Lighting

• US 10,327,311 B2
• Filed: 05/11/2017
• Issued: 06/18/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seasonal Specialties LLC (Seasonal Specialties)
• Original Assignee: Seasonal Specialties LLC (Seasonal Specialties)
• Inventors: Altamura, Steven J., Werner, Christine, Anderson, Derek Dean, Guse, Matthew, Miller, Carmen
• Primary Examiner(s): A, Minh D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cho, James H
• Application Number:
  US15/592,591
• Publication Number:
  US 20170303374A1
• Time in Patent Office: 768 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 2033/0827 illuminated
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 33/08 Christmas tree decorations
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 33/0836 comprising means for attaching to a lamp or candle holder, e.g. reflectors, lamp shades
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/10 with light sources attached to loose electric cables, e.g. Christmas tree lights
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/003 the elements being electronics drivers or controllers for operating the light source, e.g. for a LED array
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/045 the sensor receiving a signal from a remote controller
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0471 the sensor detecting the proximity, the presence or the movement of an object or a person
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0478 by means of an image recording device, e.g. a camera
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/06 the elements being coupling devices , e.g. connectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2121/00 Use or application of lighting devices or systems for decorative purposes, not provided for in codes F21W2102/00 – F21W2107/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2121/04 for Christmas trees
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/30 User interface
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/20 Controlling the colour of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/40 Details of LED load circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/115 by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/1965 using handheld communication devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 : Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

Enhancements to ornamental or holiday lighting are disclosed including remote control ornamental illumination with color pallet control whereby a user can vary the color/intensity/appearance of an individual bulb or entire light string by selecting the electronic address of the bulb and selecting its attribute. Further disclosures include: motion responsive lights which respond to sensed movement, gesture controlled lights, adjustable white color/white led sets, connectable multi-function lights, controller to sequence lights to music or other input source, rotating projection led light/tree top/table top unit, and remote controlled sequencing icicle lights and ornament lighting system.

Claims

1. A system for configuring a display of lights in a lights string comprising:

a. a plurality of color controllable lamps wired into at least one slave string of lights;

b. said slave string having at least one address and is connected to a processor controller for responding to commands sent to said address;

c. a controller connected to said slave string to provide power and address signals said slave string;

d. a device connected to said controller for transmitting said commands to said controller;

e. said device including a camera;

f. a display screen including a display of colors;

g. said camera configured to capture an image, compute a dominate color in a field of view and generate a single color being the dominate color in the field of view and displaying the dominate color on the screen;

h. a sender to transmit color instructions to said address;

so that said slave string will display a color equivalent to the dominate color on said image.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the dominate color is displayed as a point on a color pallet which is then user adjustable to a different color.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the dominate color is a color which fills more of the display screen than any other color.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the dominate color is an average of all colors in the image.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said single color is chromatically complementary to the dominate color from the color sensor.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said single color is an average of the colors detected by a color sensor;

and wherein the processor controller computes an amalgamated color which is transmitting a color scheme to said slave string.

7. The system of claim 1 further including the display screen including a color pallet;

and wherein said single color is the dominate color detected by a color sensor, and wherein the dominate color is displayed on said color pallet, so that a user may select a color scheme of choice and transmit said single color to said slave string to the LED lamps.

8. The system of claim 1 further including a display screen including a color pallet;

and wherein the dominate color includes a plurality of color zones on the image of select colors indicated on the display screen and wherein a user may select a color scheme of choice and transmit said color scheme of choice to said slave string.

9. A system for configuring a display of lights in a lights string comprising:

a. a plurality of color controllable lamps wired into at least one slave string of lights;

b. said slave string having at least one address and a processor controller for responding to commands sent to said address;

a controller connected to said slave string to provide power and address signals to said slave string;

d. a device wirelessly connected to said controller for transmitting said commands to said controller;

e. said device including a color sensor;

f. a display screen including a color pallet;

g. said color sensor configured to capture an image, compute colors in a field of view and display them as points on said color pallet;

h. in response to user selection of the points on the display screen, a sender to transmit color instructions to said address;

so that said light of said slave string will display the user selected points on the display screen.

10. A system for configuring a display of lights in a lights string comprising:

a. a plurality of lamps wired into at least one slave string of lights;

b. said slave string having at least one address and being a capable of responding to commands sent to that said address;

c. a controller connected to said slave string to provide power and address signals to the slave string;

d. a device connected to said controller for transmitting said commands to said controller;

e. said device including a display screen and running software including;

i. a display including a visual indication said slave string and an indication that lamps are connected;

ii. a touch responsive interface for accessing said displayed slave string;

iii. in response to access of said displayed slave string, displaying at least one color to be assigned to said slave string;

iv. a transmitter for transmitting said color assigned to said slave string from said device to said controller and to said slave string by said address;

v. in response to access of said displayed slave string, displaying a selection of non-color light display characteristics assignable to said slave string;

vi. a transmitter for transmitting said selected non-color light display characteristics from said device to said controller and to said slave string by said address,

vii. wherein the display includes a virtual representation of at least one of said lamps corresponding to lamps on said slave strings and wherein said selected color and non-color light display characteristics are virtually indicated on said display screen before transmission to said controller;

so that when said slave string of lights are illuminated, they will display whatever color and non-color light display characteristics have been transmitted to them from said device.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said lights string includes a plurality slave light strings each having its own address, and wherein said device polls the slave light strings to determine which slave strings have reachable addresses.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the polled slave light strings appear as representations on said device.

13. The system of claim 10 including a plurality preprogrammed color and non-color characteristics are stored on said device for user selection.

14. The system of claim 10 wherein said device is configured to save a plurality of color matrices and non-color transitional characteristics wherein an user can select from said saved color matrices to be transmitted to said controller.

15. The system according to claim 10 wherein said at least one assigned color is saved to a color matrix display screen capable of saving multiple colors thereon and wherein a color matrix screen includes a non-color transitional characteristic selector which allows user a selectable input to select a non-color characteristic to transition from each indicated on the color matrix display so that when the colors and non-color characteristics are selected and transmitted to the addressed slave strings, they will display a sequence of previously saved colors and non-color transition characteristics between colors.