text:
F21V 7/00 (2006.01)
H01L 33/60 (2010.01)
H01L 25/075 (2006.01)
(86) International application number:
PCT/US2007/012159
(87) International publication number:
WO 2007/139781 (06.12.2007 Gazette 2007/49)
LIGHTING DEVICE
BELEUCHTUNGSVORRICHTUNG
DISPOSITIF D'ÉCLAIRAGE
AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MT NL PL PT RO SE SI SK TR
(30) Priority: 23.05.2006 US 802709 P
26.05.2006 US 808702 P
(73) Proprietor: Cree, Inc.
Durham, NC 27703 (US)
NEGLEY, Gerald, H.
Durham, North Carolina 27713 (US)
VAN DE VEN, Antony, Paul
Hong Kong Sar (CN)
(74) Representative: Dummett Copp LLP
25 The Square Martlesham Heath
Ipswich IP5 3SL
Ipswich IP5 3SL (GB)
JP-A- H10 321 915
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/802,709, filed May 23, 2006. This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/808,702, filed May 26, 2006.
[0002] The present invention relates to a lighting device, in particular, a device which includes one or more solid state light emitters. The present specification also describes a method of making a lighting device, in particular, a device which includes one or more solid state light emitters.
[0003] A large proportion (some estimates are as high as twenty-five percent) of the electricity generated in the United States each year goes to lighting. Accordingly, there is an ongoing need to provide lighting which is more energy-efficient. It is well-known that incandescent light bulbs are very energy-inefficient light sources - about ninety percent of the electricity they consume is released as heat rather than light. Fluorescent light bulbs are more efficient than incandescent light bulbs (by a factor of about 10) but are still less efficient as compared to solid state light emitters, such as light emitting diodes.
[0004] In addition, as compared to the normal lifetimes of solid state light emitters, e.g., light emitting diodes, incandescent light bulbs have relatively short lifetimes, i.e., typically about 750-1000 hours. In comparison, light emitting diodes, for example, have typical lifetimes between 50,000 and 70,000 hours). Fluorescent bulbs have longer lifetimes (e.g., 10,000 - 20,000 hours) than incandescent lights, but provide less favorable color reproduction.
[0005] Color reproduction is typically measured using the Color Rendering Index (CRI Ra). CRI Ra is a modified average of the relative measurements of how the color rendition of an illumination system compares to that of a reference radiator when illuminating eight reference colors, i.e., it is a relative measure of the shift in surface color of an object when lit by a particular lamp. The CRI Ra equals 100 if the color coordinates of a set of test colors being illuminated by the illumination system are the same as the coordinates of the same test colors being irradiated by the reference radiator. Daylight has a high CRI (Ra of approximately 100), with incandescent bulbs also being relatively close (Ra greater than 95), and fluorescent lighting being less accurate (typical Ra of 70-80). Certain types of specialized lighting have very low CRI (e.g., mercury vapor or sodium lamps, have Ra as low as about 40 or even lower).
[0006] Another issue faced by conventional light fixtures is the need to periodically replace the lighting devices (e.g., light bulbs, etc.). Such issues are particularly pronounced where access is difficult (e.g., vaulted ceilings, bridges, high buildings, traffic tunnels) and/or where change-out costs are extremely high. The typical lifetime of conventional fixtures is about 20 years, corresponding to a light-producing device usage of at least about 44,000 hours (based on usage of 6 hours per day for 20 years). Light-producing device lifetime is typically much shorter, thus creating the need for periodic change-outs.
[0007] Accordingly, for these and other reasons, efforts have been ongoing to develop ways by which light emitting diodes and other solid state light emitters can be used in place of incandescent lights, fluorescent lights and other light-generating devices in a wide variety of applications. In addition, where light emitting diodes (or other solid state light emitters) are already being used, efforts are ongoing to provide light emitting diodes (or other solid state light emitters) which are improved, e.g., with respect to energy efficiency, color rendering index (CRI Ra), contrast, efficacy (1m/W), cost, and/or duration of service.
[0008] A variety of solid state light emitters are well-known. Light emitting diodes are well-known semiconductor devices that convert electrical current into light. A wide variety of light emitting diodes are used in increasingly diverse fields for an ever-expanding range of purposes.
[0009] More specifically, light emitting diodes are semiconducting devices that emit light (ultraviolet, visible, or infrared) when a potential difference is applied across a p-n junction structure. There are a number of well-known ways to make light emitting diodes and many associated structures, and the present invention can employ any such devices. By way of example, Chapters 12-14 of Sze, Physics of Semiconductor Devices, (2d Ed. 1981) and Chapter 7 of Sze, Modern Semiconductor Device Physics (1998) describe a variety of photonic devices, including light emitting diodes.
[0010] The expression "light emitting diode" is used herein to refer to the basic semiconductor diode structure (i.e., the chip). The commonly recognized and commercially available "LED" that is sold (for example) in electronics stores typically represents a "packaged" device made up of a number of parts. These packaged devices typically include a semiconductor based light emitting diode such as (but not limited to) those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,918,487; 5,631,190; and 5,912,477, various wire connections, and a package that encapsulates the light emitting diode.
[0011] As is well-known, a light emitting diode produces light by exciting electrons across the band gap between a conduction band and a valence band of a semiconductor active (light-emitting) layer. The electron transition generates light at a wavelength that depends on the band gap. Thus, the color of the light (wavelength) emitted by a light emitting diode depends on the semiconductor materials of the active layers of the light emitting diode.
[0012] Because light that is perceived as white is necessarily a blend of light of two or more colors (or wavelengths), no single light emitting diode junction has been developed that can produce white light. "White" light emitting diode lamps have been produced which have a light emitting diode pixel formed of respective red, green and blue light emitting diodes. Another "white" LED lamp which has been produced includes (1) a light emitting diode which generates blue light and (2) a luminescent material (e.g., a phosphor) that emits yellow light in response to excitation by light emitted by the light emitting diode, whereby the blue light and the yellow light, when mixed, produce light that is perceived as white light.
[0013] In addition, the blending of primary colors to produce combinations of non-primary colors is generally well understood in this and other arts.
[0014] Aspects related to the present invention can be represented on either the 1931 CIE (Commission International de I'Eclairage) Chromaticity Diagram or the 1976 CIE Chromaticity Diagram. Fig. 1 shows the 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram. Fig. 2 shows the 1976 Chromaticity Diagram. Fig. 3 shows an enlarged portion of the 1976 Chromaticity Diagram, in order to show the blackbody locus in more detail. Persons of skill in the art are familiar with these diagrams, and these diagrams are readily available (e.g., by searching "CIE Chromaticity Diagram" on the internet).
[0015] The CIE Chromaticity Diagrams map out the human color perception in terms of two CIE parameters x and y (in the case of the 1931 diagram) or u' and v' (in the case of the 1976 diagram). For a technical description of CIE chromaticity diagrams, see, for example, "Encyclopedia of Physical Science and Technology", vol. 7, 230-231 (Robert A Meyers ed., 1987). The spectral colors are distributed around the edge of the outlined space, which includes all of the hues perceived by the human eye. The boundary line represents maximum saturation for the spectral colors. As noted above, the 1976 CIE Chromaticity Diagram is similar to the 1931 Diagram, except that the 1976 Diagram has been modified such that similar distances on the Diagram represent similar perceived differences in color.
[0016] In the 1931 Diagram, deviation from a point on the Diagram can be expressed either in terms of the coordinates or, alternatively, in order to give an indication as to the extent of the perceived difference in color, in terms of MacAdam ellipses. For example, a locus of points defined as being ten MacAdam ellipses from a specified hue defined by a particular set of coordinates on the 1931 Diagram consists of hues which would each be perceived as differing from the specified hue to a common extent (and likewise for loci of points defined as being spaced from a particular hue by other quantities of MacAdam ellipses).
[0017] Since similar distances on the 1976 Diagram represent similar perceived differences in color, deviation from a point on the 1976 Diagram can be expressed in terms of the coordinates, u' and v', e.g., distance from the point = (Δu'2 + Av'2)½, and the hues defined by a locus of points which are each a common distance from a specified hue consist of hues which would each be perceived as differing from the specified hue to a common extent.
[0018] The chromaticity coordinates and the CIE chromaticity diagrams illustrated in Figs. 1-3 are explained in detail in a number of books and other publications, such as pages 98-107 of K. H. Butler, "Fluorescent Lamp Phosphors" (The Pennsylvania State University Press 1980) and pages 109-110 of G. Blasse et al., "Luminescent Materials" (Springer-Verlag 1994), both incorporated herein by reference.
[0019] The chromaticity coordinates (i.e., color points) that lie along the blackbody locus obey Planck's equation: E(λ)=A λ-5/(e(B/T)-1), where E is the emission intensity, λ is the emission wavelength, T the color temperature of the blackbody and A and B are constants. Color coordinates that lie on or near the blackbody locus yield pleasing white light to a human observer. The 1976 CIE Diagram includes temperature listings along the blackbody locus. These temperature listings show the color path of a blackbody radiator that is caused to increase to such temperatures. As a heated object becomes incandescent, it first glows reddish, then yellowish, then white, and finally blueish. This occurs because the wavelength associated with the peak radiation of the blackbody radiator becomes progressively shorter with increased temperature, consistent with the Wien Displacement Law. Illuminants which produce light which is on or near the blackbody locus can thus be described in terms of their color temperature.
