Prior art — US Patent 11751302

Here's an analysis of the patent citations for US11751302, identifying potentially anticipatory prior art under 35 U.S.C. § 102. The analysis is based on the full text of US11751302.

US Patent 11751302: Controlling Color Temperature and Luminance in Linear LED Fixtures

Publication Date: 2023-09-05
Assignee: Ags Lighting Management LLC

The patent US11751302 describes a linear light-emitting diode (LED) lighting apparatus with an array of LEDs, including at least two pluralities of LEDs producing light at different color temperatures. A driver circuit outputs multiple currents, and a switch assembly allows selection of one of these currents and directs it to the first plurality, the second plurality, or both, enabling control of both color temperature and luminance. A key feature is its modular design, allowing electrical coupling with additional linear LED lighting apparatuses of different lengths. These additional modules are configured such that their LED counts and driver current outputs are scaled by the same factor relative to a base module, ensuring consistent luminance per individual LED across a combined linear run.

The following patent citations were identified from the "Citations" section of US11751302:

1. US20110116260A1

Full Citation: US20110116260A1 - Actuating device for operating lamps - Drager Medical Ag & Co. Kg
Publication Date: 2011-05-19
Filing Date (Priority Date): 2009-11-18
Brief Description: This patent describes an actuating device for operating lamps, particularly for medical applications such as operating lights. It focuses on the ability to adjust the color temperature by mixing light from different colored LEDs (e.g., warm white and cold white LEDs) and to adjust the overall brightness (luminance). The system uses control units to supply current to different LED groups and manage these adjustments.
Potential Anticipation: This reference potentially anticipates aspects of US11751302 related to controlling color temperature and luminance within a single lighting unit. Specifically, it discloses:
- A plurality of LEDs producing light at different color temperatures (e.g., warm white and cold white LEDs).
- A driver or control unit to supply current to these LED groups.
- A means to adjust color temperature by combining light from different LED groups.
- A means to adjust brightness or luminance.
- This broadly covers the functionality described in Claims 1 (first part), 3, 4, 5, and 18 (first modular lighting apparatus portion) regarding color temperature and luminance control, and the selection mechanism. However, it does not explicitly disclose a linear LED lighting apparatus, nor the modularity for connecting apparatuses of different lengths by a scale factor with corresponding current scaling to maintain consistent luminance per LED across connected modules, which are key elements of US11751302.

2. US9719642B1

Full Citation: US9719642B1 - Tube light with improved LED array - Colt International Clothing Inc.
Publication Date: 2017-08-01
Filing Date (Priority Date): 2012-05-17
Brief Description: This patent describes an LED tube light designed as a replacement for traditional fluorescent tubes. It features an LED array with multiple LED strips mounted on a heat sink within a tubular housing. The patent mentions the use of different types of LEDs, such as cool white, warm white, or RGB, and includes circuitry for their operation, emphasizing reliability, heat dissipation, and energy efficiency.
Potential Anticipation: This reference potentially anticipates aspects of US11751302 related to the physical form factor. It discloses:
- An LED light in a "linear shape" (a tube light).
- A housing for the LEDs.
- The possibility of different types of LEDs (e.g., cool white, warm white), implying different color temperatures.
- This could be relevant to Claims 1 (linear shape, housing), 6, and 7. However, it does not explicitly describe a switch assembly to select or mix different color temperatures, a driver circuit outputting a plurality of currents, or the specific modular scaling for consistent luminance per LED across connected modules, as claimed in US11751302.

3. US20170223800A1

Full Citation: US20170223800A1 - Light emitting module, dimmer system and controller for color temperature modulation - Tm Technology, Inc
Publication Date: 2017-08-03
Filing Date (Priority Date): 2016-02-03
Brief Description: This patent details a light-emitting module with multiple types of LEDs (e.g., high and low color temperature LEDs) and a dimmer system that includes a controller to modulate both brightness and color temperature. The controller adjusts the current supplied to the different LED groups, often using pulse width modulation (PWM), to achieve desired color temperature and luminance levels.
Potential Anticipation: This reference is highly relevant to the core control functions of US11751302. It explicitly discloses:
- First and second types of LEDs with different color temperatures (e.g., warm white and cool white).
- A controller or dimmer system that adjusts current to achieve desired color temperature and luminance.
- The ability to adjust brightness and modulate color temperature.
- This could broadly anticipate the functionality of Claims 1 (first part), 3, 4, 5, and 18 (first modular lighting apparatus portion) regarding color temperature and luminance control, and the selection mechanism. However, it does not specifically teach a linear LED arrangement for the pluralities or the detailed modular system for connecting different length fixtures with scaled currents as described in US11751302.

