LIGHTING APPARATUS

Abstract

A lighting apparatus includes a first light source, a second light source and a driver. The first light source has multiple first LED modules. The second light source has multiple second LED modules. The driver controls the first light source and the second light source to generate an output light of a required mixed color temperature. The driver selects a first subset of the multiple first LED modules and a second subset of the multiple second LED modules to generate a first output light with a first color temperature. The driver selects a third subset of the multiple first LED modules and a fourth subset of the multiple second LED modules to generate a second output light with a second color temperature. The first subset is not equal to the third subset. The second subset is not equal to the fourth subset.

Claims

1. A lighting apparatus, comprising: a first light source having multiple first LED modules; a second light source having multiple second LED modules; and a driver for control the first light source and the second light source to generate a output light of a required mixed color temperature, wherein the driver selects a first subset of the multiple first LED modules and a second subset of the multiple second LED modules to generate a first output light with a first color temperature, wherein the driver selects a third subset of the multiple first LED modules and a fourth subset of the multiple second LED modules to generate a second output light with a second color temperature, wherein the first subset is not equal to the third subset, wherein the second subset is not equal to the fourth subset.

2. The lighting apparatus of claim 1, wherein a portion of the multiple first LED modules and a portion of multiple second LED modules are not turned on for generating a third output light with a third color temperature.

3. The lighting apparatus of claim 2, wherein the driver determines a first activation number of the first LED modules and a second activation number of the second LED modules to mix a target color temperature.

4. The lighting apparatus of claim 3, wherein the first activation number and the second activation number are determined according a mixing formula approaching to a blackbody chromaticity diagram.

5. The lighting apparatus of claim 4, wherein a color tolerance adjustment of a mixed color temperature is less than 7 steps.

6. The lighting apparatus of claim 5, wherein a color tolerance adjustment of a mixed color temperature is less than 5 steps.

7. The lighting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first LED module comprises multiple first LED chips connected in series as multiple first LED strings, wherein the second LED module comprises multiple second LED chips connected in series as multiple second LED strings.

8. The lighting apparatus of claim 7, wherein the first subset of the multiple first LED modules corresponds to a number of first LED strings, wherein the second subset of the multiple second LED modules corresponds to a number of second LED strings.

9. The lighting apparatus of claim 7, wherein the first LED series and the second LED series include same number of LED chips.

10. The lighting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the driver comprises a manual switch for a user to select from multiple options, wherein a first option corresponds to the first subset and the second subset, wherein a second option corresponds to the third subset and the fourth subset.

11. The lighting apparatus of claim 10, wherein manual switch is a mechanical switch for a user to operate.

12. The lighting apparatus of claim 11, wherein when the first option is selected, the first subset of multiple first LED modules are activated and other first LED modules of the first light source is not activated.

13. The lighting apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a third light source comprising multiple third LED modules, wherein the driver selects a variation number of the multiple third LED modules together with the first light source and the second light source to generate a target color temperature.

14. The lighting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first light source has a color temperature between 2700K to 7000K, wherein the second light source has a color temperature between 1800K to 5500K, wherein a target color temperature mixed by the first light source and the second light source is between 2580K to 6020K.

15. The lighting apparatus of claim 14, wherein a first input voltage is supplied to the multiple first LED modules, wherein a second input voltage is supplied to the multiple second LED modules, wherein a difference between the first input voltage and the second input voltage is less than 10%.

16. The lighting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the multiple first LED modules and the multiple second LED modules are arranged on a circuit board in an alternative order.

17. The lighting apparatus of claim 16, wherein the first light source and the second light source are integrated on a single circuit board to form a light module.

18. The lighting apparatus of claim 17, wherein the first light source and the second light source are arranged with other light sources in a symmetric manner.

19. The lighting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first light source, the second light source and the driver are integrated on a single circuit board.

20. The lighting apparatus of claim 19, wherein a manual switch is mounted on the single circuit board for a user to select a target color temperature.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0049] FIG. 1 illustrates a mixed color temperature diagram.

[0050] FIG. 2 illustrates a flowchart to perform color temperature mixing.

[0051] FIG. 3 illustrates an example of disposing multiple types of LED modules.

[0052] FIG. 4 illustrates another mixed color temperature diagram.

[0053] FIG. 5 illustrates a pattern for disposing multiple types of LED modules.

[0054] FIG. 6 illustrates another mixed color temperature diagram.

[0055] FIG. 7 illustrates another mixed color temperature diagram.

