Lighting Science®, a global leader in next-generation LED lighting solutions, today announced that it received 35 new patents from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) in 2015. These new patents – covering the fields of biologically adjusted and corrected lighting, light spectrum control, micro-electric optics, and advances in roadway infrastructure and other lighting fixtures – demonstrate that Lighting Science continues to set the global standard for light emitting diode (LED) and related innovation. “This new set of patents expands Lighting Science’s vast portfolio of issued patents to 366, with many focused on spectrum control and its effect on human health. Our research and development team, led by founder and Chief Technology Officer, Fred Maxik, set a high standard for innovation in 2015 of which we are extremely proud,” said Lighting Science CEO Ed Bednarcik.

HealthE™ lighting solutions that transform human health and productivity

Of the company’s 35 new patents, nearly one-third enhance Lighting Science’s leading role in developing and bringing to market HealthE™lighting solutions using biologically adjusted and biologically corrected spectra designed to improve human health and productivity. These patents, including U.S. Patent Nos. 8,963,450; 8,941,329; 9,036,868; 9,024,536 and 9,131,573, relate to LED solutions capable of emitting light across various spectra, each appropriate to help induce a sleep, awake or transition state. This technology is already being used in the company’s Sleepy Baby®, Good Night®, and Good Day™ bulbs, as well as its soon-to-be launched Genesis dynamic spectrum platform. Studies have repeatedly shown that light in the 460-485nm spectra, often referred to as “blue light”, inhibits the production of melatonin and that over exposure to blue light near bedtime can disrupt sleep patterns. Conversely, proper exposure to blue light at appropriate times in the day can increase alertness and productivity, enhance mood, help to control glucose levels, boost metabolism, and encourage restorative sleep at night.

“Traditional light bulbs provide us with insufficient blue light during the day and too much of it at night. The result is disrupted sleep patterns and increased fatigue, as well as rising instances of metabolic and hormonal diseases,” said Fred Maxik, Lighting Science’s founder and Chief Technology Officer. “Our Sleepy Baby®, Good Night®, and Good Day™ bulbs are each designed to emit the appropriate amount of blue light at various times of the day. We are now launching our Genesis dynamic spectrum platform that combines these spectra along with air quality sensing into the ultimate HealthE™ lighting solution for both home and business environments. The technology disclosed in these newly issued patents will continue to be deployed in future Lighting Science solutions to deliver to consumers the ability to adjust light output as appropriate for alert, transition and pre-sleep times of the day, much the way light switch dimmers currently adjust for brightness. In addition, these new products will come in a wide variety of LED form factors.”

Lighting Science also received patents for inventions that will deliver key advancements in the field of medical care, including U.S. Patent Nos. 9,018,854 and 9,174,067. These patents related to the phototherapy treatment of various medical conditions, including diabetes, obesity and various vision-related maladies. “Unlike other existing phototherapy technology, which is unable to tailor the light treatment to a specific individual patient, Lighting Science’s newly patented technology uses light both to emit an output spectra designed to diagnose the patient, and then to tailor a responsive therapeutic output spectra to treat the patient’s diagnosed condition in a single cost effective treatment application,” stated Maxik. In addition, our inventors have developed technology that can use microscopic mirrors to receive a source light emitted in one wavelength range and, unlike other existing technology, re-direct that light to a desired output direction in a converted optimal wavelength range in one efficient operation. Maxik stated, “This technology has particular application in the surgical and dental fields, where our technology can not only direct light around objects during complex medical procedures without casting shadows or leaving critical areas dark, but can do so using lighting systems of reduced complexity, size and manufacturing expense.”

Grown with VividGro™: Spectral Output Optimized for Agricultural Yield Enhancement

Other new Lighting Science patents, including U.S. Patent Nos. 9,137,874 and 9,220,202, further advance technology first pioneered by Lighting Science to develop its industry-leading VividGro™ grow light fixture. VividGro™ effectively and efficiently modifies and enhances the circadian rhythm of various agricultural products, thereby optimizing their development in terms of biomass and time, resource and energy efficiency. “Our new inventions may soon eliminate the need for manual operation of lighting systems designed to modify plants’ morphological expression and circadian rhythms by using a timing device and controller to automatically schedule and emit light in the appropriate wavelengths and at the appropriate times to enhance growth and post-harvest longevity,” stated Maxik.

The Avenue Series: Ensuring the Road to the Future is Well Lit

Several new Lighting Science patents, including U.S. Patent Nos. 8,978,187 and 9,151,482, relate to the advancement of LED technology in the area of roadway infrastructure and other lighting fixtures, a field where Lighting Science plays a leading role with its Mini Roadway® and FreeLED® street light systems. One of the Company’s patents covers the electrostatic removal of debris from lighting fixture surfaces, in which Lighting Science’s invention, unlike traditional self-cleaning surface technologies, does not require water to function, a valuable attribute in arid areas that may be without precipitation for substantial periods of time. Another patent relates to an innovative cooling system that utilizes air circulated within a sealed environment to cool a heating element (such as an LED lighting system). “This patented enclosed heat sink approach helps to eliminate the introduction of contaminants that can inhibit the operation and efficiency of LED lighting systems, and can be used in a wide variety of LED lighting form factors,” stated Maxik.

CEO Ed Bednarcik stated, “As a global company rooted in science and technology, we think far beyond basic lighting solutions. Our engineers are constantly striving to redefine how we use light. With more than 360 patents, we have one of the most comprehensive intellectual property portfolios in the LED industry, which we will continue to leverage to deliver innovative products for our residential and commercial customers.”

The USPTO awarded 35 new patents to Lighting Science® in 2015: