Efficient illumination system for legacy street lighting systems

Abstract

An LED lamp for outdoor and large space lighting, particularly for streets, warehouses car parks and the like, is adapted for fitting into legacy light fittings designed for sodium bulbs and the like. The LED lamp comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes arranged over a surface of the lamp, is rotatably connected through a rotatable electrical connection to a screw-in adaptor for insertion into a legacy screw-in socket, such that the screw in adaptor is rotatable independently of the lamp, so that the legacy screw in socket can be used even though the light fitting is too small to allow rotation of the LED lamp. Additional embodiments provide for cooling airflow through the light fitting, for temperature control of the LEDs, and for failure protection, to ensure a longest possible lamp lifetime.

1 - 32 . (canceled) 
     
     
         33 . A lighting device comprising an LED lamp for fitting into a light fitting having a screw-in socket, useful for outdoor or large space lighting, the LED lamp comprising a plurality of light emitting diodes arranged over a surface of the lamp, the lamp being rotatably connected through a rotatable electrical connection to a screw-in adaptor for insertion into the screw-in socket, such that the screw in adaptor is rotatable independently of the lamp, the independent rotation of the screw-in adaptor thereby making an electrical connection through said socket even if the light fitting is insufficiently sized to allow rotation therein of the LED lamp, wherein the light fitting has a ballast housing, the lighting device further comprising a power controller locatable in said ballast housing for providing regulated power through said screw-in socket. 
     
     
         34 . The device of  claim 33 , wherein said lamp comprises a protection mechanism configured to
 a) detect a failure of a light-emitting diode, and either one of:
 b) provide rerouting of said connections around said failed light emitting diode, or 
 c) provide a voltage drop equivalent to said failed light emitting diode, thereby to maintain pre-existing voltage conditions at respective remaining diodes. 
   
     
     
         35 . The device of  claim 33 , further comprising a heat sink thermally coupled to said surface for providing cooling. 
     
     
         36 . The device of  claim 35 , further comprising a fan for driving cool air over said heat sink, said fan configured to draw said cool air from a first hole inserted in said closed fitting and to drive said air past said heat sink to a second hole inserted in said closed light fitting. 
     
     
         37 . The device of  claim 33 , further comprising a heat sink thermally coupled to said surface, the heat sink comprising a jet cooler for circulating air about fins of said heat sink, said jet cooler comprising a vibratable membrane for driving said circulation. 
     
     
         38 . The device of  claim 33 , said lamp being placed externally of a lighting cover. 
     
     
         39 . The device of  claim 33 , said lamp being built around a cover dimensioned for placing over an opening of said closed light fitting, the lamp being built such that said surface with said light emitting diodes is on a first side of said cover and said controlling electronics is on a second side of said cover, and said first side is placed to face outwardly of said closed light fitting. 
     
     
         40 . The device of  claim 33 , said lamp being built around a cover dimensioned for placing over an opening of said closed light fitting, the lamp being built such that said surface with said light emitting diodes is on an external side of said cover and said controlling electronics is connected on said external side with said light emitting diodes. 
     
     
         41 . The device of  claim 33 , further comprising a temperature detector and being configured with a control loop to maintain said light emitting diodes substantially at predefined operating temperatures over time. 
     
     
         42 . The device of  claim 33 , said lamp further comprising a transceiver for a wireless or power-line connection for remote control and monitoring, or for data transfer. 
     
     
         43 . The device of  claim 42 , further configured to allow remote controlling of an intensity level of said lamp. 
     
     
         44 . The device of  claim 33 , further configured to receive input from a movement detector for detecting movement in a vicinity of said device, and wherein said lamp is controllable for setting to a relatively high illumination state when movement is detected in said vicinity and to a relatively low illumination state when movement is not detected in said vicinity. 
     
     
         45 . The device of  claim 44 , connected to other devices in a network, and configured to project detected movements such that individual device are switched on and off to provide advance light paths to detected pedestrians or vehicles. 
     
     
         46 . The device of  claim 33 , further comprising a camera mounted with said lamp, and connected to receive power via said screw-in adaptor. 
     
     
         47 . A lighting device useful for outdoor or large space lighting, comprising
 an LED lamp body for fitting into a light fitting having a ballast housing and a screw-in socket, the LED lamp comprising a plurality of light emitting diodes arranged over a surface of the lamp;   an electrical connection through said screw-in socket; and   a first power controller locatable in said ballast housing for providing regulated power through said screw-in socket.   
     
     
         48 . The lighting device of  claim 47 , further comprising a cooling arrangement for cooling said plurality of light emitting diodes, wherein said cooling arrangement takes a stable voltage and said light emitting diodes take a stable current, the device comprising a second power controller located with said LED lamp body, said first power controller and said second power controller together providing said stable voltage and said stable current. 
     
     
         49 . The lighting device of  claim 47 , wherein control signaling is provided across at least one of said electrical connection through said screw connector along with said power, and a wireless connection.