Popularity of LED lighting on the rise

LED lighting is growing in popularity across a range of industry sectors, it was suggested. Laurent Jenck, director of the LED lighting segment at ON Semiconductor, noted that the energy-saving bulbs are increasingly being favoured over incandescent lamps. He explained that LEDs are playing a key role in cell phones, camera flashes, LCD panel backlighting and portable torches, plus interior, exterior, signage and architectural lighting.

9-Channel LED Drivers Improve LCD Backlighting Performance

Diodes Incorporated announced two 9-channel LED drivers with internal charge-pumps for backlighting small-LCD screens, keypads and LED lights. Working from 2.7V to 5.5V and driving 20mA, the applications include mobile phones and other portable consumer devices. Driving three groups of 3-LED channels and its three independent PWM dimmable control inputs, the AL3158 provides a simple drive for RGB LEDs. The AL3159, with its versatile 3-wire logic decoding of LED current control, simplifies the driving of 9-LEDs for illuminating LCD screens and LED indicator control.
The inductor-less solution requires only three external capacitors to complete the driver circuit. High levels of functional integration coupled with thin QFN packages mean that these devices save board space and reduce manufacturing costs. The devices offer up to 93% power efficiency, maximize battery life, and feature 1% current matching accuracy between channels to deliver an extremely even, consistent screen image.
LED open and short-circuit protection, thermal and under-voltage lockout and over voltage protection are provided on all channel outputs to maximize reliability. A soft start function reduces power supply inrush current to maximize battery-operating life. Both drivers are available in a lead-free, thermally enhanced, 20-pin 3mm x 3mm 0.6mm height QFN package.

Bright ideas for light bulbs

Each light bulb has its pros and cons. Certain bulbs work better in different spaces of a home. Take a closer look at the different light bulbs to see where each should be used. The incandescent bulb is the most commonly used light bulb and usually the least expensive. It has a warm, inviting quality and is complimentary to skin tones and psychologically appealing. Incandescent bulbs usually last between 700 to 1,000 hours and can be used with a dimmer; however, they're not as energy-efficient as other options.

Acuity Brands Continues Leadership in Shaping Organic LED (OLED)

Acuity Brands, a market leader in innovative energy efficient lighting and control solutions, as part of its ongoing efforts to lead the discussion in the lighting and OLED technology industries on the requirements for and viability of Organic LEDs, or OLEDs, will present at the OLEDs World Summit Conference on September 29, 2010 at the Argonaut Hotel in San Francisco. In its ongoing efforts to provide quality lighting solutions for its customers using the best new and emerging technologies, Acuity Brands recently demonstrated two OLED luminaires at the spring LightFair International 2010 conference in Las Vegas. With 35 years of experience in the lighting industry, Mr. Ngai is a Fellow of the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (FIES) focusing his efforts on developing quality lighting solutions to enhance peoples' lives.

LED Driver with Dynamic Headroom Control

National Semiconductor Corp. announced the LM3492 LED driver with dynamic headroom control that accurately and efficiently drives current to two independently dimmable strings of LEDs. The LM3492, a member of National's PowerWise energy-efficient product family, maximizes system efficiency and reduces system complexity and cost in automotive LCD backlight applications. National's LM3492 integrates a boost converter and a two-channel current regulator to efficiently and cost-effectively drive two independently dimmable LED strings with a maximum power of 15W and an output voltage of up to 65V.

U.S. Department of Energy Crowns New Energy Saving LED Kings

The U.S. Department of Energy has just named the winners of its eighth annual Lighting for Tomorrow competition, and the focus was squarely on new high efficiency LED designs that could help cut lighting energy use by 25 percent. LEDs (light emitting diodes) also have a big advantage over conventional bulbs when it comes to longevity, which could add even more on top of the $120 billion in energy savings that DOE expects from LEDs over the next 20 years – if enough building owners can be convinced to make the shift.

When LEDs and math equal high art

Can math make art? Can logic inform patterns and sequences that are visually compelling? Is light a medium suitable for the artistic canvas? Clearly, the answer to all those questions is yes, and people like James Turrell and M.C. Escher have offered years of proof of that. LEDs light path to art, But now anyone in or near Silicon Valley has a chance to take in a fantastic collection of light works by the New York-based artist Leo Villareal at the San Jose Museum of Art.

