Lighting display system

• US 7,018,084 B2
• Filed: 04/28/2003
• Issued: 03/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bradley L. Gotfried
• Original Assignee: Bradley L. Gotfried
• Inventors: Gotfried, Bradley L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ward, John Anthony
• Assistant Examiner(s): Truong, Bao Q.
• Application Number:
  US10/424,250
• Publication Number:
  US 20040213020A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,065 Days
• Field of Search: 362/576, 362/153, 362/552, 362/555, 362/551, 362/800, 362/145, 362/153.1, 362/554, 362/556, 362/583, 362/559, 404/22
• US Class Current: 362/576
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0006 Coupling light into the fibre in general G02B6/4298
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0008 the light being emitted at the end of the fibre
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/04 formed by bundles of fibres G02B6/24 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/305 being the ends of optical fibres G09F9/302 takes precedence

Abstract

The present invention concerns a lighting display system. The system includes at least one non-transparent cable for transmitting light, at least one light emitting diode disposed at a first end of at least a portion of the non-transparent cables, a light emitting controller to control the intensity of light emanating from the light emitting diodes and receiving structure for receiving a second end of at least a portion of the non-transparent cables. At least a portion of the second ends of the non-transparent cables emit light from the light emitting diodes. The receiving structure is incorporated into infrastructure, and the system displays at least one design. In one arrangement, the design can be an advertisement or can simulate a floor covering, and the floor covering to be simulated can be carpeting. The infrastructure can be a travelway that supports at least one of vehicular traffic and pedestrian traffic.

Claims

1. A lighting display system, comprising:

at least one non-transparent cable for transmitting light;

at least one light emitting diode disposed at a first end of at least a portion of said at least one non-transparent cable;

a light emitting controller having a digital signal processor that signals said at least one light emitting diode to control the intensity of light emanating from said at least one light emitting diode and to control the color of the light resulting from the combination of light from said at least one light emitting diode; and

a receiving structure for receiving a second end of at least a portion of said at least one non-transparent cable, wherein at least a portion of said second end of said at least one non-transparent cable emits light from said at least one light emitting diode;

wherein said structure is incorporated into infrastructure and said system displays at least one design.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one design is an advertisement.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one design simulates a floor covering when displayed.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein said floor covering to be simulated is carpeting.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein said non-transparent cable is a fiber optic cable.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein said infrastructure is a travelway that supports at least one of vehicular traffic and pedestrian traffic.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein said light emitting controller includes a central microprocessor that is programmed with said at least one design to be displayed by said lighting display system.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein said light emitting controller includes a port for receiving data from a communications network thereby permitting said central microprocessor to receive data from a remote location.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the communications network is the Internet and said data received by said central microprocessor are transmitted from a computer connected to the Internet.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein at least three light emitting diodes are disposed at a first end of each non-transparent cable;

wherein light emitted from said at least three light emitting diodes combines to form at least one of a plurality of colors.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein said receiving structure that receives said second end of said non-transparent cables is at a location remote to said light emitting controller.

12. A lighting display system, comprising:

a plurality of non-transparent cables for transmitting light;

at least one light emitting diode enclosed in a first end of each said non-transparent cable;

a light emitting controller to control the intensity of light emanating from said at least one light emitting diode; and

a receiving structure with apertures arranged in an array for receiving a second end of each said non-transparent cable, wherein said second end of said non-transparent cable emits light from said at least one light emitting diode, the array providing for the display of a plurality of designs by selective light emission from said at least one light emitting diode;

wherein said receiving structure is incorporated into a travelway and said system displays at least one design;

wherein said travelway supports at least one of vehicular traffic and pedestrian traffic.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein said at least one design is an advertisement.

14. The system according to claim 12, wherein said at least one design simulates a floor covering when displayed.

18. The system according to claim 12, wherein said light emitting controller dynamically adjusts the said at least one design.

15. A lighting display system, comprising:

at least one non-transparent cable for transmitting light;

at least one light emitting diode disposed at a first end of at least a portion of said at least one non-transparent cable;

a light emitting controller to control the intensity of light emanating from said at least one light emitting diode, said light emitting controller including a central processor configured to receive data via the Internet thereby permitting said central microprocessor to receive data from a remote location;

a computer communicably coupled to the central processor via the Internet that provides data that controls the light emitting controller; and

a receiving structure for receiving a second end of at least a portion of said at least one non-transparent cable, wherein at least a portion of said second end of said at least one non-transparent cable emits light from said at least one light emitting diode;

wherein said structure is incorporated into infrastructure and said system displays at least one design.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein said at least one design is an advertisement.

17. The system according to claim 15, further comprising at least three light emitting diodes, each said light emitting diode providing a distinct color, whereby light emitted from said three light emitting diodes combines to emit a single color dependent upon the intensity of the light emitted by each said light emitting diode.