Upgradeable lighting fixture

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9699856-B2
Application number	US-201514874099-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 2, 2015
Priority date	Mar 25, 2015
Publication date	Jul 4, 2017
Grant date	Jul 4, 2017

Abstract

A lighting fixture includes an outer frame, a solid-state light source, a lens, and a sensor module connector. Driver circuitry is coupled to the outer frame and provides one or more drive signals for powering the light source. The lens is supported by and attached to the outer frame. The solid-state light source is mounted to the outer frame and at least partially surrounded by the lens, such that at least a portion of the light provided by the solid-state light source is transmitted through the lens towards an area of interest. The sensor module connector is mounted to the outer frame and configured to accept a connector from a sensor module such that when the sensor module is installed in the lighting fixture, a surface of the sensor module faces the area of interest towards which light from the solid-state light source is provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A lighting fixture comprising:
an outer frame;
a lens coupled to the outer frame, the lens comprising a main lens portion and a removable sensor module cover;
a solid-state light source configured to provide a desired light output based on one or more drive signals, the solid-state light source coupled to the outer frame and at least partially surrounded by the lens such that at least a portion of the light provided from the light source is transmitted through the lens towards an area of interest;
driver circuitry coupled to the outer frame and configured to provide the one or more drive signals to the solid-state light source; and
a sensor module connector coupled to the outer frame under the removable sensor module cover such that when the removable sensor module cover is removed, the sensor module connector is exposed, wherein the sensor module connector is configured to mate with a connector from a sensor module in order to electrically couple the sensor module and the driver circuitry and the sensor module connector is located such that when the sensor module is installed in the lighting fixture, a surface of the sensor module is facing the area of interest.

2. The lighting fixture of claim 1 wherein the sensor module includes communications circuitry configured to communicate with one or more devices external to the lighting fixture.

3. The lighting fixture of claim 2 wherein the driver circuitry is configured to adjust the one or more drive signals provided to the solid-state light source based on signals provided from the communications circuitry.

4. The lighting fixture of claim 1 wherein the sensor module includes one or more environmental sensors, the environmental sensors comprising one or more of an ambient light sensor, an occupancy sensor, a microphone, a thermometer, a barometric pressure sensor, a camera, and an accelerometer.

5. The lighting fixture of claim 4 wherein at least one of the one or more environmental sensors is exposed through the surface of the sensor module facing the area of interest when the sensor module is installed in the lighting fixture.

6. The lighting fixture of claim 4 wherein the driver circuitry is configured to adjust the one or more drive signals provided to the solid-state light source based on signals provided from the one or more environmental sensors.

7. The lighting fixture of claim 1 wherein the sensor module includes an outer surface that is contoured to match an exterior surface of the lens when installed in the lighting fixture.

8. The lighting fixture of claim 1 wherein the lighting fixture is configured to be installed in a drop tile ceiling comprising a plurality of ceiling tiles supported by a T-grid.

9. The lighting fixture of claim 8 wherein one of the plurality of ceiling tiles forms an integral part of the lighting fixture.

10. The lighting fixture of claim 9 wherein the outer frame of the lighting fixture is supported by the T-grid of the drop tile ceiling.

11. The lighting fixture of claim 8 wherein one of the plurality of ceiling tiles is surrounded by the outer frame of the lighting fixture such that at least a portion of the ceiling tile is exposed through an opening in the outer frame.

12. The lighting fixture of claim 11 wherein light provided by the solid-state light source is at least partially reflected from the one of the plurality of ceiling tiles towards the area of interest.

13. The lighting fixture of claim 1 wherein the solid-state light source comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs).

14. The lighting fixture of claim 1 wherein the sensor module includes an outer surface that is contoured to match an exterior surface of the lens when installed in the lighting fixture.

15. The lighting fixture of claim 14 wherein:
the exterior surface of the lens is rounded; and
the exterior surface of the lens faces the area of interest.

16. The lighting fixture of claim 1 wherein the sensor module connector is located such that the sensor module can be installed in the lighting fixture when the lighting fixture is mounted to a ceiling.

17. The lighting fixture of claim 1 wherein when the removable sensor module cover is installed in the lighting fixture, light from the solid-state light source is transmitted through the main lens portion and the removable sensor module cover towards the area of interest.

Assignees

• Cree Inc

Inventors

• Roberts John
• Lay James Michael
• Harris Michael James
• Bernard Randy
• Snell Nathan R
• Creasman Ethan

Classifications

• F21V3/02 Primary

  characterised by the shape · CPC title

• H05B47/11

  by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light · CPC title

• H05B45/46

  having LEDs disposed in parallel lines · CPC title

• H05B47/105

  in response to determined parameters · CPC title

• H05B45/10

  Controlling the intensity of the light · CPC title