[0056] FIG. 8 illustrates another mixed color temperature diagram.

[0057] FIG. 9 illustrates another mixed color temperature diagram.

[0058] FIG. 10 illustrates another mixed color temperature diagram.

[0059] FIG. 11 illustrates another mixed color temperature diagram.

[0060] FIG. 12 illustrates another mixed color temperature diagram.

[0061] FIG. 13 illustrates another mixed color temperature diagram.

[0062] FIG. 14 illustrates another pattern for disposing multiple types of LED modules.

[0063] FIG. 15 shows a lighting apparatus example.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0064] In FIG. 15, a lighting apparatus includes a first light source 601, a second light source 602 and a driver 605.

[0065] The first light source 601 has multiple first LED modules 6011, 6012, 6013, 6014.

[0066] The second light source 602 has multiple second LED modules 6021, 6022, 6023, 6024.

[0067] The driver 605 controls the first light source 601 and the second light source 602 to generate an output light of a required mixed color temperature.

[0068] For example, the driver 605 includes a rectifier for converting an AC power to a DC power. The driver 605 may include some filters and protection circuit to ensure the safety and stable of driving power output. The LED modules in the first light source 601 and the second light source 602 receive a driving current from the driver 605 when needed to emit light. The driver 605 determines when and how to activate the LED modules in the first light source 601 and the second light source 602 to generate a required light with a desired color temperature.

[0069] In some embodiments, the first light source 601 have LED modules with a color temperatures while the second light source 602 have LED modules with another color temperature. The color temperature of the first light source 601 is different from the color temperature of the second light source 602. Therefore, by selectively controlling the relative light intensity of the first color temperature and the second color temperature, a desired color temperature may be mixed.

[0070] In some embodiments, the first light source 601 may contain multiple types of LED modules with multiple types of color temperatures. It is same to the second light source 602.

[0071] In addition, there may be a third light source 603, a fourth light source 604 and even more light source not illustrated based on the inventive idea mentioned below.

[0072] The driver 605 selects a first subset of the multiple first LED modules and a second subset of the multiple second LED modules to generate a first output light with a first color temperature.

[0073] For example, the first subset includes the LED modules 6011, 6012 to be activated while the LED modules 6013, 6014 are kept turned off.

[0074] The second subset includes the LED modules 6021 to be activated while the LED modules 6022, 6023, 6024 are kept turned off.

[0075] In such case, the LED modules 6011, 6012, 6021 are selected to mix a desired output light.

[0076] The driver 605 selects a third subset of the multiple first LED modules and a fourth subset of the multiple second LED modules to generate a second output light with a second color temperature.

[0077] For example, the third subset includes the LED modules 6011 while keeping the LED modules 6012, 6013, 6014 turned off.

[0078] Meanwhile, the fourth subset includes the LED modules 6021, 6022, 6023 while keeping the LED module 6024 turned off.

[0079] In such case, the LED modules 6011, 6021, 6022, 6023 are selected to mix a desired output light.

[0080] In other words, for any target output light, the driver 605 selects a set of LED modules among different types of light sources to activate while keeping others turned off to mix a output light. In some case, all LED modules may be selected if necessary.

[0081] As shown in the example above, the first subset is not equal to the third subset. The second subset is not equal to the fourth subset.

[0082] In some embodiments, a portion of the multiple first LED modules and a portion of multiple second LED modules are not turned on for generating a third output light with a third color temperature.

[0083] In some embodiments, the driver determines a first activation number of the first LED modules and a second activation number of the second LED modules to mix a target color temperature.

[0084] In some embodiments, the first activation number and the second activation number are determined according a mixing formula approaching to a blackbody chromaticity diagram.

[0085] In some embodiments, a color tolerance adjustment of a mixed color temperature is less than 7 steps.

[0086] FIG. 1 and other similar drawings show a curve line of a blackbody chromaticity. By mixing multiple types of LED modules to approach the curve line, the driver may calculate or check from a table that stores a calculated result. Such table may also be converted to logic computation circuit disposed in the driver.

[0087] In some embodiments, a color tolerance adjustment of a mixed color temperature is less than 5 steps.

[0088] Persons of ordinary skilled in the art know the concept of color tolerance adjustment and the blackbody chromaticity and thus details thereof are not repeated for brevity.

[0089] In some embodiments, the first LED module includes multiple first LED chips connected in series as multiple first LED strings.

[0090] The second LED module includes multiple second LED chips connected in series as multiple second LED strings.

