Light controller

• US 20050111231A1
• Filed: 11/23/2004
• Published: 05/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dale Johnston, Dan Alexander Ross, James Ray Crodian
• Original Assignee: Dale Johnston, Dan Alexander Ross, James Ray Crodian
• Inventors: Crodian, James Ray, Johnston, Dale, Ross, Dan Alexander
• Granted Patent: US 7,332,877 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/545
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/1423 Automatic dimming circuits, i.e. switching between high beam and low beam due to change of ambient light or light level in road traffic
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2900/50 Arrangements to reconfigure features of lighting or signalling devices, or to choose from a list of pre-defined settings
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/16 Circuits; Control arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/18 for varying the light intensity
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/80 Circuits; Control arrangements for dashboards B60Q3/16; for mass transit vehicles B60Q3/47
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/00 Circuit arrangements for operating light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/10 Controlling the intensity of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/325 Pulse-width modulation [PWM]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/155 Coordinated control of two or more light sources

Abstract

A light controller capable of varying the brightness of a light emitting diode in a linear manner. The light controller may control a number of lights in a predetermined pattern or in a pattern designed by the user. A remote control may be used to control and interact with the light controller. The light controller may have inputs for audio signals, tachometer signals, or other external signals. The light controller may be coupled to other light controllers to enable the control of additional lights in a synchronized manner. The light controller may be particularly well suited to controlling light emitting diodes and controlling lights in a vehicle accent lighting application, although many other uses may be apparent.

Claims

1. A light controller comprising:

a timing module generating clock cycles; and

a brightness control module controlling a brightness of a light for every one of a predetermined number of clock cycles, wherein the brightness of the light is determined by a duty cycle, and wherein the duty cycle is based on a desired brightness associated with the predetermined number of clock cycles.

2. The light controller of claim 1, further comprising a storage module coupled to the brightness control module, said storage module providing the duty cycle corresponding to the desired brightness to the brightness control module.

3. The light controller of claim 2, further comprising an auxiliary input module.

4. The light controller of claim 3, further comprising a user control input module.

5. The light controller of claim 4, further comprising a signal-receiving module.

6. The light controller of claim 5, further comprising a bi-directional data transfer module.

7. The light controller of claim 6, wherein the storage module stores at least one light sequence.

8. The light controller of claim 7, wherein the light sequence is stored in a read only memory.

9. The light controller of claim 7, wherein the light sequence is transferred to the light controller through the bidirectional data transfer module.

10. The light controller of claim 1, wherein the light is any one or more of a headlight, a tail light, a dome light, a hood light, a trunk light, an instrument light, a dashboard light, an instrument panel light, a control knob light, a door light, an exterior accent light, an interior accent light, a turn signal, a cabin light, a license plate light, a reverse light, a hazard light, an air vent light, a warning light, and an audio system light.

11. A method for controlling a light, comprising:

receiving a clock signal;

receiving a desired brightness of the light associated with a predetermined number of clock signal cycles;

determining a duty cycle based on the desired brightness;

determining a modulation waveform based on the duty cycle; and

transmitting the modulation waveform to the light for the predetermined number of clock signal cycles.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of determining a duty cycle based on the desired brightness, further comprises accessing a storage based on the desired brightness and retrieving a duty cycle corresponding to the desired brightness.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of receiving the predetermined number of clock cycles from a light control sequence.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of altering the desired brightness based on an external signal.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the external signal is an audio signal.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the external signal is a tachometer signal.

17. A light controller comprising:

a timing module generating clock cycles;

a brightness control module controlling a brightness of a light for every one of a predetermined number of clock cycles, wherein the brightness of the light is determined by a duty cycle, and wherein the duty cycle is based on a desired brightness associated with the predetermined number of clock cycles; and

a storage module.

18. The light controller of claim 17, wherein the predetermined number of clock cycles is stored in the storage module.

19. The light controller of claim 18, wherein the predetermined number of clock cycles are a section of a waveform, and wherein the waveform comprises an initial delay section, a rise section, a hold section, a decay section, and an ending delay section.

20. The light controller of claim 19, wherein one or more waveforms are coupled to form a sequence associated with at least one light.

21. The light controller of claim 20, wherein one or more sequences are joined to form a pattern associated with one or more lights.

22. A method for controlling a light comprising:

receiving a clock signal;

receiving a desired brightness of the light associated with a predetermined number of clock signal cycles;

determining a duty cycle based on the desired brightness;

determining a modulation waveform based on the duty cycle; and

transmitting the modulation waveform to the light for the predetermined number of clock signal cycles, wherein the predetermined number of clock cycles corresponds to a section of a waveform.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the waveform comprises an initial delay section, a rise section, a hold section, a decay section, and an ending delay section.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein one or more waveforms are coupled to form a sequence associated with at least one light.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein one or more sequences are joined to form a pattern associated with one or more lights.

26. Controlling brightness of a light emitting diode by varying a duty cycle of the light emitting diode, wherein a change in brightness of the light emitting diode is perceived by the human eye to be linear.

27. A light controller comprising:

means for receiving a clock signal;

means for receiving a desired brightness of the light associated with a predetermined number of clock signal cycles;

means for determining a duty cycle based on the desired brightness;

means for determining a modulation waveform based on the duty cycle; and

means for transmitting the modulation waveform to the light for the predetermined number of clock signal cycles, wherein the predetermined number of clock cycles corresponds to a section of a waveform.