[0020] Also depicted on the 1976 CIE Diagram are designations A, B, C, D and E, which refer to light produced by several standard illuminants correspondingly identified as illuminants A, B, C, D and E, respectively.
[0021] Light emitting diodes can thus be used individually or in any combinations, optionally together with one or more luminescent material (e.g., phosphors or scintillators) and/or filters, to generate light of any desired perceived color (including white). Accordingly, the areas in which efforts are being made to replace existing light sources with light emitting diode light sources, e.g., to improve energy efficiency, color rendering index (CRI Ra), efficacy (lm/W), and/or duration of service, are not limited to any particular color or color blends of light.
[0022] A wide variety of luminescent materials (also known as lumiphors or luminophoric media, e.g., as disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 6,600,175) are well-known and available to persons of skill in the art. For example, a phosphor is a luminescent material that emits a responsive radiation (e.g., visible light) when excited by a source of exciting radiation. In many instances, the responsive radiation has a wavelength which is different from the wavelength of the exciting radiation. Other examples of luminescent materials include scintillators, day glow tapes and inks which glow in the visible spectrum upon illumination with ultraviolet light.
[0023] Luminescent materials can be categorized as being down-converting, i.e., a material which converts photons to a lower energy level (longer wavelength) or up-converting, i.e., a material which converts photons to a higher energy level (shorter wavelength).
[0024] Inclusion of luminescent materials in LED devices has been accomplished by adding the luminescent materials to a clear or transparent encapsulant material (e.g., epoxy-based, silicone-based, glass-based or metal oxide-based material) as discussed above, for example by a blending or coating process.
[0025] For example, U.S. Patent No. 6,963,166 (Yano '166) discloses that a conventional light emitting diode lamp includes a light emitting diode chip, a bullet-shaped transparent housing to cover the light emitting diode chip, leads to supply current to the light emitting diode chip, and a cup reflector for reflecting the emission of the light emitting diode chip in a uniform direction, in which the light emitting diode chip is encapsulated with a first resin portion, which is further encapsulated with a second resin portion. According to Yano '166, the first resin portion is obtained by filling the cup reflector with a resin material and curing it after the light emitting diode chip has been mounted onto the bottom of the cup reflector and then has had its cathode and anode electrodes electrically connected to the leads by way of wires. According to Yano '166, a phosphor is dispersed in the first resin portion so as to be excited with the light A that has been emitted from the light emitting diode chip, the excited phosphor produces fluorescence ("light B") that has a longer wavelength than the light A, a portion of the light A is transmitted through the first resin portion including the phosphor, and as a result, light C, as a mixture of the light A and light B, is used as illumination.
[0026] As noted above, "white LED lamps" (i.e., lights which are perceived as being white or near-white) have been investigated as potential replacements for white incandescent lamps. A representative example of a white LED lamp includes a package of a blue light emitting diode chip, made of indium gallium nitride (InGaN) or gallium nitride (GaN), coated with a phosphor such as YAG. In such an LED lamp, the blue light emitting diode chip produces an emission with a wavelength of about 450 nm, and the phosphor produces yellow fluorescence with a peak wavelength of about 550 nm on receiving that emission. For instance, in some designs, white light emitting diode lamps are fabricated by forming a ceramic phosphor layer on the output surface of a blue light-emitting semiconductor light emitting diode. Part of the blue ray emitted from the light emitting diode chip passes through the phosphor, while part of the blue ray emitted from the light emitting diode chip is absorbed by the phosphor, which becomes excited and emits a yellow ray. The part of the blue light emitted by the light emitting diode which is transmitted through the phosphor is mixed with the yellow light emitted by the phosphor. The viewer perceives the mixture of blue and yellow light as white light.
[0027] As also noted above, in another type of LED lamp, a light emitting diode chip that emits an ultraviolet ray is combined with phosphor materials that produce red (R), green (G) and blue (B) light rays. In such an LED lamp, the ultraviolet ray that has been radiated from the light emitting diode chip excites the phosphor, causing the phosphor to emit red, green and blue light rays which, when mixed, are perceived by the human eye as white light. Consequently, white light can also be obtained as a mixture of these light rays.
[0028] Although the development of light emitting diodes has in many ways revolutionized the lighting industry, some of the characteristics of light emitting diodes have presented challenges, some of which have not yet been fully met.
[0029] There is an ongoing need for a high efficiency solid-state white light source that combines the efficiency and long life of white LED lamps with an acceptable color temperature and good color rendering index, good contrast, a wide gamut and simple control circuitry.
[0030] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0083281 (Inoguchi '281) discloses a semiconductor light emitting device comprising a plurality of light emitting elements 1 in a package body 3. Inoguchi '281 discloses that the package body 3 has a storing concave portion 3a with a light outgoing opening formed on a substrate. Inoguchi '281 discloses that on the bottom surface of the storing concave portion 3a, mounting concave portions 2 are provided. Inoguchi '281 discloses that the mounting concave portions 2 contain the light emitting elements 1, respectively. Inoguchi '281 discloses, with reference to figure 5, sealing resin sections 5, which Inoguchi '281 discloses are provided in the mounting concave portions 2. Inoguchi '281 discloses that the sealing resin sections 5 are made of a transparent resin such as an epoxy resin, a silicone resin, or the like.
[0031] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0151343 (Balu '343) discloses a lamp 50 (Figs. 9-16) in which a plurality of conductors 51,52,53 and 54 are embedded within a unitary globe portion 55 and have light emitting junctions 56 mounted in respective recesses 57 and covered by a common layer of fluorescent material 59.
[0032] Japanese H10 321915 discloses a light-emitting semiconductor element in which a specific number of light-emitting element chips are connected in parallel. An n side electrode 39 of a first light-emitting element chip (LED) 3a of two LED's and a p side electrode 38 of a second LED chip 3b are connected to a first lead 1 via a golden wire 4. Similarly, the p side electrode 38 of the first LED chip 3a and the n side electrode 39 of the second LED chip 3b are connected to a second lead 2. The two LED chips 3a, 3b are connected in parallel so that forward characteristics are reversed, whereby any one is always set in a forward direction when an AC voltage is applied. Thus, a load of a light-emitting part due to a reverse voltage is reduced and a generation of a breakdown and a deterioration are prevented.
[0033] Japanese 2000 294834 discloses a semiconductor light emitting device, in which a blue light emitting element 3 and a green light emitting element 4 are mounted on a common mounting surface in a paired state and are electrically connected to each other so that the elements 3 and 4 may be turned on simultaneously. Then the blue light emitting element 3 is covered with a wavelength conversion filter 7 which converts the light emitting wavelength of the element 3 to the red side, so as to obtain white light emission through the synthesization with the green light emitted from the green light emitting element 4. Therefore, this light emitting device can emit white light by synthesizing the light emitted from the low-luminance blue light emitting element 3 converted in wavelength to the red side with the light emitting from the high-luminance green light emitting element 4.
Brief Summary of the Invention
[0034] According to the present invention, there is provided a lighting device as specified in claim 1. Preferred features are specified in the dependent claims.
[0035] In some embodiments according to the present invention, walls of each of the optical cavities are reflective.
[0036] In some embodiments according to the present invention, the plural cavity element comprises a first surface, the first surface being substantially planar, the first surface having a surface area which is at least five times as large as a combined surface area of the solid state light emitters. In some such embodiments, each of the optical cavities formed in the plural cavity element comprises a substantially planar mounting surface on which at least one of the solid state light emitters is mounted.
[0037] In some embodiments according to the present invention, the plural cavity element comprises a first side and a second side, the first side comprises a substantially planar first surface and a plurality of substantially flat mounting surfaces, at least one of the solid state light emitters is mounted on each of the mounting surfaces, each of the mounting surfaces is substantially coplanar, and the first surface and the mounting surfaces together comprise not less than 75 % of a surface area of the first side of the plural cavity element.
[0038] The invention may be more fully understood with reference to the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description of the invention.
Brief Description of the Drawing Figures
Fig. 1 shows the 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram.
Fig. 2 shows the 1976 Chromaticity Diagram.
Fig. 3 shows an enlarged portion of the 1976 Chromaticity Diagram, in order to show the blackbody locus in detail.
Fig. 4 depicts a first embodiment of a lighting device according to the present invention.
Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment shown in Fig. 4, taken along the plane V - V.
Fig. 6 depicts a second embodiment of a lighting device according to the present invention.
Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a lighting device according to the present invention.
[0040] As noted above, in the present invention, there is provided a lighting device comprising at least one plural cavity element having at least two optical cavities, and a plurality of solid state light emitters, at least one solid state light emitter being present in each of at least two of the optical cavities, the lighting device comprising at least one encapsulant region.
