User-actuated lighting effect device

• US 9,462,654 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2015
• Issued: 10/04/2016
• 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): Warren, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): SCHREIBER, CHRISTINA MARIE
• Application Number:
  US14/919,676
• Publication Number:
  US 20160044761A1
• Time in Patent Office: 349 Days
• Field of Search: 847/46, 847/01, 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 user-foot-actuated performance lighting effect device, for use with a power source, comprising:

a housing;

a light-generating lamp integrally 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 provide power to the control circuit to permit the lamp to be connected to the power source when the lighting switch is on;

the control circuit comprising a microcontroller providing lighting signals to the lamp according to inputs to the microcontroller;

the microcontroller comprises an electronic audio signal input;

an internal microphone operably coupled to the electronic audio signal input, whereby electronic audio signals from the internal microphone that are applied to the electronic audio signal input affect the lighting signals provided by the microcontroller to the lamp; and

the lamp mounted to the housing to create a lighting effect extending only upwardly from the housing when the lighting switch is on.

2. The lighting effect device according to claim 1, wherein the lamp comprises a multi-color lamp.

3. The lighting effect device according to claim 2, further comprising 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.

4. The lighting effect device according to claim 2, further comprising 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 electronic audio signal to the control circuit.

5. The lighting effect device according to claim 1, further comprising an electronic audio input jack operably coupled to the electronic audio signal input so that electronic audio signals from the electronic audio input jack applied to the electronic audio signal input affect the lighting signals provided by the microcontroller to the lamp.

6. The lighting effect device according to claim 5, wherein the electronic audio input jack comprises a musical instrument input jack.

7. The lighting effect device according to claim 1, wherein the microcontroller comprises a computer input so that instructions applied to the computer input affects the lighting signals provided by the microcontroller to the lamp.

8. The lighting effect device according to claim 7, wherein the computer input comprises a wireless computer input for external programming capability by a wireless connection to a computing device.

9. The lighting effect device according to claim 1, further comprising at least one of (1) a power input jack for connecting to an external power source, and (2) rechargeable batteries acting as the power source and contained within the housing.

10. The lighting effect device according to claim 1, further comprising a power input jack for connection to an external battery pack acting as the power source.

11. The lighting effect device according to claim 1, wherein the housing and the lamp mounted thereto are integral parts of a musician'"'"'s pedal board housing.

12. The lighting effect device according to claim 1, wherein the lamp comprises a plurality of LED arrays.

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

a housing;

a light-generating, multi-color lamp integrally 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 an electronic audio signal input jack;

the microcontroller comprising an electronic audio signal input coupled to the electronic audio signal input jack so that the electronic audio signals from the electronic audio signal input jack applied to the electronic audio signal input affects the lighting signals provided by the microcontroller to the lamp;

an internal microphone operably coupled to the electronic audio signal input, whereby electronic audio signals from the internal microphone that are applied to the electronic audio signal input affect the lighting signals provided by the microcontroller to the lamp; and

the lamp mounted to the housing to create a lighting effect extending upwardly from the housing when the lighting switch is on.

14. The lighting effect device according to claim 13, wherein the microcontroller comprises a computer input so that instructions applied to the computer input affects the lighting signals provided by the microcontroller to the lamp.

15. The lighting effect device according to claim 13, wherein the lamp creates a lighting effect extending only upwardly from the housing when the lighting switch is on.

16. The lighting effect device according to claim 13, wherein the housing and the lamp mounted thereto are integral parts of a musicians pedal board housing.