Methods and system for thermo-optic power monitoring

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10895649-B2
Application number	US-201916559498-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 3, 2019
Priority date	Sep 20, 2018
Publication date	Jan 19, 2021
Grant date	Jan 19, 2021

Abstract

A radiation monitor for a lighting device, and operating methods and systems therefor are provided. In one example, a radiation monitor may include a first sensor receiving radiation output directly from a light-emitting element of the lighting device and radiation output from external sources; and a second sensor receiving the radiation output from the external sources without receiving the radiation output directly from the light-emitting element of the lighting device. The radiation monitor may determine an intensity of the radiation output directly from the light-emitting element based on a difference in the output signals from the first sensor and the second sensor.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A radiation monitor for a lighting device, comprising:
a first sensor receiving radiation output directly from a light-emitting element of the lighting device and radiation output from external sources;
a second sensor receiving the radiation output from the external sources without receiving the radiation output directly from the light-emitting element of the lighting device; and
electronic circuitry receiving output signals from the first sensor and the second sensor and determining an intensity of the radiation output directly from the light-emitting element based on a difference in the output signals from the first sensor and the second sensor.

2. The radiation monitor of claim 1 , further comprising a radiation filter shielding the second sensor from the radiation output directly from the light-emitting element, while allowing the radiation from the external sources to reach the second sensor.

3. The radiation monitor of claim 2 , wherein the first sensor and the second sensor comprise thermocouples.

4. The radiation monitor of claim 3 , wherein the second sensor is positioned at a non-light-emitting side of a light-emitting plane of the light-emitting element.

5. The radiation monitor of claim 4 , wherein the radiation filter comprises the light-emitting element emitting radiation at a light-emitting side of the light-emitting plane, and the second sensor positioned at the non-light-emitting side of the light-emitting plane.

6. The radiation monitor of claim 5 , wherein the first sensor is immersed within an emission path of the light-emitting element and positioned at the light-emitting side of the light-emitting plane.

7. The radiation monitor of claim 2 , wherein the first sensor and the second sensor comprise photodiodes.

8. The radiation monitor of claim 7 , wherein the radiation filter comprises,
a second light capillary, wherein a first opening of the second light capillary is positioned adjacent to and facing the second sensor, and wherein a second opening of the second light capillary faces away from the light-emitting element.

9. The radiation monitor of claim 8 , wherein the radiation filter comprises a first light capillary coupled to the first sensor at a first end of the first light capillary, the first light capillary including a first opening at a second end of the first light capillary, wherein the first opening faces towards the light-emitting element.

10. A method of measuring radiation output from a lighting device, comprising:
positioning a first sensor and a second sensor adjacent to a light-emitting element of the lighting device; and
receiving radiation output directly from the light-emitting element at the first sensor, while shielding the second sensor from the radiation output directly from the light-emitting element, and while receiving radiation output from external sources at the first sensor and the second sensor.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein an equivalent amount of the radiation output from the external sources is received at the first sensor and the second sensor.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein receiving the radiation output from the external sources includes receiving retro-reflected radiation from the light-emitting element.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising determining the radiation output from the lighting device by subtracting an output signal from the second sensor from an output signal from the first sensor.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein shielding the second sensor from the radiation output directly from the light-emitting element includes recessing the second sensor away from a light-emitting side of a light-emitting plane of the light-emitting element, wherein the light-emitting element outputs radiation from the light-emitting plane at the light-emitting side.

15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising positioning a first light capillary adjacent to the second sensor, wherein shielding the second sensor from the radiation output directly from the light-emitting element includes orienting an opening of the first light capillary away from the light-emitting element thereby guiding the radiation from the external sources to the second sensor while excluding the radiation output directly from the light-emitting element.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising positioning a second light capillary adjacent to the first sensor, the second light capillary guiding the radiation from the external sources and the radiation output directly from the light-emitting element to the first sensor.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein determining the radiation output from the lighting-emitting element further comprises outputting the output signal from the second sensor, the output signal from the second sensor corresponding to an intensity of the radiation output from the external sources, without corresponding to the intensity of the radiation output directly from the light-emitting element.

18. A radiation monitoring system for a lighting device, comprising:
a first sensor and a second sensor positioned adjacent to a light-emitting element of a lighting device, wherein
the first sensor receives radiation output directly from the light-emitting element and radiation output from external sources,
the second sensor receives the radiation output from the external sources while shielded from the radiation output directly from the light-emitting element, wherein exposure of the first sensor and the second sensor to the radiation output from the external sources is equivalent, and
electronic circuitry receiving output signals from the first sensor and the second sensor and calculating an intensity of the radiation output directly from the light-emitting element based on a difference in the output signals from the first sensor and the second sensor.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the electronic circuitry is conductively coupled with the lighting device.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the intensity of the radiation output directly from the light-emitting element is modulated in response to the intensity of the radiation output directly from the light-emitting element calculated by the electronic circuitry.

Assignees

• Phoseon Technology Inc

Inventors

• Nordseth Gary
• Eliason Garth
• Neumann Gordon
• Till Gary
• Mckenzie Gary

Classifications

• H05B45/56

  involving measures to prevent abnormal temperature of the LEDs · CPC title

• G01J1/4228

  arrangements with two or more detectors, e.g. for sensitivity compensation · CPC title

• G01J5/12

  using thermoelectric elements, e.g. thermocouples · CPC title

• G01J3/10

  Arrangements of light sources specially adapted for spectrometry or colorimetry · CPC title

• H05B45/40

  Details of LED load circuits · CPC title