Electric lamp and discharge devices: systems – Current and/or voltage regulation – Keyboard operated or pattern controlled regulator
Reexamination Certificate
2001-11-20
2004-04-06
Philogene, Haissa (Department: 2821)
Electric lamp and discharge devices: systems
Current and/or voltage regulation
Keyboard operated or pattern controlled regulator
C315S297000, C315S362000, C315S079000, C315S080000, C340S815450, C340S815650, C362S372000, C362S489000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06717376
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to light emitting diode devices. In particular this invention relates to lighting devices that are configured to provide information.
2. Description of Related Art
Transmitting and receiving signals virtually instantaneously throughout the world has become a common event. Many devices are available for receiving and possibly re-transmitting signals received from computer networks and other networks. The user interface for reviewing these signals can take many forms including, but not limited to, phones, computers, laptop computers, handheld devices, and stand-alone devices. The development of intelligent light sources, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,016,038, has also transformed lighting and lighting control in recent years.
Information abounds through access to the World Wide Web and this information can be received and displayed in many ways on many devices. A computer is one of the primary portals for receiving, viewing and interacting with much of this information. Hand held devices are also becoming increasingly popular for receiving, viewing and interacting with information. The type of information displayed on these devices is also virtually endless. Information such as, but not limited to, financial, weather, sales data can all be downloaded and displayed. The download devices generally allow the user to interact with the data and perform transactions. Gaming software is also becoming a popular on-line activity where a person can interact with the gaming software from a remote location. Gaming is also very quickly becoming an online experience. Extensions of these games allow two or more users to participate in the same game at the same time even when all of the users are at different locations.
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology has a program in the media arts and sciences named Tangible Media directed by Hiroshi Ishii that has developed an interface called mediaBlocks that is described in
mediaBlocks: Tangible Interfaces for Online Media,
Brygg Ullmer and Hiroshi Ishii, MIT Media Lab, Published I the Conference Abstracts of CHI99, May 15-20, 1999, which is incorporated by reference herein. The Tangible Media group has the objective to develop human interfaces using physical objects. The physical objects are used to interface with digital media to make the interface easier to use and to create a less complex interface between man and machine. MediaBlocks is a tangible interface for physically capturing, transporting, and retrieving online digital media. For example, a mediablock may be placed in a slot next to a white board and the information contained on the white board would be digitally transferred to the mediaBlock. The mediaBlock could then be placed in a slot near a printer and the printer would then print the information from the white board. This eliminates the complex computer interfaces that are used today. This project is dedicated to reduce the complexity of the computer interface that has become commonplace is today's work and play environments.
Another paper from the Tangible Media Group,
ambeientROOM: Integrating Ambient Media with Architectural Space,
Hiroshi Ishii et. al., Tangible Media Group, MIT Media Laboratory, Published in the Conference Summary of CHI98, Apr. 18-23, 1998, discussed the possibilities of ambient controls within an office to increase the awareness of the office worker. In this paper, the authors discuss the sophisticated capabilities of humans' ability to process multiple information streams. Humans have an immense capacity for receiving and interpreting information that is occurring in the background of the activities in which we engage. To take advantage of this capacity, the authors created ambient conditions in an office that corresponded to information being received. For example, the office was equipped with a sound system to provide subtle background sounds such as the sound of a tropical forest. The volume and density of the activity in the forest sound stream would correspond to the amount of email or the value of the users stock portfolio. The office was also provided with a lighting pattern on a wall that changed when activity in the next room increased.
Accordingly it would be useful to provide a peripheral or addition to a standard device to display information in a way in which the user would be alerted to the information without having to interact with the interface. It would also be useful to provide an indicator for displaying information that would be both decorative and informative.
One area where there is a need for information is in connection with vehicles. Information generated by today's vehicles has increased tremendously over the typical car of the past. The instrument panel in today's automobiles and other personal vehicles may resemble an airplane cockpit because of the increased demand for information. This is partially based on the increase in demand for more information and partially because the design is appealing. Control systems in these vehicles are also becoming increasingly complex. To accommodate the increase in complexity, automakers continue to improve the ergonomic system surrounding the driver and passengers. Safety is also paramount and the improved ergonomic system is also designed to reduce driver fatigue and increase his overall awareness to his surroundings.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,803,579 teaches of a white-light lighting device for an automobile. This lighting device uses a combination of two LEDs to produce white light to take advantage of the lightweight, energy efficient, reduced heat, and reliability of LEDs as compared to incandescent systems. This system is designed to replace incandescent lighting systems by producing white light for the interior of the vehicle or the rear view mirror assembly.
It would be useful to provide a lighting system for vehicles that increased the appeal and design of the vehicle. It would also be useful to provide a lighting system that could convey information regarding the vehicles performance as well as other information.
Data abounds in today's connected world and converting all of the data into usable information remains a challenge. The Internet provides a portal to a vast variety of such information including financial, weather, sports and many other types of information. There are also software programs that generate information such as games, simulators, financial analysis programs and many other software driven applications. During the past several years, technology has provided us with more and more information every year and more and more devices to retrieve the information. We are now a connected world with the ability to receive and retrieve information from many sources including stationary devices such as the desktop computer, gaming platforms, Internet appliances and other stationary devices. We can also retrieve information through mobile devices such as a mobile phone, personal digital assistants, pagers, gaming devices and other mobile devices. Many such devices require user interactions to retrieve and observe useful information. It can be a challenge for any user of these systems to keep up with all of the relevant information provided. It would be useful to provide an information system to simplify or enhance the receipt of information.
Another area where lighting information systems may be needed is in connection with liquid crystal displays. A liquid crystal display (LCD) is an electro-optical device used to display digits, characters or images, commonly used in digital watches, calculators, cellular phones, portable devices and portable computers.
The liquid crystal display contains a liquid crystal material placed between a pair of transparent electrodes. The liquid crystal changes the phase of the light passing through it and this phase change can be controlled by a voltage applied between the electrodes. Liquid crystal displays can be formed by integrating a number of liquid crystal patterns in a display or by using a single liquid
Blanc Christian P.
Dowling Kevin
Lys Ihor A.
Schanberger Eric
Color Kinetics Incorporated
Lowrie Lando & Anastasi, LLP
Philogene Haissa
LandOfFree
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