초록

In various embodiments, an illumination system includes multiple light-emitting strings that are selectively activated or deactivated to regulate an overall output of the array.

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1. An illumination system comprising: a light-emitting array comprising a plurality of light-emitting strings, each light-emitting string comprising a plurality of light-emitting elements electrically connected in series;a plurality of constant current sources, each constant current source providing

1. An illumination system comprising: a light-emitting array comprising a plurality of light-emitting strings, each light-emitting string comprising a plurality of light-emitting elements electrically connected in series;a plurality of constant current sources, each constant current source providing a constant current to a different one of the light-emitting strings;a power supply for supplying power to the plurality of constant current sources; anda controller for selectively activating or deactivating various ones of the light-emitting strings to regulate an overall output of the array,wherein (i) the light-emitting strings are not individually dimmable by the controller, and the light output of the light-emitting strings is regulated only by the selective activation or deactivation of various ones of the light-emitting strings, (ii) the light-emitting array comprises a first group of one or more light-emitting strings and, associated therewith, at least one first lens having a first optical characteristic, (iii) the light-emitting array comprises a second group, different from the first group, of one or more light-emitting strings and, associated therewith, at least one second lens having a second optical characteristic, (iv) activation of the first group and deactivation of the second group produces a first light intensity distribution through the at least one first lens, and (v) activation of the second group and deactivation of the first group produces a second light intensity distribution different from the first light intensity distribution, through the at least one second lens. 2. The illumination system of claim 1, wherein the controller selectively activates or deactivates various ones of the light-emitting strings in a pattern. 3. The illumination system of claim 1, wherein the light-emitting elements are light-emitting diodes. 4. The illumination system of claim 1, wherein at least some of the light-emitting strings have light-emitting elements that emit light having a chromaticity different from a chromaticity of light emitted by at least some other light-emitting strings. 5. The illumination system of claim 1, wherein each said at least one first lens is associated with a single light-emitting element. 6. The illumination system of claim 1, wherein each said at least one second lens is associated with a single light-emitting element. 7. The illumination system of claim 1, further comprising an activation system for regulating the controller. 8. The illumination system of claim 7, wherein the activation system comprises at least one sensor to detect an environmental condition, the controller selectively activating or deactivating various ones of the light-emitting strings in response thereto. 9. The illumination system of claim 8, wherein the sensor is at least one of an occupancy sensor, a thermal sensor, an ambient light sensor, a smoke sensor, or a fire sensor. 10. The illumination system of claim 7, wherein the activation system comprises at least one timer. 11. The illumination system of claim 7, wherein the activation system is responsive to an external command source. 12. The illumination system of claim 11, wherein the external command source is a user remote control. 13. The illumination system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of switches, each switch being associated with one of the light-emitting strings and controlling supply of current thereto from one of the constant current sources. 14. An illumination system comprising: a light-emitting array comprising a plurality of light-emitting strings, each light-emitting string comprising a plurality of light-emitting elements electrically connected in series;at least one power source for providing power to the light-emitting strings;a controller for selectively activating or deactivating various ones of the light-emitting strings to regulate an overall output of the array;a plurality of switches, each switch being associated with one of the light-emitting strings and controlling supply of power thereto from at least one said power source; anda plurality of shift registers for receiving signals from the controller and outputting the signals to the switches. 15. The illumination system of claim 14, further comprising a data bus connecting the shift registers to the controller. 16. The illumination system of claim 15, wherein the shift registers have inputs connected in parallel to the controller, whereby data transmitted on the data bus shifts into and out of each register simultaneously with a plurality of latch signals each associated with a shift register. 17. The illumination system of claim 15, wherein the shift registers are connected in series with each other, whereby data transmitted on the data bus shifts into and out of each register sequentially with a single common latch signal provided substantially simultaneously to all of the shift registers. 18. The illumination system of claim 14, wherein the shift registers are electronic D-type flip-flops. 19. The illumination system of claim 14, wherein the light-emitting strings are not individually dimmable by the controller, and the light output of the light-emitting strings is regulated only by the selective activation or deactivation of various ones of the light-emitting strings. 20. The illumination system of claim 14, wherein the controller selectively activates or deactivates various ones of the light-emitting strings in a pattern. 21. The illumination system of claim 14, wherein the light-emitting elements are light-emitting diodes. 22. The illumination system of claim 14, wherein at least some of the light-emitting strings have light-emitting elements that emit light having a chromaticity different from a chromaticity of light emitted by at least some other light-emitting strings. 23. The illumination system of claim 14, wherein the light-emitting array comprises a first group of one or more light-emitting strings and, associated therewith, at least one first lens having a first optical characteristic. 24. The illumination system of claim 23, wherein each said at least one first lens is associated with a single light-emitting element. 25. The illumination system of claim 23, wherein: the light-emitting array comprises a second group, different from the first group, of one or more light-emitting strings and, associated therewith, at least one second lens having a second optical characteristic,activation of the first group and deactivation of the second group produces a first light intensity distribution through the at least one first lens, andactivation of the second group and deactivation of the first group produces a second light intensity distribution different from the first light intensity distribution, through the at least one second lens. 26. The illumination system of claim 25, wherein each said at least one second lens is associated with a single light-emitting element. 