Color changing outdoor lights with active ingredient and sound emission

• US 20070109763A1
• Filed: 10/12/2006
• Published: 05/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SC Johnson & Son Incorporated
• Original Assignee: SC Johnson & Son Incorporated
• Inventors: Wolf, Jeffrey, Robling, Darren, Walter, Scott, Demarest, Scott
• Granted Patent: US 7,604,378 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/86
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 1/2083 using a light bulb as heat source
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2209/12 Lighting means
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/037 comprising a wick
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/232 specially adapted for generating an essentially omnidirectional light distribution, e.g. with a glass bulb
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/006 of point-like light sources, e.g. incandescent or halogen lamps, with screw-threaded or bayonet base of sources having contact pins, wires or blades F21V19/0005; of LEDs or sources mounted on printed-circuit board F21V19/001
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0435 activated by remote control means
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0442 activated by means of a sensor, e.g. motion or photodetectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/506 of globes, bowls or cover glasses
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 3/02 characterised by the shape
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/0004 Personal or domestic articles
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/0056 Audio equipment, e.g. music instruments, radios or speakers
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2111/023 for pedestrian walkways
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2113/13 comprising an assembly of point-like light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2113/20 of different form
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 5/54 supported by a separate part, e.g. base
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 61/70 Lamps with low-pressure unconstricted discharge having a cold pressure < 400 Torr
• CPC Class Codes: H01K 1/46 supported by a separate part, e.g. base, cap
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 31/065 with built-in electric apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 33/9453 for screw type coupling devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/028 : associated with devices performing functions other than acoustics, e.g. electric candles
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 35/00 : Electric light sources using a combination of different types of light generation
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/20 : Controlling the colour of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/30 : Driver circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/325 : Pulse-width modulation [PWM]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/105 : in response to determined parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 : by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/12 : by detecting audible sound
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 : via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/00 : Energy efficient lighting technologies, e.g. halogen lamps or gas discharge lamps
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/30 : Semiconductor lamps, e.g. solid state lamps [SSL] light emitting diodes [LED] or organic LED [OLED]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 : Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

An outdoor light system comprising a plurality light elements linked to a central controller. Each light element include a translucent shell, plurality of LEDs positioned so as to emit a light show through the shell A compartment for receiving and securing a replaceable volatile active cartridge and a heater for enabling the device to effectively emit an active ingredient from the cartridge when the cartridge is secured in the compartment. A white light source may be provided in each device as a source of illumination along with the LEDs The devices can be used as white light sources, for displaying a coordinated colored light shows, for displaying colored light schemes and for volatile active emission. The devices of disclosed the system may include an acoustic transducer for producing light and sound shows. The device may also include a light sensor, a motion detector and/or a microphone or acoustic receiver thereby enabling the light and sound shows to be dependent upon ambient light intensity, motion detection and/or ambient noise. The devices and systems are suitable for outdoor home lighting, porch and deck lighting and path/driveway lighting.

Claims

1. An outdoor light system comprising,

a plurality of devices linked to a central controller,

each device comprising a white light source, at least one light group comprising red, green and blue lights, and a replaceable cartridge containing a volatile active material, and a transducer for transmitting sound, and

the central controller comprising a memory for storing at least one light and sound show.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein each device comprises a control circuit for control signals from the central controller.

3. The system of claim 2 further comprising a remote control wirelessly coupled central controller, the remote control comprising a slot for receiving a memory card programmed with at least one light and sound show, the memory card being wirelessly coupled to the central controller by the remote when the memory card is received in the slot.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein each device further comprises one or more sensors selected from the group consisting of light sensor, sound sensor, motion detector and temperature sensor and wherein the light and sound show selection is dependent upon one or more factors selected from the group consisting of the volatile active, ambient sound, ambient temperature, ambient movement and ambient light.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the central controller performs one or more functions selected from the group consisting of:

activating the light and sound show and turning off the white light sources;

turning on the white light sources and deactivating the light and sound show;

turning off both the white light sources and light and sound show;

freezing the light and sound show;

selecting light and sound show from a plurality of light and sound shows stored in the memory;

adjusting the sound volume;

muting the sound; and

adjusting the rate of volatile active emission.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein each device further comprising a heater to heat the cartridge.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein each device is linked wirelessly to the central controller.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein each device comprises a motion detector that is linked to the central controller.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein at least one active ingredient in the active ingredient cartridges is selected from the group consisting of a fragrance, an air deodorizer, an insecticide, an insect repellant, an insect attractant, and combinations thereof.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein each device comprises a light sensor or motion detector that is coupled to the light and sound show circuitry, wherein the light and sound show circuitry adjusts the light and sound show based upon ambient light intensity of motion detection.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein each device further comprises a microphone that is coupled to the light and sound show circuitry, wherein the light in sound show circuitry adjusts the light and sound show based upon ambient noise.

12. An outdoor lighting system comprising:

a plurality of combination colored/white light devices linked to a central controller, each device comprising to a white light source and at least one light group comprising led, green and blue lights, light control circuitry comprising a timer for displaying light of different color schemes over different but regular time periods, an outer shell enclosing the white light source, the light control circuitry and the red, green and blue lights, each device linked to a central controller, the central controller comprising a memory comprising a plurality of light shows

13. The system according to claim 12 further comprises a volatile active cartridge that is received in a compartment disposed in one of the outer shell or the base of each device.

14. The system according to claim 12 further comprising a remote control wirelessly coupled to the central controller, the remote control comprising a slot for receiving a memory card programmed with color scheme time intervals, the memory card being wirelessly coupled to the central controller by the remote when the memory card is received in the slot.

15. The system according to claim 12 wherein the central controller varies light emitted from the red, green and blue lights to adjust the total light emitted from the device from a cool red light to a warm blue light

16. The system according to claim 12, wherein each device further comprises a light sensor or motion detector that is coupled to the central controller, wherein the central controller adjusts the color scheme based upon ambient light intensity or detected motion.

17. The system according to claim 12, wherein each device further comprises a microphone that is coupled to the light control circuitry, wherein the central control adjusts the color scheme based upon ambient noise.

18. An outdoor light device comprising:

a white light source, a light show circuitry, and at least one light group comprising a red, green and blue light cluster,

the light and sound show circuitry being linked to a central controller comprising a memory for storing a plurality of light shows,

a replaceable cartridge containing a volatile active, the volatile active being matched with the plurality of light shows,

an outer shell connected to the base and enclosing the white light source, red, green and blue cluster and light show circuitry,

at least one switch performing one or more functions selected from the group consisting of

activating the light show and turning off the white light source,

turning on the white light source and deactivating the light show,

turning off both the white light source and the light show,

freezing the light and sound show,

scrolling through the plurality of light and sound shows stored in the memory.

19. The device of claim 18 wherein the cartridge is received in a slot disposed in the device, further comprising a heater which engages the cartridge when received in the slot, the heater being controlled by the light show circuitry and the current supplied to the heater being dependent upon the active contained within the cartridge.

20. The device of claim 18 further comprising a network interface and transceiver for communicating with and/or synching with like outdoor devices