IP Library Granted Patent US 8,074,397
Granted Patent B2
US 8,074,397 · App. 10/203,620 · Granted Dec 13, 2011

Illuminator for plant growth

Assignee: CCS Inc.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,074,397
App. No.
10/203,620
Granted
Dec 13, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

To provide an illuminator for plant growth that can illuminate a plant intermittently (pulse illumination) or continuously to cause an effect similar to sunbeam spot phenomenon, thereby accelerating photosynthetic reaction. Specifically, the illuminator for plant growth includes a light source composed of a semiconductor optical device, a control unit for outputting a turn-on timing signal for the light source, a rhythm signal detecting unit for A/D converting an input rhythm signal, a timing signal modulating unit for modulating the turn-on timing signal with the output signal from the rhythm signal detecting unit, and a pulse drive unit for pulse-modulating a power signal with the modulated turn-on timing signal outputted from the timing signal modulating unit and supplying the pulse-modulated power signal to the light source.

Claims (12)

1. An illumination method for plant growth, comprising steps of:

providing a light source composed of a semiconductor optical device;

modulating light generated by the light source with a rhythm signal extracted from a musical composition produced artificially, and

illuminating a plant to be illuminated with the modulated light;

wherein said rhythm signal produced artificially indicates sound length, pitch or stress according to a certain musical time or rule;

wherein the light source is comprised in an illuminator composed of a semiconductor optical device, and which comprises a control unit for outputting a turn-on timing signal for the light source, a rhythm signal detecting unit for taking in an input rhythm signal, a timing signal modulating unit for modulating said turn-on timing signal with the output signal from the rhythm signal detecting unit, and a pulse drive unit for pulse-modulating a power signal with the modulated turn-on timing signal outputted from the timing signal modulating unit and supplying the pulse-modulated power signal to said light source, whereby the plant to be illuminated is pulse-illuminated while changing a light quantity of the light source in synchronization with said input rhythm signal; wherein said timing signal modulating unit multiplies the output signal from said rhythm signal detecting unit by the turn-on timing signal generated by said control unit to generate a signal synchronized with an amplitude of the rhythm signal, and sums the signal and said turn-on timing signal to modulate said turn-on timing signal.

2. An illumination method for plant growth, comprising steps of:

providing a light source composed of a semiconductor optical device;

modulating light generated by the light source with a rhythm signal extracted from a musical composition produced artificially, and

illuminating a plant to be illuminated with the modulated light;

wherein said rhythm signal produced artificially indicates sound length, pitch or stress according to a certain musical time or rule;

further comprising providing various sensors for measuring environmental factors of the plant including atmospheric temperature, carbon dioxide concentration, and water temperature and when the plant is to be pulse-illuminated, based on measurement data of the sensors, setting a dimming pattern for generating said turn-on timing signal for optimal activation of the plant, or performing switching among a plurality of dimming patterns previously stored for optimal activation of the plant.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 19, 2002
From: YONEDA, KENJI; TAKAHATA, MINORU; HAYASHI, TAKAHIRO
To: CCS INC.
Reel/Frame 013388/0660 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2000-044919 · Feb 22, 2000 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20030009933A1 · Jan 16, 2003