IP Verse

Light Source For Plant Cultivation And Plant Cultivation Device

Patent No. US12078302 (titled "Light Source For Plant Cultivation And Plant Cultivation Device") was filed by Seoul Viosys Co Ltd on Sep 15, 2021.

What is this patent about?

’302 is related to the field of plant cultivation, specifically addressing the need for improved light sources and methods to enhance plant growth and increase the production of beneficial compounds. The background acknowledges the growing consumer interest in healthier foods and environmentally friendly anti-aging methods, highlighting the desire for self-produced organic food and antioxidant-rich plants.

The underlying idea behind ’302 is to optimize plant growth and antioxidant production by using a combination of light sources that target specific plant photoreceptors. This involves using a first light source mimicking the solar spectrum to drive photosynthesis, along with a second and third light source emitting wavelengths tailored to stimulate cryptochrome and phytochrome, respectively. The insight is that by carefully controlling the light spectrum, it's possible to enhance both plant growth and the accumulation of desirable compounds like antioxidants.

The claims of ’302 focus on a plant cultivation light source unit comprising a substrate and a first group of light sources. This group includes multiple light sources on the substrate, each with a light-emitting structure of semiconductor layers. Crucially, these light sources emit different wavelengths, including a first light source with a spectrum closely matching sunlight , a second light source targeting cryptochrome, and a third targeting phytochrome. The first light source's spectrum must overlap at least 55% with a normalized solar spectrum and have a peak deviation of no more than 0.14 from it.

In practice, the invention uses a controller to manage the lighting conditions, potentially including alternating light and dark periods to mimic natural day/night cycles. The first light source, resembling sunlight, provides the broad-spectrum light necessary for photosynthesis and overall plant development. The second and third light sources, tuned to cryptochrome and phytochrome, influence specific growth processes and the production of secondary metabolites like phenolic compounds. The precise control over these wavelengths allows for fine-tuning the plant's growth and chemical composition.

The differentiation from prior approaches lies in the specific combination and control of light sources. Traditional plant cultivation often relies on generic lighting solutions. ’302, however, uses a tailored approach, optimizing the light spectrum to stimulate specific plant responses. This targeted approach aims to maximize both plant growth and the production of beneficial compounds, offering a more efficient and effective method for cultivating plants with enhanced nutritional value.

How does this patent fit in bigger picture?

Technical landscape at the time

In the late 2010s when ’302 was filed, plant cultivation systems commonly relied on specific light wavelengths to promote growth, at a time when controlling light spectrum and intensity was typically implemented using LED arrays and microcontrollers. Systems commonly relied on pre-programmed lighting cycles rather than adaptive control based on real-time plant needs, when hardware or software constraints made precise spectral tuning and UV supplementation non-trivial.

Novelty and Inventive Step

The examiner approved the application because the claims related to a light source emitting light with a spectrum having at least 55% overlap with a normalized solar spectrum, and including a peak with a deviation of 0.14 or less compared to the normalized solar spectrum. The examiner stated that this specific combination of features was not anticipated or obvious in light of the prior art.

Claims

This patent contains 19 claims, with independent claims 1 and 11. Independent claim 1 focuses on a plant cultivation light source unit comprising a substrate and a group of light sources emitting different peak wavelengths, including wavelengths for cryptochrome and phytochrome, and having a spectrum overlapping with a normalized solar spectrum. Independent claim 11 focuses on a plant cultivation device that includes the light source unit of claim 1, a housing, and a controller. The dependent claims generally specify further details, limitations, or features of the light source unit or the plant cultivation device.

Key Claim Terms New

Definitions of key terms used in the patent claims.

Term (Source)Support for SpecificationInterpretation
Light emitting structure
(Claim 1, Claim 11)		“The first group of light sources includes a plurality of light sources disposed on the substrate. A light source includes a light emitting structure including a first semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a second semiconductor layer. The plurality of light sources operates to emit lights having different wavelength bands and includes a first light source that emits first light having an area of at least about 55% compared with an area of a normalized solar spectrum, a second light source that emits second light having a wavelength for cryptochrome, and a third light source that emits third light having a wavelength for phytochrome.”A structure including a first semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a second semiconductor layer.
Normalized solar spectrum
(Claim 1, Claim 11)		“The first group of light sources includes a plurality of light sources disposed on the substrate. A light source includes a light emitting structure including a first semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a second semiconductor layer. The plurality of light sources operates to emit lights having different wavelength bands and includes a first light source that emits first light having an area of at least about 55% compared with an area of a normalized solar spectrum, a second light source that emits second light having a wavelength for cryptochrome, and a third light source that emits third light having a wavelength for phytochrome.”A standard solar spectrum used as a reference for comparison with the spectrum of the first light source.
Wavelength for cryptochrome
(Claim 1)		“The first group of light sources includes a plurality of light sources disposed on the substrate. A light source includes a light emitting structure including a first semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a second semiconductor layer. The plurality of light sources operates to emit lights having different wavelength bands and includes a first light source that emits first light having an area of at least about 55% compared with an area of a normalized solar spectrum, a second light source that emits second light having a wavelength for cryptochrome, and a third light source that emits third light having a wavelength for phytochrome.”A specific wavelength of light that activates cryptochrome photoreceptors in plants.
Wavelength for phytochrome
(Claim 1)		“The first group of light sources includes a plurality of light sources disposed on the substrate. A light source includes a light emitting structure including a first semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a second semiconductor layer. The plurality of light sources operates to emit lights having different wavelength bands and includes a first light source that emits first light having an area of at least about 55% compared with an area of a normalized solar spectrum, a second light source that emits second light having a wavelength for cryptochrome, and a third light source that emits third light having a wavelength for phytochrome.”A specific wavelength of light that activates phytochrome photoreceptors in plants.

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US12078302

SEOUL VIOSYS CO LTD
Application Number
US17475937
Filing Date
Sep 15, 2021
Status
Granted
Expiry Date
Jul 3, 2040
External Links
Slate, USPTO, Google Patents