:
close at least one of the first switch or the second switch to short-out the second LED Group and/or to short out the third LED Group such that no light is emitted from one of the second LED Group and/or the third LED Group,
open at least one of the first switch and the second switch to power the second LED Group and/or to power the third LED Group to emit light,
or operate the first switch and the second switch in a manner to alter the light output of the first LED Group, the second LED Group and the third LED Group.
11 . A method for selectively activating and/or deactivating one or more groups of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) of a multi-color luminaire to obtain different desired color light emissions for controlling the photo-morphology and coloration of plants at specific growth stages comprising:
detecting, by a detection and control circuit, a power sequence from an LED driver circuit;
transmitting, by the detection and control circuit in accordance with the power sequence, a control signal to close a first switch to short-out a second LED Group operable to emit light of a second color such that no light of the second color is emitted from the second LED Group; and
transmitting, by the detection and control circuit in accordance with the power sequence, a second control signal to open the first switch to power the second LED Group to emit light of the second color along with a first LED Group emitting light of a first color.
12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein a third LED Group is operably connected in series to the second LED Group, and wherein a second switch is connected across the third LED Group and is operably connected to the detection and control circuit, and further comprising:
detecting, by the detection and control circuit, a further power sequence;
transmitting, by the detection and control circuit, a control signal to close at least one of the first switch or the second switch to short-out the second LED Group and/or to short out the third LED Group such that no light is emitted from one of the second LED Group and/or the third LED Group; and
transmitting, by the detection and control circuit, a control signal to open at least one of the first switch and the second switch to power the second LED Group to emit light of the second color and/or to power the third LED Group to emit light of a third color different from the light of the first color and light of the second color.
13 . A method for selectively activating and/or deactivating one or more groups of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) of a multi-color luminaire to obtain different desired color light emissions for controlling the photo-morphology and coloration of plants at specific growth stages comprising:
detecting, by a detection and control circuit, a dimming sequence received from an LED driver circuit;
transmitting, by the detection and control circuit in accordance with the dimming sequence, a dimming control signal to operate a first switch in a manner to alter the light output of at least one of LEDs of a first LED Group emitting light of a first color and LEDs of a second LED group emitting light of a second color.
14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the dimming control signal causes one of rapid activation and deactivation of the first switch or shorting a resistor operatively connected to an LED Group.
15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the rapid activation is accomplished by one of pulse width modulation (PWM), pulse frequency modulation (PFM), or pulse density modulation (PDM) of the dimming control signal.