Methods and apparatus for sensor responsive illumination of liquids
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An apparatus, comprising:
- one of a pool and a spa to contain a liquid;
at least one light source, supported by the one of the pool and the spa, to illuminate the liquid, the at least one light source being positioned so as to illuminate the liquid with substantially unguided radiation;
at least one sensor to output at least one detection signal in response to a detectable condition; and
at least one controller, coupled to the at least one light source and the at least one sensor, to control radiation output by the at least one light source based on the at least one detection signal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for sensor responsive illumination of liquids in a variety of environments. In one example, multi-color LED-based sensor responsive light sources are employed to achieve a wide range of enhanced lighting effects in liquids. In another example, a pool or spa is illuminated by one or more multi-color sensor responsive light sources that may be employed as individually and independently controllable devices, or coupled together to form a networked lighting system to provide a variety of programmable and/or coordinated color illumination effects in the pool or spa environment.
538 Citations
79 Claims
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1. An apparatus, comprising:
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one of a pool and a spa to contain a liquid;
at least one light source, supported by the one of the pool and the spa, to illuminate the liquid, the at least one light source being positioned so as to illuminate the liquid with substantially unguided radiation;
at least one sensor to output at least one detection signal in response to a detectable condition; and
at least one controller, coupled to the at least one light source and the at least one sensor, to control radiation output by the at least one light source based on the at least one detection signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An apparatus, comprising:
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one of a pool and a spa to contain a liquid;
at least one light source, supported by the one of the pool and the spa, to illuminate the liquid;
at least one sensor to output at least one detection signal in response to a detectable condition; and
at least one controller, coupled to the at least one light source and the at least one sensor, to control radiation output by the at least one light source based on the at least one detection signal, wherein the at least one detectable condition includes at least one environmental condition in or external to the liquid, and wherein the at least one sensor is adapted to output the at least one detection signal in response to the at least one environmental condition. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
the at least one environmental condition includes an illumination condition in or external to the liquid; and
the at least one sensor includes at least one light sensor.
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12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein:
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the at least one environmental condition includes a temperature in or external to the liquid; and
the at least one sensor includes at least one temperature sensor.
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13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein:
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the at least one environmental condition includes a force in or external to the liquid; and
the at least one sensor includes at least one force transducer.
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14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein:
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the at least one light source is positioned so as to illuminate the liquid with substantially unguided radiation;
the at least one environmental condition includes at least one sound wave in or external to the liquid; and
the at least one sensor includes at least one pressure transducer.
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15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein:
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the at least one environmental condition includes at least one weather condition external to the liquid; and
the at least one sensor is adapted to output the at least one detection signal in response to the at least one weather condition.
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16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein:
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the at least one weather condition includes an atmospheric pressure; and
the at yeast one sensor includes at least one barometer.
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17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein:
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the at least one weather condition includes an ambient humidity; and
the at least one sensor includes at least one humidity sensor.
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18. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein:
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the at least one environmental condition includes a presence of electromagnetic radiation within a particular band of wavelengths in or external to the liquid; and
the at least one sensor is adapted to output the at least one detection signal in response to the presence of the electromagnetic radiation within the particular band of wavelengths.
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19. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein:
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the at least one environmental condition includes a motion in or external to the liquid; and
the at least one sensor includes at least one motion sensor.
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20. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein:
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the at least one environmental condition includes a presence of at least one thermal body in or external to the liquid; and
the at least one sensor includes at least one thermal detector.
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21. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the at least one sensor is adapted to vary the at least one detection signal based on changes in the at least one environmental condition.
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22. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the at least one light source includes at least two differently colored LEDs.
