Patent ID: 6882117
Filing Date: 2005-04-19
Classification: G09F

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for producing multiple light displays, comprising: at least one discrete light source emitting at least one primary color; a drive circuit for driving the light source with a time-dependent drive signal selected from a plurality of time-dependent drive signals; a flexible tether secured near a first end thereof to the light source; a handle, secured to the flexible tether near a second end thereof, for enabling a user to move the light source along a curvilinear path at the second end of the tether, the selected time-dependent drive signal and movement of the light source together producing one of the multiple light displays; and at least one control actuator for enabling the user, while moving the light source along the curvilinear path and without substantially interrupting movement of the light source, to perform at least one of (i) altering the time-dependence of the drive signal and (ii) selecting another of the plurality of time-dependent drive signals for driving the light source, thereby altering the light display; wherein: the light source comprises a plurality of light emitting elements, each light-emitting element emitting one of the primary colors; the light-emitting elements are arranged so that at least two emitted primary colors may appear to a human observer as an emitted secondary color, the secondary color being determined by relative brightness levels of the emitted primary colors; and wherein the brightness level of each primary color is determined at least in part by a duty cycle of a corresponding oscillatory primary drive signal, each oscillatory primary drive signal oscillating sufficiently rapidly, during a temporal interval in which the secondary color appears to be emitted, so that the secondary color appears to the human observer to be emitted substantially continuously during said temporal interval.