Light bulb apparatus

Abstract

A light bulb apparatus includes a bulb shell, an antenna, a driver, a light source plate and a bulb cap. The light source plate has a first layer and a second layer. The LED module is disposed on the first layer. The second layer includes a metal portion. The metal portion carries heat generated by the LED module for heat dissipation. The antenna is disposed upon the first layer. A bulb cap is connected to an external power. The driver is electrically connected to the antenna for receiving a wireless signal. The driver converts the external power to a driving current supplied to the LED module.

Claims

1. A light bulb apparatus, comprising: a bulb shell; an antenna; a driver; a light source plate with a first layer and a second layer, wherein a LED module is disposed on the first layer, wherein the second layer comprises a metal portion, wherein the metal portion carries heat generated by the LED module for heat dissipation, wherein the antenna is disposed upon the first layer; and a bulb cap connected to an external power, wherein the driver is electrically connected to the antenna for receiving a wireless signal, wherein the driver converts the external power to a driving current supplied to the LED module, wherein the antenna is a ceramic module embedding a metal antenna unit.

2. The light bulb apparatus of claim 1, wherein the ceramic module is a plate with a horizontal diameter of a bottom surface larger than a thickness of the ceramic module, wherein the bottom surface engages the first layer of the light source plate.

3. The light bulb apparatus of claim 2, wherein an antenna conductive path is disposed to connect the antenna and the second layer of the light source plate to use the second layer together forming an antenna receiver.

4. The light bulb apparatus of claim 3, wherein the metal portion of the second layer has an antenna pattern corresponding to the wireless signal.

5. The light bulb apparatus of claim 4, wherein the light source plate has a third layer disposed between the first layer and the second layer, wherein the third layer has a larger thickness than the first layer and the second layer.

6. The light bulb apparatus of claim 4, wherein the light source plate further comprises a fourth layer, wherein the fourth layer is electrically connected to the antenna, wherein the second layer and the fourth layer correspond to different wireless frequencies.

7. The light bulb apparatus of claim 1, wherein the ceramic module has a reflective surface for reflecting a light of the LED module.

8. The light bulb apparatus of claim 1, wherein the thickness of the ceramic module is between 1 mm to 5 mm.

9. The light bulb apparatus of claim 1, wherein the driver has a driver plate, wherein the driver plate and the LED module are placed on opposite sides of the light source plate, wherein a wireless circuit is placed on the light source plate, wherein the LED module and the wireless circuit are electrically connected to the driver on the driver plate via signal pins of the driver plate, wherein the signal pins are inserted into sockets on the light source plate.

10. The light bulb apparatus of claim 1, wherein the light source plate has a central groove for placing the antenna.

11. The light bulb apparatus of claim 10, wherein an electric insulator is placed between the antenna and the light source plate.

12. The light bulb apparatus of claim 1, wherein the ceramic module containing multiple antenna units, wherein the multiple antenna units respectively correspond to different wireless protocols.

13. The light bulb apparatus of claim 12, wherein the multiple antenna units are detachably stacked together.

14. The light bulb apparatus of claim 1, wherein the light source plate has an antenna groove for placing the antenna.

15. The light bulb apparatus of claim 14, wherein an antenna electrode is placed on the antenna groove for electrically connecting the antenna to the driver.

16. The light bulb apparatus of claim 1, wherein the driver and the LED module are placed on the same side of the light source plate, and the antenna is placed in a center of the light source plate.

17. The light bulb apparatus of claim 1, wherein the bulb cap has an Edison cap for attaching to an Edison socket for connecting to the external power.

18. The light bulb apparatus of claim 17, wherein the driver and the LED module are placed at opposite sides of the light source plate, wherein the driver has an antenna pin inserted through a pin hole of the light source plate to electrically connected to the antenna.

19. The light bulb apparatus of claim 18, wherein the driver has a power pin inserted through the pin hole to electrically connect to the LED module.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 illustrates an exploded view of a light bulb apparatus.

(2) FIG. 2 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the example in FIG. 1.

(3) FIG. 3 illustrates another embodiment.

(4) FIG. 4 illustrates a light source plate example.

(5) FIG. 5 illustrates an antenna pattern formed on a second layer of a light source plate.

(6) FIG. 6 illustrates multiple layers of the light source plate for different wireless protocols.

(7) FIG. 7 illustrates another example of major components in another embodiment.

(8) FIG. 8 shows a ceramic module antenna.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(9) In FIG. 3, a light bulb apparatus includes a bulb shell 601, an antenna 602, a driver 608, a light source plate 607 and a bulb cap 662.

(10) The light source plate 607 has a first layer 605 and a second layer 606.

(11) The LED module 604 is disposed on the first layer 605.

(12) The second layer 606 includes a metal portion.