Chili’s Lights Up Restaurants With LEDs

LED lamp technology certainly can go a long way in making a building more energy efficient. Brinker International, parent company of Chili’s Restaurants and Maggiano’s Restaurants, has taken this to heart by doing a massive roll out of LED lighting to its 827 corporate restaurants.

Cree expects to hire 244

Cree, the Durham LED maker whose rapid growth has made it a darling of politicians, is expanding for the second time in a year. After flirting with China and Malaysia, Cree executives said Monday that the company plans a $135 million expansion that would create an estimated 244 local jobs over the next two years.

Funky glowing wallpaper uses LEDs

LEDs are making a big splash in the lighting world, but in most applications they are simply being used to replace old-fashioned light bulbs. A British company wants to reinvent the entire way we think of lighting rooms, by creating wallpaper with tiny LEDs embedded directly into the surface.

Lighting market to push HB-LEDs into next manufacturing phase

The LED industry is already seeing higher volumes than ever, primarily from backlighting applications for LCD notebooks and TVs. But taking full advantage of an even bigger solid-state lighting market may require a move to more standardized and automated processes to increase yields and lower costs.

The End of the Lightbulb as We Know It

On September 24, General Electric will close its lamp plant in Winchester, Virginia. It's the company's last U.S. factory producing plain, old incandescent light bulbs. New energy standards will phase out the old bulbs by 2014, and eventually they'll be all but banned in this country. Millions of Americans will be forced to switch to compact fluorescent bulbs, or CFL's, most of which are made overseas.

Dirty Electricity: Not So Green Afterall...

UK experts have warned that CFL bulbs can trigger migraines, dizziness and loss of focus, as well as increased pain for those with lupus and can cause people with epilepsy to experience symptoms similar to the early stages of a fit. CFL's operate at high frequency using an electronic switching ballast to chop up the 120 volts -- that's how they are able to use less energy when compared to an old-style incandescent bulb. A typical operating frequency for an electronic ballast would be in the region of 20kHz to 100kHz, a frequency range known to produce adverse effects on one's health

Outdoor lighting makes homes shine

One simple move can make your home look more appealing by enhancing both the architecture and landscaping: Add outdoor lighting. But there's an even better reason to shine a light on your house. Industry experts say a lit home at night is safer and reduces the risk of burglary by 50 to 70 percent.

Green light for eco-friendly bulbs came far too soon

It's not long now before we will have no option but to use long-life light bulbs in our homes. For many of us it's one eco-friendly step too far. But a dimmer living room and risk of eye-strain may be the least of our worries. In the rush to get us using greener, more energy-efficient light bulbs, authorities here have forgotten to engage in any public information campaign about their health risks.

Seoul Semiconductor LEDs Featured in ZEBRAAlliance Project

Seoul Semiconductor said its LEDs are helping illuminate the future of energy-efficient homes. In a release, the company said its Acriche A3 AC LED is featured in solid state lighting installed throughout an energy-saving home at the Oak Ridge National Laboratories' ZEBRAAlliance project. Molex, Inc. produced the modules, which were designed by Lumenique. ZEBRAAlliance - the Zero Energy Building Research Alliance --is a collaborative effort among Schaad, the Tennessee Valley Authority, the Department of Energy, and the Oak Ridge Labs to field-test two pairs of energy saving residences.

