Patent US4417182A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4417182A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Moving flutter illusion electric light controller
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1980-08-04
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Granted: 1983-11-22
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Expires: 2000-08-04
Abstract
Abstract An electric light controller means particularly adapted for use with an array of lamps to produce a distinctive "fluttering" effect, which is the combined visual sense of movement wrought by a sequential chaser together with the substantially random flickering effect associated with a natural flame. The controller is particularly useful in decorative display arrangements, including advertising displays, theatre marquees, and the like for the purpose of attracting attention and notice.
Inventors
- 👤 Harold J. Weber
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 22:28
CPC Classifications
H; H05; H05B; H05B47/00; H05B47/10; H05B47/155
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
158 words
Electric controller means adapted for imparting the visual sense of illusory motion of an electric lighting means combined with the further visual sense of the flickering of the electric lighting elements, including in combination: a. a source of electric power; b. a plurality of electric lighting load circuit means usually arranged with seriate adjacency; c. a plurality of electric switch means each of which is effectively coupled between said source and effectively one of the said plurality of circuit load means; d. a source producing a plurality of sequential pulse first signals; e. a source of pseudorandom pulse second signals; and, f. a unitive means coupled at least with said first signal source and said second signal source to effectively combine the plural sequential pulses and the pseudorandom pulses therefrom received into a plurality of separately efficacious variative control pulse signals each of which couples with an effectively separate said electric switch means to effect the control thereof.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
158 words
Electric controller means adapted for imparting the visual sense of illusory motion of an electric lighting means combined with the further visual sense of the flickering of the electric lighting elements, including in combination: a. a source of electric power; b. a plurality of electric lighting load circuit means usually arranged with seriate adjacency; c. a plurality of electric switch means each of which is effectively coupled between said source and effectively one of the said plurality of circuit load means; d. a source producing a plurality of sequential pulse first signals; e. a source of pseudorandom pulse second signals; and, f. a unitive means coupled at least with said first signal source and said second signal source to effectively combine the plural sequential pulses and the pseudorandom pulses therefrom received into a plurality of separately efficacious variative control pulse signals each of which couples with an effectively separate said electric switch means to effect the control thereof.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
13 words
Controller means of claim 1 wherein said source is alternating current electric power.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
Controller means of claim 1 wherein said electric lighting load circuit means comprises an array of electric light bulbs.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
91 words
Controller means of claim 3 wherein said electric lighting load circuit means further comprises a seriate array of at least three electric light bults, each orderly coupled with a separate said load circuit means to produce at least a 1-2-3-1-2-3-1-2-3-1-2-3 . . . 1-2-3, etc. sequential light switching pattern whilst a pseudorandom duration on and off switching pattern is superimposed thereupon; whereby said sequential pattern imparts the illusion of motion, whilst the pseudorandom pattern imparts the illusion of flutter to the overall effective light bulb array as viewed by an observer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
45 words
Controller means of claim 2 wherein said electric switch means includes a thyristor means having at least a first terminal coupled with said source means; a second terminal coupled with said load means; and a third terminal serving as a "gate" for the control thereof.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
58 words
Controller means of claim 5 wherein said thyristor means effectively includes a light activated gate means; wherein further said unitive means includes a light source electrically coupled with and modulated by said variative control pulse signal and optically coupled with said light activated gate means; thereby affording substantial electric isolation between said thyristor means and said unitive means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
47 words
Controller means of claim 1 wherein said visual sense of illusory motion imparted by the teaching is that of a back-and-forth movement lighting effect produced by the alternation of the variative control signals between but two electric switch means coupled with the alternately adjacent load circuit means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
51 words
Controller means of claim 1 wherein said visual sense of illusory motion imparted by the teaching is that of a travelling "chaser" movement lighting effect produced by the sequential repetition of the variative control signals between at least three electric switch means coupled with a seriate chain of load circuit means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
Controller means of claim 1 wherein said sequential pulse first signal is effectively produced by a binary counter means usually coupled with a decoder means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
50 words
Controller means of claim 1 wherein said pseudorandom pulse second signal is effectively produced by a pseudorandom binary sequence generator means including a shift register means effectively coupled to feedback between at least two outputs and the input thereof whereby such feedback produces an irregular recirculation of signal states therethrough.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
Controller means of claim 1, wherein said pseudorandom pulse signal source includes a binary memory means having a predetermined pseudorandom pattern of bit states programmed thereinto.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
26 words
Controller of claim 2 wherein said variative control pulse signal is effected to be substantially synchronous with the a.c. line frequency of the electric power source.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
28 words
Controller of claim 1 including a CLOCK means producing therefrom clock signals coupled with the said first signal source and said second signal source for the operation thereof.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
42 words
Controller of claim 1 including a source of level pulse signal effectively coupled with said unitive means, therewith effective to provide for the alteration of the average power delivered by the said switch means from the source means to the load means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
26 words
Controller of claim 14 wherein said level pulse signal is effectively adjustable thereby bringing about the visual sense of average brightness variation of the load means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
30 words
Controller of claim 1 wherein said electric switch means includes a transistor means effectively coupled as a controllable electric current pass means between said source means and said load means.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
33 words
Controller of claim 1 including a photoelectric means coupled with said unitive means, effective to turn the overall said controller means effect "on" and "off" in response to the prevailing ambient light level.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
126 words
Electric controller method for producing enhanced dramatization of the viewed lighting effect wrought by a lighting array comprising a plurality of electric lamps in an electric lighting means, including the steps of: a. providing for the sequential control of each lamp in any seriate group of several lamps comprising at least a portion of the said array thereby imparting a visual sense of motion; b. providing the further substantially pseudorandom irregular control of the overall illumination produced by each electric lamp thereby imparting a visual sense of flicker; and, c. combining the sequential control which produces a sense of motion and the irregular control which prouduces a sense of flicker to act combinatively in the lighting array to produce an improved sense of overall moving flutter.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
126 words
Electric controller method for producing enhanced dramatization of the viewed lighting effect wrought by a lighting array comprising a plurality of electric lamps in an electric lighting means, including the steps of: a. providing for the sequential control of each lamp in any seriate group of several lamps comprising at least a portion of the said array thereby imparting a visual sense of motion; b. providing the further substantially pseudorandom irregular control of the overall illumination produced by each electric lamp thereby imparting a visual sense of flicker; and, c. combining the sequential control which produces a sense of motion and the irregular control which prouduces a sense of flicker to act combinatively in the lighting array to produce an improved sense of overall moving flutter.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
24 words
Electric controller method of claim 18 comprising the additional step for controlling the average level of the overall illumination produced by said seriate group.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1986-11-21 | 1987-05-23 | 1987-11-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1990-11-21 | 1991-05-23 | 1991-11-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1994-11-21 | 1995-05-23 | 1995-11-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |