Chromatic lighting display

• US 4,922,154 A
• Filed: 01/11/1988
• Issued: 05/01/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alain Cacoub
• Original Assignee: Alain Cacoub
• Inventors: Cacoub, Alain
• Primary Examiner(s): MIS, DAVID C
• Application Number:
  US07/142,015
• Time in Patent Office: 841 Days
• Field of Search: 315/10, 315/11, 315/149, 315/152, 315/153, 315/154, 315/155, 315/158, 315/159, 315/312
• US Class Current: 315/149
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 39/042 by measuring the incident light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/10 Controlling the light source
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/00 Energy efficient lighting technologies, e.g. halogen lamps or gas discharge lamps

Abstract

A chromatic lighting display utilizes a plurality of light-producing elements positioned to be visually accessed by a user, the elements arranged in co-extensive and diverse positions, controlled in light-emitting intensities and colors by a centrally located control mechanism coupled thereto. A plurality of light sensors are disposed to receive natural external light, each adapted with suitable color filters. The signals generated by the light-receiving sensors are transmitted to the control device which, in turn, operating upon a predetermined color-responsive algorithm, provides energization to each of the plurality of light-emitting devices, providing the display of different colors of light, at different intensities, accessible to the user.

Claims

1. A chromatic lighting display comprising at least one of a plurality of housings, said at least one housing having an exterior portion and an interior portion, at least one opening, said at least one opening communicating between said exterior portion and said interior portion of said at least one housing, means to detect the primary colors of ambient light present at said exterior portion of said at least one housing, means to detent the intensity of each of said primary colors present at said exterior portion of said at least one housing, at least three photocells, each of said at least three photocells producing output signals, said at least three photocells being secured to said interior portion of said at least one housing and exposed to said ambient light light entering said at least one housing through said at least one opening, at least three differently colored filters, said at least three colored filters being positioned to filter said ambient light passing through said at least one opening and through each of said at least three colored filters and impinging upon each of said at least three photocells, at least three amplifiers, each of said at least three photocells having output terminals, each of said at least three amplifiers having input terminals, each of said amplifier input terminals connected independently to each of said photocell output terminals, a comparator, said comparator having output terminals, means whereby said comparator produces output signals at said comparator output terminals, each of said at least three amplifiers having output terminals, means whereby each of said at least three amplifiers amplifies each of said at least three photocell output signals, means whereby said output terminals of each of said at least three amplifiers are coupled to said comparator, an algorithm of programmed preselected adjustable time intervals and programmed preselected adjustable color patterns of programmed varying color intensities and programmed varying durations being programmed into said comparator, at least one lighting display, said at least one lighting display having means to produce light signals, means whereby said comparator output terminals are coupled to said at least one lighting display whereby said light signals produced by said at least one lighting display will be energized and controlled by said output signals produced by said comparator output terminals for said preselected adjustable time intervals and said preselected adjustable color patterns of said varying color intensities and said varying durations responsive to said algorithm by said output signals produced by said comparator output terminals and responsive to the output signals produced by said at least three amplifiers.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said at least one housing is secured to said at least one lighting display and positioned to have said at least one opening of said at least one housing disposed to receive and only pass said ambient light therethrough exclusive of said light signals produced by said at least one lighting display.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said at least one lighting display is mounted outdoors.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said at least one lighting display is contained within the interior of a building and wherein said at least one opening of said at least one housing is exposed to the exterior of said building.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said at least one opening of said at least one housing and said at least one lighting display are confined within the interior of a building.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein said at least one housing and said at least one lighting display are disposed at separate locations within said interior of said building.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein said at least one lighting display is secured to articles of furniture.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein said at least one lighting display is secured to at least one edge of a window of said building.

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3 further comprising said at least one lighting display having exterior edges and having other surface portions at various locations along the surface of said at least one lighting display, means whereby said exterior edges and said other surface portions each display different light signals produced by said at least one lighting display to be visually accessible to a user.

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 whereby said at least one lighting display comprises at least one string of a plurality of strings of electrical light producing elements, said at least one string of electrical light producing elements being disposed in an elongated path and means whereby said at least one string is operated and controlled by said output signals produced by said comparator output terminals.

11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising said at least one lighting display having a moveable shutter, means to variably position said moveable shutter over said at least one lighting display exposing selected amounts of said light signals produced by said at least one lighting display to be visually accessible to a user.

12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said at least one lighting display comprises at least one electrically operated lighting element, a track, a plurality of colored filters each sequentially affixed adjacent one another, means whereby said plurality of colored filters are moveable along said track, means whereby said plurality of colored filters are positioned at selected locations over the length of said at least one electrically operated lighting element in selected positions operated and controlled by said output signals produced by said comparator output terminals.