Cree Brings Lighting-Class LEDs to the Half-Watt LED Market

Cree, Inc. is raising the standard for half-Watt LED devices with the commercial availability of its XLamp  ML-E LED. The lighting-class XLamp ML-E provides lighting designers with a compact and cost-effective solution for distributed LED arrays that can enable them to meet the stringent U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ENERGY STAR performance criteria. "When we set out to build our new linear light engine, we required the efficacy and reliability of XLamp LEDs, but wanted a smaller package size," said Markus Vockenroth, managing director, MAL Effekt-Technik GmbH. "The XLamp ML-E LED was the perfect combination of price and performance for our application."
The XLamp ML-E delivers lighting-class performance in applications where a smooth, uniform appearance is required, such as LED fluorescent tube replacement, ceiling-mounted panel lights and under-cabinet lighting. Unlike other low-power LEDs originally developed for consumer electronics and backlighting applications, the XLamp ML-E delivers the segment-leading color binning, efficacy, thermal resistance and the long-term reliability required for ENERGY STAR(R) luminaires and bulbs.
The XLamp ML-E delivers full-size features in a small, affordable package with luminous flux of up to 58 lm at 150 mA in cool white (5000K) and up to 48 lm in warm white (3000K). Like the XLamp MX-6 and MX-3 LEDs, the ML-E provides a tightly controlled uniform angular chromaticity and a 120 degree viewing angle, optimized for distributed lighting applications. The XLamp ML-E also shares the same ANSI-complaint chromaticity binning used by the XLamp XP and MX families of LEDs.

Showa Denko Ups Blue LED Chip Production Capacity to 340 Mil. Units/Month

Showa Denko K.K. (SDK) has increased its production capacity of blue LED chips at its Chiba site to 340 million units per month, from 200 million units per month. After completion of expansion work in July, SDK made a trial run to secure product quality and stable operations. Commercial operation has already started. Demand for blue LEDs is expected to grow around 10% a year on the average in coming years due to increased use in such applications as backlight for LCD TVs and general lighting. SDK will promote technical development to further increase output of LED chips and improve production efficiency, thereby providing high-quality, high-performance products that fulfill customers' requirements.
SDK is aiming to reduce impact on the environment and address such issues as the depletion of resources. In its ultrabright LED business, SDK will continue providing energy-saving products in order to contribute to sustainable development of society

More choices for energy-saving lighting

Philips, which is based in the Netherlands, has produced a strip of lighting made from OLEDs that can be powered directly from a mains electricity supply. That may not seem to be a brilliant invention, but in the lighting business it is a breakthrough. Although still at the laboratory stage, it will eventually mean that bulky power electronics and transformers will no longer have to be used with OLED lights, which brings down costs, simplifies design and allows them to be fitted into more products.

LED art unveiled at Jackson Convention Center

A unique work of public art was unveiled at the Jackson Convention Complex Tuesday morning called "Kinetic Vapor." The artwork depicts an image of water vapor that is created out of reflected natural light and color-shifting LEDs on aluminum wall panels.

Diodes Incorporated's LED Driver Simplifies Low-Voltage Low-Cost Lighting Design

Diodes Incorporated announced an LED driver tailored to fit low voltage illumination products operating at between 6V and 30V. The AL8805, a 1A rated buck mode constant current switching converter, will support up to ten 3W LEDs connected in series, suiting a range of low cost 'safe electrical' designs including the ubiquitous MR16 lamp. The driver's typical constant current output accuracy of 5%, irrespective of source voltage and LED chain length, is more than sufficient to meet the needs of low cost lighting products, ensuring uniform LED brightness and good inter-lamp matching without the need for ballast resistors.
With nominal output current determined by external resistor setting, LED dimming is simply achieved by either a DC voltage or PWM signal on the AL8805's control input. A DC voltage between 0.5V and 2.5V yields an output current between 25% and 100% of nominal, while a PWM signal between normal CMOS or TTL levels offers a highly flexible 1000:1 dynamic dimming range. On/off control is provided via a <0.4V signal applied to the same control input. The LED driver's enhanced switching speed and low on-resistance provide 1MHz switching frequency capability which reduces the size of the external components required in thermally demanding environments. The AL8805 is provided in the SOT23-5 package.

Asheville wants to borrow $3-5 million for LEDs

The city of Asheville wants to borrow between $3 million and $5 million to install high-efficiency street lights, put up solar panels and pay for other measures to cut city government's energy use. The City Council voted 7-0 at a regular Tuesday meeting to move forward with a plan to borrow the money and create a pot of money to fund further energy reductions. City staff has not yet identified exactly what energy-saving measures would be taken, saying they first wanted buy-in from the council. But replacing current street light bulbs with high-efficiency LED, or light emitting diode, bulbs would almost certainly generate the biggest savings, staff said.

