Luminaire for use in a system for generating non-homogenous light and associated methods

Abstract

A luminaire for use in a lighting apparatus comprising a plurality of luminaires and a computerized device comprising a plurality of lights and a controller configured to communicate with the computerized device, and coupled to the plurality of lights, and configured to operate the luminaire to emit source light, the source light being characterized by a dominant source light wavelength that varies with time within a range from 390 nanometers to 750 nanometers. The controller is configured to operate the plurality of lights to emit a source light with a different dominant source light wavelength than the source light of another luminaire in the lighting apparatus and combine with the source light emitted by the at least one other luminaire to form a combined light at a distance from the luminaire, receive a lighting scenario from the computerized device, and operate the luminaire responsive to the lighting scenario.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A luminaire for use in a lighting apparatus comprising a plurality of luminaires and a computerized device, the luminaire comprising:
 a plurality of lights; and   a controller, configured to communicate with the computerized device, and coupled to the plurality of lights, and configured to operate the luminaire to emit source light, the source light being characterized by a dominant source light wavelength within a range from 390 nanometers to 750 nanometers;   wherein the controller is configured to operate the plurality of lights to emit a source light with a different dominant source light wavelength than the source light of at least one other luminaire in the lighting apparatus, and such that the source light emitted by the luminaire is combined with the source light emitted by the at least one other luminaire to form a combined light at a distance from the luminaire defined as a combining distance;   wherein the dominant source light wavelength of the luminaire is variable with time; and   wherein the controller is configured to receive a lighting scenario from the computerized device placed in electronic communication with the controller; and   wherein the controller is programmable to operate the luminaire responsive to the lighting scenario received from the remote computerized device.   
     
     
         2 . The luminaire according to  claim 1  wherein each of the plurality of lights comprises an LED. 
     
     
         3 . The luminaire according to  claim 1  wherein the combined light is a white light. 
     
     
         4 . The luminaire according to  claim 1  wherein the combined light comprises a plurality of wavelengths that are variable with time. 
     
     
         5 . The luminaire according to  claim 1  wherein the controller is operable to operate the luminaire such that a selected wavelength is persistently included in the source light. 
     
     
         6 . The luminaire according to  claim 1  wherein the controller is configured to operate the plurality of lights to emit a source light comprising two wavelengths; and wherein the source light has a non-white color associated therewith. 
     
     
         7 . The luminaire according to  claim 1  further comprising a locating device operable to determine a location of the luminaire, defining a determined location; wherein the luminaire is operable to transmit the determined location to the computerized device. 
     
     
         8 . The luminaire according to  claim 7  wherein the controller is configured to receive a lighting scenario from the computerized device responsive to the determined locations transmitted to the computerized device. 
     
     
         9 . The luminaire according to  claim 7  wherein the locating device is operable to determine the determined location with respect to at least one of an adjacent luminaire, the plurality of luminaires, and a volume into which the source light is emitted. 
     
     
         10 . The luminaire according to  claim 7  wherein the locating device is operable to detect an interfering object within a volume into which the source light is emitted.