Led lighting system

Abstract

A system and method involving lighting fixtures, a control network, a controller and other devices such as light sensors, input devices and network adapters for coordinating precise brightness and color schedules among the lighting fixtures while maintaining a high color reliability including provisions for managing a plurality of lighting fixtures. The lighting fixtures contain lighting elements selected such that when controlled properly, operating along a daytime locus, the resultant light output closely resembles sunlight on a cloudless day in spectral characteristics, and wherein the total flux of blue light can be adjusted from a relative level of 1-100% the maximum blue flux of the lighting fixture by controlling individual lighting elements.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A system for generating artificial light, the system comprising:
 at least two devices that detect light emitted from a plurality of lighting element channels and that generate respective signals indicative of the detected light; and   a controller coupled to the plurality of lighting element channels, the controller using the respective signals indicative of the detected light to drive the plurality of lighting element channels, the controller using a color match algorithm to create respective drive signals for the plurality of lighting elements, the drive signals varying a brightness level and a color level for each of the plurality of lighting element channels,   wherein the plurality of lighting element channels includes: a first lighting element channel operable to generate a first spectrum of white light, and a second lighting element channel operable to generate a second spectrum of white light.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of lighting element channels further includes a third lighting element channel operable to generate a spectrum of amber light. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the first lighting element channel is operable to generate a spectrum of cool white light, and the second lighting element channel is operable to generate a spectrum of warm white light. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the respective signals are based at least in part on at least one current signal that is representative of optical data correlated with light generated by at least one of the lighting element channels. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the respective signals are based at least in part on at least one voltage signal that is representative of optical data correlated with light generated by at least one of the lighting element channels. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the respective signals are based at least in part on at least one frequency signal that is representative of optical data correlated with light generated by at least one of the lighting element channels. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the respective signals are based at least in part on chromaticity coordinates that are representative of optical data correlated with light generated by at least one of the lighting element channels. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the at least two devices includes an optical sensor. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the optical sensor outputs chromaticity coordinates. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the at least two devices include one or more of:
 a digital sensor that outputs data;   an analog sensor that outputs a voltage signal;   an analog sensor that outputs a current signal; and   an analog sensor that outputs a frequency signal.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 2 , further including a fixture, and wherein the at least one of the at least two devices and at least one of the plurality of lighting element channels are located in the fixture. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 2 , further including a fixture, and wherein at least one of the at least two devices and the controller are located in the fixture. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 2 , further including a fixture, and wherein the controller and at least one of the plurality of lighting element channels are located in the fixture. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the controller controls a total flux of blue light within broad spectrum white light generated by the plurality of lighting element channels via the drive signals based on at least one of: a time of day, a time zone, a geographic location, a desired response, an activity, and an angle of the sun. 
     
     
         16 . A method to generate artificial light, the method comprising:
 activating each of a plurality of channels of lighting elements, generating a respective signal representative of detected light created by the plurality of channels of lighting elements;   creating respective drive signals for each of the plurality of channels of lighting elements based at least in part on the color match algorithm and the representative signals of detected light; and   providing the respective drive signals to the plurality of channels of lighting elements to vary a brightness level and color level of each of the plurality of channels of lighting elements,   wherein the plurality of channels of lighting elements includes: a first channel operable to generate a spectrum of cool white light, and a second channel operable to generate a spectrum of warm white light.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the respective drive signals are based at least in part on at least one of the following:
 at least one current signal that is representative of light generated by at least one of the lighting element channels;   at least one voltage signal that is representative of light generated by at least one of the lighting element channels;   at least one frequency signal that is representative of light generated by at least one of the lighting element channels; and   chromaticity coordinates that are representative of light generated by at least one of the lighting element channels.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the respective signal is representative of optical decay, dissipation or degradation of at least one of the plurality of channels of lighting elements. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the respective signal is representative of a change in at least one of the following for a lighting element: quantum efficiency decay, spectral shifting, thermal decay, oxidation peak shift, and emission shift. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of lighting element channels are operable to generate composite broad spectrum white light, and wherein the respective drive signals control a total flux of blue light with the broad spectrum white light generated by the plurality of lighting element channels. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the respective drive signals are based on at least one of: a time of day, a time zone, a geographic location, a desired circadian response, an activity, and an angle of the sun. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the respective drive signals vary at least one of the brightness level and the color level of each of the plurality of channels of lighting elements as a function of time according to a schedule. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the schedule specifies a time-color profile over a period of time, and wherein the period of time is at least one of a day or a portion of a day.