Lighting display system

• US 20040213020A1
• Filed: 04/28/2003
• Published: 10/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bradley L. Gotfried
• Original Assignee: Bradley L. Gotfried
• Inventors: Gotfried, Bradley L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,018,084 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/576
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0006 Coupling light into the fibre in general G02B6/4298
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0008 the light being emitted at the end of the fibre
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/04 formed by bundles of fibres G02B6/24 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/305 being the ends of optical fibres G09F9/302 takes precedence

Abstract

The present invention concerns a lighting display system. The system includes at least one non-transparent cable for transmitting light, at least one light emitting diode disposed at a first end of at least a portion of the non-transparent cables, a light emitting controller to control the intensity of light emanating from the light emitting diodes and receiving structure for receiving a second end of at least a portion of the non-transparent cables. At least a portion of the second ends of the non-transparent cables emit light from the light emitting diodes. The receiving structure is incorporated into infrastructure, and the system displays at least one design. In one arrangement, the design can be an advertisement or can simulate a floor covering, and the floor covering to be simulated can be carpeting. The infrastructure can be a travelway that supports at least one of vehicular traffic and pedestrian traffic.

Claims

1. A lighting display system, comprising:

at least one non-transparent cable for transmitting light;

at least one light emitting diode disposed at a first end of at least a portion of said non-transparent cables;

a light emitting controller to control the intensity of light emanating from said light emitting diodes; and

receiving structure for receiving a second end of at least a portion of said non-transparent cables, wherein at least a portion of said second ends of said non-transparent cables emit light from said light emitting diodes;

wherein said structure is incorporated into infrastructure and said system displays at least one design.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one design is an advertisement.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one design simulates a floor covering when displayed.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein said floor covering to be simulated is carpeting.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein said non-transparent cable is a fiber optic cable.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein said infrastructure is a travelway that supports at least one of vehicular traffic and pedestrian traffic.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein said light emitting controller includes a central microprocessor that is programmed with said at least one design to be displayed by said lighting display system.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein said light emitting controller includes a port for receiving data from a communications network thereby permitting said central microprocessor to receive data from a remote location.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the communications network is the Internet and said data received by said central microprocessor are transmitted from a computer connected to the Internet.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein at least three said light emitting diodes are disposed at a first end of each non-transparent cable;

wherein light emitted from said three light emitting diodes combines to form at least one of a plurality of colors.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein said receiving structure that receives said second ends of said non-transparent cables is at a location remote to said light emitting controller.

12. A lighting display system, comprising:

at least one non-transparent cable for transmitting light;

at least one light emitting diode disposed at a first end of each said non-transparent cable;

a light emitting controller to control the intensity of light emanating from said light emitting diodes; and

receiving structure for receiving a second end of each said non-transparent cable, wherein said second ends of said non-transparent cables emit light from said light emitting diodes;

wherein said receiving structure is incorporated into a travelway and said system displays at least one design;

wherein said travelway supports at least one of vehicular traffic and pedestrian traffic.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein said at least one design is an advertisement.

14. The system according to claim 12, wherein said at least one design simulates a floor covering when displayed.