CN118785566A - Method and system for selectively activating groups of LEDs - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention discloses methods and systems for selectively activating LED groups. Systems, devices and methods for selectively activating and/or deactivating one or more light emitting diode (LED) groups of a lighting device. In an embodiment, a multi-LED lighting device includes: a detection and control circuit; a first light emitting diode (LED) group; a second LED group, the second LED group being connected in series to the first LED group; and a first switch, the first switch being operably connected across the second LED group. The detection and control circuit detects a power sequence or a dimming sequence, and in response to the detection of the power sequence or the dimming sequence, operates to close the first switch to short-circuit the second LED group so that no light is emitted from the second LED group; operates to open the first switch to power the second LED group so that the second LED group emits light together with the first LED group; or operates the switch in a certain manner to change the light output of at least one of the first LED group and the second LED group.

Description

Method and system for selectively activating groups of LEDs

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/456,679, filed on April 3, 2023, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.

Background Art

In many lighting conditions, it is often desirable to change the spectral output of a lighting device. For example, for applications such as horticultural lighting, it may be desirable to change the color of the emitted light for a variety of different reasons. When using horticultural lighting devices that are capable of emitting different colors of light, customers will typically desire certain colors from the spectrum, such as far-red light, to enhance flowering and vegetative growth. However, customers may not want horticultural lighting devices to emit far-red light at all times. Instead, these customers may want to be able to selectively turn off and/or turn on the far-red light according to a schedule.

Thus, it would be desirable to provide systems and methods that can selectively activate and/or deactivate multiple groups of light emitting diodes (LEDs).

Summary of the invention

Presented herein are systems, methods, and apparatus for selectively activating and/or deactivating one or more groups of light emitting diodes (LEDs) of a multi-color lighting device to obtain different desired color light emissions.

One aspect relates to a multi-LED lighting device, which includes a detection and control circuit, a first light emitting diode (LED) group, a second LED group, and a first switch. In some embodiments, the first LED group is operably connected to the detection and control circuit, the second LED group is operably connected to the detection and control circuit and connected in series to the first LED group, and the first switch is operably connected across the second LED group. In some implementations, the detection and control circuit detects one of a power sequence or a dimming sequence. In response to the detection of the power sequence or the dimming sequence, the detection and control circuit closes the first switch to short the second LED group so that no light is emitted from the second LED group; or opens the first switch to power the second LED group so that the second LED group emits light together with the first LED group; or operates the switch in a certain manner to change the light output of at least one of the first LED group and the second LED group.

In some implementations, the detection and control circuit may be a microcontroller or a logic circuit, and may include a sensing component operably connected to, for example, a microcontroller. The sensing component may be one of the following: a voltage detection circuit, a current detection circuit, a temperature sensor, and a light output detection circuit. In addition, the first switch may be one of the following: a relay, a transistor, a switching device, a resistor, or a specially designed semiconductor device. In some implementations, the first LED group includes an LED operable to emit a first color of light, and the second LED group includes an LED operable to emit a second different color of light. In some implementations, the LED driver circuit may be operably connected to the detection and control circuit, and the LED driver circuit, the detection and control circuit, the first LED group, the second LED group, the switch, and the power sensing portion may be operably connected together on a printed circuit board (PCB). In some other implementations, the LED driver circuit, the detection and control circuit, the first LED group, the second LED group, the switch, and the power sensing portion may be separate components operably connected together via lighting device wiring.

In some implementations, the detection and control circuit can detect one of the power sequence or the dimming sequence via the sensing component. In addition, the detection and control circuit can operate according to a predetermined schedule, which can include: closing the first switch to short the second LED group so that no light is emitted from the second LED group; or opening the first switch to power the second LED group so that the second LED group emits light; or operating the switch in a certain manner to change the light output of the first LED group and the second LED group.

In some implementations, the third LED group can be connected in series to the second LED group, and the second switch can be connected across the third LED group and operably connected to the detection and control circuit. In such embodiments, the detection and control circuit can detect one of the power sequence or the dimming sequence, and then in response to detecting the power sequence or the dimming sequence, operate to close at least one of the first switch or the second switch to short-circuit the second LED group and/or short-circuit the third LED group so that no light is emitted from one of the second LED group and/or the third LED group; or can open the first switch and/or at least one of the first switches to power the second LED group so that the second LED group emits light and/or power the third LED group so that the third LED group emits light; or can operate the first switch and the second switch in a certain manner to change the light output of the first LED group, the second LED group, and the third LED group.

Another aspect relates to a method for selectively activating and/or deactivating one or more light emitting diode (LED) groups of a lighting device. The lighting device may include a detection and control circuit that detects a power sequence from an LED driver circuit, then transmits a control signal to close a first switch based on the power sequence, thereby short-circuiting a second LED group so that no light is emitted from the second LED group, and transmits a second control signal to open the first switch based on the power sequence, thereby powering the second LED group so that the second LED group emits light together with the first LED group.

