FIELD

The present invention is related to a light apparatus and more particularly related to a LED light apparatus with mixed light.

BACKGROUND

When the LED technology keeps advancing, more types of LED light devices are developed and designed. There is always a strong need to find a convenient, low cost and flexible light apparatus for improving human life.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

There are multiple ways to implement the invention. In some embodiments, a light apparatus is designed for generating mixed light output. The light apparatus includes multiple LED modules, a control circuit, and a driver module.

Each LED module includes a package housing for multiple LED regions. The multiple LED regions have separate electrodes. The multiple LED regions share the package housing but are covered with different fluorescent layers for emitting lights with different optical characteristics.

The control circuit is used for determining currents supplied to the LED regions separately for generating a mixed light output with requested optical parameters.

The driver module is electrically connected to the electrodes of the multiple LED regions and connected to the control circuit for selectively supplying the currents to multiple LED regions of the multiple LED modules.

In some embodiments, the multiple LED regions include a blue light region, a red light region, a green light region and a white light region.

In some embodiments, the multiple LED regions emit lights with different color temperatures. The multiple LED regions emit lights with different color spectrums.

In some embodiments, the multiple LED regions in the LED module are arranged as grids.

In some embodiments, the different LED regions include the same LED chips covered with different first fluorescent layers and a same second fluorescent layer.

In some embodiments, the first fluorescent layers have less area than the second fluorescent layer.

In some embodiments, the second fluorescent layer comprise multiple sub-layers stacked one above another.

In some embodiments, the multiple LED regions contain different LED chips.

In some embodiments, the different LED chips are kept with a distance for better heat dissipation.

In some embodiments, at least two of the multiple LED regions are covered with the same fluorescent layer.

Some other features may use the features further mentioned below.

In some embodiments, a light apparatus is designed for generating mixed light output. The light apparatus includes multiple LED modules, a control circuit, and a driver module.

Each LED module includes multiple LED regions. The multiple LED regions have separate electrodes. The multiple LED regions share multiple stacked semiconductor layers but at least two LED regions have different etched trench patterns for emitting lights with different optical characteristics.

The control circuit determines currents supplied to the LED regions separately for generating a mixed light output with requested optical parameters. For example, the control circuit may be connected to an operative switch for receiving a user input or a pre-defined setting.

The driver module is electrically connected to the electrodes of the multiple LED regions and connected to the control circuit for selectively supplying the currents to multiple LED regions of the multiple LED modules. PWM or linear currents may be supplied to the LED regions to generate different light strengths.

In some embodiments, the multiple LED regions may include a blue light region, a red light region, a green light region and a white light region. With the four light regions, a mixed light is generated by adjusting currents supplied to the four regions. In some other embodiments, the currents may be fixed, instead of being changed dynamically.

In some embodiments, the multiple LED regions emit lights with different color temperatures. By adjusting different current ratios or different PWM duty ratios, the LED module may emit lights of different color temperatures.

In some embodiments, the multiple LED regions emit lights with different color spectrums. For example, different LED regions may emit different colors.

In some embodiments, the multiple LED regions in the LED module are arranged as grids. For example, each LED region is a rectangular area and arranged together as a larger rectangular shape.

In some embodiments, the shared stacked semiconductor layers include a GaN buffer layer, a N-type GaN layer, a InGaN/GaN layer, an electronic shielding layer, and a P type GaN layer, from bottom to top.

In some embodiments, the etched trench patterns have different trench densities for generating output lights of different optical characteristics. By adjusting trench densities, different LED regions emit lights with different optical characteristics. Meanwhile, because the different LED regions may share the same substrate and stacked semiconductor layers, it is easier to manufacture the LED module in the same semiconductor procedure.

In some embodiments, the etched trench patterns are formed on a Lithium aluminate substrate.

In some embodiments, the LED regions are covered with one or more fluorescent layer to change output light characteristics.

In some embodiments, the fluorescent layers covering different LED regions are different for mixing different lights. In other words, different LED regions are covered with different fluorescent layers for further adjusting light outputs.

In some embodiments, the same LED regions in different LED modules are supplied with different current values. Specifically, there are multiple LED modules disposed in the same light apparatus. In such design, even the LED regions with the same etched trench pattern in different LED modules may be supplied with different current values, e.g. depending on where the LED module is disposed in the light apparatus.