4. US20180209626A1

Full Citation: US20180209626A1 - Circuit Boards for LED-Based Light Fixtures - Hubbell Incorporated
Publication Date: 2018-07-26
Filing Date (Priority Date): 2014-12-18
Brief Description: This patent describes LED-based light fixtures composed of multiple circuit board modules that can be connected end-to-end to form a luminaire of a desired length. It focuses on mechanical and electrical connectors for linking these modules and mentions control circuitry and different types of LEDs (e.g., warm white, cool white). The patent emphasizes modularity for easy installation and maintenance.
Potential Anticipation: This reference is highly relevant for the modular and linear aspects of US11751302. It discloses:
- Multiple light engine modules coupled end-to-end to form a luminaire of a desired length.
- The use of electrical connectors to couple modules.
- Modules containing LEDs of first and second color temperatures (e.g., warm white and cool white).
- Communication conductors for data transmission between modules.
- This directly anticipates the latter part of Claim 1 (electrically coupling to an additional linear LED lighting apparatus), and aspects of Claims 9, 10, 16, 18 (modularity and interconnection), and 19 (data transmission). However, it does not explicitly detail the specific driver circuit configurations (outputting a plurality of currents) and switch assembly functionalities (coupling current to one, the other, or both LED pluralities for mixing) as precisely claimed in US11751302, nor does it explicitly teach the scaling factor for driver current relative to LED count across modules to maintain consistent luminance per LED.

5. US20180231226A1

Full Citation: US20180231226A1 - Led lighting device - [[Samsung Electronics Co.](/litigations/by-defendant/Samsung%20Electronics%20Co.), Ltd.](/litigations/by-plaintiff/Samsung%20Electronics%20Co.%2C%20Ltd.)
Publication Date: 2018-08-16
Filing Date (Priority Date): 2017-02-10
Brief Description: This patent describes an LED lighting device capable of controlling both luminance and color temperature. It utilizes multiple LED packages, each potentially including various colored LEDs (e.g., red, green, blue, white, warm white, cool white). A control circuit adjusts the driving current to these LEDs to achieve desired brightness and color temperature settings.
Potential Anticipation: Similar to US20170223800A1, this reference strongly anticipates the core functions of color temperature and luminance control. It discloses:
- A plurality of LEDs (e.g., warm white and cool white) for color temperature adjustment.
- A control circuit and power supply to adjust driving current for brightness and color temperature.
- The ability to select color temperature and dimming.
- This covers the functionality of Claims 1 (first part), 3, 4, 5, and 18 (first modular lighting apparatus portion) regarding color temperature and luminance control within a single lighting device. However, it does not explicitly describe a linear LED lighting apparatus with LEDs in "linear shapes," nor the unique modular scaling feature for connected modules of different lengths as claimed in US11751302.

6. US20190239298A1

Full Citation: US20190239298A1 - Lighting fixture with selectable color temperature - Abl Ip Holding Llc
Publication Date: 2019-08-01
Filing Date (Priority Date): 2018-01-26
Brief Description: This patent describes a lighting fixture where the user can select the color temperature. It employs at least two groups of LEDs with different correlated color temperatures (CCTs). A switch assembly includes a selector switch to power the first group, the second group, or both simultaneously to achieve an intermediate CCT. The fixture also incorporates a driver circuit with multiple output channels for different drive currents, and a dimming switch to select the desired drive current level.
Potential Anticipation: This reference is arguably the most relevant for the internal control mechanisms of US11751302 within a single fixture. It explicitly discloses:
- A first group of LEDs with a first CCT and a second group of LEDs with a second CCT.
- A switch assembly with a selector switch to energize the first group, the second group, or both to achieve the first, second, or an intermediate CCT, respectively.
- A driver circuit configured to output a plurality of drive currents.
- A dimming switch to select a desired drive current level.
- This directly anticipates the core functionality of Claims 1 (first part), 3, 4, 5, and 18 (first modular lighting apparatus portion), including the detailed operation of the first and second switches for both luminance and color temperature selection/mixing. The specific phrase "cause a first portion... to couple to each LED of the first plurality of LEDs, cause the first portion... to couple to each LED of the second plurality of LEDs, or cause half of the first portion... to couple to each LED of the first plurality of LEDs and each LED of the second plurality of LEDs" in Claim 18 is strongly reflected by the selector switch activating one group, the other, or both.
- However, this patent does not explicitly describe a linear arrangement of the LED pluralities within the fixture, nor the modular design for connecting different length fixtures with scaled LED counts and driver currents to maintain consistent luminance per LED across the entire system, which are distinguishing features of US11751302.

