Sparkle light bulb with controllable memory function

[0002] The invention relates to LED bulbs adapted for use in 12 volt AC applications. The bulbs can be retrofitted into pool lamps, spa lamps, ground lighting and similar lighting.

[0003] In applications where a light bulb with a screw-type base is being retrofitted or changed out, then an special adapter can be used to interconnect the sparkle light, which typically has a pin-type connector, to the screw-type lamp socket.

[0004] The LED bulb is a sparkle light in that it can change its color function to and from two distinct color shows, color dance and color wash and has a memory function which will also allow an operator to lock the bulb into a specific desired color pattern, which can be a single color or a single color mixture. The invention is therefore software driven with a micro-controller circuitry that provides this memory function so that a desired color which is terminated by opening the circuit for a predetermined time (typically about 4 to 10 seconds), can be resumed when the circuit is subsequently closed. On the other hand, if the user desires to change the last exhibited color from color wash to color dance or vice-versa, the operator need only open the circuit, typically for approximately one second or less than a pre-set time interval value such as 3 seconds, and then close the circuit.

[0005] In the accompanying drawings:

[0006] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a typical embodiment contemplated by the present invention with the sparkle light bulb being plugged into a receptacle;

[0007] FIG. 2ais a front proximal view of the sparkle light bulb with a represent sampling of LED bulbs;

[0008] FIG. 2bis a depiction of the present invention being used in another embodiment with a special adapter for connecting to a screw-type lamp socket;

[0009] FIGS. 3a, 3b, and 3care portions of a typical electrical schematic for the present invention.

[0010] Referring now to the drawings, FIGS. 1 and 2adisclose one embodiment of the present invention, which is a sparkle light bulb, and is depicted generally as 10. The sparkle light bulb 10 has a plurality of different colored light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs 12 mounted in a predetermined spaced-apart arrangement on a circuit board 14.

[0011] The invention 10 includes controller circuit means 16 in electrically operative communication with the plurality of different colored LED bulbs 12 for selectively operating the plurality of different colored LED bulbs 12 in one of color wash mode and color dance mode. The controller circuit means 16 further including memory means 18 for further selectively locking the plurality of different colored LED bulbs 12 in a desired color pattern. FIGS. 3a, 3band 3crepresent in combination a typical electrical schematic of a circuitry useful for operating the inventive sparkle light bulb 10.

[0012] The controller circuit means 16, including the memory means 18, are in electrically operative communication with means 20 for electrically connecting the sparkle light bulb 10 to a 12 VAC power source 22.

[0013] The anticipated typical application for this invention is in devices such as ground landscape lighting, pool lights, spa lights, fountain lights and other similar applications. These applications usually have power sources which include a transformer to reduce the power from the standard 110 volt circuit to a 12 volt-AC circuit. The incoming power is rectified by the invention circuitry to a direct current (DC) circuit for operating LED light bulbs.

[0014] The invention 10, including circuit board 14, bulbs 12 and the associated circuitry 16 and 18 are housed in a light bulb housing 24 having an open proximal end 26 from which the plurality of different colored LED bulbs 12 are exposed for emitting generated light and a closed distal end 28, at which the means 20 for electrically connecting the sparkle light bulb 10 to the 12 VAC power source 22 is located.

[0015] In a preferred embodiment, a combination of LED bulbs 12 which provides entertaining and esthetic color patterns is a combination of red, green and blue LED bulbs 12. Any number and combination of red, green and blue (RGB) bulbs would work depending on the size of the light bulb and the amount of lumens desired. For example, in most applications, the combination of red, green and blue LED bulbs could be combined in a respective ratio of X:Y:Z, where X is 1-20, Y is 1-20 and Z is 1-20. Where a larger number of red LED bulbs than green and blue LED bulbs seem to provide for better light effects, it is recommended that the ratio of red to green to blue LED bulbs be combined in a respective ratio of 5:3:3 or 4:2:2.

[0016] The means 20 for electrically connecting the sparkle light bulb 10 to a 12 VAC power source 22 is typically a multi-pin plug connector, such as a bi-pin plug connector that can be plugged into a bi-pin connector receptacle manufactured by Molex® Corporation.

[0017] The controller circuit's processor or memory chip 18 is programmed so that when an operator of the sparkle light bulb 10 turns the power off for a pre-set time interval and then immediately turns the power back on, the mode will change to color dance mode if the previous mode before turning off the power was color wash mode and the mode will change to color wash mode if the previous mode before turning off the power was color dance mode. In a preferred embodiment, the pre-set time interval is typically about one second or generally less than three seconds. That is, the time interval is relatively momentary.

[0018] The controller circuit's processor 18 is also programmed so that when an operator of the sparkle light bulb 10 turns the power off for a pre-set time interval, the desired color pattern of the plurality of different colored LED bulbs can be locked in memory so that when the power is subsequently turned on, the desired color pattern is displayed and remains displayed while the power is on.

[0019] It is preferred that the this latter operating characteristic that the pre-set time interval be greater than 3 seconds, such as for 4-6 seconds or more.

[0020] The controller circuit's processor 18 is further programmed so that when the operator of the sparkle light bulb 10 turns the power off for a second pre-set time interval when the plurality of different colored LED bulbs are locked in the desired color pattern and then immediately turns the power back on, the mode will change to one of the color wash mode and the color dance mode, depending on which was the last mode (wash or dance) to be operating. If wash mode was the last mode, then the change will be to dance mode. The second pre-set time interval is, as previously discussed above, preferred to be less than 3 seconds.

