User-actuated lighting effect device

• US 9,185,776 B2
• Filed: 09/18/2013
• Issued: 11/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Michael John Ahern
• Original Assignee: Michael John Ahern
• Inventors: Ahern, Michael John
• Primary Examiner(s): Enad, Elvin G
• Assistant Examiner(s): Schreiber, Christina
• Application Number:
  US14/030,927
• Publication Number:
  US 20140077723A1
• Time in Patent Office: 783 Days
• Field of Search: 847/46, 315/299, 315/291
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63J 17/00 Apparatus for performing colour-music
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/04 the elements being switches safety devices F21V25/00
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/00 Details of electrophonic musical instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/34 Switch arrangements, e.g. keyboards or mechanical switches specially adapted for electrophonic musical instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/348 Switches actuated by parts of the body other than fingers
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 3/146 using a membrane, e.g. a drum; Pick-up means for vibrating surfaces, e.g. housing of an instrument
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/20 Controlling the colour of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/10 Controlling the light source
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/12 by detecting audible sound
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/155 Coordinated control of two or more light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/165 following a pre-assigned programmed sequence; Logic control [LC]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/17 Operational modes, e.g. switching from manual to automatic mode or prohibiting specific operations

Abstract

A user-actuated lighting effect device includes a housing, a light-generating lamp coupled to the housing, a power source, and a control circuit. The control circuit includes a user-actuated switch operably coupling the lamp and the power source. The lamp creates a lighting effect on or near the user when the first switch is on. The housing can be mounted in a use orientation on a pedal board. The lamp can create an upwardly directed lighting effect. An operational mode can be selected using a lighting mode switch.

Claims

1. A method for providing a performer with a lighting effect in the form of upwardly directed illumination comprising:

placing the housing of a foot-actuated lighting effect device on a support surface at a location adjacent to an area where a performer will be during a performance, the foot-actuated lighting effect device comprising a lamp mounted to the housing for selectively creating an upwardly directed lighting effect on or near the performer, a performer-foot-actuated lighting switch connecting the lamp to a power source when the lighting switch is in an on state, a performer-foot-actuated lighting mode switch, and a performer-foot-actuated illumination-aspect-select switch, all three switches mounted to the housing, the lighting mode switch comprising a plurality of operational modes;

operating, by the performer using a foot of the performer, the lighting switch to place the lighting switch in the on state;

selecting, by the performer using a foot of the performer, an operational mode using the lighting mode switch;

operating, by the performer using a foot of the performer, the illumination-aspect-select switch according to a desired aspect of the upwardly directed illumination; and

creating a lighting effect by the lamp, the lighting effect extending upwardly from the housing on or near the performer.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the illumination-aspect-select switch operating step is carried out to change the color of the light from the lamp.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising operating, by the performer, the mode switch allowing the performer to select at least the following operational modes:

different colored lighting effects, a strobe lighting effect, a fader lighting effect, and a lighting effect affected by an audio signal.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the placing step is carried out with the lighting effect device being an integral part of a pedal board.

5. The lighting effect device according to claim 1, wherein the placing step is carried out with the support surface being a surface of a pedal board to which audio effect pedals are also mounted.

6. A user-foot-actuated performance lighting effect device, for use with a power source, comprising:

a housing;

a light-generating, multi-color lamp mounted to the housing;

a control circuit connectable to the power source, and including a user-foot-actuated lighting switch mounted to the housing, to control power to the control circuit to permit the lamp to be connected to the power source when the lighting switch is on;

a user-foot-actuated, color-select switch operably coupled to the multi-color lamp allowing a performer to select the color of light created by the multi-color lamp using his or her foot;

a user-foot-actuated mode switch operably coupled to the multi-color lamp allowing the performer to select from at least the following lighting effects;

different colored lighting effects, a strobe lighting effect, a fader lighting effect, and a lighting effect affected by an audio signal to the control circuit;

the control circuit comprising a microcontroller providing lighting signals to the lamp according to inputs to the microcontroller from at least the color-select switch and the mode switch;

the control circuit comprising a musical instrument input jack;

the microcontroller comprising a musical instrument input coupled to the musical instrument input jack so that the electronic audio signals applied to the musical instrument input affects the lighting signals provided by the microcontroller to the lamp;

the control circuit comprising an internal microphone;

the microcontroller comprising an internal microphone input coupled to the internal microphone so that the electronic audio signals applied to the internal microphone input affects the lighting signals provided by the microcontroller to the lamp; and

the lamp creating a lighting effect extending upwardly from the housing when the lighting switch is on.