[0041] The plural cavity element can comprise any suitable structure which includes a plurality of optical cavities, each comprising a concave region in the plural cavity element. Persons skilled in the art can readily envision a wide variety of materials out of which the plural cavity element can be made. For example, in general, any material which has been used to make cup reflectors for LEDs can be employed in making the plural cavity element. Such materials include any of the materials which can be used to make leadframes (persons of skill in the art are familiar with a variety of materials which can be used to make leadframes) and/or which can be "stamped" to form such an element (persons of skill in the art are familiar with such materials and with "stamping" such materials). For instance, representative examples of materials out of which the plural cavity element can be made include silver-plated copper and silver-plated steel (and other metallic materials which can optionally be overmolded, on their sides and/or bottoms, with a reflective surface). Conversely, the plural cavity element can be made from an insulating material (e.g., Amodel, which is aluminum which has been anodized, steel with a ceramic coating, etc.), upon which conductive traces can be formed. The expression "conductive trace", as used herein, refers to a structure which comprises a conductive portion, and may further include any other structure, e.g., one or more insulating layers.
[0042] The cavities formed in the plural cavity element can generally be of any desired concave shape. Persons of skill in the art are familiar with shaping cup reflectors in order to obtain favorable properties, particularly with regard to extracting the maximum amount of light from the light emitter contained within the cup, and the principles involved in such design of cup reflectors can be applied to the design of the cavities in the plural cavity element according to the present invention.
[0043] In some embodiments of the present invention, each of the cavities in a plural cavity element has substantially the same shape.
[0044] As used herein, the term "substantially," e.g., in the expressions "substantially planar", "substantially flat", "substantially coplanar", "substantially the same shape", "substantially transparent", means at least about 90 % correspondence with the feature recited, e.g.:
the expressions "substantially planar" and "substantially flat", as used herein, mean that at least 90% of the points in the surface which is characterized as being substantially flat are located on one of or between a pair of planes which are parallel and which are spaced from each other by a distance of not more than 5% of the largest dimension of the surface;
the expression "substantially coplanar", as used herein, means that at least 90% of the points in each of the surfaces which are characterized as being substantially coplanar are located on one of or between a pair of planes which are parallel and which are spaced from each other by a distance of not more than 5% of the largest dimension of the surface;
the expression "substantially the same shape", as used herein, means that angles and radii of curvature defined by respective surfaces on the respective items which are characterized as being substantially the same shape differ by not more than 5 %;
the expression "substantially transparent", as used herein, means that the structure which is characterized as being substantially transparent allows passage of at least 90 % of the light having a wavelength within the range emitted by the solid state light emitter.
[0045] The expression "saturated", as used herein, means having a purity of at least 85%, the term "purity" having a well-known meaning to persons skilled in the art, and procedures for calculating purity being well-known to those of skill in the art.
[0046] In some embodiments of the present invention, at least one of the walls of at least one of the cavities in the plural cavity element is reflective.
[0047] In some embodiments of the present invention, the plural cavity element comprises a first, substantially planar, surface in which the concave cavities are formed. In some such embodiments, the first surface has a surface area which is at least five times as large as a combined surface area of the solid state light emitters contained in the cavities.
[0048] In some embodiments of the present invention, at least one (and, in some embodiments, all) of the optical cavities formed in the plural cavity element comprises a substantially planar mounting surface on which at least one of the solid state light emitters is mounted.
[0049] In some embodiments of the present invention, each optical cavity in the plural cavity element comprises a substantially flat mounting surface, and each of the mounting surfaces are substantially coplanar.
[0050] In some embodiments of the present invention, the plural cavity element comprises a first side and a second side, the first side comprising a substantially planar first surface and a plurality of substantially flat mounting surfaces, at least one solid state light emitter being mounted on each of the mounting surfaces, each of the mounting surfaces being substantially coplanar, the first surface and the mounting surfaces together comprising not less than 75 % of a surface area of the first side of the plural cavity element.
[0051] As noted above, in the present invention, the lighting device comprises a plurality of solid state light emitters. Any desired solid state light emitter or emitters can be employed in accordance with the present invention. Persons of skill in the art are aware of, and have ready access to, a wide variety of such emitters. Such solid state light emitters include inorganic and organic light emitters. Examples of types of such light emitters include light emitting diodes (inorganic or organic), laser diodes, thin film electroluminescent devices, light emitting polymers (LEPs), and polymer light emitting diodes (PLEDs), a variety of each of which are well-known in the art. Because these various solid state light emitters are well-known in the art, it is not necessary to describe them in detail, nor is it necessary to describe the materials out of which such devices are made.
[0052] The respective light emitters can be similar to one another, different from one another or any combination (i.e., there can be a plurality of solid state light emitters of one type, or one or more solid state light emitters of each of two or more types). The light emitters can each be of similar size, or one or more of the light emitters can be of a size which differs from one or more of the other light emitters (e.g., a lighting device can include a chip which emits blue light which is of a size of 1 square millimeter, and a chip which emits red light which is of a size of 300 square micrometers).
[0053] In some embodiments according to the present invention, each solid state light emitter is mounted in a separate optical cavity. In other embodiments according to the present invention, at least one optical cavity has more than one solid state light emitter (each of which emits light of similar wavelength, or one or more of which emit light of wavelength which differs from that of light emitted by one or more other solid state light emitter in the same cavity) mounted therein.
[0054] In embodiments according to the present invention, one or more lumiphor is provided in at least one of the optical cavities. In most cases, only one or more solid state light emitters of a single color (and typically only a single solid state light emitter) is provided in any optical cavity (or cavities) in which one or more lumiphor is provided, in order to avoid undesired interaction between light from any solid state light emitter and such lumiphor(s). For example, where a particular optical cavity includes a light emitting diode which emits blue light and a lumiphor (e.g., a broad spectrum phosphor such as YAG:Ce) which, upon excitation, produces yellow light (whereby, as indicated above, light exiting the optical cavity is perceived as being white), in most cases, it would be desirable to not include in the same optical cavity any light emitting diodes which emit a color which differs from the blue light (it is possible to include multiple solid state light emitters which emit light of similar wavelength(s) in a single cavity, with one or more of the solid state light emitters being at least partially covered by one or more lumiphors, e.g., multiple blue LEDs covered by a single glob or multiple globs of phosphor-containing material(s)).
[0055] In some embodiments according to the present invention, at least one of the optical cavities can have mounted therein plural solid state light emitters of a single color or of plural colors. In some such embodiments, at least one of the optical cavities can have mounted therein two or more saturated solid state light emitters of a single color or of plural colors.
[0056] As noted above, according to the present invention, at least one broad spectrum light emitter is provided in a first of the optical cavities and at least one narrow spectrum light emitter is provided in a second of the optical cavities. In some such embodiments, there are provided a plurality of optical cavities in which at least one broad spectrum light emitter (wherein the respective broad spectrum light emitters in the different optical cavities are all similar, are all different or are any possible combination of similar and different) is provided and a plurality of optical cavities in which at least one narrow spectrum light emitter (wherein the respective narrow spectrum light emitters in the different optical cavities are all similar, are all different or are any possible combination of similar and different) is provided (optionally, there may further be other optical cavities in which other light emitters are provided).
[0057] The expression "broad spectrum light emitter" is used herein to refer to a light emitter which emits unsaturated light, i.e., light that has less than 85 % purity. Such light emitter may comprise a single solid state light emitter and a single lumiphor, or a single solid state light emitter and a plurality of lumiphors, or a plurality of solid state light emitters and a single lumiphor, or a plurality of solid state light emitters and a plurality of lumiphors.
[0058] The expression "narrow spectrum light emitter" is used herein to refer to a light emitter which emits saturated light, i.e., light having a purity of 85 % or higher (e.g., high purity red, cyan or blue, such as nearly monochromatic light emitters).
[0059] In some embodiments according to the present invention, a broad spectrum light emitter can comprise two or more sources of visible light (each of the sources of visible light being independently selected from among solid state light emitters and luminescent materials) which, if mixed in the absence of any other light, would produce a combined illumination which would be perceived as white or near-white. The expression "white light generating sources" is used herein to refer to combinations of two or more sources of visible light which produce light which, if combined in the absence of any other light, would produce an illumination which would be perceived as white or near-white.
[0060] In some embodiments according to the present invention, there is provided a lighting device in which a broad spectrum light emitter is provided in one or more optical cavities, and one or more saturated sources of light are provided in one or more other optical cavities, in order to adjust the color point (i.e., x, y chromaticity coordinates on the CIE chart) and/or to improve the CRI Ra of the light emitted from the lighting device.
[0061] In some embodiments according to the present invention, there is provided a lighting device in which a white light generating source having poor CRI (e.g., Ra of 75 or less) is provided in one or more optical cavities, and one or more saturated sources of light are provided in one or more other optical cavities, in order to increase the CRI Ra of the light from the white light generating source.