In some embodiments, the first LED group may include LEDs operable to emit a first color of light, and the second LED group may include LEDs operable to emit a second, different color of light. In some aspects, the third LED group may be operably connected in series to the second LED group, and the second switch may be connected across the third LED group and operably connected to the detection and control circuit, and the process may then further include the detection and control circuit performing the following operations: detecting a further power sequence; transmitting a control signal to close at least one of the first switch or the second switch, thereby short-circuiting the second LED group and/or short-circuiting the third LED group so that no light is emitted from one of the second LED group and/or the third LED group; and transmitting a control signal to open at least one of the first switch and the second switch, thereby powering the second LED group to cause the second LED group to emit light and/or powering the third LED group to cause the third LED group to emit light. In addition, the third LED group may include LEDs operable to emit a third color of light, the third color being different from the first color emitted by the first LED of the first LED group and different from the second color emitted by the second LED of the second LED group.

In yet another aspect, a method for selectively activating and/or deactivating one or more light emitting diode (LED) groups of a lighting device is presented. The method may include: detecting, by a detection and control circuit, a dimming sequence received from an LED driver circuit; and then transmitting, by the detection and control circuit, a dimming control signal according to the dimming sequence, thereby operating a first switch in a manner to change the light output of at least one of the LEDs of the first LED group and the LEDs of the second LED group. In some implementations, the dimming control signal may cause one of the following: rapid activation and deactivation of the first switch; or shorting a resistor operably connected to the LED group. In addition, the rapid activation may be achieved by one of the following: pulse width modulation (PWM), pulse frequency modulation (PFM), or pulse density modulation (PDM) of the dimming control signal.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Features and advantages of some embodiments of the present disclosure, and the manner in which such embodiments are accomplished, will become more apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate exemplary implementations and are not necessarily drawn to scale, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram depicting a multi-color lighting system according to some embodiments.

2A and 2B depict two multi-color lighting system configurations with different component arrangements according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

3A, 3B, and 3C illustrate three different multi-color lighting device configurations according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3D depicts another multi-color lighting device circuit according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

4 is a flow chart illustrating how various power sequences or dimming sequences may be interpreted by a microcontroller of a multi-color, multi-LED LED lighting device to provide different color lighting options according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to various novel embodiments and/or implementations, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the drawings and their descriptions are not intended to limit the invention to any (one or more) specific embodiments. On the contrary, the description provided herein is intended to cover its substitutions, modifications and equivalents. In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of each embodiment, but some or all of the embodiments may be practiced without some or all of the specific details. In other examples, known methods or processes, procedures, components and/or circuits are not described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring novel aspects and/or embodiments.

In general, and for the purpose of introducing the concepts of the novel embodiments described herein, systems and methods for selectively activating and/or deactivating one or more light emitting diode (LED) groups of a lighting device are provided. In some embodiments, a detection and control circuit detects a power sequence of an output of an LED driver circuit and then controls one or more switches in a manner to activate and/or deactivate and/or dim one or more LED groups of the lighting device. The detection and control circuit can be, for example, a microcontroller that controls one or more transistors (or switches) that are operable to short-circuit one or more LED groups, and in some implementations, the detection and control circuit and switches are disposed on a printed circuit board (PCB) of the lighting device. An exemplary power sequence can include the following pattern: powering the lighting device on for five (5) seconds; powering the lighting device off for 5 seconds; and then turning the lighting device on again for an extended period of time. In this exemplary power sequence, the detection and control circuit (e.g., a microcontroller) first detects a specific sequence provided by the LED driver circuit and can then activate a transistor to short-circuit the desired LED group. In some embodiments, the power sequence may be performed via a power relay on the input side of the LED driver circuit, while in other implementations, a dimming signal may be sent to the LED driver circuit that affects the power delivered to the LEDs. Thus, some implementations include a detection and control circuit operable to detect the power sequence and then activate, deactivate, and/or dim the plurality of LED groups, wherein the detection and control circuit may also be directly integrated onto the LED PCB.

Accordingly, in an embodiment of a multicolor lighting device disclosed herein, a detection and control circuit and one or more switches are included on a printed circuit board (PCB) of the multicolor lighting device. The detection and control circuit is used to control the switch to activate and/or deactivate at least one light emitting diode (LED) group. In some implementations, the detection and control circuit detects a power sequence (e.g., a specific timing of an on/off sequence), and then interprets the power sequence to selectively activate, or selectively deactivate, or selectively change, or selectively dim, one or more LED color groups of the multicolor lighting device. For example, the power sequence may cause the multicolor lighting device to turn on for five seconds, then turn off for five seconds, and then immediately turn on, whereby the detection and control circuit will interpret the power sequence in a predefined manner so that the lighting device operates in this manner.

