Variable effect light string

• US 7,986,101 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2007
• Issued: 07/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seasonal Specialties LLC (Seasonal Specialties)
• Original Assignee: Seasonal Specialties LLC (Seasonal Specialties)
• Inventors: Neuman, Robert C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Owens; Douglas W
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chen; Jianzi
• Application Number:
  US11/986,293
• Publication Number:
  US 20080143267A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,344 Days
• Field of Search: 315/200.R, 315/201, 315/202, 315/203, 315/205
• US Class Current: 315/200.00R
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/155 Coordinated control of two or more light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/16 by timing means

Abstract

A light system that is controllable to generate a plurality of selected lighting effects, the light system includes a main processor, the main processor being in communication with a plurality of light sources; and each of the plurality of light sources having a distinct, known address whereby one of more of the light sources are individually addressable by the main processor, a known address being received by a selected light source of the plurality of light sources and acting to set the selected light source of the plurality of light sources in a disposition to receive a subsequent command from the main processor for generating a selected lighting effect. A light source and a method of forming a light system are further included.

Claims

1. A decorative light string for creating variable lighting effects, comprising:

a main processor;

a plurality of light source assemblies, each having a distinct address known to the main processor, each of the plurality of light source assemblies including one or more light sources and a microprocessor, wherein the microprocessors of the light source assemblies are powered serially; and

a serial communication line adapted to transmit lighting effect data to the microprocessor; and

further comprising a fixed voltage device connected across the negative and positive power pins of each microprocessor and wherein each of the plurality of light source assemblies further comprises a first and a second diode, wherein the cathode of the first diode is electrically connected to a negative power supply pin of the microprocessor, the anode of the first diode is electrically connected to the cathode of the second diode and a data input pin to the microprocessor, and the anode of the second diode is connected to the positive power supply pin of the microprocessor.

2. The decorative light string of claim 1, further comprising a zener diode connected across the negative and positive power pins of each microprocessor.

3. The decorative light string of claim 2, wherein the fixed voltage device is a zener diode.

4. A decorative light string according to claim 1 wherein light source assemblies, each having at least one light source and at least one flip-flop device;

wherein the lighting effect data is transmitted to the flip-flop devices thereby controlling the light sources and creating a lighting effect.

5. The decorative light string of claim 4, wherein the flip-flop devices are electrically connected in series such that the lighting effect data is transmitted sequentially through at least one flip-flop device in each light source assembly.

6. The decorative light string of claim 5, wherein each light source assembly includes a first and a second flip-flop device, wherein the first flip-flop devices sequentially receive the transmitted data from the main processor and other first flip-flop devices, and the second flip-flop devices receive the lighting effect data in parallel from the first flip-flop devices.

7. The decorative light string of claim 4, wherein the flip-flop devices are selected from the group consisting of T flip-flop devices, D flip-flop devices, SR flip-flop devices, and JK flip-flop devices.

8. The decorative light string of claim 1, wherein the lighting effect data contains a plurality of data patterns to create a plurality of lighting effects.

9. The light string according to claim 1 further including a reflection resistor in communication with the microprocessor and with the main processor, the reflection resistor for minimizing a reflection of a communication to the microcontroller.

10. The light string of claim 1 further including a first resistor in communication with the microprocessor and with one of a plurality of light sources.

11. A decorative light string for creating variable lighting effects, comprising:

a main processor;

a plurality of light source assemblies, each having a distinct address known to the main processor, each of the plurality of light source assemblies including one or more light sources and a microprocessor, wherein the microprocessors of the light source assemblies are powered serially; and

a serial communication line adapted to transmit lighting effect data to the microprocessor; and

further comprising a fixed voltage device connected across the negative and positive power pins of each microprocessor and wherein a voltage transmitted by the communication line is approximately equal to the number of microprocessors and powered serially times the voltage potential between a negative and positive power supply pin of each microprocessor, plus any other components wired in series with the microprocessors.

12. A method of creating a visual lighting effect in a light string, comprising:

assigning a distinct address to a light source powering a plurality of microprocessors in series such that a negative power supply of each microprocessor is connected to a positive power supply of another microprocessor for a majority of the plurality of microprocessors, wherein each microprocessor is located in a light source assembly; and

communicating serial data over a common communication line from a main processor to the light source assemblies;

receiving the serial data at the plurality of microprocessors;

powering a plurality of light sources in accordance with the serial data received at the plurality of microprocessors to generate a lighting effect.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the serial data comprises a high voltage transmitted to the light source assemblies, wherein the high voltage is greater than the voltage between the negative and positive power supply pins of any individual microprocessor.