Programmable lighting effect device and system

• US 8,820,984 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2011
• Issued: 09/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lee Gillio
• Original Assignee: Lee Gillio
• Inventors: Gillio, Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): A, Minh D
• Application Number:
  US13/282,140
• Publication Number:
  US 20130106283A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,042 Days
• Field of Search: 315/291, 315/307, 315/312, 315/32, 315/35, 315/33, 315/294, 315/295, 362/372, 362/377, 362/378, 362/383, 362/184
• US Class Current: 362/372
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/155 Coordinated control of two or more light sources
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/00 Energy efficient lighting technologies, e.g. halogen lamps or gas discharge lamps

Abstract

A programmable lighting effect device and system includes a main body having a plug secured to the first end, a socket secured to the second end, and a controller secured within a middle portion. The controller utilizes the alternating current frequency of the supplied electricity as a common clock and further instructs a light bulb installed within the socket to perform a predetermined illumination effect based on stored operating instructions.

Claims

1. A programmable lighting effect device, comprising:

a main body having a first end, a second end and a cavernous interior;

a plug secured to the first end of the main body, said plug being configured to receive electrical power having an alternating current frequency;

a socket secured to the second end of the main body, said socket being configured to accept a lighting instrument and provide electrical power to the same; and

a controller secured within the cavernous interior of the main body and in communication with each of the plug and socket, said controller including

a clock signal converter functioning to translate the alternating current frequency received by the plug into a common clock signal, and

a processor that is configured to cause a lighting instrument installed within the socket to perform a predetermined illumination effect utilizing the clock signal.

2. The programmable lighting effect device of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of sockets secured to the second end of the main body, each of said sockets being configured to accept a lighting instrument and provide electrical power to the same based on the clock signal.

3. The programmable lighting effect device of claim 2, wherein each of the plurality of sockets are configured to accept an identical lighting instrument.

4. The programmable lighting effect device of claim 2, wherein at least one of the plurality of sockets are configured to accept a lighting instrument that is different from the other sockets.

5. The programmable lighting effect device of claim 1, wherein said controller further includes:

a memory configured to receive and store operating instructions for execution by the processor,

at least one power input unit configured to receive the electrical power from the socket and convert the same to a desired voltage,

a power output unit configured to supply the electrical power to the socket, and

an input/output unit configured to communicate operating instructions from an outside device to the processor.

6. The programmable lighting effect device of claim 5, wherein said memory includes a random access memory device.

7. The programmable lighting effect device of claim 5, wherein said memory includes a persistent memory device.

8. The programmable lighting effect device of claim 5, wherein said input/output device includes a USB serial port device.

9. The programmable lighting effect device of claim 5, wherein said input/output device includes one or more push button devices.

10. The programmable lighting effect device of claim 5, wherein said power input unit includes a step down transformer and a rectifier circuit.

11. The programmable lighting effect device of claim 5, wherein said clock signal converter includes a resistor and a diode.

12. The programmable lighting effect device of claim 1, wherein said plug includes a plurality of metallic sleeves configured to attach to a conventional incandescent light bulb fixture, and said socket includes plurality of internal threads configured to receive a conventional incandescent light bulb.

13. The programmable lighting effect device of claim 1, wherein said plug includes one or more connectors configured to attach to at least one of an LED, neon and fluorescent lighting fixture.

14. The programmable lighting effect device of claim 1, wherein said socket includes one or more connectors configured to receive at least one of an LED, neon and fluorescent light bulb.

15. A programmable lighting effect system, comprising:

a power supply cord configured to convey electrical power having an alternating current frequency; and

a plurality of programmable lighting effect devices, that are in communication with the power supply cord, each of said devices including

a main body having a first end, a second end and a cavernous interior,

a plug secured to the first end of the main body, said plug being configured to receive the electrical power from the power supply cord,

a socket secured to the second end of the main body, said socket being configured to accept a lighting instrument and provide the received electrical power to the same, and

a controller secured within the cavernous interior of the main body and in communication with each of the plug and socket, said controller including

a clock signal converter functioning to translate the alternating current frequency received by the plug into a common clock signal, and

a processor that is configured to cause a lighting instrument installed within the socket to perform a predetermined illumination effect utilizing the common clock signal,

wherein the predetermined illumination effect of each of the plurality of programmable lighting effect devices is synchronized with the common clock signal.

16. A programmable lighting effect device, comprising:

a light bulb that includes a main body having a first end and a cavernous interior;

a plug secured to the first end of the main body, said plug being configured to receive electrical power having an alternating current frequency;

a lighting instrument positioned within the main body; and

a controller secured within the cavernous interior of the main body and in communication with each of the plug and lighting instrument, said controller including

a clock signal converter functioning to translate the alternating current frequency received by the plug into a common clock signal, and

a processor that is configured to cause the lighting instrument to perform a predetermined illumination effect utilizing the clock signal.

17. The programmable lighting effect device of claim 16, wherein said controller further includes:

a memory configured to receive and store operating instructions for execution by the processor,

at least one power input unit configured to receive the electrical power from the plug and convert the same to a desired voltage,

a power output unit configured to supply the electrical power to the lighting instrument, and

an input/output unit configured to communicate operating instructions from an outside device to the processor.