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23. An apparatus, comprising:
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one of a pool and a spa to contain a liquid;
at least one light source, supported by the one of the pool and the spa, to illuminate the liquid;
at least one sensor to output at least one detection signal in response to a detectable condition; and
at least one controller, coupled to the at least one light source and the at least one sensor, to control radiation output by the at least one light source based on the at least one detection signal, wherein the at least one detectable condition includes at least one liquid condition of the liquid, and wherein the at least one sensor is adapted to output the at least one detection signal in response to the at least one liquid condition. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. An apparatus, comprising:
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one of a pool and a spa to contain a liquid;
at least one light source, supported by the one of the pool and the spa, to illuminate the liquid; and
at least one sensor to output at least one detection signal in response to a detectable at least one controller, coupled to the at least one light source and the at least one sensor, to control radiation output by the at least one light source based on the at least one detection signal, wherein the at least one detectable condition includes at least one operating condition of the at least one light source, and wherein the at least one sensor is adapted to output the at least one detection signal in response to the at least one operating condition. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A method for illuminating a liquid in one of a pool and a spa, comprising acts of:
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a) illuminating the liquid in the one of the pool and the spa with variable color radiation; and
b) controlling the variable color radiation based on at least one detectable condition, wherein the act b) comprises acts of;
determining a readiness for use of the liquid based on the at least one detectable condition; and
controlling the variable color radiation so as to indicate to a user the readiness for use of the liquid. - View Dependent Claims (40)
illuminating the liquid with variable color radiation output by at least two differently colored LEDs.
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41. A method for illuminating a liquid in one of a pool and a spa, comprising acts of:
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a) illuminating the liquid in the one of the pool and the spa with variable color radiation; and
b) controlling the variable color radiation based on at least one detectable condition, wherein the at least one detectable condition includes at least one environmental condition in or external to the liquid, and wherein the act b) comprises an act of;
controlling the variable color radiation based on the at least one environmental condition. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 69)
controlling the variable color radiation based on the at least one illumination condition.
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43. The method of claim 41, wherein the at least one environmental condition includes a temperature in or external to the liquid, and wherein the act b) comprises an act of:
controlling the variable color radiation based on the temperature.
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44. The method of claim 41, wherein the at least one environmental condition includes a force in or external to the liquid, and wherein the act b) comprises an act of:
controlling the variable color radiation based on the force.
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45. The method of claim 41, wherein the variable color radiation is substantially unguided variable color radiation, wherein the at least one environmental condition includes at least one sound wave in or external to the liquid, and wherein the act b) comprises an act of:
controlling the substantially unguided variable color radiation based on the at least one sound wave.
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46. The method of claim 41, wherein the at least one environmental condition includes at least one weather condition, and wherein the act b) comprises an act of:
controlling the variable color radiation based on the at least one weather condition.
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47. The method of claim 46, wherein the at least one weather condition includes an atmospheric pressure, and wherein the act b) comprises an act of:
controlling the variable color radiation based on the atmospheric pressure.
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48. The method of claim 46, wherein the at least one weather condition includes an ambient humidity, and wherein the act b) comprises an act of:
controlling the variable color radiation based on the ambient humidity.
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49. The method of claim 41, wherein the at least one environmental condition includes a presence of electromagnetic radiation within a particular band of wavelengths in or external to the liquid, and wherein the act b) comprises an act of:
controlling the variable color radiation based on the presence of the electromagnetic radiation within the particular band of wavelengths.
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50. The method of claim 41, wherein the at least one environmental condition includes a motion in or external to the liquid, and wherein the act b) comprises an act of:
controlling the variable color radiation based on the motion.
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51. The method of claim 41, wherein the at least one environmental condition includes a presence of at least one thermal body in or external to the liquid, and wherein the act b) comprises an act of:
controlling the variable color radiation based on the presence of the at least one thermal body.
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52. The method of claim 41, wherein the act b) comprises an actor:
varying the variable color radiation based on changes in the at least one environmental condition.
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53. The method of claim 41, wherein the act a) includes an act of:
illuminating the liquid with variable color radiation output by at least two differently colored LEDs.
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69. The method of claim 52, wherein the act a) includes an act of:
illuminating the liquid with variable color radiation output by at least two differently colored LEDs.
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54. A method for illuminating a liquid in one of a pool and a spa, comprising acts of:
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a) illuminating the liquid in the one of the pool and the spa with variable color radiation; and
b) controlling the variable color radiation based on at least one detectable condition, wherein the at least one detectable condition includes at least one liquid condition of the liquid, and wherein the act b) comprises an act of;
controlling the variable color radiation based on the at least one liquid condition. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61)
controlling the variable color radiation based on the concentration of the at least one substance in the liquid.
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56. The method of claim 55, wherein the at least one liquid condition includes a salt concentration in the liquid, and wherein the act b) comprises an act of:
controlling the variable color radiation based on the salt concentration in the liquid.
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57. The method of claim 55, wherein the at least one liquid condition includes a chlorine concentration in the liquid, and wherein the act b) comprises an act of:
controlling the variable color radiation based on the chlorine concentration in the liquid.