[0062] In accordance with the present invention, by providing different solid state light emitters in different optical cavities of a single plural cavity element, as opposed to providing the different emitters in separate and distinct cup reflectors, blending of the light emitted from the respective solid state light emitters (and from any lumiphors) can be achieved in a shorter distance.
[0063] In accordance with the present invention, by providing different solid state light emitters in different optical cavities of a single plural cavity element embedded in a single encapsulant region, as opposed to providing the different emitters in separate and distinct packages, blending of the light emitted from the respective solid state light emitters (and from any lumiphors) can be achieved in a shorter distance.
[0064] In accordance with the present invention, by putting different light emitters in separate optical cavities, undesired interaction of light from the respective light emitters (and from any lumiphors) in the near field is avoided or reduced.
[0065] In accordance with some embodiments of the present invention, by providing different solid state light emitters in different optical cavities of a single plural cavity element embedded in a single encapsulant region, light emissions from each of the light emitters within the encapsulant region have a high degree of interaction in the far field (e.g., farther than 5 cm away from the light emitters).
[0066] In some embodiments according to the present invention, there is further provided the ability to control and/or adjust each solid state light emitter in the device by analog means or digitally. Persons of skill in the art would readily be able to provide appropriate circuitry by which each solid state light emitter in devices according to the present invention can be independently controlled and/or adjusted.
[0067] In some embodiments of the present invention, the light exiting the respective solid state light emitters (and any lumiphors) contained in an encapsulant region is approximately 80 % mixed by the time the light exits the encapsulant region, and such light is nearly completely mixed 5 cm away from the surface of the encapsulant region.
[0068] Specific examples of combinations of light emitters and/or lumiphors are described in U.S. Patent Application No. 60/752,555, filed December 21, 2005, entitled "Lighting Device and Lighting Method" (inventors: Antony Paul Van de Ven and Gerald H. Negley). Other representative examples of suitable combinations of light emissions include the following:
Specific examples of combinations of light emitters and/or lumiphors are described in:
(a) U.S. Patent Application No. 60/752,555, filed December 21, 2005, entitled "Lighting Device and Lighting Method" (inventors: Antony Paul Van de Ven and Gerald H. Negley),
(b) U.S. Patent Application No. 60/793,524, filed April 20, 2006, entitled "Lighting Device" (inventors: Antony Paul Van de Ven and Gerald H. Negley), and
(c) U.S. Patent Application No. 60/793,518, filed April 20, 2006, entitled "Lighting Device" (inventors: Antony Paul Van de Ven and Gerald H. Negley).
[0069] Included among such combinations of light emitters and/or lumiphors are:
(1) a combination including:
a first group of light emitting diodes;
a first group of lumiphors; and
a second group of light emitting diodes;
wherein:
each of the first group of light emitting diodes, if illuminated, would emit light having a peak wavelength in the range of from 430 nm to 480 nm;
each of the first group of lumiphors, if excited, would emit light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 555 nm to about 585 nm; and
each of the second group of light emitting diodes, if illuminated, would emit light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from 600 nm to 630 nm;
a first group of lumiphors;
a second group of lumiphors; and
a third group of light emitting diodes;
each of the first group of light emitting diodes and each of the second group of light emitting diodes, if illuminated, would emit light having a peak wavelength in the range of from 430 nm to 480 nm;
each of the first group of lumiphors and each of the second group of lumiphors, if excited, would emit light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 555 nm to about 585 nm; and
if each of the first group of light emitting diodes is illuminated and each of the first group of lumiphors is excited, a mixture of light emitted from the first group of light emitting diodes and the first group of lumiphors would, in the absence of any additional light, have a first group mixed illumination corresponding to a first point on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram, the first point having a first correlated color temperature;
if each of the second group of light emitting diodes is illuminated and each of the second group of lumiphors is excited, a mixture of light emitted from the second group of light emitting diodes and the second group of lumiphors would, in the absence of any additional light, have a second group mixed illumination corresponding to a second point on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram, the second point has a second correlated color temperature, the first correlated color temperature differs from the second correlated color temperature by at least 500K; and
each of the first group of lumiphors, if excited, would emit light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 555 nm to about 585 nm;
each of the second group of light emitting diodes, if illuminated, would emit light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from 600 nm to 630 nm; and
if each of the first group of light emitting diodes is illuminated and each of the first group of lumiphors is excited, a mixture of light emitted from the first group of light emitting diodes and the first group of lumiphors would, in the absence of any additional light, have a first group mixed illumination having x, y color coordinates which are within an area on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram enclosed by first, second, third, fourth and fifth line segments, the first line segment connecting a first point to a second point, the second line segment connecting the second point to a third point, the third line segment connecting the third point to a fourth point, the fourth line segment connecting the fourth point to a fifth point, and the fifth line segment connecting the fifth point to the first point, the first point having x, y coordinates of 0.32, 0.40, the second point having x, y coordinates of 0.36, 0.48, the third point having x, y coordinates of 0.43, 0.45, the fourth point having x, y coordinates of 0.42, 0.42, and the fifth point having x, y coordinates of 0.36, 0.38; and
if each of the first group of light emitting diodes is illuminated and each of the first group of lumiphors is excited, a mixture of light emitted from the first group of light emitting diodes and the first group of lumiphors would have a first group mixed illumination corresponding to a first point on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram, the first point having a first correlated color temperature;
if each of the second group of light emitting diodes is illuminated and each of the second group of lumiphors is excited, a mixture of light emitted from the second group of light emitting diodes and the second group of lumiphors would have a second group mixed illumination corresponding to a second point on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram, the second point has a second correlated color temperature, the first correlated color temperature differs from the second correlated color temperature by at least 500K;
each of the third group of light emitting diodes, if illuminated, would emit light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from 600 nm to 630 nm; and
if each of the first group of light emitting diodes is illuminated, each of the first group of lumiphors is excited, each of the second group of light emitting diodes is excited and each of the second group of lumiphors is excited, a mixture of light emitted from the first group of light emitting diodes, the first group of lumiphors, the second group of light emitting diodes and the second group of lumiphors, in the absence of any other light, would have a first group-second group mixed illumination which, in the absence of any other light, would have x, y color coordinates which are within an area on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram enclosed by first, second, third, fourth and fifth line segments, the first line segment connecting a first point to a second point, the second line segment connecting the second point to a third point, the third line segment connecting the third point to a fourth point, the fourth line segment connecting the fourth point to a fifth point, and the fifth line segment connecting the fifth point to the first point, the first point having x, y coordinates of 0.32, 0.40, the second point having x, y coordinates of 0.36, 0.48, the third point having x, y coordinates of 0.43, 0.45, the fourth point having x, y coordinates of 0.42, 0.42, and the fifth point having x, y coordinates of 0.36, 0.38.
[0070] Other representative examples of suitable combinations of light emissions include the following:
a second group of light emitting diodes; and
a third group of light emitting diodes,
if each of the first group of light emitting diodes is illuminated and each of the first group of lumiphors is excited, a mixture of light emitted from the first group of light emitting diodes and the first group of lumiphors would, in the absence of any additional light, have a first group mixed illumination having x, y color coordinates which are within an area on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram enclosed by first, second, third and fourth line segments, the first line segment connecting a first point to a second point, the second line segment connecting the second point to a third point, the third line segment connecting the third point to a fourth point, and the fourth line segment connecting the fourth point to the first point, the first point having x, y coordinates of 0.30, 0.27, the second point having x, y coordinates of 0.30, 0.37, the third point having x, y coordinates of 0.34, 0.27, and the fourth point having x, y coordinates of 0.34, 0.37;
each of the third group of light emitting diodes, if illuminated, would emit light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from 490 nm to 510 nm;
a third group of light emitting diodes
each of the third group of light emitting diodes, if illuminated, would emit light having a peak wavelength in the range of from 430 nm to 480 nm;
a second group of lumiphors;
a third group of light emitting diodes; and
a fourth group of light emitting diodes;
each of the fourth group of light emitting diodes, if illuminated, would emit light having a peak wavelength in the range of from 430 nm to 480 nm;
[0071] These combinations listed above enable mixing of the desired spectrum to achieve light that is perceived as white, on or within 10 (or 20, or 40) MacAdam ellipses from the blackbody curve (in some cases on or within 5 MacAdam ellipses from the blackbody curve, and in some cases on or within 2 MacAdam ellipses from the blackbody curve), while achieving high color rendering indices (greater than 85).
[0072] As noted above, one type of solid state light emitter which can be employed are LEDs. Such LEDs can be selected from among any light emitting diodes (a wide variety of which are readily obtainable and well known to those skilled in the art, and therefore it is not necessary to describe in detail such devices, and/or the materials out of which such devices are made). For instance, examples of types of light emitting diodes include inorganic and organic light emitting diodes, a variety of each of which are well-known in the art.
[0073] As noted above, the lighting device comprises an encapsulant region. Persons of skill in the art are familiar with, and have easy access to, a wide variety of materials which are suitable for use in making an encapsulant region for a packaged LED, and any such materials can, if desired, be employed. For example, two well-known representative classes of materials out of which the encapsulant region can be constructed include epoxies and silicones.
