Patent ID: 9750103
Date: 2017-08-29
CPC Classifications: F21K,F21V,F21Y,G02B,H05B,Y02B

Claim:
1. A light fixture, comprising: a solid state light source; a light section having a first side and a second side opposite the first side; a light guide, coupled to the second side of the light section, comprising a material having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface and an edge between the first and second surfaces, wherein the second surface forms an interior volume, the light is transported within the light guide until the light exits from the first or second surface, wherein the solid state light source is located at the edge of the light guide in order to optically couple the light into the light guide at the edge; a thermal guide at least partially contained within the interior volume and integrated with the light guide for providing thermal conduction from the light source for cooling the light, wherein an air gap is formed between at least a portion of the thermal guide and the second surface of the light guide, and the thermal guide includes a post extending into the interior volume and having an open end; a circuit board located within the post and extending beyond the open end of the post; a light sensor mounted on the circuit board beyond the open end of the post; a transparent or translucent cover mounted on the open end of the post and over the light sensor; a driver, electrically coupled to the circuit board, for providing power to the solid state light source, wherein the driver is configured to drive the solid state light source with a cyclical signal to repeatedly turn the solid state light source off and on, wherein the solid state light source is turned off and on at a rate sufficient for the light fixture to appear on, wherein the light sensor outputs a signal related to an ambient light level when the solid state light source is off; and a microcontroller configured to receive programming signals via the light sensor for use in controlling the driving of the solid state light source via the driver, wherein the microcontroller is configured to detect via the light sensor a particular series of light pulses as communication data instead of the ambient light level.