Variable effect light spring

• US 8,786,203 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2013
• Issued: 07/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seasonal Specialties LLC (Seasonal Specialties)
• Original Assignee: Seasonal Specialties LLC (Seasonal Specialties)
• Inventors: Neuman, Robert C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Owens, Douglas W
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chen, Jianzi
• Application Number:
  US13/749,231
• Publication Number:
  US 20130193860A1
• Time in Patent Office: 544 Days
• Field of Search: 315/200.R, 315/201, 315/202, 315/203, 315/205
• US Class Current: 315/200.R
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/155 Coordinated control of two or more light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/16 by timing means

Abstract

A light system that is controllable to generate a plurality of selected lighting effects, the light system includes a main processor, the main processor being in communication with a plurality of light sources; and each of the plurality of light sources having a distinct, known address whereby one of more of the light sources are individually addressable by the main processor, a known address being received by a selected light source of the plurality of light sources and acting to set the selected light source of the plurality of light sources in a disposition to receive a subsequent command from the main processor for generating a selected lighting effect. A light source and a method of forming a light system are further included.

Claims

1. A decorative light string for creating variable lighting effects, comprising:

a main processor;

a plurality of light source assemblies, each having a distinct address known to the main processor, each of the plurality of light source assemblies including one or more light sources and a microprocessor, wherein the microprocessors of the light source assemblies are powered; and

a communication line adapted to transmit lighting effect data to the microprocessor; and

further comprising a voltage device connected across the negative and positive power pins of each microprocessor and wherein each of the plurality of light source assemblies further comprises a clamping voltage device in parallel with the voltage device.

2. The decorative light string of claim 1, further comprising a zener diode connected across the negative and positive power pins of each microprocessor.

3. The decorative light string of claim 2, wherein the voltage device is a zener diode.

4. A decorative light string according to claim 1 wherein light source assemblies, each having at least one light source and at least one flip-flop device;

wherein the lighting effect data is transmitted to the flip-flop devices thereby controlling the light sources and creating a lighting effect.

5. The decorative light string of claim 4, wherein the flip-flop devices are electrically connected in series such that the lighting effect data is transmitted sequentially through at least one flip-flop device in each light source assembly.

6. The decorative light string of claim 5, wherein each light source assembly includes a first and a second flip-flop device, wherein the first flip-flop devices sequentially receive the transmitted data from the main processor and other first flip-flop devices, and the second flip-flop devices receive the lighting effect data in parallel from the first flip-flop devices.

7. The decorative light string of claim 4, wherein the flip-flop devices are selected from the group consisting of T flip-flop devices, D flip-flop devices, SR flip-flop devices, and JK flip-flop devices.

8. The decorative light string of claim 1, wherein the lighting effect data contains a plurality of data patterns to create a plurality of lighting effects.

9. The light string according to claim 1 further including a reflection resistor in communication with the microprocessor and with the main processor, the reflection resistor for minimizing a reflection of a communication to the microcontroller.

10. The light string of claim 1 further including a first resistor in communication with the microprocessor and with one of a plurality of light sources.

11. A decorative light string for creating variable lighting effects, comprising:

a main processor;

a plurality of light source assemblies, each having a distinct address known to the main processor, each of the plurality of light source assemblies including one or more light sources and a microprocessor, wherein the microprocessors of the light source assemblies are powered; and

a communication line adapted to transmit lighting effect data to the microprocessor; and

further comprising a voltage device connected across the negative and positive power pins of each microprocessor and wherein a voltage transmitted by the communication line is approximately equal to the number of microprocessors powered times the voltage potential between a negative and positive power supply pin of each microprocessor, plus the voltage drop of any other components wired with the microprocessors.

12. A method of creating a visual lighting effect in a light string, comprising:

assigning a distinct address to a plurality of light sources each powered by a microprocessor in series wherein a negative power supply of each microprocessor is connected to a positive power supply of another microprocessor for at least some of the microprocessors, and wherein the microprocessor communicates serially with the light sources over a common communication line from a main processor to the light source assemblies;

receiving the serial data at the plurality of microprocessors;

powering a plurality of light sources in accordance with the serial data received at the plurality of microprocessors to generate a lighting effect.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the serial data comprises a high voltage transmitted to the light source assemblies, wherein the high voltage is greater than the voltage between the negative and positive power supply pins of any individual microprocessor.