In an embodiment, the detection and control circuit of the LED lighting device interprets the received signal to open the circuit interrupter (or switch), and by opening the circuit (interrupting power), current is subsequently forced through the far-red LED group, thereby activating the LEDs of the far-red LED group. Continuing with the example, receiving the second given power sequence causes the detection and control circuit to close the switch, thereby short-circuiting the far-red LED group and deactivating the emission of far-red light. As mentioned above, in some embodiments, the PCB of the multi-color lighting device includes a plurality of LED color groups, wherein the LED color groups are connected in series. Thus, in some implementations, the series string of the plurality of LED color groups can be driven by an LED driver voltage in the range of, for example, 150 volts (V) to 300V. It should be understood that even if one of the LED color groups is short-circuited (and thereby deactivated), many commercially available and/or specially designed LED driver circuits will still be able to drive the remaining LED color groups on the series string, because the voltage requirements of each LED color group will still be in the nominal range of the LED driver circuit. Therefore, in many cases, the use of the detection and control circuit according to the present disclosure does not require any changes to the existing LED driver circuit. Furthermore, embodiments can utilize standard or off-the-shelf LED driver circuits that are low cost and easily replaceable. However, the embodiments disclosed herein do require appropriate detection and control circuitry (which may be a microcontroller) added to the multi-color lighting device circuit as well as appropriate electrically controllable switches (or shorting components) to force current to flow through one or more desired LED color groups and/or to divert (short-circuit) current from one or more other LED color groups.

For example, in many greenhouse facilities that employ LED horticultural lighting devices, there is a "greenhouse controller" (or industrial control automation computer) that can be programmed by a user to control the light output (e.g., turn on or off or change (such as dimming)) of different multi-color lighting devices within the greenhouse facility. The user may be able to manually program the greenhouse controller to generate a timing sequence to illuminate the various lighting devices in a selected greenhouse in a specific order and/or at a specific light output intensity. Conventional tunable lamp systems typically require a specific type of greenhouse controller to control the LED horticultural lighting devices so that they function properly, which can increase cost and hinder flexibility. In contrast, embodiments of the multi-light emitting diode (multi-LED) lighting devices disclosed herein can utilize a standard controller (or "off-the-shelf" controller) that can be able to communicate with various types of greenhouse controllers, which can reduce costs and increase flexibility for greenhouse facility managers.

Thus, continuing with the greenhouse example, to utilize the apparatus and systems disclosed herein, a greenhouse controller can be programmed to generate a desired power sequence that can be interpreted by detection and control circuitry (e.g., a microcontroller) on a multi-color, multi-LED lighting device. For example, an on/off power sequence schedule for one or more predetermined or selected time periods can be interpreted by the microcontroller to activate or deactivate or change the light output of a given LED color group of the multi-color lighting device (e.g., dim a given LED color group of the multi-color lighting device).

In some implementations, a user does not have to remember the sequence corresponding to the desired activation of the LED color groups because the controller may be able to accept high-level commands from the user. For example, a high-level command entered by a user may be interpreted by an interpretive program running on the controller to generate the desired power sequence. Thus, the greenhouse controller may provide a graphical user interface (GUI) on a display screen (such as a touch screen) at the greenhouse facility, which the user may utilize to select the desired high-level command from a list of such commands. Input or selection by the user of a high-level command appearing on the touch screen (such as "Activate far-red lighting all day!") may cause the controller to send the appropriate power sequence to the multi-color, multi-LED lighting device, which interprets the power sequence to activate the far-red LEDs in the far-red LED groups for (12) twelve hours. Alternatively, in some implementations, a lookup table may be provided, which a user or manager of an industrial facility, for example, may utilize to select the appropriate or desired power sequence to obtain the desired activation of the LED color groups.

In another example, the controller may send a power signal schedule of "turn up" followed by "turn down" to the power supply unit (PSU) of the lighting device. In the embodiments disclosed herein, such a schedule is appropriately interpreted by the detection and control circuitry of the multi-LED lighting device to selectively activate the desired LED color group or groups (or deactivate the desired LED color group or groups, or change the light output of the desired LED color group or groups).

In some embodiments, the controller may transmit a similar type of power signal (referred to as a "dimming signal") to the multi-color, multi-LED lighting device, rather than a sequence of on and off signals. For example, many power supplies used by horticultural lighting devices are typically controlled by a wired (or wireless) dimming control system, such as a zero volt to ten volt (0V-10V) system (although it should be understood that there are many other protocols for wired dimming and lighting control, such as DALI, DMX, and PWM, and other wireless communication protocols, such as Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and Zigbee, may be used for wireless communication and/or wireless lighting control). The detection and control circuitry on the PCB of the multi-color, multi-LED lighting device may utilize such a dimming control system by interpreting a sequence of dimming signals (or a combination of dimming signals and power signals) to selectively activate or deactivate desired LED color groups (e.g., by shorting). In some embodiments, the detection and control circuit will be physically located on a printed circuit board (PCB) of the multi-color, multi-LED horticultural lighting device (which also houses the LED color groups), and in some implementations, the detection and control circuit may also be operably connected to the direct current (DC) side of the power supply unit (PSU).

In some alternative embodiments, the light output of a given LED color group can be selectively changed (such as dimmed) rather than fully activated or fully deactivated. Dimming of the LED color group can be achieved by rapidly switching its associated shorting switch (such as through pulse width modulation (PWM)). Specifically, rapidly switching the shorting switch from an open state (i.e., switching at a very high frequency) to a closed state, and rapidly switching the shorting switch from a closed state (i.e., switching at a very high frequency) to an open state can effectively dim one of the LED color groups. It should be understood that other methods of dimming a selected LED color group are also possible, such as disconnecting or shorting a resistor connected in series or parallel with the LED group.