[0074] Persons of skill in the art are also familiar with a wide variety of suitable shapes for the encapsulant region, and the encapsulant region(s) in the device according to the present invention can be of any such shape. Persons of skill in the art are also familiar with various ways to make a packaged device incorporating the various elements described herein in connection with the present invention. Accordingly, further description of materials for use in making the encapsulant region, shapes for the encapsulant region and methods of making the devices described herein is not needed.
[0075] Any suitable structure or structures can be employed to provide power to the solid state light emitters, and persons of skill in the art are familiar with and can devise a wide variety of such structures. One representative example of such a structure is a leadframe with one or more wires connected to the light emitter, which is a structure with which persons of skill in the art are very familiar. Skilled artisans are also familiar with materials which are used for making leadframes (representative examples of such materials including copper and steel materials which can be "stamped" to form the leadframes) and for making wires.
[0076] As noted above, according to the present invention, the lighting device comprises at least one lumiphor (i.e., luminescence region or luminescent element which comprises at least one luminescent material). The one or more luminescent materials, can be in any desired form and can be selected from among phosphors, scintillators, day glow tapes, inks which glow in the visible spectrum upon illumination with ultraviolet light, etc. The luminescent element can, if desired, be embedded in a resin (i.e., a polymeric matrix), such as a silicone material, an epoxy, a substantially transparent glass or a metal oxide material. The expression "lumiphor", as used herein, refers to any luminescent element, i.e., any element which includes a luminescent material, a variety of which are readily available and well-known to those skilled in the art.
[0077] The one or more lumiphors can individually be any lumiphor, a wide variety of which, as noted above, are known to those skilled in the art. For example, the or each lumiphor can comprise (or can consist essentially of, or can consist of) one or more phosphor. The or each of the one or more lumiphors can, if desired, further comprise (or consist essentially of, or consist of) one or more highly transmissive (e.g., transparent or substantially transparent, or somewhat diffuse) binder, e.g., made of epoxy, silicone, glass, metal oxide or any other suitable material (for example, in any given lumiphor comprising one or more binder, one or more phosphor can be dispersed within the one or more binder). For example, the thicker the lumiphor, in general, the lower the weight percentage of the phosphor can be. Representative examples of the weight percentage of phosphor include from about 3.3 weight percent up to about 20 weight percent, although, as indicated above, depending on the overall thickness of the lumiphor, the weight percentage of the phosphor could be generally any value, e.g., from 0.1 weight percent to 100 weight percent (e.g., a lumiphor formed by subjecting pure phosphor to a hot isostatic pressing procedure).
[0078] Devices in which a lumiphor is provided can, if desired, further comprise one or more clear encapsulant (comprising, e.g., one or more silicone materials) positioned between the solid state light emitter (e.g., light emitting diode) and the lumiphor.
[0079] The or each of the one or more lumiphors can, independently, further comprise any of a number of well-known additives, e.g., diffusers, scatterers, tints, etc.
[0080] In some embodiments according to the present invention, the lighting device is shaped and sized so as to correspond with the shape and size of conventional lighting devices, e.g., currently, 5 mm LED packages, 3 mm LED packages, 7 mm LED packages, 10 mm LED packages and 12 mm LED packages, the sizes and shapes of which are well-known to those skilled in the art.
[0081] One or more brightness enhancement films can optionally further be included in the lighting devices according to the present invention. Such films are well-known in the art and are readily available. Brightness enhancement films (e.g., BEF films commercially available from 3M) are optional - when employed, they provide a more directional light source by limiting the acceptance angle. Light not "accepted" is recycled by the highly reflective light source enclosure. Preferably, the brightness enhancement films (which can optionally be replaced by one or more extraction films, such as by WFT), if employed, are optimized to limit the viewing angle of the emitted source and to increase the probability of extracting light on the first (or earliest possible) pass.
[0082] In addition, one or more scattering elements (e.g., layers) can optionally be included in the lighting devices according the present invention. The scattering element can be included in a lumiphor, and/or a separate scattering element can be provided. A wide variety of separate scattering elements and combined luminescent and scattering elements are well known to those of skill in the art, and any such elements can be employed in the lighting devices of the present invention.
[0083] The lighting devices of the present invention can be arranged, mounted and supplied with electricity in any desired manner, and can be mounted on any desired housing or fixture. Skilled artisans are familiar with a wide variety of arrangements, mounting schemes, power supplying apparatuses, housings and fixtures, and any such arrangements, schemes, apparatuses, housings and fixtures can be employed in connection with the present invention. The lighting devices of the present invention can be electrically connected (or selectively connected) to any desired power source, persons of skill in the art being familiar with a variety of such power sources.
[0084] Representative examples of arrangements of lighting devices, schemes for mounting lighting devices, apparatus for supplying electricity to lighting devices, housings for lighting devices, fixtures for lighting devices and power supplies for lighting devices, all of which are suitable for the lighting devices of the present invention, are described in U.S. Patent Application No. 60/752,753, filed on December 21, 2005, entitled "Lighting Device" (inventors: Gerald H. Negley, Antony Paul Van de Ven and Neal Hunter, and in U.S. Patent Application No. 60/798,446, filed on May 5, 2006, entitled "Lighting Device" (inventor: Antony Paul Van de Ven and Neal Hunter) (attorney docket number 931_00 8). The devices according to the present invention can further comprise one or more long-life cooling device (e.g., a fan with an extremely high lifetime). Such long-life cooling device(s) can comprise piezoelectric or magnetorestrictive materials (e.g., MR, GMR, and/or HMR materials) that move air as a "Chinese fan". In cooling the devices according to the present invention, typically only enough air to break the boundary layer is required to induce temperature drops of 10 to 15 degrees C. Hence, in such cases, strong 'breezes" or a large fluid flow rate (large CFM) are typically not required (thereby avoiding the need for conventional fans).
[0085] The devices according to the present invention can further comprise secondary optics to further change the projected nature of the emitted light. Such secondary optics are well-known to those skilled in the art, and so they do not need to be described in detail herein - any such secondary optics can, if desired, be employed.
[0086] The devices according to the present invention can further comprise sensors or charging devices or cameras, etc. For example, persons of skill in the art are familiar with, and have ready access to, devices which detect one or more occurrence (e.g., motion detectors, which detect motion of an object or person), and which, in response to such detection, trigger illumination of a light, activation of a security camera, etc. As a representative example, a device according to the present invention can include a lighting device according to the present invention and a motion sensor, and can be constructed such that (1) while the light is illuminated, if the motion sensor detects movement, a security camera is activated to record visual data at or around the location of the detected motion, or (2) if the motion sensor detects movement, the light is illuminated to light the region near the location of the detected motion and the security camera is activated to record visual data at or around the location of the detected motion, etc.
[0087] Fig. 4 is a top view of an embodiment of a lighting device 10 according to the present invention. Referring to Fig. 4, the lighting device 10 includes a plural cavity element 11 which has three concave optical cavities 12, 13, 14, each containing a respective light emitting diode 15, 16, 17 (the light emitting diode 15 is shown in Fig. 5). A lumiphor 18 is also present in the optical cavity 12.
[0088] The plural cavity element comprises a first surface 31 which is substantially planar. The first surface 31 has a surface area which is more than five times as large as a combined surface area of the light emitting diodes 15, 16, 17 (i.e., the surface areas of the surfaces (of the light emitting diodes 15, 16, 17) which face upward in Fig. 5).
[0089] Each of the optical cavities 12, 13, 14 comprises a substantially planar mounting surface 32, 33, 34, respectively, on which the respective light emitting diodes 15, 16, 17 are mounted.
[0090] Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment shown in Fig. 4, taken along the plane V - V.
[0091] Referring to Fig. 5, the plural cavity element comprises a first side 35 and a second side 36, the first side comprising the first surface 31 and the mounting surfaces 32, 33, 34. The mounting surfaces 32, 33, 34 are substantially coplanar. The first surface and the mounting surfaces together comprise not less than 75 % of the surface area of the first side of the plural cavity element.
[0092] Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a lighting device 20 according to the present invention. Referring to Fig. 6, the lighting device 20 includes a plural cavity element 21 which has three optical cavities (22, 23 and a third cavity, not visible in this view), each containing a respective light emitting diode (25, 26 and a third light emitting diode, not visible in this view). A lumiphor 28 is also present in the optical cavity 22. The plural cavity element 21 is surrounded by (and embedded in) an encapsulant region 29.
[0093] Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a lighting device 40 according to the present invention. Referring to Fig. 7, the lighting device 40 includes a plural cavity element 41 which has three optical cavities (42, 43 and a third cavity, not visible in this view), each containing a respective light emitting diode (45, 46 and a third light emitting diode, not visible in this view). A lumiphor 48 is also present in the optical cavity 42. The plural cavity element 41 is surrounded by (and embedded in) an encapsulant region 49. The lighting device 40 further includes a scattering element 51 (in the form of a layer). A variety of scattering elements are well-known to persons skilled in the art, and any such scattering element can be employed in any of the devices according to the present invention. Persons skilled in the art can readily make such scattering elements, one example of a suitable way to provide a scattering element being by multiple casting to improve mixing.