DIY Analog LED Clock

Have a little bit of extra time over the coming weekends? How about getting involved in a DIY project that will not only spruce up your home and look cool at the same time? The DIY Analog LED clock from Wellyb00t is based on a PIC 16f877 microcontroller, and will require a keen eye for detail as well as steady hands since hand wiring the spiderweb of connections on the back of the board does take a fair amount of perseverance.

Lithonia Lighting RTLED Luminaire Named Best LED Interior Commercial Product

Acuity Brands, a market leader in innovative energy efficient lighting  and control solutions, received theLEDshow's award for best interior commercial product for the Lithonia Lighting RTLED luminaire. theLEDshow is a mini-convention and lighting industry consortium focused on marketing and promoting LED and solid-state lighting. The award honors LED lighting that is innovative, provides a high-quality of light output and eliminates cumbersome installation processes. Acuity Brands' Lithonia Lighting accepted the award at theLEDshow in Las Vegas in August 2010.
"We are honored to receive the award for best LED interior commercial product," said Dave Ranieri, Vice President and General Manager, Lithonia Lighting Commercial Indoor Products. "The RTLED fixture is an intelligent, controllable and adaptable LED lighting solution designed to meet current and future needs. Volumetric lighting, embedded controls and plug-and-play features make it ideal for various commercial applications, including office, retail, education and healthcare facilities."
First introduced in May 2010 and now available nationally through Lithonia Lighting sales representatives and authorized distributors, the RTLED is a high-quality, volumetric recessed luminaire that delivers ambient white light uniformly throughout an entire space while reducing energy and maintenance costs and a building's environmental footprint. Powered by an advanced LED light engine, the RTLED luminaire delivers an expected 50,000 hour system life and a superior lighting environment:  high color rendering (80+ CRI), 3500K color temperature, and full range dimming with 0-10V DC control.

World's 1st mains-powered white-light OLED module

The first-ever organic light emitting diode (OLED) module that can be powered directly from a mains electricity supply has been developed, claim scientists from Philips Research. The prototype opens the door to OLED systems that can be directly plugged into standard power outlets without the need for bulky power management circuitry. This will reduce the bill of materials and simplify luminaire design for future OLED-based systems aimed at mass-market general illumination applications.

US LED group eyes UK listing

A lighting company that used to be quoted on New York’s over-the-counter market is planning to raise about £6m on Aim. If it succeeds, ProPhotonix will become only the second US company to join Aim. The company, which is advised by Libertas Capital, has ambitions to be a market leader in high-brightness, energy-efficient light emitting diode light engines.

Plumen Bulbs Make CFLs Look Good

At the moment, if you’re looking to move to more eco-friendly bulbs, your choices are compact fluorescents or LEDs. The trouble is that LEDs are still pretty expensive (though their color temperature issues are being worked out), and CFLs are… well, fluorescent. Nobody likes fluorescent light.

The benefits of using LED light bulbs

LEDs, or to give them their full name, light-emitting diodes, are the most recent innovation in energy-efficient lighting but they cost significantly more than other light bulbs, so is the expense worthwhile?

Federal Agency Sues LED Bulb Maker

Even as lighting companies report advances in LED technology, consumers are being warned that some LED lighting products do not live up to the hype. The Federal Trade Commission announced on Wednesday that it had sued Lights of America, a light bulb manufacturer based in California, for misrepresenting the light output and life expectancy of its LED bulbs. It is the first F.T.C. case challenging LED marketing claims.

LED Segment Slides

Shares of several companies that make light-emitting diodes and related equipment slumped Wednesday as fears resurfaced about weakening demand for equipment such as liquid crystal display screens that use the LED bulbs. Shares of LED-maker Cree Inc. closed down 8.1% to $50.18, Veeco Instruments Inc. (VECO) fell 8.3% to $33.44 and Aixtron AG (AIXG) was 5.3% lower at $24.78.

Xenon, halogen and the battle of the bulbs

Xenon lights look fantastic and offer improved visibility, but they typically involve additional cost. Traditional halogen bulbs are cheap and reliable, but they leave room for improvement in lighting quality. To help shed some light on the real-world benefits of xenon lighting, and what the future of vehicular illumination might have in store, Metro had an enlightening conversation with Mercedes-Benz’s David Sherrard about the differences in two types of automotive lighting.