In some embodiments, when an overall driving current is decreased, the currents supplied to different LED regions drop at different speeds. In other words, in such design, the overall light output strength may be adjusted by adjusting an overall current strength. When the overall light of the light apparatus is lowered down, the currents dropping speeds are controlled to be different, e.g. so as to simulate some natural light changes from noon to sunset.

In some embodiments, light emitted directions of the multiple LED regions are overlapped partially to generate a better mixed effect. For example, each LED regions are arranged with certain tilt angles in some layers or directed by some layers to overlap the lights from different LED regions.

In some embodiments, the etched trench patterns emit of the multiple LED regions are arranged with a tilt angles for overlapping emitted lights of the multiple LED regions.

In some embodiments, area sizes of the multiple LED regions are not the same. For example, some LED regions provide more lights than other LED regions when they are major light sources.

In some embodiments, at least two of the multiple LED regions have the same etched trench pattern. For example, there may be two red regions, one green region and one blue region for emphasizing certain light characteristic.

In some embodiments, the control circuit includes a communication circuit for receiving an external command. The control circuit decodes the external command and translates the external command to corresponding control signals to the driver module to generate associated currents.

In some embodiments, the communication circuit is a wireless circuit. Therefore, the external command may be sent from a mobile phone, a remote control or even a remote server.

In some embodiments, the multiple LED regions are not supplied the currents at the same time. In other words, they are supplied with currents sequentially. This may help simplify circuit design and/or maximize output strength of each LED region, e.g. to keep a current generator circuit of the driver module to generate a constant current supplying to the LED regions one after another in a sequence.

In some embodiments, the LED regions are supplied with the currents sequentially in an adjustable order over time to emit different mixed lights. For example, some LED regions may be supplied with more times in the order to emphasize its output compared with other LED regions.

In some embodiments, a light apparatus includes a white set of LED (Light Emitted Diode) modules and a non-white set of LED modules. The white set of LED modules may include two or more than two LED modules. Each LED module may have one or more than one LED component, e.g. a packaged LED IC covered with fluorescent layer for emitting a light when receiving a driving current. There are more than two types of LED modules that emit different white lights, e.g. with different color temperatures, in the white set of LED modules.

The non-white set of LED modules may include two or more than two LED modules. Each LED module may have one or more than one LED component, e.g. a packaged LED IC covered with fluorescent layer for emitting a light when receiving a driving current. There are more than two types of LED modules that emit different lights, e.g. with different colors, in the non-white set of LED modules.

For example, the white set of LED modules has a first LED module and a second LED module. The first LED module emits a first light with a first color temperature and the second LED module emits a second light with a second color temperature. The first color temperature is different from the second color temperature. For example, the first LED module may emit a light with similar spectrum as sunrise white light, and the second LED module may emit a light with similar spectrum as noon white light.

For example, the non-white set of LED modules includes a third LED module and a fourth LED module. The third LED module emits a third light with a third color and the fourth LED module emits a fourth light with a fourth color. The third color is different from the fourth color. There may be a fifth LED module so that the third LED module, the fourth LED module and the fifth LED module emit red color, blue color and green color, respectively. By adjusting light strengths of non-white set of LED modules, a desired color may be mixed.

The light apparatus also has a control circuit for indicating an operation mode selected from at least a first mode and a second mode. The control circuit, for example, may be a digital circuit or integrated with a mechanic device for storing a status. Users may adjust a manual switch, operate a remote control for setting or adjusting the control circuit for indicating a different operation mode that may be selected from a first mode, a second mode and/or other modes.

A driver module is connected to the control circuit for selectively supplying currents to the first LED module, the second LED module, the third LED module, and the fourth LED module according to the operation mode. The driver module may include a current source, a PWM power circuit or other driver circuit types, for converting 110V or 220V AC to corresponding DC currents supplying to drive the white set of LED modules and the non-white set of LED modules. There may be multiple sub-modules in the driver module respectively for each LED module or for the white set and the for the non-white set of LED modules, respectively.

In the first mode, the first LED module and the second LED module are activated and the third LED module and the fourth LED module are deactivated for mixing a first output light using the first LED module and the second LED module. For example, no current is supplied to the non-white set of LED modules in the first mode. The first LED module and the second LED module are supplied with different currents to obtain different first output lights with different color temperatures.

In the second mode, the first LED and the second LED module are deactivated and the third LED module and the fourth LED module are activated for mixing a second output light using the third LED module and the fourth LED module. For example, the first LED module and the second LED module are turned off. The third LED module, the fourth LED module and maybe other LED module in the non-white set of LED modules are turned on to mix a desired color.