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58. The method of claim 54, wherein the at least one liquid condition includes a bacteria level in the liquid, and wherein the act b) comprises an act of:
controlling the variable color radiation based on the bacteria level in the liquid.
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59. The method of claim 54, wherein the act b) comprises an act of:
varying die variable color radiation based on changes in the at least one liquid condition.
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60. The method of claim 54, wherein the at least one liquid condition includes a temperature of the liquid, and wherein the act b) comprises an act of:
controlling the variable color radiation based on the temperature of the liquid.
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61. The method of claim 54, wherein the act a) includes an act of:
illuminating the liquid with variable color radiation output by at least two differently colored LEDs.
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62. A method for illuminating a liquid in one of a pool and a spa, comprising acts of:
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a) illuminating the liquid in the one of the pool and the spa with variable color radiation; and
b) controlling the variable color radiation based on at least one detectable condition, wherein the at least one detectable condition includes at least one operating condition of at least one light source that generates the variable color radiation, and wherein the act b) comprises an act of;
controlling the variable color radiation based on the at least one operating condition of the at least one light source. - View Dependent Claims (63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68)
b1) controlling the variable color radiation based on the at least one operating condition so as to maintain safe operation of the at least one light source.
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64. The method of claim 63, wherein the act b1) includes an act of:
controlling the variable color radiation so as to maintain the at least one operating condition of the at least one light source within a predetermined range.
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65. The method of claim 63, wherein the act b1) includes an act of:
controlling the variable color radiation so as to provide at least one indication to a user if the at least one operating condition of the at least one light source does not fall within a predetermined range.
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66. The method of claim 62, wherein the act b) comprises an act of:
varying the variable color radiation based on changes in the at least one operating condition.
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67. The method of claim 62, wherein the at least one operating condition includes an operating temperature of the at least one light source, and wherein the act b) comprises an act of:
controlling the variable color radiation based on the operating temperature of the at least one light source.
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68. The method of claim 62, wherein the at least one operating condition includes an electrical current of the at least one light source, and wherein the act b) comprises an act of:
controlling the variable color radiation based on the electrical current of the at least one light source.
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70. A method for illuminating a liquid, comprising acts of:
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illuminating the liquid with substantially unguided radiation output simultaneously by at least two differently colored LEDs; and
controlling the radiation based on at least one detectable condition.
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71. An apparatus, comprising:
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at least one light source to illuminate a liquid, the at least one light source including at least two differently colored LEDs to generate variable color radiation, the at least one light source being positioned so as to illuminate the liquid with substantially unguided radiation;
at least one sensor to output at least one detection signal in response to a detectable condition; and
at least one controller, coupled to the at least one light source and the at least one sensor, to control the variable color radiation generated by the at least one light source based on the at least one detection signal. - View Dependent Claims (72)
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73. An apparatus, comprising:
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one of a pool and a spa to contain a liquid;
at least one light source, supported by the one of the pool and the spa, to illuminate the liquid;
at least one sensor to output at least one detection signal in response to a detectable condition; and
at least one controller, coupled to the at least one light source and the at least one sensor, to control radiation output by the at least one light source based on the at least one detection signal, wherein the at least one controller is adapted to determine a readiness for use of the liquid based on the at least one detection signal, and is further adapted to control the radiation output by the at least one light source so as to indicate to a user the readiness for use of the liquid. - View Dependent Claims (74)
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75. A method for illuminating a liquid in one of a pool and a spa, comprising acts of:
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a) illuminating the liquid in the one of the pool and the spa with substantially unguided variable color radiation; and
b) controlling the variable color radiation based on at least one detectable condition. - View Dependent Claims (76)
controlling at least one of an intensity and a color of the variable color radiation based on the at least one detectable condition.
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77. An apparatus, comprising:
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one of a pool and a spa to contain a liquid;
at least one light source, supported by the one of the pool and the spa, to illuminate the liquid;
at least one sensor to output at least one detection signal in response to a detectable condition; and
at least one controller, coupled to the at least one light source and the at least one sensor, to control radiation output by the at least one light source based on the at least one detection signal, wherein the one of the pool and the spa has a range of typical liquid levels of the liquid during use, and wherein the at least one light source is adapted to be disposed below the range of typical liquid levels, and wherein the at least one light source includes means for engaging the at least one light source mechanically and electrically with a conventional light socket supported by the one of the pool and the spa. - View Dependent Claims (78, 79)
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Specification