[0091] In FIG. 3, the first light source 301 includes multiple first LED strings 3012. Each first LED string 3011 includes multiple first LED chips 3012 connected in series.

[0092] In FIG. 3, the second light source 302 includes multiple second LED strings 3021. Each second LED string 3021 includes multiple second LED chips 3022 connected in series.

[0093] The second LED chips 3022 and the first LED chips 3012 may emit lights of different color temperatures.

[0094] Each LED string may be regarded as a module that the driver may operate separately, e.g. to activate or to disable, to achieve the function mentioned in the examples mentioned above.

[0095] In some embodiments, the first subset of the multiple first LED modules corresponds to a number of first LED strings.

[0096] The second subset of the multiple second LED modules corresponds to a number of second LED strings.

[0097] In other words, the driver does not activate all LED modules at the same time, but select a subset of LED modules to turn on to generate a required mixed light output.

[0098] In some embodiments, the first LED series and the second LED series include same number of LED chips.

[0099] In FIG. 15, the driver 605 includes a manual switch 606 for a user to select from multiple options. The manual switch 606 may have a portion integrated with the driver 605. In some other embodiments, the manual switch 606 may be a separate component sending a selected message to the driver 605 to indicate the driver to choose a subset of LED modules to activate to generate a required output light.

[0100] A first option corresponds to the first subset and the second subset.

[0101] A second option corresponds to the third subset and the fourth subset.

[0102] There may be more than two options, and each option may correspond to a subset of LED modules for the driver to activate to generate a required color temperature.

[0103] In some embodiments, the manual switch is a mechanical switch for a user to operate.

[0104] In some embodiments, when the first option is selected, the first subset of multiple first LED modules are activated and other first LED modules of the first light source is not activated.

[0105] In some embodiments, the lighting apparatus may also include a third light source including multiple third LED modules.

[0106] The driver selects a variation number of the multiple third LED modules together with the first light source and the second light source to generate a target color temperature. In some embodiments, the first light source has a color temperature between 2700K and 7000K.

[0107] The second light source has a color temperature between 1800K and 5500K.

[0108] A target color temperature mixed by the first light source and the second light source is between 2580K and 6020K.

[0109] In some embodiments, a first input voltage is supplied to the multiple first LED modules.

[0110] A second input voltage is supplied to the multiple second LED modules. A difference between the first input voltage and the second input voltage is less than 10%. In some embodiments, the multiple first LED modules and the multiple second LED modules are arranged on a circuit board in an alternative order.

[0111] For example, FIG. 14 shows a circuit board mounted with LED modules of 3500K, 2700K and 5000K. They are arranged in an alternative order to render a better mixing light effect.

[0112] In some embodiments, the first light source and the second light source are integrated on a single circuit board to form a light module.

[0113] In some embodiments, the first light source and the second light source are arranged with other light sources in a symmetric manner.

[0114] In FIG. 14, the first light source, the second light source and the driver 870 are integrated on a single circuit board 871.

[0115] In some embodiments, a manual switch 872 is mounted on the single circuit board 871 for a user to select a target color temperature.

[0116] Please refer to FIG. 1, which illustrates an example of mixing multiple output lights with varying color temperatures. The curve line in FIG. 1 refers to an ideal blackbody radiation chromaticity. The circle shows a first color tolerance adjustment ranges. The rectangular areas show a mixing range with multiple types of LED modules.

[0117] FIG. 2 shows a flowchart to illustrates a method to use the inventive ideas mentioned above.

[0118] In FIG. 2, a relation among different types of LED modules and a target color temperature are obtained (step S201). The activation set of LED modules are selected (step S202). The blackbody chromaticity as illustrated in FIG. 1 is used for finding an optimized combination of the LED modules to activate to approach the ideal light pattern (step S203).

[0119] FIG. 4, FIG. 6, FIG. 7, FIG. 8, FIG. 9, FIG. 10, FIG. 11, FIG. 12, FIG. 13 show examples on finding the subset of LED modules to mix desired color temperatures in different scenarios.

[0120] FIG. 5 and FIG. 14 show arrangement of different types of LED modules on a circuit board to integrate as a module.

[0121] The foregoing description, for purpose of explanation, has been described with reference to specific embodiments. However, the illustrative discussions above are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in view of the above teachings.

[0122] The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the techniques and their practical applications. Others skilled in the art are thereby enabled to best utilize the techniques and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.

[0123] Although the disclosure and examples have been fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be noted that various changes and modifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications are to be understood as being included within the scope of the disclosure and examples as defined by the claims.