[0021] When the ultimate installation of the sparkle light bulb 10 is in a receptacle which is a screw-type lamp socket 38 as shown in FIG. 2b, a light housing adapter 32 may be used that adapts from the multi-pin plug connector 30 to a screw-type connector (base portion) 36. The light housing adapter 32 has a multi-pin connector 34 for connecting the multi-pin plug connector 30, and has a screw-type base portion 36 in electrical communication with the multi-pin connector 34.

[0022] The light bulb housing 24 can optionally include means 40 for guiding and aligning the sparkle light bulb 10 into a receptacle 54 for the 12 VAC power source 22. The means 40 for guiding and aligning the sparkle light bulb 10 into the receptacle 54 for the 12 VAC power source 22 can be made in a variety of ways; however, a logical way is simply to provide for a groove portion 42 in an outside surface 54 of the light bulb housing 24 near the proximal end 26 of the light bulb housing 24, with the groove portion 42 running parallel to an axis 44 of the sparkle light bulb 10. The groove portion 42 is generally adapted for mating with a ridge portion 46 in the receptacle 54 for the 12 VAC power source 22.

[0023] The light bulb housing 24 may also include means 48 for guiding and aligning the means 20 for electrically connecting the sparkle light bulb 10 into a receptacle 54 for the 12 VAC power source 22. The means 48 for guiding and aligning the means 20 for electrically connecting the sparkle light bulb 10 into the receptacle 54 for the 12 VAC power source 22 is, as above, also recommended to be another groove portion 50 in the outside surface 56 of the light bulb housing 24 near the closed distal end 28 of the light bulb housing 24. This groove portion 50 also typically runs parallel to the axis 44 of the sparkle light bulb 10 and is adapted for mating with another ridge portion 52 in the receptacle 54 for the 12 VAC power source 22.

[0024] When both the means 40 for guiding and aligning the sparkle light bulb into the receptacle 54 for the 12 VAC power source 22 and the means 48 for guiding and aligning the means 20 for electrically connecting the sparkle light bulb 10 into the receptacle 54 for the 12 VAC power source 22 are incorporated into the invention, it is preferable that both means, even if grooves are used, be oriented about 90 degrees from each other.

[0025] The following describes a preferred software algorithm used in conjunction with the necessary hardware to perform the following functions:

[0026] 1. Determine if the elapsed time, from power off to power on, of an embedded, RGB (Red, Green, Blue), LED device is greater than or less than a predetermined value. In a preferred embodiment, this value is chosen to be 3 seconds, but could be adjusted to make a pass-fail determination for other elapsed times as well.

[0027] The predetermined time value is set by a simple R-C time constant. The software algorithm and interface hardware necessary to control and evaluate the state of the simple R-C circuit are detailed below.

[0028] 2. Save in non-volatile memory the discrete, RGB intensity values for an embedded, RGB, LED device at the moment power is turned off.

[0029] State 1: Power-Off/Power-On delay Evaluation.

[0030] a. Immediately disable capacitor charge circuitry on power up. Any charge on the capacitor should be due to a previous power cycle and not to the current power cycle.

[0031] b. Enable circuitry to read the existing charge on the capacitor. The capacitor must be isolated from all interface circuitry while power is off. All current flow from the capacitor must be limited to the R-C circuit alone at this time.

[0032] c. Read capacitor charge and store state in a defined variable, Cap_State, in software. The power-on time is now known.

[0033] State 2: Set Hardware & Software for Continuous Run operation.

[0034] a. Isolate the timing capacitor from all connections except a power source and discharge resistor.

[0035] b. Enable the power source to supply a continuous charge on the timing capacitor until power is again turned off.

[0036] c. Enable controller's interrupts. The microcontroller's normal program flow is interrupted when the supply voltage drops below a software specified value.

[0037] d. Retrieve RGB intensity data and mode saved to non-volatile memory at the last power down.

[0038] State 3: Mode Determination for embedded, RGB, LED device.

[0039] a. Evaluate the state of the variable Cap_State. A Cap_State=1 indicates a Power/Off-Power/On sequence has occurred in less than a pre-set time interval value, for example, 3 seconds. If the retrieved mode was “A” and Cap_State=1, then mode “B” will be run. Likewise, mode “A” will be selected if mode “B” was the retrieved mode. A Cap_State=0 indicates a Power/Off-Power/On sequence of greater than the pre-set time interval value, that is, in the current example, greater than 3 seconds. The software loads the discrete RGB values, saved from the previous power down, and sets each LED to the retrieved intensity level and holds until power is turned off.

[0040] Interrupt State: Saves the state of the embedded, RGB, LED device at the time power is switched off.

[0041] When power to the device is switched off, the supplied voltage crosses a predefined threshold set in software.

[0042] The above defined software execution is halted and the current state of the system is saved to non-volatile memory.

[0043] For example, a user who wants to toggle between color dance and color wash need only turn the power off for a short moment, such as one second, and then immediately turn the power back on. Turning the power on and off sequentially as such will cycle the sparkle light between color dance and color wash modes.

[0044] To stop at a particular color, whether in the color dance or color wash mode, one need only turn the power off for the longer interval such as 6 seconds and when the bulb is turned back on, it will be locked in the last color that was visible. To resume color dance or color wash mode, the operator need only turn the power off for about one second and turn the power back on to resume the color dance or color wash mode. Of course, if the bulb resumes in the color wash mode and the operator prefers the color dance mode, the operator need only turn the power off again for about one second and then toggle the switch back on, and similarly to change from the color dance mode to the color wash mode.

[0045] It should be understood that the preceding is merely a detailed description given as an example of the implementation of two selective modes of operation. It should be noted that more selective modes of operation are possible with the claimed circuitry and firmware (“memory means”). The preceding description, therefore, is not meant to limit the scope of the invention. Rather, the scope of the invention is to be determined only by the appended claims and their equivalents.

[0046] Now that the invention has been described,