Sign board lighting control system
First Claim
1. A system for controlling the illumination of each one of a plurality of sign boards in accordance with predetermined lighting protocols, assigned to each sign board, each protocol requiring predetermined on and off times, comprising:
- transmission means for transmitting at least one reference signal;
a lighting control unit associated with each, sign board, each said lighting control unit including receiver means for receiving each said transmitted reference signal, timing means responsive to each said received reference signal for initiating a predetermined timing period and sign lighting circuit means responsive to said timing means for controlling the application of operating current to the illuminating means of each said sign board following said timing period, whereby each said sign board is illuminated in accordance with its respective lighting protocol.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A sign board lighting control system for remotely controlling the lighting of a plurality of sign boards includes a radio transmitting device at a central location, and a radio receiving device and a lighting control unit at each sign board location. During set-up of a sign board, programming signals designating the mode of operation and the location of the sign board are transmitted by radio to the control unit associated with each sign board. Subsequently, timing signals containing a multiple-digit computer generated code designating the time of day and the time of sunrise and sunset on a particular day within particular latitudinal zones are transmitted by radio to the control units of all sign boards. Each lighting control unit interprets and responds to the timing signals in accordance with previously received programming signals to control the illumination of the sign board in accordance with a predetermined lighting protocol.
63 Citations
71 Claims
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1. A system for controlling the illumination of each one of a plurality of sign boards in accordance with predetermined lighting protocols, assigned to each sign board, each protocol requiring predetermined on and off times, comprising:
transmission means for transmitting at least one reference signal;
a lighting control unit associated with each, sign board, each said lighting control unit including receiver means for receiving each said transmitted reference signal, timing means responsive to each said received reference signal for initiating a predetermined timing period and sign lighting circuit means responsive to said timing means for controlling the application of operating current to the illuminating means of each said sign board following said timing period, whereby each said sign board is illuminated in accordance with its respective lighting protocol.- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A system for controlling the illumination of a plurality of sign boards equipped with a lighting system in accordance with a predetermined lighting protocol assigned to each sign board requiring predetermined on and off times, comprising:
- transmission means for transmitting at least one reference signal and at least one programming signal, a lighting control unit associated with each sign board, each said lighting control unit including receiver means for receiving said transmitted reference signals and said transmitted programming signals, timing means responsive to a received reference signal for initiating a predetermined timing period, said predetermined timing period being determined by a said received programming signal and sign lighting control circuit means responsive to said timing means for controlling the application of operating current to the lighting system of said sign board following said timing period, whereby each said sign board is caused to be illuminated in accordance with its respective predetermined lighting protocol.
- View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A lighting control device operable from a received reference signal for controlling the illumination of a sign board in accordance with a predetermined lighting protocol requiring predetermined on and off times, comprising:
- radio receiver means for receiving at least one reference signal, timing means responsive to a received reference signal for initiating a predetermined timing period and sign lighting control circuit means responsive to said timing means for controlling the application of operating current to a lighting means of said sign board following said timing period, whereby said sign board is caused to be illuminated in accordance with its lighting protocol, said reference signal controlling a plurality of sign boards.
- View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A lighting control device operable upon receiving at least one transmitted reference signal and at least one transmitted programming signal to control the illumination of a sign board in accordance with a predetermined lighting protocol assigned to said sign board requiring predetermined on an off times, comprising:
- radio receiver means for receiving said transmitted reference and programming signals, timing means responsive to a said received reference signal for initiating a predetermined timing period, said predetermined timing period determined by a said transmittted and received programming signal, and sign lighting control circuit means responsive to said timing means for controlling the application of operating current to lighting means on each said sign board following said timing period;
whereby each said sign board is illuminated in accordance with its respective lighting protocol, said reference signal controlling a plurality of sign boards. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
- radio receiver means for receiving said transmitted reference and programming signals, timing means responsive to a said received reference signal for initiating a predetermined timing period, said predetermined timing period determined by a said transmittted and received programming signal, and sign lighting control circuit means responsive to said timing means for controlling the application of operating current to lighting means on each said sign board following said timing period;
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45. A method for controlling the illumination of a selected one of a plurality of sign boards having a lighting means in accordance with a predetermined lighting protocol assigned to said selected sign board requiring predetermined on and off times, comprising:
- transmitting at least one reference signal to said plurality of sign boards, receiving a transmitted reference signal at at least one selected sign board, initiating a timing period at each said selected sign board in response to the received reference signal and controlling the application of operating current to the lighting means of each said selected sign board following its timing period, whereby each said selected sign board is caused to be illuminated in accordance with its predetermined lighting protocol.
