Led lamp failure alerting system

Abstract

A lighting system includes at least one LED and at least one regulator in communication with the at least one LED. The at least one regulator is configured to supply a substantially constant current to the at least one LED while allowing a light output from the at least one LED to degrade over time towards a target minimum light output, and once the light output of the at least one LED is below the target minimum light output, increase current to the at least one LED to maintain the light output at the target minimum light output.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A lighting system, comprising:
 at least one LED; and   at least one regulator in communication with the at least one LED, the at least one regulator configured to:
 supply a substantially constant current to the at least one LED while allowing a light output from the at least one LED to degrade over time towards a target minimum light output, and 
 once the light output of the at least one LED is below the target minimum light output, increase current to the at least one LED to maintain the light output at the target minimum light output. 
   
     
     
         2 . The lighting system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 at least one photodetector configured to generate one or more signals indicating that the light output of the at least one LED is below the target minimum light output, the at least one regulator in communication with the at least one photodetector for receiving the one or more signals.   
     
     
         3 . The lighting system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one regulator is further configured to:
 stop increasing current to the at least one LED once an operating temperature of the at least one LED exceeds a target temperature.   
     
     
         4 . The lighting system of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 at least one thermal sensor configured to generate one or more signals indicating that the operating temperature of the at least one LED is exceeding the target temperature, the at least one regulator in communication with the at least one thermal sensor for receiving the one or more signals.   
     
     
         5 . The lighting system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 at least one photodetector configured to generate one or more signals indicating that the light output of the at least one LED has been below the target minimum light output for a predetermined period of time; and   a low light output indicator in communication with the at least one photodetector for receiving the one or more signals, the low light output indicator configured to generate one or more signals indicating that the light output is low once the light output can no longer be maintained at the target minimum light output.   
     
     
         6 . The lighting system of  claim 5 , wherein the one or more signals indicating that the light output is low include at least one of an audible broadcast and a visual signal. 
     
     
         7 . The lighting system of  claim 5 , wherein the visual signal is produced with the at least one LED. 
     
     
         8 . The lighting system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more signals indicating that the light output is low include light of a different color than light emitted from the at least one LED. 
     
     
         9 . The lighting system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one LED includes one or more supplemental LEDs on standby, and wherein increasing current to the at least one LED includes supplying current to the one or more supplemental LEDs, such that the one or more supplemental LEDs contribute to maintaining the light output at the target minimum light output. 
     
     
         10 . An LED-based light, comprising:
 at least one LED;   a connector connectable to a light fixture; and   a system for managing the at least one LED, the system configured to:
 detect a light output of the at least one LED, 
 operate the at least one LED at a first power draw while allowing the light output from the at least one LED to degrade over time towards a target minimum light output, and 
 once the light output of the at least one LED is below the target minimum light output, operate the at least one LED at an increased power draw to maintain the light output at the target minimum light output. 
   
     
     
         11 . The LED-based light of  claim 10 , wherein the system is further configured to:
 sense an operating temperature of the at least one LED, and   stop increasing current to the at least one LED once the operating temperature of the at least one LED exceeds a target temperature.   
     
     
         12 . The LED-based light of  claim 10 , wherein the system is further configured to:
 generate one or more signals indicating that the light output is low once the light output can no longer be maintained at the target minimum light output by increasing the power draw.   
     
     
         13 . The LED-based light of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more signals indicating that the light output is low include at least one of an audible broadcast and a visual signal. 
     
     
         14 . The LED-based light of  claim 13 , wherein the visual signal is produced with the at least one LED. 
     
     
         15 . The LED-based light of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more signals indicating that the light output is low include light of a different color than light emitted from the at least one LED. 
     
     
         16 . The LED-based light of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one LED includes one or more supplemental LEDs on standby, and wherein operating the at least one LED at an increased power draw includes powering the one or more supplemental LEDs, such that the one or more supplemental LEDs contribute to maintaining the light output at the target minimum light output. 
     
     
         17 . An LED-based light, comprising:
 at least one LED;   a lens at least partially enclosing the at least one LED, the lens at least partially forming a housing for the LED-based light;   a connector attached to the housing and configuring the LED-based light for connection to a light fixture; and   a system for managing the at least one LED, the system configured to:
 detect a light output of the at least one LED, 
 operate the at least one LED to maintain the light output at a target minimum light output, and 
 generate one or more signals indicating that the light output is low once the light output can no longer be maintained at the target minimum light output. 
   
     
     
         18 . The LED-based light of  claim 17 , wherein the system is further configured to:
 sense an operating temperature of the at least one LED,   stop operating the at least one LED to maintain the light output at the target minimum light output once the operating temperature of the at least one LED exceeds a target temperature, and thereafter   generate the one or more signals indicating that the light output is low.   
     
     
         19 . The LED-based light of  claim 17 , wherein the one or more signals indicating that the light output is low include at least one of an audible broadcast and a visual signal. 
     
     
         20 . The LED-based light of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one LED includes one or more supplemental LEDs on standby, and wherein operating the at least one LED at an increased power draw includes powering the one or more supplemental LEDs, such that the one or more supplemental LEDs contribute to maintaining the light output at the target minimum light output.