Programmable Light Display

• US 20090051506A1
• Filed: 08/24/2007
• Published: 02/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonoma Circuits, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Miller Industries Towing Equipment Incorporated (Miller Industries, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wilson, Gary, Hicksted, Richard L., Bryan, Raymond G.
• Granted Patent: US 8,274,397 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/332
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2611 Indicating devices mounted on the roof of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/32 for indicating vehicle sides , e.g. clearance lights
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/32 Pulse-control circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/345 Current stabilisation; Maintaining constant current
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/3725 Switched mode power supply [SMPS]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/155 Coordinated control of two or more light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/17 Operational modes, e.g. switching from manual to automatic mode or prohibiting specific operations
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/18 via data-bus transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/235 with communication between the lamps and a central unit

Abstract

Programmable light assemblies that may function in various operating modes, such as to function as marker lights and/or emergency lights, or have other functions, are disclosed. The protocol and architecture of the light assemblies enables the associated light fixtures to provide a constant current output despite the presence of substantially large voltage ranges, and even when submerged in water. Alternative embodiments of the programmable light assemblies of the invention provide many other features as described herein.

Claims

1. A light assembly having two or more operating modes, comprising:

a plurality of light fixtures in electrical communication with each other, located in series, each of the light fixtures comprising at least one microcontroller and a plurality of lamps controlled by the at least one microcontroller;

the microcontrollers being programmed to communicate instructions for operating successive light fixtures, wherein in response to receiving the instructions from a microcontroller associated with a first light fixture in series, causing the first light fixture to operate in a selected one of the operating modes, which in turn causes succeeding light fixtures in the series to operate in the selected operating mode.

2. The light assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of lamps for at least one or more of the light fixtures are driven by a relatively constant current drive independent of voltage values applied to the lamps.

3. The light assembly of claim 1, wherein use of the one or more operating modes cause at least one or more of the light fixtures to function alternatively as marker lights or as emergency or warning lights, at an operator'"'"'s control and discretion.

4. The light assembly of claim 1, wherein the relatively constant current drive is maintained despite the present of fluctuations in the voltage values of between about 8-40 volts.

5. The light assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of light fixtures is hermetically sealed.

6. The light assembly of claim 5, wherein the hermetic sealing is accomplished, at least in part, using ultrasonic welds

7. The light assembly of claim 1, wherein at least some of the lamps comprise LEDs.

8. The light assembly of claim 1, wherein one or more of the light fixtures include a lens, the lens comprising:

a portion configured to allow light emitted from the lamps to pass through the lens;

refractive means for changing the angle of light transmitted by the lamps; and

a plurality of retro-reflectors configured to allow exterior light to be reflected from the lens back in the direction of exterior light;

whereby the lens is colored to match the wavelength emitted by one or more of the plurality of lamps.

9. The light assembly of claim 8, wherein the color of the exterior light is affected by the color of the lens.

10. The light assembly of claim 8, wherein the lens appears to be the same color as the light emitted by the lamps when the lens is exposed to sunlight.

11. The light assembly of claim 1, wherein one or more of the plurality of light fixtures comprise marker lights having a specified visibility at 45-degrees left and right from straight-on.

12. The light assembly of claim 1, wherein two or more of the plurality of light fixtures comprise at least one master unit and at least one slave unit, and wherein functioning of the at least one master unit in a specified operating mode causes the at least one slave unit to function in the same mode.

13. The light assembly of claim 12, wherein a detected presence of a static condition on an incoming control lead of the at least one master unit causes the at least one master unit to control its at least one slave unit, causing the units to display in a manner indicated by a static control input.

14. The light assembly of claim 13, wherein any one of the following comprises a static condition:

loss of signal from a microcontroller associated with one or more of the plurality of fixtures;

a steady voltage on an incoming control lead associated with one or more of the plurality of fixtures;

or a floating voltage on an incoming control lead associated with one or more of the plurality of fixtures.

15. The light assembly of claim 13, wherein a detected presence of the static condition causes one or more of the plurality of fixtures to initiate an arbitration sequence in which each fixture may determine whether it should act as a master unit.

16. The light assembly of claim 15, wherein the light assembly employs a protocol in which a first fixture in a series functions as a master unit, unless the first fixture is defective, in which event a next fixture in the series functions as a master unit.

17. The light assembly of claim 12, wherein voltage applied to an incoming control lead of the at least one master unit causes it to function as a marker light.

18. The light assembly of claim 12, wherein an act of grounding an incoming control lead of a first fixture in a series of fixtures causes the first fixture to function as the master unit.

19. The light assembly of claim 12, wherein the at least one master unit causes corresponding slave units to function in an alternating flash pattern in which every other fixture is on for a predetermined period of time, and then off for a predetermined period of time.

20. The light assembly of claim 13, wherein current on an incoming control lead of at least one of the plurality of light fixtures is limited to a predetermined, substantially fixed amount, thereby decreasing impedance needed for external loads to be treated as a grounding of the incoming control lead.

21. The light assembly of claim 13, wherein a current source for one or more of the plurality of light fixtures operates in a non-linear range for relatively low level loads in the range of 9-32 volts, providing a non-linear voltage drop relative to the current on the incoming control lead and enabling the light assembly to function with an impedance on the incoming control lead that would be caused by submerging the control lead under water.

22. The light assembly of claim 1, wherein the light assembly is configured to employ a communication protocol that recognizes a dominant signal and a recessive signal.

23. The light assembly of claim 22, wherein:

the dominant signal comprises a voltage between ground and a first fraction of the power source voltage; and

the recessive signal comprises a voltage between a second fraction of power source voltage greater than the first fraction, and substantially near the power source voltage.

