IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0294565
(2005-12-06)
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
- May,Donald F.
- Rains, Jr.,Jack C.
|
출원인 / 주소 |
- Advanced Optical Technologies, LLC
|
대리인 / 주소 |
McDermott Will & Emery LLP
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
28 인용 특허 :
70 |
초록
▼
A system to provide radiant energy of selectable spectral characteristic (e.g. a selectable color combination) uses an integrating cavity to combine energy of different wavelengths from different sources. The cavity has a diffusely reflective interior surface and an aperture for allowing emission o
A system to provide radiant energy of selectable spectral characteristic (e.g. a selectable color combination) uses an integrating cavity to combine energy of different wavelengths from different sources. The cavity has a diffusely reflective interior surface and an aperture for allowing emission of combined radiant energy. Sources of radiant energy of different wavelengths, typically different-color LEDs, supply radiant energy into the interior of the integrating cavity. In the examples, the points of entry of the energy into the cavity typically are located so that they are not directly visible through the aperture. The cavity effectively integrates the energy of different wavelengths, so that the combined radiant energy emitted through the aperture includes the radiant energy of the various wavelengths. The apparatus also includes a control circuit coupled to the sources for establishing output intensity of radiant energy of each of the sources. Control of the intensity of emission of the sources sets the amount of each wavelength of energy in the combined output and thus determines a spectral characteristic of the radiant energy output through the aperture.
대표청구항
▼
What is claimed is: 1. An apparatus for emitting visible light of multiple wavelengths comprising: a light fixture having a cavity; first, second and third light emitting diodes (LEDs) for emitting visible light of different first, second and third wavelengths, respectively, for combination within
What is claimed is: 1. An apparatus for emitting visible light of multiple wavelengths comprising: a light fixture having a cavity; first, second and third light emitting diodes (LEDs) for emitting visible light of different first, second and third wavelengths, respectively, for combination within the cavity of the light fixture in such a manner that the cavity emits combined light; a color sensor coupled to the cavity for detecting color distribution in the combined light within the cavity; and control circuitry responsive to the color distribution detected by the color sensor, for controlling output of visible light of each of the LEDs to set a spectral characteristic of the combined light. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising means for diffusing visible light of the first, second and third wavelengths to form the combined light within the cavity of the light fixture. 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein: the means for diffusing comprises a diffusely reflective surface of the cavity; and the diffusely reflective cavity surface forms an optical integrating chamber having an aperture for emission of the combined light from the light fixture. 4. An apparatus for emitting visible light of multiple wavelengths, comprising: a light fixture having a cavity; first, second and third light emitting diodes (LEDs) for emitting visible light of different first, second and third wavelengths, respectively, through the cavity of the light fixture; a color sensor for detecting color distribution in combined light from the LEDs within the cavity; control circuitry responsive to the color distribution detected by the color sensor, for controlling output of visible light of each of the LEDs to set a spectral characteristic of combined light emitted from the light fixture; and an initially inactive LED, wherein the controller is configured to activate the initially inactive LED responsive to the color distribution detected by the color sensor, as needed, to maintain the spectral characteristic of combined light emitted from the light fixture. 5. An apparatus for emitting visible light of multiple wavelengths, comprising: a light fixture having a cavity; first, second and third light emitting diodes (LEDs) for emitting visible light of different first, second and third wavelengths, respectively, through the cavity of the light fixture; a color sensor for detecting color distribution in combined light from the LEDs within the cavity; control circuitry responsive to the color distribution detected by the color sensor, for controlling output of visible light of each of the LEDs to set a spectral characteristic of combined light emitted from the light fixture; and first, second and third initially inactive LEDs for emitting visible light of the different first, second and third wavelengths, respectively, through the cavity of the light fixture, wherein the controller is configured to activate the initially inactive LEDs responsive to the color distribution detected by the color sensor, as needed, to maintain the spectral characteristic of combined light emitted from the light fixture. 6. An apparatus for emitting light, comprising: a first of source of humanly visible light of a first wavelength; a second source of humanly visible light of a second wavelength, the second wavelength being different from the first wavelength; a chamber having a reflective interior surface for receiving and combining light of the first and second wavelengths from the sources within the chamber so as to form combined light containing both light of the first wavelength and light of the second wavelength, the chamber having a light path allowing emission of at least some of the combined light; a color sensor coupled to the chamber for detecting color in the combined light within the chamber; and control circuitry for controlling output of at least one of the sources responsive to the color detected by the color sensor. 7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein: the chamber comprises a cavity, the reflective interior surface comprises a diffusely reflective surface of the cavity, and diffuse reflection within the cavity optically integrates light of the first and second wavelengths within the chamber before emission as combined light via the light path. 8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the light path comprises an opening of the cavity. 