Multi-Sequenced LEDs on Two or More Wires

• US 20140254146A1
• Filed: 03/06/2014
• Published: 09/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Carmen Rapisarda
• Original Assignee: Carmen Rapisarda
• Inventors: Rapisarda, Carmen
• Granted Patent: US 9,615,412 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/227
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/0753 the devices being arranged next to each other
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/00 Circuit arrangements for operating light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/40 Details of LED load circuits

Abstract

The present invention is generally directed to sequencing two or more LEDs on two or more wires; if more than two wires are used, any two pairs of wires can be used as a pair of wires. Each pair of wires can be used to sequence two or more LEDs, and a sequencer can control sequencing of LEDs on multiple wires connected in a group, or in multiple groups of multiple wires. For a given pair of wires, a first group of LEDs is wired opposite a second group of LEDs so that only one group will emit light at one time depending upon the flow of an alternating current. Two groups of LEDs can also be created by using two different semiconductor materials alternately wired to a single anode and cathode pair of a single LED physical package.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a first electrically conductive wire;

a second electrically conductive wire; and

a plurality of light emitting diodes (“

LEDs”

), each of which is comprised of a semiconductor material electrically connected to both an anode and a cathode, the plurality of LEDs comprising;

a first group of one or more of the plurality of LEDs, each of which has its anode electrically connected to the first electrically conductive wire and its cathode electrically connected to the second electrically conductive wire; and

a second group of one or more of the plurality of LEDs, each of which has its anode electrically connected to the second electrically conductive wire and its cathode electrically connected to the first electrically conductive wire;

wherein the semiconductor in the first group is actuated to emit light in the first state but not in the second state while the semiconductor in the second group is actuated to emit light in the second state but not in the first state.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a controller for alternating the flow of a current through the first electrically conductive wire and the second electrically conductive wire between a first state and a second state;

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein a flow of electric charge between the first electrically conductive wire and the second electrically conductive wire is reversed between the first state and the second state.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the voltage that actuates the semiconductor in the first group in the first state is higher than the voltage that actuates the semiconductor in the second group in the second state.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein at least one of the first group of one or more of the plurality of LEDs is further comprised of a second semiconductor material electrically connected to both the anode and the cathode opposite that of the semiconductor so that the second semiconductor is actuated to emit light in the second state but not in the first state.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein at least one of the second group of one or more of the plurality of LEDs is further comprised of a second semiconductor material electrically connected to both the anode and the cathode opposite that of the semiconductor so that the second semiconductor is actuated to emit light in the first state but not in the second state.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the semiconductor emits light at a first visible color while the second semiconductor emits light at a second visible color.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the controller is further comprised of a sequencer which controls timing of current delivered to the first electrically conductive wire and the second electrically conductive wire.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the sequencer can cause the current to alternate at a sufficiently high frequency so that a human eye will perceive a third visible color which is a color addition of the first and the second visible colors.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a third electrically conductive wire; and

a second plurality of light emitting diodes (“

LEDs”

), each of which is comprised of a semiconductor material electrically connected to both an anode and a cathode, the second plurality of LEDs comprising;

a third group of one or more of the second plurality of LEDs, each of which has its anode electrically connected to the third electrically conductive wire and its cathode electrically connected to either the first electrically conductive wire or the second electrically conductive wire; and

a fourth group of one or more of the second plurality of LEDs, each of which has its cathode electrically connected to the third electrically conductive wire and its anode electrically connected to either the first electrically conductive wire or the second electrically conductive wire.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the controller alternates the flow of the current through the third electrically conductive wire and either the first electrically conductive wire or the second electrically conductive wire between a third state and a fourth state;

and

wherein the semiconductor in the third group is actuated to emit light in the third state but not in the fourth state while the semiconductor in the fourth group is actuated to emit light in the fourth state but not in the third state.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first, second, third, and fourth groups are arranged in a sequence to create a chasing effect when the controller alternates the flow of current through the first, second, third, and fourth states.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

a fourth electrically conductive wire; and

a third plurality of light emitting diodes (“

LEDs”

), each of which is comprised of a semiconductor material electrically connected to both an anode and a cathode, the third plurality of LEDs comprising;

a fifth group of one or more of the third plurality of LEDs, each of which has its anode electrically connected to the fourth electrically conductive wire and its cathode electrically connected to one of the group consisting of the first, second and third electrically conductive wires; and

a sixth group of one or more of the second plurality of LEDs, each of which has its cathode electrically connected to the fourth electrically conductive wire and its anode electrically connected to one of the group consisting of the first, second and third electrically conductive wires.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the controller alternates the flow of the current through the fourth electrically conductive wire and one of the group consisting of the first, second and third electrically conductive wires between a fifth state and a sixth state;

and

wherein the semiconductor in the fifth group is actuated to emit light in the fifth state but not in the sixth state while the semiconductor in the sixth group is actuated to emit light in the sixth state but not in the fifth state.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth groups are arranged in a sequence to create a chasing effect when the controller alternates the flow of current through the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth states.

