Wavelength Sensing Lighting System Using Semiconductor Multi-Functionality
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current lighting systems lack efficient wavelength sensing and communication capabilities, leading to increased complexity and cost due to the need for dedicated sensors and wireless radios, with existing solutions experiencing redundant data transmission and limited wavelength sensing functionality.
Innovation Solution
A lighting system comprising a light source, sensor, and controller that senses environmental light, correlates dominant wavelengths with substances, and generates alerts based on detected levels, with the ability to operate within a network and utilize wavelength conversion materials to expand the detectable wavelength range.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If dedicated sensors and wireless radios are added to lighting systems for wavelength sensing and communication, then sensing and communication capabilities are improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies multi-functionality by enabling light emitting semiconductor devices to perform both light emission and wavelength sensing functions. The same device that emits light can also detect environmental light and determine dominant wavelengths, eliminating the need for separate dedicated sensors and reducing system complexity while maintaining wavelength sensing capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the functions of light emission and wavelength sensing into a single integrated system. By combining these previously separate functions into one device, the system reduces component count, simplifies architecture, and lowers cost while achieving both illumination and spectral analysis capabilities
2Adaptability or versatility
If dedicated sensors and wireless radios are added to lighting systems for wavelength sensing and communication, then sensing and communication capabilities are improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies multi-functionality by enabling light emitting semiconductor devices to perform both light emission and wavelength sensing functions. The same device that emits light can also detect environmental light and determine dominant wavelengths, eliminating the need for separate dedicated sensors and reducing system complexity while maintaining wavelength sensing capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the functions of light emission and wavelength sensing into a single integrated system. By combining these previously separate functions into one device, the system reduces component count, simplifies architecture, and lowers cost while achieving both illumination and spectral analysis capabilities
3Adaptability or versatility
If existing lighting systems use conversion materials to alter wavelength range, then wavelength conversion is achieved, but the detectable wavelength range remains limited without additional sensors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies multi-functionality by enabling light emitting semiconductor devices to perform both light emission and wavelength sensing functions. The same device that emits light can also detect environmental light and determine dominant wavelengths, eliminating the need for separate dedicated sensors and reducing system complexity while maintaining wavelength sensing capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes wavelength conversion materials to alter the wavelength range of emitted light, and simultaneously leverages the sensing capability to detect environmental light across different wavelengths. By combining parameter changes in light emission with broad-spectrum detection, the system expands its effective wavelength range without adding complex sensing functionality
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively alters its operational state based on environmental light analysis, reduces complexity and cost by using light emitting semiconductor devices for both emission and detection, and enhances communication through efficient data transmission, improving overall system effectiveness.
Implementation Method 1
Light emitting diodes may emit light when driven by an electrical current
Implementation Method 2
The phosphor may shift the wavelength range of the absorbed light, emitting a light with longer wavelengths. This shift may be known to skilled artisans as a Stokes shift
Implementation Method 3
The sensor is configured to sense the presence or absence of a dominant wavelength associated with the environmental light
Data Source
AI summary
A lighting system comprising a light source operable to emit a source light, a sensor operable to sense environmental light from an environment, and a controller operatively connected to each of the sensor and the light source and configured to analyze the environmental light sensed by the sensor to at least one of detect and generate data relating to a condition of the environment, the data being transmittable in a transmitted data light. The sensor is operable to sense the presence or absence of a dominant wavelength associated with the environmental light. Additionally, the controller is operable to correlate the dominant wavelength with a substance, the controller is configured to detect a level of the dominant wavelength correlated with the substance, and the controller is configured to operate the lighting system to generate an alert based upon the detected level of the dominant wavelength.