In yet another alternative embodiment, a dimming signal may be transmitted to a multicolor lighting device, and the resulting sequence may be interpreted by a controller or microcontroller to short-circuit and thereby deactivate, activate, or dim LED color groups. For example, the signal sent to the lighting device's PSU may be in the form of a dimming schedule (such as eighty percent (80%) dimming for five seconds, then twenty percent (20%) dimming for five seconds). In such a manner, the detection and control circuitry (such as a microcontroller) is always powered (i.e., receives power from the PSU), and may thereby better perform its function of shorting-in or shorting a given LED color group.

Many of the examples disclosed herein relate to a "greenhouse controller", or a "controller", or a "microprocessor", but it should be understood that many other devices may be used to control the lighting sequence of an LED lighting device. For example, a programmable logic controller (PLC) or relay logic circuitry may be utilized with buttons connected to input lines that trigger various power sequences that drive the LEDs of the lighting device. Other types of control circuitry may also be designed by those skilled in the art that a user may program and/or otherwise utilize to control the lighting sequence of an LED lighting device.

In addition, those skilled in the art of horticultural lighting understand that LEDs that emit light in the far-red spectrum can be used for specific purposes, such as for controlling the flowering of strawberries. In addition, white light LED color groups can be provided on multi-color lighting devices to replace sunlight, but white light LEDs may not be required if sunlight is sufficient and can be delivered to the plants in the greenhouse. In addition, blue light LED color groups can be provided in multi-color, multi-LED lighting devices for, for example, controlling the light form and coloration of plants at specific growth stages. Thus, it should be understood that although the discussion and concepts herein reference selectively activating or deactivating far-red LED groups, or dimming far-red LED groups, such concepts and discussions are also applicable to any type of LED color group that can be used in a multi-color, multi-LED lighting device, which can be used in, for example, a horticultural environment.

Additionally, the present concepts may also be applicable to selectively activating more than one LED color group at the same time or at different times or at different intervals. For example, if a horticultural lighting device can emit all three of the following: (1) ultraviolet light, (2) white light, and (3) far-red light, then the present concepts regarding providing signals to a power supply may be used to control any or all of the various LED color groups of such a lighting device. Accordingly, the concepts disclosed herein may be implemented in a greenhouse facility that includes a multi-color, multi-LED lighting device that is not currently configured for dimming from a greenhouse controller. In such a case, the original power on/off signal sequence may be utilized to send control signals to a power supply unit (PSU) of the multi-color, multi-LED lighting device. In other embodiments where a dimming channel is available between the greenhouse controller and the PSU of the multi-color, multi-LED lighting device, then the dimming channel may also be used to send signals to control the LED color groups.

Suitable detection and control circuitry (such as a microcontroller) for interpreting signals in the manner described herein to control light emission from a multi-color, multi-LED lighting device may include a temporary electrical storage device (e.g., a buffer capacitor or battery) so that sufficient power is available to perform its (one or more) functions even when the PSU of the multi-color, multi-LED lighting device is in an off state (at least for a short period of time). Specifically, in some embodiments, at least low power is required to run a real-time clock so that the detection and control circuitry can accurately measure time when the LED lighting device is turned off to ensure proper operation. In some other embodiments, instead of using a temporary electrical storage device, the detection and control circuitry includes non-volatile memory and saves and then restores the current operating state as needed during operation. The detection and control circuitry may require an analog input that can sense voltage or current, and may also include a digital output capable of driving a switch (such as a metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) or the like). Those skilled in the art recognize that many types of circuits have such functionality and can be commercially available at low cost.

Those skilled in the art will also recognize that embodiments of the multi-LED lighting devices disclosed herein may include LEDs having the same color and may be used for other purposes and/or applications. For example, one implementation may include multiple LED groups having the same color but including different lens elements covering all or part of one or more of the LED groups to generate different color illumination. Such multi-LED lighting devices may provide, for example, decorative lighting for a home or may be used to illuminate portions of a stage in a theater.

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram depicting a multicolor lighting system 100 according to some embodiments. A greenhouse controller 102 is operably connected to an LED driver circuit 104, which in turn is operably connected to a detection and control circuit 108 of a multicolor lighting device 106. The LED driver circuit 104 is operable to deliver power to the multicolor lighting device 106, which includes a detection and control circuit 108 operably connected to a plurality of (n) LED groups, including LED group 1 110, LED group 2 112, LED group 3 114, and LED group n 116. In some embodiments, the LED driver 104 can be integrated with the multicolor, multi-LED lighting device 106 as shown in FIG. 1, or can be remote from or separate from the multicolor, multi-LED lighting device 106.

Referring again to FIG. 1 , in some implementations, arrow 103 represents power connection into LED driver 104 (power “in”), while arrow 105 represents power exiting from LED driver 104 (power “out”). In some embodiments, LED driver 104 is operably connected (electrically or wirelessly) to a dimming control system (not shown), which may be located between greenhouse controller 102 and LED driver circuit 104. Thus, in some implementations, LED driver circuit 104 may be operable to wirelessly receive control signals from the dimming control system. As previously discussed, such a dimming control system may be a 0-10V dimming interface, and thus LED driver circuit 104 would receive a dimming signal from the dimming control system and then control the output to the multi-color, multi-LED lighting device based on the dimming signal. As shown, the multi-LED lighting device 106 includes a detection and control circuit 108 (which can be a microcontroller), which can be operated to interpret the output of the LED driver circuit 104 to selectively activate or deactivate one or more of the different color LED groups 110-116 on the PCB board of the multi-color, multi-LED lighting device 106 (or dim one or more of the different color LED groups 110-116 on the PCB board of the multi-color, multi-LED lighting device 106).

FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B depict two different multi-color lighting system configurations 200 and 220 (having different component arrangements) according to embodiments of the present disclosure. The multi-color lighting system configuration 200 of FIG. 2A includes a greenhouse controller 202 operably connected to a relay 204, which is also operably connected to both a multi-color, multi-LED lighting device 206 and a power source 208. The greenhouse controller 202 is generally utilized by a user to turn on or off the multi-color, multi-LED lighting device 206 according to a schedule, wherein the multi-color lighting device may be located within the greenhouse. At this point, it should be understood that although the lighting system shown in FIG. 2A depicts only one relay 204 and one lighting device 206, multiple such components would be utilized in an actual horticultural multi-color lighting system because, in many applications, multiple multi-color lighting devices would be placed within a greenhouse to provide lighting to various plants. The same is true in other applications in which multiple multi-color lighting devices are utilized.

Referring again to the lighting system configuration shown in FIG2A , the greenhouse controller 202 is operable to control a relay 204 that energizes or de-energizes a multi-color, multi-LED lighting device 206. In this embodiment, the relay 204 receives power from a power source 208, which may be a power supply unit (PSU) or a circuit breaker connected to a mains power source, the power source of which may be conditioned by an LED driver circuit (not shown) before being transmitted to the relay 204. As described above, in some embodiments, the greenhouse controller 202 transmits instructions to the relay 204 to output a power sequence to the multi-color lighting device 206, which is interpreted by a microcontroller (not shown) on a PCB board (not shown) of the multi-color lighting device 206 to activate or deactivate one or more LED color groups (not shown).

FIG2B illustrates a second lighting system configuration 220 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The multi-color lighting system 220 includes a greenhouse controller 222 operably connected to a dimming control system 224 (wired or wirelessly), which is operably connected to a multi-color lighting device 226. As also shown in FIG2B, the multi-color lighting device 226 is also operably connected to a power source 228. In some embodiments, the greenhouse controller 222 transmits a dimming control signal to the dimming control system 224, which then operates to control the LED groups of the multi-color lighting device 226. The power source 228 can be a power supply unit (PSU) or a circuit breaker connected to a mains power supply, and in some implementations, the power source 228 can be regulated by an LED driver circuit (not shown) before power is transmitted to the multi-color lighting device 226. As mentioned above, the multi-color lighting device 226 includes a detection and control circuit (which may be a microcontroller, not shown) that is operable to interpret a dimming signal sequence from the dimming control system 224 to selectively activate or deactivate (or dim) a selected LED color group (not shown) within the multi-color lighting device.

3A, 3B, and 3C illustrate three different multicolor lighting device assembly configurations according to some embodiments. All of the configurations (300, 320, and 340) depicted by FIGS. 3A-3C are agnostic to whether the input signal sent by a greenhouse controller (not shown) to the LED driver circuit (310, 336, 354) is a power on/off sequence or a varying dimming sequence signal that may be received from a dimming control system (not shown).

Turning to FIG. 3A , a multi-color lighting device 300 includes a detection and control circuit 302 (such as a microcontroller) located on a printed circuit board (PCB) of a multi-color, multi-LED lighting device along with LED group 1 304, LED group 2 306, and switch 308. In some embodiments, the LEDs in LED group 1 304 emit light of a different color than the LEDs in LED group 2 306 (while in other embodiments, the LEDs may emit light of the same color). In addition, LED group 1 304 and LED group 2 306 are operably connected in series with each other. In some embodiments, a driver circuit 310 is also located on the PCB of the multi-color lighting device 300, but in other implementations, it may be a separate component not on the PCB. In addition, as shown, the microcontroller 302 is operably connected to the LED driver circuit 310 across a power sensing component 312 that enables the microcontroller 302 to sense a power level (e.g., a changing voltage level or current level) input by the LED driver circuit 310. Switch 308 is positioned across LED group 2, and switch 308 can be opened under the control of microcontroller 302 to illuminate LED group 2 (as shown in FIG. 3A ) or closed by a microcontroller (not shown) to deprive LED group 2 of power (or short-circuit LED group 2) so that the LEDs in LED group 2 do not emit light. Specifically, if switch 308 is open, current can flow through LED group 1 and LED group 2, so that both LED groups are activated and emit light. However, if switch 306 is closed, LED group 2 is short-circuited or bypassed, so that only the LEDs of LED group 1 emit light.