LED to the rescue

The Jamaican Government says it will be saving up to 87 per cent on the monthly electricity bill for traffic signals by replacing all incandescent bulbs with Light Emitting Diode (LED) lamps islandwide over the next 12 months. With some 40 per cent of the LED lamps already installed, a $14-million contract was signed last Friday for work to begin by month-end to replace the remaining 1,990 lamps.

Panasonic predicts the death of direct LED TVs

Direct LED TVs will soon disappear from the shelves and be replaced by cheaper Edge LED and plasma screens. That's according to Markus Wagenseil, Panasonic's technical marketing manager. Speaking to TechRadar in Berlin last week, Wagenseil said that Direct LED technology is not viable and will be extinct within two years.

Rechargeable LED Bulb becomes flashlight

Power going out is just a part of life. Storms hit and power lines sometimes go down and it’s even worse if you’re living outside of town. This rechargeable LED bulb may function as a normal bulb most of the time, but it has extra features that’ll keep you feeling safe and secure even during bad storms.

Virginia street lights to get whiter

The golden glow of street lights in some communities of Arlington, Virginia will soon be changing. Federal stimulus money is helping to swap out some of the lights in favor of new, energy efficient L.E.D. bulbs. The bulbs can cut costs and greenhouse gasses, and while Arlington installs them, frame changes will lower light pollution.

LED Lights Coming To Montana

More efficient LED or light emitting diode lights are coming to an intersection near you. It's part of a Montana Department of Transportation project replacing old incandescent street lights. Any intersection on a state or federal roadway will get the upgrade. Missoula City workers say the new lights will cut down significantly on the power needed to run the streetlights

Japan gets its first LUXEON-based LED retrofit light bulb

Future Lighting Solutions, which provides LED lighting components and support services for solid-state lighting products and installations (including engineering expertise, concept development, full system solutions and online tools), has announced a collaboration with Hong Kong’s Quantum Lighting Products Ltd to develop an LED retrofit for E26-base incandescent light bulbs. Using LUXEON Rebel LEDs made by Philips Lumileds of San Jose, CA, USA, the retrofits are being marketed through Japanese retail stores under the country’s Elpa brand, and are available in four cool- and warm-white models designed to replace 40W and 60W bulbs.

Redbird LED Completes Parking Garage LED Lighting Retrofit at Buckhead Marketplace

Redbird LED, an Atlanta, GA. firm that specializes in the design, manufacturing and distribution of energy efficient LED linear lighting for parking garages and commercial buildings, has completed a parking garage LED lighting retrofit project for Buckhead Marketplace. Buckhead Marketplace shopping center is located near the center of the prestigious Buckhead residential and commercial district and is anchored by Whole Foods. Buckhead Marketplace underground parking garage provides direct, secure and weather free access to the Whole Foods store.
The perimeter of Buckhead Marketplace parking garage is now brilliantly illuminated with the Redbird LED Vapor Tight Luminaries (40 watt). Redbird LED selected this product to enhance the lighting of parking spaces and walls along the periphery of the parking garage. The field adjustable illumination pattern allows the walls to be washed with light without any glare to pedestrians. The Vapor Tight Luminaries have a 50,000 hour lifetime, which reduces maintenance and energy costs for the shopping center owner. The Redbird LED parking garage LED lighting uses high efficacy linear light modules with controlled directional intensity which can be adjusted as needed on installation. The directionality of the Vapor Tight Luminaries was a key feature to provide the right lighting for the parking garage walls.
In addition to energy savings, LED lighting provides many advantages for parking garage owners. LED lights contain no harmful mercury so they do not need to be recycled; they operate much better in cold weather than fluorescent lamps and are more resistant to damage. “LED linear lights were a great solution for the Buckhead Marketplace project. The quality of the lighting has been enhanced and they will realize energy savings for many years” said Jonathan Eppstein, President of Redbird LED.