1. A lighting device comprising:
at least one plural cavity element [11, 21, 41], said plural cavity element [11, 21, 41] having at least two concave optical cavities [12, 13, 14, 22, 23, 42, 43], each of said concave optical cavities [12, 13, 14, 22, 23, 42, 43] comprising a concave region in said plural cavity element [11, 21, 41];
a plurality of solid state light emitters [15, 16, 17, 25, 26, 45, 46]; and
an encapsulant region [29, 49],
at least a first solid state light emitter [15, 25, 45] in a first concave optical cavity [12, 22, 42] and at least a second solid state light emitter [16, 26, 46] in a second concave optical cavity [13, 23, 43], characterized in that:
said first concave optical cavity [12, 22, 42] also comprises a luminescent material [18, 28, 48],
light exiting the first concave optical cavity [12, 22, 42] has a purity of less than 85%,
light exiting the second concave optical cavity [13, 23, 43] has a purity of 85% or higher, and
said plural cavity element [11, 21, 41] is embedded in said encapsulant region [29, 49].
2. A lighting device as recited in claim 1, wherein if each of said plurality of solid state light emitters [15, 16, 17, 25, 26, 45, 46] is illuminated, light exiting said encapsulant region [29, 49] which was emitted from said plurality of solid state light emitters [15, 16, 17, 25, 26, 45, 46] would be at least 80 % mixed.
3. A lighting device as recited in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein walls of each of said optical cavities [12, 13, 14, 22, 23, 42, 43] are reflective.
4. A lighting device as recited in any one of claims 1-3, wherein;
said plural cavity element [11, 21, 41] comprises a first surface [31],
said first surface [31] is substantially planar, and
said first surface [31] has a surface area which is at least five times as large as a combined surface area of said solid state light emitters [15, 16, 17, 25, 26, 45, 46].
5. A lighting device as recited in claim 4, wherein each of said optical cavities [12, 13, 14, 22, 23, 42, 43] formed in said plural cavity element [11, 21, 41] comprises a substantially planar mounting surface [32, 33, 34] on which at least one of said solid state light emitters [15, 16, 17, 25, 26, 45, 46] is mounted.
6. A lighting device as recited in any one of claims 1-5, wherein:
said plural cavity element [11, 21, 41] comprises a first side [35] and a second side [36],
said first side [35] comprises a substantially planar first surface [31] and a plurality of substantially flat mounting surfaces [32, 33, 34],
at least one of said solid state light emitters [15, 16, 17, 25, 26, 45, 46] is mounted on each of said mounting surfaces [32, 33, 34],
said mounting surfaces [32, 33, 34] are substantially coplanar, and
said first surface [31] and said mounting surfaces [32, 33, 34] together comprise not less than 75 % of a surface area of said first side [35] of said plural cavity element [11, 21, 41].
7. A lighting device as recited in any one of claims 1-6, wherein said lighting device further comprises at least one scattering element [51].
8. A lighting device as recited in claim 7, wherein said scattering element [51] is in said encapsulant region [29, 49].
9. A lighting device as recited in any one of claims 1-8, wherein if each of said plurality of solid state light emitters [15, 16, 17, 25, 26, 45, 46] is illuminated, mixed light exiting said encapsulant region [29, 49] would, in the absence of any additional light, have x, y coordinates on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram which define a point which is within twenty MacAdam ellipses of at least one point on the blackbody locus on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram.
10. A lighting device as recited in any one of claims 1-9, wherein:
said plural cavity element [11, 21, 41] further comprises a third concave optical cavity [14],
at least a third solid state light emitter [17] is in said third concave optical cavity [14], and
light exiting said third concave optical cavity [14] has a purity of 85% or higher.
11. A lighting device as recited in any one of claims 1-10, wherein:
the first solid state light emitter [15, 25, 45] is a blue light emitting diode,
the second solid state light emitter [16, 26, 46] is a red light emitting diode, and
the first concave optical cavity further has mounted therein a yellow phosphor [18, 28, 48].
the second solid state light emitter [16, 26, 46] is a blue light emitting diode, and
the first concave optical cavity further has mounted therein a yellow phosphor [18, 28, 48],
the second solid state light emitter [16, 26, 46] is a blue light emitting diode,
the plural cavity element comprises a third concave optical cavity [14],
a third light emitting solid state light emitter [17] is in the third concave optical cavity [14], and
the third solid state light emitter [17] is a red light emitting diode.
the first solid state light emitter [15, 25, 45] is a light emitting diode,
the first concave optical cavity further has mounted therein a green phosphor [18, 28, 48],
the second solid state light emitter [16, 26, 46] is a red light emitting diode,
the third solid state light emitter [17] is a blue light emitting diode.
the first concave optical cavity further has mounted therein a green phosphor [18, 28, 48].
1. Beleuchtungsvorrichtung mit:
mindestens einem Mehrfachhohlraumelement [11, 21, 41], wobei das Mehrfachhohlraumelement [11, 21, 41] mindestens zwei konkave optische Hohlräume [12, 13, 14, 22, 23, 42, 43] aufweist, wobei jeder diesen konkaven optischen Hohlräume [12, 13, 14, 22, 23, 42, 43] einen konkaven Bereich in dem Mehrfachhohlraumelement [11, 21, 41] aufweist;
einer Mehrzahl von Festkörperlichtemittern [15, 16, 17, 25, 26, 45, 46]; und
einem Verkapselungsbereich [29, 49],
mindestens einem ersten Festkörperlichtemitter [15, 25, 45] in einem ersten konkaven optischen Hohlraum [12, 22, 42] und mindestens einem zweiten Festkörperlichtemitter [16, 26, 46] in einem zweiten konkaven optischen Hohlraum [13, 23, 43],
dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass:
der erste konkave optische Hohlraum [12, 22, 42] auch einen Leuchtstoff [18, 28, 48] aufweist,
Licht, das aus dem ersten konkaven optischen Hohlraum [12, 22, 42] austritt, eine Farbreinheit von weniger als 85 % aufweist,
Licht, das den zweiten konkaven optischen Hohlraum [13, 23, 43] verlässt, eine Farbreinheit von 85 % oder mehr aufweist, und
das Mehrfachhohlraumelement [11, 21, 41] in dem Verkapselungsbereich [29, 49] eingebettet ist.
2. Beleuchtungsvorrichtung nach Anspruch 1, wobei, wenn jeder der Mehrzahl von Festkörperlichtemittern [15, 16, 17, 25, 26, 45, 46] beleuchtet ist, Licht, das aus dem Verkapselungsbereich [29, 49] austritt, das von der Mehrzahl von Festkörperlichtemittern [15, 16, 17, 25, 26, 45, 46] emittiert wurde, zu mindestens 80 % gemischt wäre.
3. Beleuchtungsvorrichtung nach Anspruch 1 oder Anspruch 2, wobei die Wände jeder der optischen Hohlräume [12, 13, 14, 22, 23, 42, 43] reflektierend sind.
4. Beleuchtungsvorrichtung nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 3, wobei:
das Mehrfachhohlraumelement [11, 21, 41] eine erste Oberfläche [31] aufweist,
die erste Oberfläche [31] im Wesentlichen eben ist, und
die erste Oberfläche [31] einen Oberflächenbereich aufweist, der mindestens fünf Mal größer ist als ein kombinierter Oberflächenbereich der Festkörperlichtemitter [15, 16, 17, 25, 26, 45, 46].
5. Beleuchtungsvorrichtung nach Anspruch 4, wobei jeder der optischen Hohlräume [12, 13, 14, 22, 23, 42, 43], die in dem Mehrfachhohlraumelement [11, 21, 41] ausgebildet sind, eine im Wesentlichen ebene Befestigungsoberfläche [32, 33, 34] aufweist, auf der mindestens einer der Festköperlichtemitter [15, 16, 17, 25, 26, 45, 46] angebracht ist.
6. Beleuchtungsvorrichtung nach einem der Ansprüche 1 - 5, wobei:
das Mehrfachhohlraumelement [11, 21, 41] eine erste Seite [35] und eine zweite Seite [36] aufweist,
die erste Seite [35] eine im Wesentlichen ebene erste Oberfläche [31] und eine Mehrzahl von im Wesentlichen ebenen Befestigungsoberflächen [32, 33, 34] aufweist,
mindestens einer der Festkörperlichtemitter [15, 16, 17, 25, 26, 45, 46] auf jeder der Befestigungsoberflächen [32, 33, 34] angebracht ist,
die Befestigungsoberflächen [32, 33, 34] im Wesentlichen in der gleichen Ebene liegen, und
die erste Oberfläche [31] und die Befestigungsoberflächen [32, 33, 34] zusammen nicht weniger als 75 % eines Oberflächenbereichs der ersten Seite [35] des Mehrfachhohlraumelements [11, 21, 41] aufweisen.