Referring to FIG. 3B , a multicolor lighting device 320 is similar to the multicolor lighting device 300 of FIG. 3A , except that it includes an additional LED group 3 328 and an associated switch 332. Thus, the multicolor lighting device 320 includes a microcontroller 322 located on a printed circuit board (PCB) of the multicolor lighting device, as well as LED group 1 324, LED group 2 326 with an associated switch 1 330, and LED group 3 328 with an associated switch 2 332. In some embodiments, the LEDs in LED group 1 324 emit light of a different color than the LEDs in LED group 2 326 and/or LED group 3 328, but other implementations may differ (and/or lack differences) in their LED color arrangements. In addition, LED group 1, LED group 2, and LED group 3 may be operably connected in series with each other. In some embodiments, a driver circuit 336 may also be located on the PCB of the multicolor lighting device 320, but in other implementations, it may be a separate component. In addition, as shown, the microcontroller 322 is operably connected to the LED driver circuit 336 across a power sensing component 334 that enables the microcontroller 322 to sense the power level (e.g., a changed voltage level or current level) input to the multi-color, multi-LED lighting device by the LED driver circuit 336. During operation of the multi-color lighting device 320, the microcontroller 322, upon receiving an appropriate signal (e.g., a different voltage level or current level), can be used to short-circuit (or bypass) LED group 2 326 and/or LED group 3 328 by closing the associated switches (switch 1 330 and/or switch 2 332) of LED group 2 326 and/or LED group 3 328 to obtain the desired spectrum of light emitted by the LEDs of LED group 1 in combination with the LEDs of LED group 2 and/or LED group 3. In some cases, it may be desirable to have light emitted only from the LEDs of LED Group 1, and thus in such a case, microcontroller 322 operates to close both switch 1 330 and switch 2 332. In other cases, it may be desirable to emit light from the LEDs of LED Group 1 in combination with the LEDs of one or both of LED Groups 2 and 3.

FIG3C illustrates a multicolor lighting device 340 having a configuration of LED group assemblies different from that of FIGS. 3A and 3B , according to some embodiments. Specifically, the multicolor lighting device 340 includes a microcontroller 342 located on a printed circuit board (PCB) of the multicolor lighting device 340 along with LED group 1 344, LED group 2 346, and LED group 3 348. However, in contrast to the LED group configuration illustrated in FIGS. 3A and 3B , LED group 2 and LED group 3 are operably connected in parallel with each other and are both operably connected to the same switch 350. Switch 350 and LED group 1 are connected in series with each other. As in the configuration discussed above, the LEDs of LED group 1 344 can emit light of a different color than the LEDs of LED group 2 346 and/or the LEDs of LED group 3 348, but in other implementations, the LED groups can include other combinations of LEDs to provide other color emission arrangements (or the same color emission arrangements). LED driver circuit 354 is also located on the PCB of multi-color lighting device 320, but in other implementations, it can be a separate component that is not physically located on the PCB. In addition, as shown, microcontroller 342 is operably connected to LED driver circuit 354 across power sensing component 352, which enables microcontroller 342 to sense the power level (e.g., a changed voltage level or current level) input to the multi-color lighting device by LED driver circuit 354.

3C , during operation of the multicolor lighting device 340, the microcontroller 342, upon receiving an appropriate signal (e.g., a different voltage level or current level), may be used to short-circuit one of the LED group 2 326 or the LED group 3 328 (or bypass one of the LED group 2 326 or the LED group 3 328) by switching the switch 350 to an appropriate position in order to obtain a desired spectrum of light emitted by the LEDs of LED group 1 in combination with the LEDs of LED group 2 and/or one of the LEDs of LED group 3. It should be understood that other LED group circuit configurations including more or fewer LED groups connected in series and/or in parallel are possible and can be easily derived from the disclosed embodiments by one of ordinary skill in the art.

The multicolor lighting device configurations of Figures 3A, 3B, and 3C include power sensing components (312, 334, 352), which may be voltage detection circuits or current detection circuits, that enable the microcontroller 302 to sense power levels and then control switches (308, 330, 332, 350) to obtain the desired light output of each LED group. However, other types of sensing components, such as light output detection circuits, are contemplated for use in multicolor lighting devices as part of a detection and control circuit for controlling one or more switches to obtain the desired light output from one or more LED groups.

FIG3D illustrates another multicolor lighting device circuit according to some embodiments. Similar to FIG3A-3C, the configuration of FIG3D is independent of whether the input signal sent by the controller (not shown) to the LED driver circuit 362 is a power-on/power-off sequence or a varying dimming sequence signal that can be received from a dimming control system (not shown).

Referring to FIG. 3D , the multicolor lighting device 360 includes a detection and control circuit 364, which includes a microcontroller unit (MCU), a level shifting circuit system, and other electronic components that can be located on a printed circuit board (PCB) along with LED group 1 366, LED group 2 368, and switch 370. In some implementations, the LEDs in LED group 1 366 emit light of a different color than the LEDs in LED group 2 368 and are operably connected in series with each other. In some embodiments, the drive circuit 362 can be located on the PCB of the multicolor lighting device 300, but in other implementations, it can be a separate component that is not on the PCB. The multicolor lighting device 360 can operate in the same or similar manner as the multicolor lighting device 300 of FIG. 3A .