Vishay's New White, Non-Diffused 3-mm LED

Vishay Intertechnology, Inc. announced a new white, non-diffused 3-mm LED optimized for high-end applications with extreme luminous intensity requirements. Utilizing ultrabright InGaN technology, the VLHW4100 features a high luminous intensity from 4,500 mcd to 11,250 mcd at 20 mA.
The LED released today features a clear, untinted plastic case with a lens and viewing angle of 22.5 deg., and high light output and visibility performance. With its luminous intensity, the VLHW4100 provides an alternative to incandescent lamps and is intended for a wide range of general and consumer applications, including interior and exterior lighting, outdoor LED panels, light guides, and instrumentation and front panel indicators. The VLHW4100 offers low thermal resistance down to 400 K/W and power dissipation up to 95 mW. Featuring a 22.5 deg. angle of half intensity, the device is luminous categorized, per packaging unit, for luminous intensity and color. ESD-withstand voltage for the LED is up to 2 kV, in accordance with JESD22-A114-B. The device is compliant to RoHS directive 2002/95/EC.
Samples and production quantities of the new VLHW4100 LED are available now with lead times of eight weeks for larger orders. Follow Vishay LEDs at http://twitter.com/vishaylighting.

Europe's light-bulb socialism

Beginning this week, it is a crime to manufacture or ship for sale a traditional 75-watt incandescent light bulb in the European Union. Autocrats in Brussels last year declared war on Edison's greatest invention with a ban on 100-watt lamps. Homes throughout the Old World will continue to dim until incandescent lighting of all types is snuffed out in 2012 - the same year the United States is scheduled to begin a phaseout schedule mirroring the European plan.

White LED lights better than Incandescent

Previously white LEDs had a max of about 60 lumens per watt but the new White LEDs have 135 lumens per watt and match the best lighting alternatives. A new LED can replace traditional fluorescent bulbs for all general lighting applications, and also be used for automobile headlights and LCD backlighting.

Nanotech helping 3D TVs slim down

LG Electronics will show off the world's slimmest full LED 3D TV at the IFA consumer electronics trade show in Berlin from September 3 to 8. At just 0.88cm thin (and a 1.25cm bezel) the LG LEX8 is able to capture what the company says is the "sharpest 3D images on the market."

Tsinghua Tongfang Selects Veeco as Primary MOCVD Supplier

Veeco Instruments Inc. announced that Tsinghua Tongfang Company, a Beijing-based, publicly listed division of the Tsinghua Holdings Company Limited, has selected Veeco as its primary supplier of Metal Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition (MOCVD) systems for their new light-emitting diode (LED) factory. Veeco booked the initial systems from a large multi-tool purchase order earlier this month. Wang Lianghai, Vice President of Tsinghua Tonfang commented, "After thorough evaluation of available MOCVD systems at our Beijing LED R&D site, we selected Veeco as our primary supplier for our new production facility in NanTong which is scheduled to be completed by the end of this year. The TurboDisc(R) K465i MOCVD systems were the clear winner in terms of cost of ownership and productivity. We have an aggressive plan to ramp production of LEDs primarily to address backlighting demand for TVs, and Veeco's technology, tool performance and customer support best matched our needs."

Digital Lumens CEO Tom Pincince to Present at J.P. Morgan LED General Lighting Symposium

Digital Lumens, developer of the industry's first Intelligent Lighting System, announced that President and CEO Tom Pincince will join executives from General Electric, Veeco, Rubicon and others to present at the first annual J.P. Morgan LED General Lighting Symposium, to be held Thursday, September 2 in New York. The goal of the Symposium is to share information among all the companies involved with the use of LEDs for general lighting applications. Designed for large warehouses and industrial facilities, the Digital Lumens Intelligent Lighting System integrates LEDs, sensors, networking and software into a single solution that leverages system-wide intelligence to reduce customers' energy costs by up to 90 percent.
Last week, Digital Lumens announced that Maines Paper & Food Service, Inc., a $3 billion broadline foodservice distributor, has deployed the company's Intelligent Lighting System in its 460,000 square foot headquarters in Conklin, New York. With Digital Lumens' technology, Maines will reduce its lighting-related energy use by 87 percent, and Maines expects to save 1,726,108 kWh per year (more than enough electricity to power 200 homes for a year) and 1,240 metric tons of CO2.