7. KR20190108511A

Full Citation: KR20190108511A - Light emitting diode driver for load changes - 인피니언 테크놀로지스 아게 (Infineon Technologies AG)
Publication Date: 2019-09-24
Filing Date (Priority Date): 2018-03-14
Brief Description: This patent describes an LED driver circuit designed to efficiently handle variations in LED load, such as changes resulting from adding or removing LED modules. The driver adjusts its output to ensure stable and consistent operation of the connected LEDs despite these load changes.
Potential Anticipation: This reference is relevant to the driver's ability to adapt to varying loads, a foundational concept for the modular scaling described in US11751302. It discloses:
- An LED driver designed to handle "load changes" (e.g., changes in the number of connected LEDs) while maintaining stable output characteristics.
- This general concept could be seen as broadly supportive of the goal in Claims 10, 15 (current regulator), 17, and 20, which relate to maintaining consistent current per LED in a modular system. However, it does not explicitly teach the specific linear modular lighting system with scaled numbers of LEDs and driver current outputs to maintain consistent individual LED luminance, nor the color temperature control features.

8. US20200118482A1

Full Citation: US20200118482A1 - Display apparatus and control method thereof - Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
Publication Date: 2020-04-16
Filing Date (Priority Date): 2018-10-16
Brief Description: This patent describes a display apparatus and its control method, primarily focusing on adjusting the brightness and color temperature of the display. It involves controlling the driving currents of different color LEDs (e.g., red, green, blue, and white) based on color temperature adjusting signals and brightness adjusting signals.
Potential Anticipation: Similar to other Samsung and Tm Technology patents cited, this reference broadly anticipates the functionality of color temperature and luminance control in an LED apparatus. It discloses:
- LEDs (e.g., RGBW) for color temperature adjustment.
- A control circuit to adjust driving currents for brightness and color temperature.
- The ability to generate color temperature adjusting signals and brightness adjusting signals.
- This covers aspects of Claims 1 (first part), 3, 4, 5, and 18 (first modular lighting apparatus portion) regarding adjustable color temperature and luminance within a single unit. However, like many other citations, it is directed to a "display apparatus" and does not describe a linear LED lighting apparatus, nor the modular scaling aspects for interconnected fixtures of different lengths, which are unique to US11751302.

Most Relevant Prior Art:

Considering the claims of US11751302, the most relevant prior art references are:

US20190239298A1 (Abl Ip Holding Llc): This patent is the most relevant for anticipating the internal control mechanisms of US11751302, specifically the driver circuit providing multiple currents and the switch assembly for selecting and mixing different color temperatures and adjusting luminance levels within a single light fixture. It explicitly details the functionality for switching between two color temperatures or combining them for an intermediate one, along with dimming control.
US20180209626A1 (Hubbell Incorporated): This patent is the most relevant for anticipating the modular and linear aspects of US11751302. It clearly teaches linear LED modules that connect end-to-end to form longer luminaires, with electrical connectors and communication conductors. It also mentions modules having different color temperature LEDs.

While these two references individually anticipate significant portions of US11751302's claims, neither reference, nor a combination that is obvious, appears to fully anticipate claims that combine: (1) a linear LED lighting apparatus, (2) with the specific switch-selectable multiple color temperatures (including mixing) and luminance levels, AND (3) being modularly connectable such that different length modules (with scaled numbers of LEDs) automatically adjust driver current by the same scale factor to maintain consistent luminance per LED across the entire combined length, potentially with inter-module communication for automatic calibration. This combination, particularly the precise scaling of driver current with LED count in modular linear fixtures to ensure consistent individual LED luminance, represents a key distinguishing feature of US11751302 not fully present in any single cited prior art.