FIG4 is a flow chart 400 illustrating how various power sequences or dimming sequences may be input to a controller (such as a microcontroller) of a multi-color, multi-LED lighting device and/or interpreted by the controller of the multi-color, multi-LED lighting device to provide different color lighting options according to some embodiments. Specifically, in some embodiments, an industrial control system, which may be a greenhouse controller, transmits (402) a power-on signal, which is received by the controller of the LED lighting device. If the greenhouse controller is not operable to provide any power sequence (or dimming sequence) required to control the LED groups of the multi-color, multi-LED lighting device, the controller simply turns on (406) all of the LED groups. However, if the greenhouse controller provides a timing sequence 1 signal (408), the controller is operable to turn off one or more of the LED groups of the multi-color, multi-LED lighting device or dim (410) one or more of the LED groups of the multi-color, multi-LED lighting device for a specified period of time according to the sequence or option 1. If a timing sequence 1 signal is not received and a timing sequence 2 signal is instead received (412), the controller is configured to turn off or dim (414) one or more of the LED groups of the multi-color lighting device for a specified period of time according to the sequence or option 2. Accordingly, if a timing sequence 1 signal or a timing sequence 2 signal is not received and a timing sequence 3 signal is instead received (416), the controller is configured to turn off or dim (418) one or more of the LED groups of the multi-color lighting device for a specified period of time according to the sequence or option 3. Additionally, if a timing sequence 1 signal or a timing sequence 2 signal or a timing sequence 3 signal is not received and a timing sequence N signal is instead received (420), the controller is configured to turn off or dim (422) one or more of the LED groups of the multi-color lighting device for a specified period of time according to the sequence or option N. Thus, for any particular multi-LED lighting device operable to emit different colors of light, there may be many different options or combinations for turning off or dimming the various LED groups.

For example, a predefined power sequence designated as Option 1 may be detected by the controller of the LED lighting device, which then activates one or more combinations of LED groups of the LED multicolor lighting device to emit light for three to seven seconds; upon detecting a power sequence designated as Option 2, the controller may activate one or more different combinations of LED groups to emit light for seven to twelve and a half seconds; upon detecting a power sequence designated as Option 3, the controller may activate one or more different or the same combinations of LED groups for twelve to seventeen seconds; and upon detecting a power sequence designated as Option 4, the controller may activate one or more combinations of LED groups for seventeen to twenty-three seconds. In addition, a schedule for utilizing any of the options, such as Option 1, may include detecting the option every six hours, or every three hours, etc., and then activating one or more LED groups appropriately for the specified amount of time. Of course, many different scheduling combinations are possible.

The systems, methods, and apparatus disclosed herein are particularly applicable to situations where a user installs a multi-color, multi-LED lighting device that contains multiple LED color groups (individual LED strings of different colors), but where the multi-color lighting device is not associated with a multi-channel LED driver. In particular, the disclosed system may be a replacement for systems that utilize multi-channel LED drivers, and may be particularly suitable for horticultural lighting applications (such as the use of multi-color, multi-LED lighting devices in greenhouse environments).

Many of the embodiments described herein rely on a description of a lighting device having different LED color groups arranged in series. However, the present disclosure should not be construed as so limited, as the different LED color groups may be placed in parallel on a printed circuit board (PCB), and the microcontroller is configured to selectively activate one or more of the LED color groups upon receipt of a power sequence (or dimming sequence) signal. In another important alternative embodiment, the selected LED color group cannot simply be completely deactivated by the microcontroller upon receipt of a power sequence or dimming sequence; instead, the power to the selected LED color group may simply be reduced so that it emits a lower intensity of light. Furthermore, some or all of the LED groups of a multi-LED lighting device may not include an LED color group, which may depend on the desired application.

The disclosed systems, methods, and devices can provide several advantages over conventional multi-color lighting systems. For example, conventional lighting systems for horticultural lighting applications include high pressure sodium (HPS) lighting, which does not provide color or spectral tunability. However, a large number of horticultural lighting studies have revealed that different wavelengths of light have different effects and efficacies for the growth and/or maintenance of plants. In order to obtain the best spectral output for different plants during different growth stages, there are multi-channel lighting devices that can be used to optimize plant growth, for example. However, such multi-channel lighting devices typically require multi-channel LED drivers, which add significant cost and complexity to the lighting device and may even reduce the efficacy of the emitted light. In contrast, relative to fixed spectrum systems, the systems, methods, and devices disclosed herein provide a low-cost solution with very low efficiency degradation. In addition, the disclosed systems, methods, and devices typically employ different power sequences obtained from relays and thus do not require complex control systems. Many other advantages are also apparent to those skilled in the art.

As used herein and in the appended claims, the term "computer" should be understood to cover a single computer or two or more computers or computer networks or computer systems that communicate with each other. In addition, as used herein and in the appended claims, the term "processor" should be understood to cover a single processor or two or more processors that communicate with each other. In addition, as used herein and in the appended claims, the term "memory" should be understood to cover a single memory or storage device or two or more memories or storage devices. Such memories and/or storage devices may include any and all types of non-transient computer-readable media, with the only exception being transient propagation signals.

Flowcharts and descriptions thereof herein should not be construed as stipulating a fixed order for performing the method steps described therein. On the contrary, the method steps can be performed in any feasible order. In addition, the flow charts described herein should not be construed as requiring all steps or elements to be practiced in each embodiment. For example, one or more elements or steps can be omitted in some embodiments.

