Automated memorial system

• US 8,390,204 B1
• Filed: 02/08/2010
• Issued: 03/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Maurice Zagha
• Original Assignee: Maurice Zagha
• Inventors: Zagha, Maurice
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Don
• Application Number:
  US12/702,279
• Time in Patent Office: 1,121 Days
• Field of Search: 315/149, 315/152, 315/153, 315/129, 315/130, 315/133
• US Class Current: 315/153
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/16 by timing means
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/175 by remote control
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A memorial display system is described including at least one memorial device having a plurality light fixtures with each light fixture having at least one light source. Each of the light sources are in electrical communication with a controller circuit that automatically activates and deactivates the at least one light source of each light fixture according to at least one anniversary date and for a duration period stored in the memory. In one embodiment, each light source is part of a light bar with up to 5 lights. The light bars are commonly strung together to create various runs of lighting opportunities allowing for different overall sizes of the automated memorial system.

Claims

1. A memorial display system comprising:

at least one memorial device having a plurality light fixtures;

each light fixture having at least one light source;

a controller in electrical communication with each of said at least one light source that automatically activates and deactivates said at least one light source;

said controller includes memory having stored therein at least one anniversary date that corresponds to at least one light fixture and an anniversary duration indicating the time period that the anniversary is observed;

said at least one memorial device includes at least one plaque having indicia printed near said at least one light fixture wherein the indicia provides anniversary information;

said controller further includes a display engine for illuminating the at least one light fixture; and

said controller is operative to illuminate the light fixture via said display engine corresponding to an anniversary date and a duration period stored in said memory.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said controller includes a diagnostic engine that illuminates all light fixtures.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said diagnostic engine illuminates all light fixtures according to a pre-determined pattern.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein said diagnostic engine illuminates all light fixtures sequentially according to a pre-determined pattern that is visually recognizable to a user and readily indicates a light source failure.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said controller includes a battery to maintain clock date and time and said memory is non-volatile.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said at least one fixture includes a plurality of light sources for varying the illumination from said at least one fixture using said display driver.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein said plurality of light sources include light features selected from the group consisting of color and luminosity.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the memorial display system includes:

a remote interface device that includes engines to provide user data to the controller including anniversary date information; and

a communications link connecting the remote interface device to the memorial device controller.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the communications link is selected from the group consisting of a electrical cable interface link, a wireless interface link, an internet communications link and any combination thereof.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein said remote interface device includes diagnostic tools for testing said at least one memorial device including testing of at least one light source and testing of anniversary dates to activate the at least one light source at appropriate times.

11. The system of claim 8 wherein said at least one memorial device includes a plurality of memorial devices and said remote interface device engines provide user data to a plurality of controllers, each selectively in signal communication with said remote interface device via said communications link.

12. The system of claim 8 wherein said at least one memorial device includes a plurality of light fixtures arranged in a visual pattern and said remote interface device includes a configuration engine that permits configuration of user data entry in a visual arrangement that matches said visual pattern of light fixtures.

13. The system of claim 8 where said at least one memorial device includes an interface controller to exchange data with said remote interface device.

14. The system of claim 8 wherein remote interface device includes a set-up engine to establish basic parameters for interfacing with said at least one memorial device.

15. The system of claim 8 wherein said remote interface device includes test engines for test said at least one memorial device.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein one of said test engines is a lamp test engine.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein on of said test engines is a date test engine.

18. The system of claim 1 wherein said at least one plaque includes an electronic display for reproducing said indicia.

19. The system of claim 1 wherein said controller is operative to illuminate a portion of all light fixtures according to at least one predetermined date.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein said portion of all light fixtures is all light fixtures.

21. The system of claim 19 wherein said controller said at one predetermined date is at least one religious holiday.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein said controller follows the Hebrew calendar and acknowledges that a new day starts at sunset.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein said at least one religious holiday is a Jewish Holiday.

24. A memorial display system comprising:

at least one memorial device having a plurality of light fixtures;

each light fixture having at least one light source;

at least one light bar supporting a plurality of said at least one light source, where each of said at least one light source is individually addressable;

a latch circuit responsive to an address corresponding to one of said at least one light sources supported by said at least one light bar to activate or deactivate said corresponding at least one light source;

a controller in electrical communication with said latch circuit on said at least one light bar that automatically activates and deactivates said at least one light source;

said controller includes memory having stored therein at least one anniversary date that corresponds to at least one light fixture and an anniversary duration indicating the time period that the anniversary is observed.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein said at least one light bar includes said plurality of at least one source are spaced apart corresponding the spacing of light fixtures.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein said at least one light bar is perforated at locations in between said plurality of at least one light source to permit the elimination of a portion of said lights.

27. The system of claim 25 including a plurality of light bars wherein some boards connect to the controller in series and some light bars connect to the controller in parallel to form an array of light sources.

28. The system of claim 27 wherein said memorial display is configured for a manual lighting circuit and forms an array of lighting fixtures and said light bars are connected to said controller to form array corresponding to said array of light fixtures.