27. The illumination system of claim 14, wherein the at least one power source is a constant voltage source. 28. The illumination system of claim 14, wherein the at least one power source is a constant current source. 29. The illumination system of claim 28, wherein the constant current source comprises at least one electronic component for providing a stable current to the light-emitting elements. 30. The illumination system of claim 14, wherein the at least one power source comprises a plurality of power sources, and each light-emitting string is associated with a different power source. 31. The illumination system of claim 14, further comprising an activation system for regulating the controller. 32. The illumination system of claim 31, wherein the activation system comprises at least one sensor to detect an environmental condition, the controller selectively activating or deactivating various ones of the light-emitting strings in response thereto. 33. The illumination system of claim 32, wherein the sensor is at least one of an occupancy sensor, a thermal sensor, an ambient light sensor, a smoke sensor, or a fire sensor. 34. The illumination system of claim 31, wherein the activation system comprises at least one timer. 35. The illumination system of claim 31, wherein the activation system is responsive to an external command source. 36. The illumination system of claim 35, wherein the external command source is a user remote control. 37. A method for controlling a light-emitting array comprising a plurality of light-emitting strings, each light-emitting string comprising a plurality of light-emitting elements electrically connected in series, the method comprising: providing a constant current to each of the light-emitting strings;selectively activating or deactivating various ones of the light-emitting strings to regulate an overall output of the array, wherein (i) the light-emitting strings are not individually dimmable, and the light output of the light-emitting strings is regulated only by the selective activation or deactivation of various ones of the light-emitting strings, (ii) the light-emitting array comprises a first group of one or more light-emitting strings and, associated therewith, at least one first lens having a first optical characteristic, (iii) the light-emitting array comprises a second group, different from the first group, of one or more light-emitting strings and, associated therewith, at least one second lens having a second optical characteristic;activating the first group and deactivating the second group to produce a first light intensity distribution through the at least one first lens; andactivating the second group and deactivating the first group to produce a second light intensity distribution different from the first light intensity distribution, through the at least one second lens. 38. The method of claim 37, wherein each said at least one first lens is associated with a single light-emitting element. 39. The method of claim 37, wherein each said at least one second lens is associated with a single light-emitting element. 40. The method of claim 37, wherein constant current is provided to each of the light-emitting strings by a plurality of constant current sources, each constant current source providing a constant current to a different one of the light-emitting strings. 41. The method of claim 40, wherein power is supplied to the plurality of constant current sources from a constant voltage power supply. 42. The method of claim 40, wherein each constant current source comprises at least one resistor and at least one transistor. 43. An illumination system comprising: a light-emitting array comprising a plurality of light-emitting strings, each light-emitting string comprising a plurality of light-emitting elements electrically connected in series;a plurality of constant current sources, each constant current source providing a constant current to a different one of the light-emitting strings;a power supply for supplying power to the plurality of constant current sources; anda controller for selectively activating or deactivating various ones of the light-emitting strings to regulate an overall output of the array,wherein the light-emitting strings are not individually dimmable by the controller, and the light output of the light-emitting strings is regulated only by the selective activation or deactivation of various ones of the light-emitting strings to produce a pattern of activated and deactivated light-emitting strings that is visibly perceptible to an observer of the illumination system. 44. The illumination system of claim 43, wherein the controller selectively activates or deactivates various ones of the light-emitting strings in a pattern. 45. The illumination system of claim 43, wherein the light-emitting elements are light-emitting diodes. 46. The illumination system of claim 43, wherein at least some of the light-emitting strings have light-emitting elements that emit light having a chromaticity different from a chromaticity of light emitted by at least some other light-emitting strings. 47. The illumination system of claim 43, wherein the light-emitting array comprises a first group of one or more light-emitting strings and, associated therewith, at least one first lens having a first optical characteristic. 48. The illumination system of claim 47, wherein each said at least one first lens is associated with a single light-emitting element. 49. The illumination system of claim 47, wherein: the light-emitting array comprises a second group, different from the first group, of one or more light-emitting strings and, associated therewith, at least one second lens having a second optical characteristic,activation of the first group and deactivation of the second group produces a first light intensity distribution through the at least one first lens, andactivation of the second group and deactivation of the first group produces a second light intensity distribution different from the first light intensity distribution, through the at least one second lens. 50. The illumination system of claim 49, wherein each said at least one second lens is associated with a single light-emitting element. 51. The illumination system of claim 43, further comprising an activation system for regulating the controller. 52. The illumination system of claim 51, wherein the activation system comprises at least one sensor to detect an environmental condition, the controller selectively activating or deactivating various ones of the light-emitting strings in response thereto. 53. The illumination system of claim 52, wherein the sensor is at least one of an occupancy sensor, a thermal sensor, an ambient light sensor, a smoke sensor, or a fire sensor. 54. The illumination system of claim 51, wherein the activation system comprises at least one timer. 55. The illumination system of claim 51, wherein the activation system is responsive to an external command source. 56. The illumination system of claim 55, wherein the external command source is a user remote control. 57. The illumination system of claim 43, further comprising a plurality of switches, each switch being associated with one of the light-emitting strings and controlling supply of current thereto from one of the constant current sources. 58. The illumination system of claim 43, wherein each constant current source comprises at least one resistor and at least one transistor.