Although the present disclosure describes specific exemplary embodiments, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations apparent to those skilled in the art may be made to the disclosed embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as set forth in the appended claims.

Claims (18)

1. A multi-LED lighting device, comprising: Detection and control circuits; a first light emitting diode (LED) group, the first LED group being operatively connected to the detection and control circuit; a second LED group operably connected to the detection and control circuit and connected in series to the first LED group; and a first switch operably connected across the second LED group; Wherein, the detection and control circuit is operable to: detecting one of a power sequence or a dimming sequence; and In response to the detection of the power sequence or the dimming sequence, operating for at least one of the following: closing the first switch to short-circuit the second LED group so that no light is emitted from the second LED group, turning off the first switch to supply power to the second LED group so that the second LED group emits light together with the first LED group, or The switch is operated in a manner to vary the light output of at least one of the first LED group and the second LED group. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the detection and control circuit comprises one of a microcontroller or a logic circuit. 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the detection and control circuit comprises a sensing component operably connected to a microcontroller. 4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the sensing component comprises one of: a voltage detection circuit, a current detection circuit, a temperature sensor, and a light output detection circuit. 5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first switch comprises one of the following: a relay, a transistor, a switching device, a resistor, or a specially designed semiconductor device. 6. The device of claim 1, wherein the first LED group includes LEDs operable to emit light of a first color, and the second LED group includes LEDs operable to emit light of a second, different color. 7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an LED driver circuit operably connected to the detection and control circuit. 8. The device of claim 7, wherein the LED driver circuit, the detection and control circuit, the first LED group, the second LED group, the switch and the power sensing part are operably connected together on a printed circuit board (PCB). 9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the LED driver circuit, the detection and control circuit, the first LED group, the second LED group, the switch, and the power sensing portion are separate components operably connected together via lighting device wiring. 10. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the detection and control circuit detects one of the power sequence or the dimming sequence via the sensing component, and wherein the detection and control circuit operates on a predetermined schedule to do one of the following: closing the first switch to short-circuit the second LED group so that no light is emitted from the second LED group, turning off the first switch to supply power to the second LED group so that the second LED group emits light, or The switch is operated in a manner to vary the light output of the first and second LED groups. 11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a third LED group operably connected in series to the second LED group; and a second switch connected across the third LED group and operably connected to the detection and control circuit; Wherein, the detection and control circuit is operable to: detecting one of a power sequence or a dimming sequence; and In response to detecting the power sequence or the dimming sequence, operating one of the following: closing at least one of the first switch or the second switch to short-circuit the second LED group and/or to short-circuit the third LED group so that no light is emitted from one of the second LED group and/or the third LED group, opening at least one of the first switch and the second switch to supply power to the second LED group so that the second LED group emits light and/or supply power to the third LED group so that the third LED group emits light, Alternatively, the first switch and the second switch are operated in a certain manner to change the light output of the first LED group, the second LED group, and the third LED group. 12. A method for selectively activating and/or deactivating one or more light emitting diode (LED) groups of a lighting device, comprising: detecting a power sequence from the LED driver circuit by a detection and control circuit; transmitting a control signal by the detection and control circuit according to the power sequence to close the first switch, thereby short-circuiting the second LED group so that no light is emitted from the second LED group; and The detection and control circuit transmits a second control signal according to the power sequence to turn off the first switch, thereby supplying power to the second LED group so that the second LED group emits light together with the first LED group. 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first LED group includes LEDs operable to emit light of a first color and the second LED group includes LEDs operable to emit light of a second, different color. 14. The method of claim 12, wherein a third LED group is operably connected in series to the second LED group, and wherein a second switch is connected across the third LED group and operably connected to the detection and control circuit, and the method further comprises: detecting a further power sequence by means of said detection and control circuit; transmitting a control signal through the detection and control circuit to close at least one of the first switch or the second switch, thereby short-circuiting the second LED group and/or short-circuiting the third LED group so that light is not emitted from one of the second LED group and/or the third LED group; and A control signal is transmitted through the detection and control circuit to open at least one of the first switch and the second switch, thereby supplying power to the second LED group to make the second LED group emit light and/or supplying power to the third LED group to make the third LED group emit light. 15. The method of claim 14, wherein the third LED group includes LEDs operable to emit light of a third color, the third color being different from a first color emitted by a first LED of the first LED group and different from a second color emitted by a second LED of the second LED group. 16. A method for selectively activating and/or deactivating one or more light emitting diode (LED) groups of a lighting device, comprising: detecting, by the detection and control circuit, a dimming sequence received from the LED driver circuit; A dimming control signal is transmitted by the detection and control circuit according to the dimming sequence to operate the first switch in a manner to change the light output of at least one of the LEDs of the first LED group and the LEDs of the second LED group. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the dimming control signal causes one of: rapid activation and deactivation of the first switch; or shorting a resistor operatively connected to the LED group. 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the fast activation is achieved by one of: pulse width modulation (PWM), pulse frequency modulation (PFM), or pulse density modulation (PDM) of the dimming control signal.