In some embodiments, the first output light is adjusted to a different color temperature by adjusting light strengths of the first LED module and the second LED module.

In some embodiments, the different color temperature of the first output light is obtained by changing a first current ratio of currents supplying to the first LED module and the second LED module.

In some embodiments, the different color temperature of the first output light is obtained by changing duty ratios of the first LED module and the second LED light module. In PWM power supplying, there is a duty ratio, the turned-on to turned-off ratio in a quickly repeated cycle, in PWM current supply. By adjusting the duty ratio, the overall output light strength is obtained. By adjusting the relative duty ratio between the first LED module and the second LED module, a different color temperature may be mixed.

In some embodiments, the first LED module and the second LED module emit lights simulating black body radiation spectrums corresponding to different sun light times. Black body radiation spectrum is used in Physics, for indicating light characteristics similar to sun light features.

In some embodiments, the non-white set of LED modules also includes a fifth LED module. The third LED module emits a red light, the fourth LED module emits a green light and the fifth LED module emits a blue light. The second output light is adjusted to have different colors by changing a output ratio of the third LED module, the fourth LED module and the fifth LED module.

In some embodiments, there is a wireless circuit connected to the control circuit for choosing the operation mode from the first mode and the second mode. The wireless circuit may implement Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or other wireless protocols for receiving and/or transmitting signals to an external device like a mobile phone or a remote control.

In some embodiments, the wireless circuit also receives an external command for adjusting the first output light and the second output light. The external command may indicate a desired color temperature, a desired color, or a overall light strength for a luminance level.

In some embodiments, there is a manual switch manually operated by a user for indicating the control circuit to choose the operation mode from the first mode and the second mode. For example, the manual switch may be installed on a wall, on a back side of the light apparatus, on a remote control or on other places for users to operate for setting the light apparatus. The manual switch may be a button, a rotating switch, a touch panel, a jumper switch or other forms. The control circuit may receive the status of the manual switch and translate the status to choose a corresponding operation mode or other parameters.

For example, a light bulb as an example may be disposed with a manual switch near its bulb cap. Users may buy the same light bulb but switch the manual switch to set the output light of the light bulb to a desired color temperature or a desired color. This may decrease the storage in the store and users may even change the setting when they want to do so. Such mechanism may also be applied to down light, panel light, spot light or other light devices.

In some embodiments, the manual switch is concealed from direct user touch after installation of the light apparatus.

In some embodiments, the driver circuit has a shared current circuit for supplying a driving current to either the white set of LED modules or the non-white set of LED modules. As mentioned above, since the white set of LED module and the non-white set of LED modules may be set not turning on at the same time, there may be a shared current source supplying a common current source either supplying to the white set of LED modules or the non-white set of LED modules. In other words, in such design, there may be two sets of LED modules, but there may be only one set of driver circuit. Since the cost of LED modules are decreasing, the overall value of such design keeps increasing.

In some embodiments, the shared circuit switches the driving current to either the white set of LED modules or the non-white set of LED modules based on the operation mode.

In some embodiments, the driver module adjusts the first output light by changing duty ratios of the first LED module and the second LED module via PWM power supplying.

In some embodiments, the driver module adjusts the second output light by changing current ratios of the third LED module and the fourth LED module.

In some embodiments, the driver module activates both the white set of LED modules and the non-white set of LED modules in a third mode for generating a third output light.

In some embodiments, the driver module activates both the white set of LED modules and the non-white set of LED modules in a third mode for generating a third output light.

In some embodiments, a mixed color of the third output light is changed by adjusting the non-white set of LED modules.

In some embodiments, a mixed color temperature of the third output light is changed by adjusting the white set of LED modules.

In some embodiments, the white set of LED modules and the non-white set of LED modules are placed in an alternating mixed manner. Specifically, there may be multiple LED modules in the white set of LED modules and the non-white set of LED modules. To mix a better output light, the multiple LED modules may be disposed in an alternating mixed manner, e.g. different types of LED modules are placed next to each other while the same types of LED modules are distributed evenly on a light source plate.

In addition, since the first mode and the second mode determine that the white set of LED modules and the non-white set of LED modules are not turned on at the same time, one LED module of the white set of LED modules may be placed adjacent to one LED module of the non-white set of LED modules for achieving better heat dissipation, i.e. heat not accumulated at the same place.

In some embodiments, the control circuit switches to the first mode or the second mode when the white set of LED modules or the non-white set of LED modules are damaged.