- View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56)
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57. A method for controlling the illumination of a selected one of a plurality of sign boards in accordance with a predetermined lighting protocol assigned to said sign board requiring predetermined on and off times, comprising:
- transmitting at least one reference signal to each of said sign boards, transmitting at least one programming signal to each said selected sign board;
receiving at least one transmitted reference signal and at least one said programming signal at each said selected sign board;
initiating a timing period at each said selected sign board in response to a received reference signal, said timing period being determined by a said received programming signal; and
controlling the application of operating current to lighting means on each selected sign board following the timing period;
whereby each selected sign board is caused to be illuminated in accordance with its respective predetermined lighting protocol. - View Dependent Claims (58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67)
- transmitting at least one reference signal to each of said sign boards, transmitting at least one programming signal to each said selected sign board;
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68. A system for controlling the illumination of illumination means on each one of a plurality of sign boards disposed in diverse geographic locations in accordance with predetermined lighting protocols, each protocol requiring predetermined on and off times, comprising:
- transmission means for transmitting at least one reference signal, a lighting control unit associated with each sign board, each said lighting control unit including receiver means for receiving each transmitted reference signal, timing means responsive to each received reference signal for initiating a predetermined timing period depending upon the geographic location of the sign board and sign lighting circuit means responsive to said timing means for controlling the application of operating current to the illuminating means of each said sign board following said timing period, whereby each said sign board is illuminated in accordance with its respective lighting protocol.
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69. A system for controlling the illumination of a plurality of sign boards having lighting means in accordance with predetermined lighting protocols assigned to each sign board, each protocol requiring predetermined on and off times, comprising:
- transmission means for transmitting at least one reference signal and at least one programming signal, a lighting control unit associated with each sign board, each said lighting control unit including receiver means for receiving said transmitted reference signals and said transmitted programming signals, timing means responsive to a received reference signal for initiating a predetermined timing period, said predetermined timing period being determined by a received programming signal and being dependent upon the geographic location of the sign board, and sign lighting control circuit means responsive to said timing means for controlling the application of operating current to the lighting means of said sign board following said timing period, whereby each said sign board is caused to be illuminated in accordance with its respective predetermined lighting protocol.
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70. A lighting control device operable from a received reference signal for controlling the illumination of a sign board having a lighting means in accordance with a predetermined lighting protocol requiring predetermined on and off times, said sign board being one of a plurality of sign boards disposed in diverse geographic locations, said device comprising:
- radio receiver means for receiving at least one said reference signal, timing means responsive to a received reference signal for initiating a predetermined timing period dependent upon the geographic location of said sign board and sign lighting control circuit means responsive to said timing means for controlling the application of operating current to the lighting means of said sign board following said timing period, whereby said sign board is caused to be illuminated in accordance with its predetermined lighting protocol.
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71. A method for controlling the illumination of a selected one of a plurality of sign boards having lighting means and being disposed in diverse geographical locations in accordance with a predetermined lighting protocol assigned to said selected sign board, said lighting protocol requiring predetermined on and off times, comprising:
- transmitting at least one reference signal to said plurality of sign boards, receiving a transmitted reference signal at least one selected sign board, initiating a timing period at a said selected sign board in response to the received reference signal which timing period is dependent upon the geographic location of said selected sign board, and controlling the application of operating current to the lighting means of a said sign board following the timing period, whereby each said selected sign board is caused to be illuminated in accordance with its predetermined lighting protocol.
Specification