7. Beleuchtungsvorrichtung nach einem der Ansprüche 1 - 6, wobei die Beleuchtungsvorrichtung des Weiteren mindestens ein Streuelement [51] aufweist.
8. Beleuchtungsvorrichtung nach Anspruch 7, wobei das Streuelement [51] sich in dem Verkapselungsbereich [29, 49] befindet.
9. Beleuchtungsvorrichtung nach einem der Ansprüche 1 - 8, wobei, wenn jede der Mehrzahl von Festkörperlichtemittern [15, 16, 17, 25, 26, 45, 46] beleuchtet ist, gemischtes Licht, das den Verkapselungsbereich [29, 49] verlässt, in Abwesenheit von zusätzlichem Licht x-, y-Koordinaten auf einer 1931 CIE Normfarbtafel aufweisen würde, die einen Punkt definieren, der innerhalb von zwanzig MacAdam Ellipsen von mindestens einem Punkt auf dem Planck'schen Kurvenzug auf einer 1931 CIE Normfarbtafel liegt.
10. Beleuchtungsvorrichtung nach einem der Ansprüche 1 - 9, wobei:
das Mehrfachhohlraumelement [11, 21, 41] des Weiteren einen dritten konkaven optischen Hohlraum [14] aufweist,
mindestens ein dritter Festkörperlichtemitter [17] sich in dem dritten konkaven optischen Hohlraum [14] befindet, und
Licht, das den dritten konkaven optischen Hohlraum [14] verlässt, eine Farbreinheit von 85 % oder höher aufweist.
11. Beleuchtungsvorrichtung nach einem der Ansprüche 1 - 10, wobei:
der erste Festkörperlichtemitter [15, 25, 45] eine blaue Licht emittierende Diode ist,
der zweite Festkörperlichtemitter [16, 26, 46] eine rote Licht emittierende Diode ist, und
der erste konkave optische Hohlraum des Weiteren darin einen gelben Leuchtstoff [18, 28, 48] befestigt hat.
der zweite Festkörperlichtemitter [16, 26, 46] eine blaue Licht emittierende Diode ist, und
der erste konkave optische Hohlraum des Weiteren darin einen gelben Leuchtstoff [18, 28, 48] aufweist.
der erste konkave optische Hohlraum des Weiteren darin einen gelben Leuchtstoff [18, 28, 48] aufweist,
der zweite Festkörperlichtemitter [16, 26, 46] eine blaue Licht emittierende Diode ist,
das Mehrfachhohlraumelement einen dritten konkaven optischen Hohlraum [14] aufweist,
ein dritter Licht emittierender Festkörperlichtemitter [17] sich in dem dritten konkaven optischen Hohlraum [14] befindet, und
der dritte Festkörperlichtemitter [17] eine rote Licht emittierende Diode ist.
der erste Festkörperlichtemitter [15, 25, 45] eine Licht emittierende Diode ist,
der erste konkave optische Hohlraum des Weiteren darin einen grünen Leuchtstoff [18, 28, 48] angebracht aufweist,
der zweite Festkörperlichtemitter [16, 26, 46] eine rote Licht emittierende Diode ist,
der dritte Festkörperlichtemitter [17] eine blaue Licht emittierende Diode ist.
der erste konkave optische Hohlraum des Weiteren darin einen grünen Leuchtstoff [18, 28, 48] aufweist.
1. Dispositif d'éclairage comprenant :
au moins un élément à plusieurs cavités [11, 21, 41], ledit élément à plusieurs cavités [11, 21, 41] ayant au moins deux cavités optiques concaves [12, 13, 14, 22, 23, 42, 43], chacune desdites cavités optiques concaves [12, 13, 14, 22, 23, 42, 43] comprenant une région concave dans ledit élément à plusieurs cavités [11, 21, 41] ;
une pluralité d'émetteurs de lumière à semi-conducteurs [15, 16, 17, 25, 26, 45, 46] ; et
une région d'encapsulation [29, 49],
au moins un premier émetteur de lumière à semi-conducteurs [15, 25, 45] dans une première cavité optique concave [12, 22, 42] et au moins un deuxième émetteur de lumière à semi-conducteurs [16, 26, 46] dans une deuxième cavité optique concave [13, 23, 43], caractérisé par le fait que :
ladite première cavité optique concave [12, 22, 42] comprend également un matériau luminescent [18, 28, 48],
la lumière sortant de la première cavité optique concave [12, 22, 42] a une pureté de moins de 85 %,
la lumière sortant de la deuxième cavité optique concave [13, 23, 43] a une pureté de 85 % ou plus, et
ledit élément à plusieurs cavités [11, 21, 41] est intégré dans ladite région d'encapsulation [29, 49].
2. Dispositif d'éclairage selon la revendication 1, dans lequel, si chacun de ladite pluralité d'émetteurs de lumière à semi-conducteurs [15, 16, 17, 25, 26, 45, 46] est éclairé, la lumière sortant de ladite région d'encapsulation [29, 49] qui a été émise par ladite pluralité d'émetteurs de lumière à semi-conducteurs [15, 16, 17, 25, 26, 45, 46] serait mélangée à au moins 80 %.
3. Dispositif d'éclairage selon la revendication 1 ou la revendication 2, dans lequel des parois de chacune desdites cavités optiques [12, 13, 14, 22, 23, 42, 43] sont réfléchissantes.
4. Dispositif d'éclairage selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 3, dans lequel :
ledit élément à plusieurs cavités [11, 21, 41] comprend une première surface [31],
ladite première surface [31] est sensiblement plate, et
ladite première surface [31] a une aire de surface qui est au moins cinq fois plus grande qu'une aire de surface combinée desdits émetteurs de lumière à semi-conducteurs [15, 16, 17, 25, 26, 45, 46].
5. Dispositif d'éclairage selon la revendication 4, dans lequel chacune desdites cavités optiques [12, 13, 14, 22, 23, 42, 43] formées dans ledit élément à plusieurs cavités [11, 21, 41] comprend une surface de montage sensiblement plate [32, 33, 34] sur laquelle au moins un desdits émetteurs de lumière à semi-conducteurs [15, 16, 17, 25, 26, 45, 46] est monté.
ledit élément à plusieurs cavités [11, 21, 41] comprend un premier côté [35] et un second côté [36],
ledit premier côté [35] comprend une première surface sensiblement plate [31] et une pluralité de surfaces de montage sensiblement plates [32, 33, 34],
au moins un desdits émetteurs de lumière à semi-conducteurs [15, 16, 17, 25, 26, 45, 46] est monté sur chacune desdites surface de montage [32, 33, 34],
lesdites surfaces de montage [32, 33, 34] sont sensiblement coplanaires, et
ladite première surface [31] et lesdites surfaces de montage [32, 33, 34] comprennent ensemble pas moins de 75 % d'une aire de surface dudit premier côté [35] dudit élément à plusieurs cavités [11, 21, 41].
7. Dispositif d'éclairage selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 6, dans lequel ledit dispositif d'éclairage comprend en outre au moins un élément de diffusion [51].
8. Dispositif d'éclairage selon la revendication 7, dans lequel ledit élément de diffusion [51] se trouve dans ladite région d'encapsulation [29, 49].
9. Dispositif d'éclairage selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 8, dans lequel, si chacun de ladite pluralité d'émetteurs de lumière à semi-conducteurs [15, 16, 17, 25, 26, 45, 46] est éclairé, la lumière mélangée sortant de ladite région d'encapsulation [29, 49] aurait, en l'absence de toute lumière supplémentaire, des coordonnées x, y sur un diagramme de chromaticité CIE 1931 qui définissent un point qui est à vingt ellipses de MacAdam d'au moins un point sur le lieu du corps noir sur un diagramme de chromaticité CIE 1931.
10. Dispositif d'éclairage selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 9, dans lequel :
ledit élément à plusieurs cavités [11, 21, 41] comprend en outre une troisième cavité optique concave [14],
au moins un troisième émetteur de lumière à semi-conducteurs [17] se trouve dans ladite troisième cavité optique concave [14], et
la lumière sortant de ladite troisième cavité optique concave [14] a une pureté de 85 % ou plus.
11. Dispositif d'éclairage selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 10, dans lequel :
le premier émetteur de lumière à semi-conducteurs [15, 25, 45] est une diode électroluminescente bleue,
le deuxième émetteur de lumière à semi-conducteurs [16, 26, 46] est une diode électroluminescente rouge, et
la première cavité optique concave a en outre, monté à l'intérieur de celle-ci, un luminophore jaune [18, 28, 48].
le deuxième émetteur de lumière à semi-conducteurs [16, 26, 46] est une diode électroluminescente bleue, et
la première cavité optique concave a en outre, monté à l'intérieur de celle-ci, un luminophore jaune [18, 28, 48],
le deuxième émetteur de lumière à semi-conducteurs [16, 26, 46] est une diode électroluminescente bleue,
l'élément à plusieurs cavités comprend une troisième cavité optique concave [14],
un troisième émetteur de lumière à semi-conducteurs [17] se trouve dans la troisième cavité optique concave [14], et
le troisième émetteur de lumière à semi-conducteurs [17] est une diode électroluminescente rouge.
le premier émetteur de lumière à semi-conducteurs [15, 25, 45] est une diode électroluminescente,
la première cavité optique concave a en outre, monté à l'intérieur de celle-ci, un luminophore vert [18, 28, 48],
le deuxième émetteur de lumière à semi-conducteurs [16, 26, 46] est une diode électroluminescente rouge,
le troisième émetteur de lumière à semi-conducteurs [17] est une diode électroluminescente bleue.
la première cavité optique concave a en outre, monté à l'intérieur de celle-ci, un luminophore vert [18, 28, 48].
