Intelligent decorative displays with ambient electromagnetic field switching

• US 8,471,482 B2
• Filed: 07/05/2011
• Issued: 06/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seasonal Specialties LLC (Seasonal Specialties)
• Original Assignee: Seasonal Specialties LLC (Seasonal Specialties)
• Inventors: Neuman, Robert C., Lasky, Michael B.
• Primary Examiner(s): A, Minh D
• Application Number:
  US13/176,269
• Publication Number:
  US 20120001677A1
• Time in Patent Office: 721 Days
• Field of Search: 315/185.S, 315/185.R, 315/34, 315/312, 362/605, 362/565, 362/566, 362/567, 362/568
• US Class Current: 315/185.S
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 33/06 Artificial Christmas trees
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/10 with light sources attached to loose electric cables, e.g. Christmas tree lights
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 9/02 the power supply being a battery or accumulator
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/08 Devices for easy attachment to any desired place, e.g. clip, clamp, magnet
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0471 the sensor detecting the proximity, the presence or the movement of an object or a person
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2121/00 Use or application of lighting devices or systems for decorative purposes, not provided for in codes F21W2102/00 – F21W2107/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2121/04 for Christmas trees
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 65/042 by an external electromagnetic field
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/165 following a pre-assigned programmed sequence; Logic control [LC]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/17 Operational modes, e.g. switching from manual to automatic mode or prohibiting specific operations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A system and method of controlling self powered decorative devices using EMF emanating from, for example, a light string on a Christmas tree. The decorative devices sense the presence of EFM from the light string and actuate in response thereto and turn off when the field disappears, thereby saving energy. In an alternate embodiment, the EMF source is capable of modulation and the slave decorations are coded and tuned to specific EMF characteristics, such as frequency. The master EMF source transmits the EMF of different characteristic thereby causing the coded slave decorations to operate in a synchronized matter. The system may also be responsive to music or other inputs to create special decorative effects.

Claims

1. An intelligent control system for remotely controlling the switching of at plurality of slave decorations by a master source generator of EMF energy, comprising:

a. a plurality of decorative powered elements,

b. an EMF receiver associated with each element and receiving power therefrom,

c. an antenna capable of receiving EMF energy;

d. a tuned detector response to EMF energy of a predetermined characteristic; and

e. a switch operated by said detector which operates the element in a predetermined pattern when EMF energy of said desired characteristic is detected by said receiver and operates the element in a second predetermined way when not present and

wherein said plurality of slave decorations each include a selection of switchable EMF frequency responsive filters allowing user to select which EMF frequency the decorative self-powered element will respond to and wherein a source generator includes a plurality of EMF transmission frequencies matched to selection of slave frequencies.

2. An intelligent control system for remotely controlling the switching of at plurality of slave decorations by a master source generator of EMF energy, comprising:

a. a plurality of decorative powered elements,

b. an EMF receiver associated with each element and receiving power therefrom,

c. an antenna capable of receiving EMF energy;

d. a tuned detector response to EMF energy of a predetermined characteristic; and

e. a switch operated by said detector which operates the element in a predetermined pattern when EMF energy of said desired characteristic is detected by said receiver and operates the element in a second predetermined way when not present and

wherein said plurality of slave decorations each include a selection of switchable EMF frequency responsive filters allowing user to select which EMF modulations the decorative self-powered element will be response to and wherein a source generator includes a plurality of EMF transmission modulations matched to the selection of slave modulations.

3. A system of improved EMF responsive decorative lighting having a EMF source and a plurality of illuminated slave decorative elements having self contained power supplies, the improvement comprising:

a. the EMF source including a capability of generating a plurality of coded EMF signals,

b. the plurality of illuminated slave elements including a coded receiver capable of selectively receiving a plurality of EMF signals from the EMF source.

4. An intelligent control system for remotely controlling the switching of at plurality of slave decorations by a master source generator of EMF energy, comprising:

a. a plurality of decorative elements,

b. an EMF receiver associated with each decorative self powered element and receiving power therefrom,

c. an antenna is capable of receiving EMF energy;

d. a tuned detector responsive to EMF energy of a predetermined characteristic; and

e. a switch operated by said tuned detector which operates the decorative self powered element in a predetermined pattern when EMF energy of said desired characteristic is detected by said receiver and operates the decorative self powered element and wherein said plurality of slave decorations, each includes a selection of switchable EMF frequency responsive filters allow an user to select which EMF frequency and wherein the master source generator of EMF energy generator includes a plurality of EMF transmission frequencies matched to the selection of slave frequencies.

7. The system of claim 4, wherein said EMF generator includes a microphone and is responsive to ambient sound and wherein said ambient sound patterns are transmitted to said slaves.

8. The system of claim 4, wherein said EMF generator includes a memory and EMF modulation is transmitted to the slaves in response to the contents of the memory.

9. The system of claim 4 wherein said slave elements including switchable tuning capable of receiving at least some of said coded EMF signals.

10. The system of claim 4 where said slaves sense the presence of EFM from the light string and actuate in response thereto and turn off when the EMF field disappears, thereby saving energy.

11. The system of claim 4 wherein said detector includes a rectifier circuit coupled to a bandpass filter.

12. The system of claim 4 wherein said detector includes a tuned R-C network.

5. An intelligent control system for remotely controlling the switching of at plurality of slave decorations by a master source generator of EMF energy, comprising

a. a plurality of decorative self powered elements,

b. an EMF receiver associated with each decorative self powered element and receiving power therefrom,

c. an antenna is capable of receiving EMF energy;

d. a tuned detector responsive to EMF energy of a predetermined characteristic; and

e. a switch operated by said tuned detector which operates the decorative self powered element in a predetermined pattern when EMF energy of said desired characteristic is detected by said EMF receiver and operates the decorative self powered element in a second predetermined pattern when not present and,

wherein said plurality of slave decorations, each includes a selectable modulation response capability according to EMF signals received to allow an user to select which EMF modulations and wherein the master source generator of EMF energy generator includes a plurality of EMF transmission modulations matched to the selection of slave modulations.

13. The system of claim 5 wherein one of said predetermined patterns is a sleep mode, wherein said receiver is flash actuated periodically and then returns to an off mode.

14. The system of claim 5 wherein one of said predetermined patterns is a sleep mode, wherein said receiver is flash actuated periodically and then returns to an off mode.

6. A system of improved EMF responsive decorative lighting having a source of EMF and a plurality of illuminated light decorative elements comprising:

a. the EMF source including the capability of generating a plurality of coded EMF signals,

b. the plurality of illuminated light decorative elements including a coded receiver capable of selectively receiving a plurality of EMF signals from the source of EMF.

15. The system of claim 6, wherein said plurality of illuminated light decorative elements including switchable and tuning capable of receiving at least some of said coded EMF signals.