9. An apparatus for emitting light, comprising: a first of source of humanly visible light of a first wavelength; a second source of humanly visible light of a second wavelength, the second wavelength being different from the first wavelength; a chamber having a reflective interior surface for receiving and combining light of the first and second wavelengths from the sources, and having a light path allowing emission of combined light containing both light of the first wavelength and light of the second wavelength; a color sensor for detecting color in the combined light; control circuitry for controlling output at least one of the sources responsive to the color detected by the color sensor; a first initially inactive source of visible light of the first wavelength; and a second initially inactive source of visible light of the second wavelength, wherein the controller is configured to selectively activate the first and second initially inactive, sources responsive to the color detected by the color sensor, as needed to maintain a spectral characteristic of the combined light. 10. A lighting apparatus comprising: a first light emitting diode (LED); a second LED for emitting light of a characteristic substantially similar to a characteristic of the light emitted by the first LED; a controller coupled to control operation of the first and second LEDs, such that the first LED is initially active and the second LED is initially inactive; and a sensor arranged to sense at least one condition relating to operation of the apparatus, wherein the controller is configured to selectively activate the second LED in response to the condition sensed by the sensor, so as to compensate for a decrease in performance of the first LED. 11. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising an optical integrating chamber for combining light from the first and second LEDs and providing a combined light output. 12. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising: a third LED for emitting light of a characteristic substantially different from the characteristic of the light emitted by the first LED; and a fourth LED for emitting light of a characteristic substantially similar to the characteristic of the light emitted by the third LED; wherein: the controller is coupled to control operation of the third and fourth LEDs, such that the third LED is initially active and the fourth LED is initially inactive, and the controller is configured to selectively activate the third LED in response to the condition sensed by the sensor, so as to compensate for a decrease in performance of the third LED. 13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein: the first and second LEDs are for emission of light of a first color; and the second and third LEDs are for emission of light of a second color different from the first color. 14. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising an optical integrating chamber for combining light from the first, second third and fourth LEDs and providing a combined light output containing light of the first and second colors. 15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the sensor comprises a color sensor for detecting color distribution in light produced by the LEDs. 16. A method of providing illumination with light of a desired color characteristic, comprising: generating an amount of light of a first wavelength; generating an amount of light of a second wavelength, wherein the second wavelength is different from the first wavelength; reflecting at least some of the generated light of the first and second wavelengths within a reflective chamber, to produce combined light containing light of the first and second wavelengths; sensing a color characteristic of the combined light within the reflective chamber; controlling the generated amount of light of at least one of the first and second wavelengths in response to the sensed characteristic of the combined light within the reflective chamber, in such a manner that the combined light exhibits the desired color characteristic; and emitting at least a portion of the combined light from the reflective chamber to provide illumination. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein: the reflective chamber comprises an optical integrating cavity; the reflecting comprises diffusely reflecting at least some of the generated light of the first and second wavelengths within the optical integrating cavity; and the emitting comprises emitting at least a portion of the combined light via an aperture of the cavity. 18. A method of providing illumination with light of a desired color characteristic, comprising: generating an amount of light of a first wavelength; generating an amount of light of a second wavelength, wherein the second wavelength is different from the first wavelength; reflecting at least some of the generated light of the first and second wavelengths, to produce combined light containing light of the first and second wavelengths; sensing a characteristic of the combined light; controlling the generated amount of light of at least one of the first and second wavelengths in response to the sensed characteristic of the combined light, in such a manner that the combined light exhibits the desired color characteristic; emitting at least a portion of the combined light to provide illumination; detecting a decrease in performance of an active first source used in the generating of the light of the first wavelength; and activating a previously inactive second source of light of the first wavelength, to compensate for the decrease in performance of the first source. 19. A method of providing illumination from a lighting system, comprising: operating a first light emitting diode (LED) of the lighting system to provide illumination, wherein a second LED of the lighting system is initially not operating; detecting an operational condition of the lighting system indicative of performance of at least the first LED; and initiating operation of the second LED in response to the detected condition indicating a decrease in performance of the first LED. 20. The method of claim 19, further comprising optically combining at least portions of light outputs from the first and second LEDs. 21. The method of claim 20, wherein the optically combining comprises: diffusely reflecting at least portions of the light outputs from the first and second LEDs within a reflective cavity; and emitting combined light from the cavity. 22. The method of claim 19, wherein the first and second LEDs emit light of a first color and the method further comprises: operating a third LED of the lighting system to provide light of a second color different from the first color, wherein a fourth LED of the lighting system for providing light of the second color is initially not operating; and initiating operation of the fourth LED in response to the detected condition indicating a decrease in performance of the third LED. 23. The method of claim 22, further comprising optically combining at least portions of light outputs of the first and second colors from the operating LEDs. 24. The method of claim 23, wherein the optically combining comprises: diffusely reflecting at least portions of the light outputs from the operating LEDs within a reflective cavity; and emitting combined light from the cavity.
※ AI-Helper는 부적절한 답변을 할 수 있습니다.