Remotely controlled light displays

• US 6,424,096 B1
• Filed: 04/18/2000
• Issued: 07/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Donovan S. Lowe, Paul Szabo, Steve Ranta
• Original Assignee: Donovan S. Lowe, Paul Szabo, Steve Ranta
• Inventors: Szabo, Paul, Ranta, Steve, Lowe, Donovan S.
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, DAVID HUNG
• Application Number:
  US09/556,003
• Time in Patent Office: 826 Days
• Field of Search: 315/292, 315/295, 315/362, 315/316, 315/185.R
• US Class Current: 315/185.00R
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/155 Coordinated control of two or more light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/195 the transmission using visible or infrared light

Abstract

A hand-held transmitter (T) delivers an IR control signal to a receiver (R) that is connected to send the signal to a lighting control module (LCM) within a housing (16). A cable (18) of light strings (20, 22, 24, 26) and a common conductor (28) extends away from the housing (16) a distance sufficient to provide a desired number of lights (30, 32, 34, 36). All lights (30, 32, 34, 36) may be the same color or each light string (20, 22, 24, 26) may have lights of a color different from the color of any other light string. The receiver conductor 39 may be wound on the cable (18). In use, an AC plug (12) is plugged into an AC receptacle. A first length of wiring (14) and the receiver conductor (39) space the receiver (R) a predetermined distance from the AC receptacle. This allows the receiver (R) to be positioned forwardly of a Christmas tree or other object in which the light display (10) is placed. The window (40) of the receiver 38 is oriented so that it is easily reachable by a wireless control signal that is emitted from the transmitter (T).

Claims

1. A light display, comprising:

an AC plug adapted to fit into an AC receptacle;

a lighting control module (LCM) spaced from the AC plug and including a housing;

a first length of wiring extending from the AC plug to the LCM for bringing AC power to the LCM;

a plurality of light strings extending from said LCM, each said light string including a plurality of spaced apart lights connected together by the light string;

a receiver spaced from the LCM, said receiver having a housing and being contiguous the light strings and being adapted for receiving wireless command signals from a transmitter;

a second length of wiring extending from the LCM to the receiver contiguous along the light strings;

said LCM comprising electronic circuitry in the housing including a microprocessor programmed to receive, decode and use specific wireless command signals transmitted to the receiver and in response to said command signals cause the lights to illuminate in specific defined patterns dictated by the command signals;

a remote control transmitter adapted to generate and transmit wireless command signals to the receiver for selectively establishing the specific defined patterns for the lights strings; and

wherein when the AC plug is within the AC receptacle, the first length of wiring will extend from the plug to the LCM, and the plurality of light strings and the second length of wiring will extend away from the LCM, and the second length of wiring will extend from the LCM to said receiver.

2. The light display of claim 1, wherein at least one light string includes lights that are different in color from at least one other light string.

3. The light display of claim 1, wherein each light string includes lights of one color that are different in color than the lights of each other string.

4. The light display of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is programmable to send, the receiver is adapted to receive and the LCM is programed to use wireless command signals that change the degree of brightness of at least some of the lights.

5. The light display of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is programmable to send, the receiver is adapted to receive and the LCM is adapted to use wireless command signals that cause at least some of the lights to blink.

6. The light display of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is programmable to send, the receiver is adapted to receive and the LCM is programed to use wireless command signals that change the lights from brightness to dark at staggered intervals so as to produce a traveling effect.

7. The light display of claim 1, wherein the receiver includes a hanging implement usable to connect the receiver to an object that receives the light strings.

8. The light display of claim 7, wherein at least one light string includes lights that are different in color from at least one other light string.

9. The light display of claim 8, wherein each light string includes lights of one color that are different in color from the lights of each other string.

10. The light display of claim 9, wherein the transmitter is programmable to send, the receiver is adapted to receive and the LCM is programmed to use wireless command signals that cause at least one of the following defined patterns:

change the degree of brightness of at least some of the lights;

cause at least some of the lights to blink;

change the lights from brightness to dark at staggered intervals so as to produce a traveling effect.

11. The light display of claim 9, wherein the transmitter is programmable to send, the receiver is adapted to receive and the LCM is programmed to use wireless command signals that cause at least two of the following defined patterns:

change the degree of brightness of at least some of the lights;

cause at least some of the lights to blink;

change the lights from brightness to dark at staggered intervals so as to produce a traveling effect.

12. The light display of claim 9, wherein the transmitter is programmable to send, the receiver is adapted to receive, and the LCM is programmed to use wireless command signals to change the degree of brightness of at least some of the lights;

cause at least some of the lights to blink;

change the lights from brightness to dark at staggered intervals so as to produce a traveling effect.

13. The light display of claim 6, wherein each light string includes lights of one color that are different in color than the lights of each other string.

14. The light display of claim 1 wherein the light strings are wound together to form a cable and place the spaced apart lights in a pattern of a first light from a first string, followed by a first light from a second string, followed by a first light from a third string, and continuing until the first light from each string is placed, and then continuing with the second light from the first string followed by the second light from the second string, followed by the second light from the third string, and continuing the pattern until all of the second lights are in the pattern, and then continuing the pattern the same way with the third and all subsequent lights from the strings.

15. The light display of claim 14, wherein the second length of wiring is wrapped around the cable of wiring so that it helically surrounds and follows the cable.

16. The light display of claim 14, wherein the receiver includes a hanging implement usable to connect the receiver to an object that receives the light display.

17. A light display, comprising:

an AC plug adapted to fit into an AC receptacle;

a lighting control module (LCM) connected to the AC plug;

a plurality of light strings extending from said LCM, each said light string including a plurality of spaced apart lights connected together in series;

a receiver connected to the LCM and adapted for receiving wireless command signals from a transmitter;

said LCM comprising electronic circuitry including a microprocessor programmed to receive, decode and use specific wireless command signals transmitted to the receiver and in response to said command signals cause the lights to illuminate in specific defined patterns dictated by the command signals;

a remote control transmitter adapted to generate and transmit wireless command signals to the receiver for selectively establishing the specific defined patterns for the light strings;

wherein the plurality of light strings extend away from the LCM; and

wherein the light strings are wound together to form a cable and place the spaced apart lights in a pattern of a first light from a first string, followed by a first light from a second string, followed by a first light from a third string, and continuing this pattern until the first light from each string is in the pattern, and then continuing with the second light from the first string followed by the second light from the second string, followed by the second light from the third string, and continuing the pattern until all of the second lights are in the pattern, and then continuing the pattern the same way with the third and all subsequent lights from the strings.

18. The light display of claim 17, wherein at least one light string includes lights that are different in color from at least one other light string.

19. The light display of claim 18, wherein each light string includes lights of one color that are different in color than the lights of each other string.

20. The light display of claim 17, wherein the transmitter is programmable to send, the receiver is adapted to receive and the LCM is programmed to use wireless command signals that change the degree of brightness of at least some of the lights.

21. The light display of claim 17, wherein the transmitter is programmable to send, the receiver is adapted to receive and the LCM is adapted to use wireless command signals that cause at least some of the lights to blink.

22. The light display of claim 17, wherein the transmitter is programmable to send, the receiver is adapted to receive and the LCM is programmed to use wireless command signals that change the lights from brightness to dark at staggered intervals so as to produce a traveling effect.