(13) In FIG. 5, a second layer 613 has a metal portion 614 with an antenna pattern corresponding to a wireless protocol, e.g. 2.4 GHz of Wi-Fi.

(14) The metal portion carries heat generated by the LED module for heat dissipation.

(15) In FIG. 3, the antenna 602 is disposed upon the first layer 605.

(16) The bulb cap 601 connected to an external power, e.g. via an Edison cap 610 to a 110V AC power source.

(17) The driver 608 is electrically connected to the antenna 602 for receiving a wireless signal, e.g. a Wi-Fi signal, a Zig-Bee signal, a phone signal.

(18) The driver 608 converts the external power to a driving current supplied to the LED module 604.

(19) In some embodiments, the antenna 602 is a ceramic module embedding a metal antenna unit 660. Specifically, such design provides a ceramic material encapsulates a metal antenna while not interfering the signal quality.

(20) In FIG. 8, the ceramic module is a plate 701 with a horizontal diameter 702 of a bottom surface 706 larger than a thickness 703 of the ceramic module.

(21) The bottom surface 706 engages the first layer of the light source plate.

(22) In FIG. 7, an antenna conductive path is disposed to connect the antenna and the second layer of the light source plate to use the second layer together forming an antenna receiver.

(23) In some embodiments, the metal portion of the second layer has an antenna pattern corresponding to the wireless signal.

(24) FIG. 5 shows an example of such design. The second layer 613 has an antenna pattern 614. The antenna pattern 614 works with the antenna to form a complete antenna.

(25) In FIG. 4, the light source plate has a third layer 612 disposed between the first layer 611 and the second layer 671.

(26) The third layer 612 has a larger thickness than the first layer 611 and the second layer 671. The third layer 612 may be formed with an aluminum plate as a support and a heat dissipation layer.

(27) In FIG. 6, the light source plate further includes a fourth layer 618, in addition to a first layer 615, a second layer 617 and a third layer 616.

(28) The fourth layer 618 is electrically connected to the antenna.

(29) The second layer 617 and the fourth layer 618 correspond to different wireless frequencies, e.g. one layer corresponding to 2.4 GHz wireless signals and another layer corresponds to 5 GHz wireless signals.

(30) In some embodiments, the ceramic module has a reflective surface for reflecting a light of the LED module. Specifically, a painting or a thin layer is formed on the surface of the antenna to reflect light to desired direction, instead of being absorbed by the antenna.

(31) In some embodiments, the thickness of the ceramic module is between 1 mm to 5 mm.

(32) In FIG. 3, the driver 608 has a driver plate 609.

(33) The driver plate 609 and the LED module 604 are placed on opposite sides of the light source plate 607.

(34) In some embodiments, a wireless circuit 603 is placed on the light source plate.

(35) The LED module 604 and the wireless circuit 603 are electrically connected to the driver on the driver plate via signal pins 672 of the driver plate 609.

(36) The signal pins 672 are inserted into sockets 673 on the light source plate 607.

(37) In some embodiments, the light source plate 607 has a central groove 675 for placing the antenna 602.

(38) In some embodiments, an electric insulator is placed between the antenna and the light source plate. For example, an elastic ring may be used as an electric insulator 676.

(39) In FIG. 7, the ceramic module containing multiple antenna units 623, 624, 625.

(40) The multiple antenna units 623, 624, 625 respectively correspond to different wireless protocols.

(41) In some embodiments, the multiple antenna units 623, 624, 625 are detachably stacked together.

(42) In some embodiments, the light source plate has an antenna groove for placing the antenna.

(43) In some embodiments, an antenna electrode 681 is placed on the antenna groove for electrically connecting the antenna to the driver.

(44) In some embodiments, the driver and the LED module are placed on the same side of the light source plate, and the antenna is placed in a center of the light source plate.

(45) In some embodiments, the bulb cap has an Edison cap for attaching to an Edison socket for connecting to the external power.

(46) In some embodiments, the driver and the LED module are placed at opposite sides of the light source plate.

(47) The driver has an antenna pin 620 inserted through a pin hole 685 of the light source plate to electrically connected to the antenna.

(48) In some embodiments, the driver 619 has a power pin 621 inserted through the pin hole to electrically connect to the LED module.

(49) Please refer to FIG. 1, which shows an exploded view of a light bulb embodiment.

(50) In FIG. 1, a bulb shell 2 is made of a transparent material for a light to pass through. An antenna 7 is placed on a light source plate 4. A LED module 5 is placed on the light source plate 4, too. There is a driver plate 6 mounted with driver components for converting an external power to a driving current supplied to the LED module 5. There is a heat sink ring 3 placed in a housing 1. An Edison cap 8 is attached to the housing 1 for receiving an external power source.

(51) FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of the example in FIG. 1. The same reference numerals refer to the same components in FIG. 1.

(52) 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.

(53) 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.

(54) 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.