24. The light assembly of claim 1, wherein a control input comprises a start signal following by a series of pulses, indicating a desired operating state for each of a plurality of light fixtures in a series.

25. The light assembly of claim 1, wherein one or more of the operating modes comprises a failure operating mode that is run in the event a bypass associated with one or more of the light fixtures fails, causing fixtures in series subsequent to the fixture whose bypass failed to function according to the failure operating mode.

26. The light assembly of claim 25, wherein detection of the failure operating mode causes one or more of the following events to occur:

(a) an open circuit on an outgoing control lead associated with at least one of the one or more light fixtures, and occurrence of a recessive signal on an incoming control lead associated with at least one of the one or more light fixtures, which is transmitted to succeeding fixtures in a series, causing the succeeding fixtures to default to an “

on”

mode following a predetermined delay period;

or

(b) creation of a ground on an outgoing control lead associated with at least one of the one or more light fixtures, and occurrence of a dominant signal on an incoming control lead associated with at least one of the one or more light fixtures, which dominant signal is transmitted to succeeding fixtures in a series, causing a succeeding fixture to become a master unit following a predetermined period of time, after which the master unit provides a default sequence for succeeding fixtures in the series.

27. The light assembly of claim 1, where a current source associated with the lamps of at least one of the plurality of light fixtures is capable of using relatively large voltage inputs while maintaining a substantially constant current provided to the lamps.

28. The light assembly of claim 27, wherein the current source is capable of using an input voltage of between about 8 and 90 volts while maintaining a substantially constant current of between about 5 mA and 20 mA.

29. A system for operating a light assembly, comprising:

a power source;

a plurality of light fixtures connected in series via a communication bus;

a microcontroller configured to receive information related to the number of fixtures in the series, and a desired operating mode, and configured to provide a control signal, the control signal including a plurality of operating signals including information related to the desired operation of the fixtures in the series, and

a constant current regulator, configured to provide reference voltages for operating the microcontroller from the power source;

whereby a duration of the control signal is determined by the number of fixtures in the series, and the operation of the fixtures does not depend upon foreknowledge of the address or state of the fixtures in the series.

30. A system including one or more groups of lighting fixtures, each of the one or more groups including fixtures connected in series, comprising:

a microcontroller;

a bypass circuit configured to pass on operating instructions to successive fixtures within a group in the event of an error in the operation of the microcontroller;

a light assembly comprising one or more of the groups of lighting fixtures, the lighting fixtures comprising lamps and at least one microcontroller for controlling the lamps;

one or more array drives for operating the lamps, the one or more array drives comprising a DC-to-DC converter and providing a generally constant current source for each of the lamps in the series; and

a transceiver configured to receive operating control signals and to transmit control signals to succeeding fixtures within a group;

whereby the illumination provided by the lamps remains generally constant over a given DC voltage range.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the given DC voltage range comprises between about 8 and 32 volts.

32. A system including a microprocessor, and a light assembly comprising one or more groups of light fixtures, each of the one or more groups of light fixtures being connected in series, the system providing a logic signal for operating the light fixtures, the logic signal comprising:

a start signal corresponding to a prior state; and

a plurality of operating status signals in a first range indicating a recessive signal, and in a second range indicating a dominant signal, wherein the operating status signals correspond to operating modes that include an “

ON”

operating mode for the light fixtures, and an “

OFF”

operating mode for the light fixtures.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the logic signal has a duration of between about 120-180 milliseconds and is repeated without an intervening time period.

34. The system of claim 32, wherein a duration and timing of the logic signal is adjustable to coordinate with the number of light fixtures within each group of light fixtures in series.

35. The system of claim 32, wherein the plurality of operating status signals is configured to implement a lighting mode for each of the groups of the fixtures.

36. A method for using a computer readable medium arbitration system for determining whether a light fixture operated in a series of light fixtures will operate as a master unit or a slave unit, comprising the steps of:

initiating the operation of the system from a main loop of a processor;

initiating a timer;

determining whether an incoming signal is recessive;

lighting a fixture upon receipt of a constant recessive signal;

initiating the operation of a fixture as a slave unit upon the receipt of a dominant incoming signal followed by a recessive signal; and

initiating the operation of a fixture as a master unit upon the receipt of a constant dominant signal;

whereby the timer is reinitiated if the fixture does not become a master unit.

37. A method for determining whether a fixture operated in a series of fixtures will operate as a master unit or a slave unit, comprising the steps of:

initiating the operation of the first fixture as a master unit;

outputting a start signal;

determining whether a previously received operating status for a first fixture is valid;

operating the first fixture according to a valid previously received operating status;

incrementing a counter associated with a plurality of currently received operating status signals; and

outputting a plurality of “

ON” and

“

OFF”

operating state signals for the series of fixtures after the first fixture;

whereby the first fixture is first operated according to the previously received operating state when the previously received operating state is valid, and the first fixture is configured to provide operating signals for successive fixtures in the series according to the next operating state for each

38. A method for determining whether a fixture operated in a series of fixtures will operate as a master unit or a slave unit, comprising the steps of:

initiating operation of a fixture as a slave unit;

disabling a bypass associated with the fixture;

determining whether a previously received operating state for the fixture is valid;

operating the fixture according to a valid previously received operating state;

determining whether an incoming signal is dominant or recessive; and

differentiating between an “

ON” and

an “

OFF”

next operating state;

whereby the fixture is first operated according to the previously received operating state when the previously received operating state is valid, and the fixture is then operated according to the next operating state.