16. An electrical circuit, comprising:

a first electrically conductive wire;

a second electrically conductive wire;

a plurality of light emitting diodes (“

LEDs”

) electrically connected in parallel to the first and second electrically conductive wires, each of which is comprised of a semiconductor material electrically connected to both an anode and a cathode, the plurality of LEDs comprising;

a first group of one or more of the plurality of LEDs, each of which has its anode electrically connected to the first electrically conductive wire and its cathode electrically connected to the second electrically conductive wire; and

a second group of one or more of the plurality of LEDs, each of which has its anode electrically connected to the second electrically conductive wire and its cathode electrically connected to the first electrically conductive wire;

a power source; and

a controller for alternating the flow of a current through the first electrically conductive wire and the second electrically conductive wire between a first state and a second state;

wherein the semiconductor in the first group is actuated to emit light in the first state but not in the second state while the semiconductor in the second group is actuated to emit light in the second state but not in the first state.

17. The electrical circuit of claim 16, further comprising:

at least one additional electrically conductive wire; and

a second plurality of LEDs electrically connected in parallel to a third electrically conductive wire of the at least one additional electrically conductive wire, each of which is comprised of a semiconductor material electrically connected to both an anode and a cathode, the second plurality of LEDs comprising;

a third group of one or more of the second plurality of LEDs, each of which has its anode electrically connected to the third electrically conductive wire and its cathode electrically connected to one of the group consisting of the first electrically conductive wire, the second electrically conductive wire and one of the at least one additional eclectically conductive wire other than the third electrically conductive wire; and

a fourth group of one or more of the second plurality of LEDs, each of which has its cathode electrically connected to the third electrically conductive wire and its anode electrically connected to one of the group consisting of the first electrically conductive wire, the second electrically conductive wire and one of the at least one additional eclectically conductive wire other than the third electrically conductive wire.

18. The electrical circuit of claim 17, wherein the controller alternates the flow of the current through the third electrically conductive wire and one of the group consisting of the first electrically conductive wire, the second electrically conductive wire and one of the at least one additional eclectically conductive wire other than the third electrically conductive wire between a third state and a fourth state;

and

wherein the semiconductor in the third group is actuated to emit light in the third state but not in the fourth state while the semiconductor in the fourth group is actuated to emit light in the fourth state but not in the third state.

19. The electrical circuit of claim 18, wherein the controller alternates the flow of the current between a pair of electrically conductive wires selected from the group consisting of the first electrically conductive wire, the second electrically conductive wire and a chosen wire of the at least one additional electrically conductive wire to create a chasing effect.

20. A lighting module, comprising:

a power source;

a plurality of pairs of electrically conductive wires electrically connected to the power source;

a controller for alternating the flow of a current through the plurality of pairs of electrically conductive wire to create a plurality of electrical circuits;

two or more pluralities of light emitting diodes (“

LEDs”

) electrically connected in parallel to the plurality of pairs of electrically conductive wires, each of the LEDs in the two or more pluralities of LEDs being comprised of a semiconductor material electrically connected to both an anode and a cathode, each of the two or more pluralities of LEDs comprising;

a first group of one or more LEDs, each of which has its anode electrically connected to a first electrically conductive wire of a given pair of electrically conductive wires to which it is attached and its cathode electrically connected to a second electrically conductive wire of the given pair of electrically conductive wires; and

a second group of one or more LEDs, each of which has its cathode electrically connected to the first electrically conductive wire of the given pair of electrically conductive wires to which it is attached and its anode electrically connected to the second electrically conductive wire of the given pair of electrically conductive wires

wherein the semiconductor in the first group is actuated to emit light in the first state but not in the second state while the semiconductor in the second group is actuated to emit light in the second state but not in the first state.