US80270906P [0001]
US4918487A [0010]
US6600175B [0022]
JPH10321915B [0032]
JP2000294834A [0033]
US75255505P [0068] [0068]
Non-patent literature cited in the description
Physics of Semiconductor Devices19810000 [0009]
Modern Semiconductor Device Physics19980000 [0009]
Encyclopedia of Physical Science and Technology19870000vol. 7, 230-231 [0015]
K. H. BUTLERFluorescent Lamp PhosphorsThe Pennsylvania State University Press1980000098-107 [0018]
G. BLASSE et al.Luminescent MaterialsSpringer-Verlag19940000109-110 [0018]


text:
CHAT.ixi
Research & Development • Jan 01, 2019
The Iota Controlled agenT (Ict) is a project being developed by the IOTA Foundation Omega Team. To most in the community, Ict appears rather abstract, futuristic and difficult to fully grasp. This is why Samuel and I have decided to release CHAT.ixi, a chat app running on Ict. As a tangible proof-of-concept, it gives Ict a face and showcases what the IOTA eXtension Interface (IXI) is capable of.
On the surface, CHAT.ixi is really no more than just another chat application. But there's more! Things get more interesting once you look deeper into the tech surrounding it. CHAT.ixi runs on the Iota Controlled agenT (Ict) network. Ict is a lightweight IOTA node designed for the Internet-of-Things.
The Ict network provides an experimental Tangle testnet. So this chat is actually running over a Tangle similar to the IOTA mainnet. But well, who cares? In the end this is just another nerd thing, isn't it?
It is important to understand the implications of choosing an immutable and permissionless data-integrity protocol, the Tangle, as infrastructure for a chat. In CHAT.ixi, there are neither rules nor moderators who enforce them. Obviously, this poses certain risks one has to understand before using it. Simultaneously, however, there are immense opportunities for those whose opinions are otherwise restricted or suppressed.
While large companies capitalize on the middleman role within our communication, we are forced to put more and more trust into third parties and become increasingly dependent on them. The Tangle on the other hand is free to use. There are no ads in CHAT.ixi. And no data is collected except for the messages you send on purpose.
With an underlying protocol that is largely distributed by design, you don't have to rely on a central hub taking care of your data. Due to the Tangle's inner workings, messages on the Tangle cannot be tampered with.
Rare footage of the secret alpha testing phase.
Iota Controlled agenT (Ict) is an experimental IOTA node for the Internet-of-Things (IoT). In contrast to our current rather static Internet, the IoT will be full of tiny devices directly connected to each other in a dynamic mesh network. Some of these devices will move around, or suddenly turn off or on. Such a constantly changing environment requires a data integrity protocol with enough redundancy to deliver messages and make data accessible, despite the unpredictable nature of the network.
Becoming a standard protocol for the Internet-of-Things has always been the vision of IOTA. However, most of what is colloquially referred to as IoT currently, exists comfortably in a Cloud infrastructure within regular Internet architecture. In the last few years, we have started to see the emergence of the "true" IoT at the edge of the network (also referred to as the Fog), where technological resources are not abundant. IOTA is not merely accommodating this new frontier, but aims to actively shape it with security and immutability as basic criteria. Instead of waiting for the edge network to grow and then retrofit it, the IOTA Foundation is aiming to build its own IoT microcosm, with Ict as a fundamental building block.
The Internet-of-Things is a prominent driver of the fourth industrial revolution. Just as its precursor, the digital revolution, there will be radical changes transcending all aspects of our daily life. For instance, we are shifting our perception of ownership. With emerging trends like car or bike sharing, we are moving towards a world full of services. And this is where Ict plays its role, providing a platform for services.
The Ict core client itself will remain lean, providing basic functions such as a gossip protocol and data integrity. The really interesting part however, is IXI.
IXI, short for Iota eXtension Interface, is an interface for applications utilizing the Tangle. The interface is kept rather slim and modular by design, in order to decouple those apps, called IXI modules, as much as possible from the underlying Ict communication protocol. These IXI modules do not need to know how transactions are technically exchanged between the Ict nodes. All they want to see are the actual transactions happening.
By abstracting away from the communication layer, IXI gives developers easy access to the Tangle and provides them with a tolerant protocol, so that they can implement apps based on their ideas rather than adjusting their ideas to match the complex network properties of IoT. Most importantly, they do not have to reinvent the wheel by each developing their own communication solutions, resulting in a multitude of different and incompatible protocols. The lack of compatibility standards currently is one of the major issues of the Internet-of-Things. And Ict provides a solution.
CHAT.ixi extends the IXI module template which connects to the Ict. This template was designed to facilitate the development of modules. The interface is kept lightweight, while giving access to the entire relevant Tangle functionality. Remote Method Invocation (RMI) currently provides the link between Ict and the IXI module.
As the very first command-line chat module (see repository) proves, diverse IXI applications can be realized with very few lines code. In order to demystify IXI and showcase what it is actually capable of, Samuel and I decided to put more effort into this chat app. These past few days we have worked very hard to get this proof-of-concept into shape.
CHAT.ixi demonstration
The module's Java backend provides a REST interface to display messages in the web GUI, which is implemented in JavaScript.
The signature scheme uses RSA - an asymmetric cryptographic algorithm that can be used for encryption as well as digital signatures. Each participant owns a key pair consisting of a private and a public key. The private key is used to sign messages while the public key allows other users to verify those signatures and authenticate the origin of a message.
While the username can be chosen freely, the hash of the public key (called the user id) is unique and allows users to identify each-other. You can add a user's id to your contact list to mark their messages with a white border allowing you to spot impersonation attempts more easily. Additionally, each user's profile picture is an identicon derived from the user id.
There are more than a eighty seven quintrigintillion (8.7x10¹¹⁵) different channels to chat. This is because each channel is internally realized by a specific IOTA address to which the chat module listens and sends messages. You can even see who is online because the web GUI will regularily submit a heartbeat transaction, notifying other users that you are there to chat. Finally, to set our priorities straight, we also added support for emojis. 😉
A frequently asked questions about IOTA is "Why should anyone run a node?". CHAT.ixi highlights the incentive to maintain a well-connected Ict: because such a node is required to properly connect to the Tangle and use all the IXI modules utilizing it. Now that you probably want to try CHAT.ixi yourself, simply follow the instructions given in the official repository.
The IOTA Reference Implementation (IRI) is the reference software currently used to run IOTA full nodes, and is one of the main projects being developed by the Foundation's Alpha Team. While Ict and IRI both aim to do the same: provide an IOTA protocol, they do so for different environments. IRI is designed with the current Internet in mind, while Ict is intended for the future Internet-of-Things.
Most succinctly, IRI is the current working and well-tested full node software. Ict is an experimental concept in its infancy. Since there are real funds at stake, there is a long way to go before Ict could possibly replace IRI. For the near future Ict may provide a testbed for many proofs-of-concept, which would be more complex to implement into the large IRI code base. Furthermore Ict does not rely on a coordinator, which brings it closer to the end vision of IOTA, and makes it a great tool for testing other consensus mechanisms.
Gossip Protocol — to receive and forward IOTA transactions, plus validation of signatures etc., similar to what IRI is currently doing.
IOTA eXtension Interface (IXI) — a simplistic interface as a modular approach, to make the Ict core client extensible with various plugins and applications — the "IXI modules".
Swarm Logic — to achieve shared goals in a swarm, where individual Icts adjust their level of redundancy, to filter out transactions not relevant for that goal.
Economic Clustering — will be the only consensus mechanism integrated into the Ict core client. Other consensus mechanisms must be implemented as IXI modules running on top.
In the three weeks since commencing development on the current Ict code base, the basic gossip protocol and IXI have been implemented. Also, a first spam protection mechanism and pruning of old transactions have recently been enabled with the most recent version. CHAT.ixi, as a first proof-of-concept, is up and running, and proves that things are working as expected. We are working towards bringing Ict into a stable and reliable form by mid 2019.
improve IXI's general interface design
extend IXI module support beyond Java to other languages
increase reliability and secure Ict against basic attack vectors
finish the protocol specification by implementing signatures etc.
build an ecosystem of IXI modules around Ict
Stay up to date with Ict development in the #omega-ict channel (Development category) of the official IOTA Discord. To try CHAT.ixi for yourself, simply follow the instructions given in the official repository.
For now, we wish you a fantastic start to the New Year.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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