FIELD

The inventive subject matter relates to lighting apparatus and methods and, more particularly, to solid-state lighting apparatus and methods.

BACKGROUND

Solid-state lighting arrays are used for a number of lighting applications. For example, solid-state lighting panels including arrays of solid-state light emitting devices have been used as direct illumination sources in architectural and/or accent lighting. A solid-state light emitting device may include, for example, a packaged light emitting device including one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs), which may include inorganic LEDs, which may include semiconductor layers forming p-n junctions and/or organic LEDs (OLEDs), which may include organic light emission layers.

Solid-state lighting devices are often used in lighting fixtures, such as incandescent bulb replacement applications, task lighting, recessed light fixtures and the like. For example, Cree, Inc. produces a variety of light fixtures that use LEDs for illumination. The fixtures include can-type down lights, such as the LR-6 and CR-6, and troffer-type fixtures, such as the CR-24.

Solid state lighting devices are commonly used in outdoor applications, such as lighting for streets, sidewalks, parking lots, parking garages and the like. For example, Cree, Inc. produces a variety of outdoor LED luminaires, which include luminaires for street lighting, open structure (e.g., parking garage) lighting and similar purposes, such as THE EDGE series of pole-mountable and structure-mountable luminaires.

SUMMARY

Some embodiments provide a system including at least one lighting device and a control circuit configured to control a spectral output produced by the at least one lighting device responsive to environmental information about an area illuminated by the at least one lighting device. The control circuit may be configured to control a color temperature of the illumination responsive to the environmental information. In some embodiments, the control circuit may be configured to lower the color temperature of the illumination responsive to the environmental information indicating a condition causing glare. In further embodiments, the control circuit may be configured to lower the color temperature of the illumination responsive to the environmental information indicating precipitation.

According to some embodiments, the environmental information may include reflected light information and/or weather information. The environmental information may be provided by at least one environmental sensor positioned proximate the at least one lighting device. The at least one environmental sensor may include, for example, at least one light sensor and/or at least one weather sensor. In some embodiments, the environmental information may be provided by a weather monitoring system.

In some embodiments, the at least one lighting device may include at least one outdoor luminaire. In further embodiments, the at least one lighting device may include a headlight of a vehicle and the environmental information may be provided by at least one environmental sensor positioned on the vehicle. The at least one lighting device ma include at least one LED lighting device.

Further embodiments provide a system including at least one LED luminaire, at least one environmental sensor configured to sense a glare-correlated environmental characteristic of an area illuminated by the at least one LED luminaire and a control circuit operatively coupled to the at least one LED luminaire and to the at least one environmental sensor and configured to control a color temperature of illumination produced by the at least one LED luminaire responsive to the sensed environmental characteristic. In some embodiments, the at least one environmental sensor may include at least one reflected light sensor. In further embodiments, the at least one environmental sensor may include at least one weather sensor, such as a precipitation sensor.

In some embodiments, the at least one environmental sensor may be positioned on a structure that supports the at least one LED luminaire. In some embodiments, the at least one LED luminaire may include a plurality of spaced-apart LED luminaires, and the at least one environmental sensor may include at least one environmental sensor configured to sense a glare-correlated environmental characteristic of an area collectively illuminated by the plurality of LED luminaires. The control circuit may be operatively coupled to the plurality of LED luminaires and configured to collectively control a color temperature of illumination produced by the plurality of LED luminaires.

Some embodiments provide methods of operating a lighting system. The methods may include providing glare-correlated environmental information pertaining to an area illuminated by the lighting system and controlling a spectral output of at least one lighting device of the lighting system responsive to the glare-correlated environmental information.

