Patent Publication Number: US-2015070898-A1

Title: Automatic On/Off Lighting and Method

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/874,547, filed on Sep. 6, 2013, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Held of Invention 
     Aspects of the present invention relate to a device for and method of turning off one or more lights. In particular, there is a device for turning off one or more lights using a light sensitive component in an electrical circuit, and a method thereof. 
     2. Background 
     Decorative lights such as special occasion, holiday, or Christmas lights are well-known and widely used. An example of a Christmas light is a string of lights which plugs into a power outlet. In many cases, the string has a combination of multi-colored lights that flash repeatedly. However, one disadvantage is that flashing, decorative lights do not couple with conventional electrical threaded sockets. Unlike a light bulb, a flashing, decorative light such as a Christmas light plugs into a power outlet. 
     Another disadvantage is that decorative lights are not portable. A user will spend time running a string of Christmas lights around a house and running the lights around permanent obstacles, having to go up and down a ladder each time more lights are secured. In many cases, a user will not remove the Christmas lights and will leave the lights secured on the house during the entire year. 
     Decorative lights as well as standard exterior home lights, also do not automatically turn on during the night and automatically turn off during the day. A user may not turn on the lights until well into the night when they remember or when they arrive back at the house. Further, a user may not remember to turn off the lights. 
     SUMMARY 
     Accordingly, there is a need for an electric light device that eliminates the aforementioned disadvantages. To address this need, there is provided an electric light device that couples with a conventional electrical threaded socket, is portable, easily installed, cost effective, and automatically turns off when light is detected by the device. 
     In one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electrical circuit in the device configured for connecting one or more lights to a metal stem that couples with a conventional electrical threaded socket and has low power consumption. Accordingly, no replacement of the existing electrical socket is required. 
     In another aspect of the present invention, the one or more lights are contained in a cover coupled with a case, where the case is connected to the metal stem. The device is self-contained, portable, and easy to install, whether installation is indoor, outdoor, commercial, or for private use. 
     In another aspect of the present invention, the electrical circuit includes a light sensitive component which turns the one or more lights off when light is detected by the light sensitive component. 
     According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is an electric light device comprising: an electrical circuit including a light sensitive component and one or more lights; a metal stem for coupling with a conventional electrical threaded socket, the metal stem connecting to the electrical circuit; a case housing the electrical circuit, and the light sensitive component residing on the case; wherein the one or more lights are off when light is detected by the light sensitive component. In an embodiment, there is also a cover, the cover being releasably attachable to the case. 
     In another embodiment of the present invention there is an electric light device comprising: an electrical circuit including a light sensitive component and one or more lights, the one or more lights being attached to one or more surfaces; a metal stem for coupling with a conventional electrical threaded socket, the metal stem connecting to the electrical circuit; a case having one or more slots, the case housing the electrical circuit, the light sensitive component residing on the case, and the one or more surfaces connected to the case at the one or more slots; and a cover, the cover being releasably attachable to the case; wherein the one or more lights are off when light is detected by the light sensitive component. 
     In another embodiment of the present invention there is a method for turning off one or more lights comprising: providing a light sensitive component and one or more lights in an electrical circuit, the one or more lights turning off when light is detected by the light sensitive component; connecting the electrical circuit to a metal stem for coupling with a conventional electrical threaded socket; housing the electrical circuit in a case and residing the light sensitive component on the case, where the case is releasably attached to a cover; and screwing the metal stem into a conventional socket for electrical energy. 
     According to another embodiment, the lighting device comprise: an electrical circuit including a light sensitive component, the electrical circuit operable to connect to an existing conventional light bulb; a metal stem for coupling with a conventional electrical threaded socket, the metal stem connecting to the electrical circuit; and a case housing the electrical circuit, the light sensitive component residing on the case, and the case configured to operably receive the light bulb; wherein when light is detected by the light sensitive component, electricity to the light bulb switches off. Accordingly, the device may be used with existing electrical sockets and interchangeably used with existing conventional light bulbs to create a flashing effect as well as have an automatic on/off switching ability based on light detected. 
     These and other embodiments of the present invention are further made apparent, in the remainder of the present document, to those of ordinary skill in the art. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In order to more fully describe embodiments of the present invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings. These drawings are not to be considered limitations in the scope of the invention, but are merely illustrative. 
         FIG. 1A  is an exploded view of an electric light device, according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 1B  is a view of the cover, according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2A  is an exploded view of an electric light device, according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2B  is an assembled view of an electric light device, according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3A  is a view of an electric light device, according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3B  is a view of the electric light device of  FIG. 3A  engaged with a conventional standard light bulb, according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram showing an electrical circuit, according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS 
     The description above and below and the drawings of the present document focus on one or more currently preferred embodiments of the present invention and also describe some exemplary optional features and/or alternative embodiments. The description and drawings are for the purpose of illustration and not limitation. Those of ordinary skill in the art would recognize variations, modifications, and alternatives. Such variations, modifications, and alternatives are also within the scope of the present invention. Section titles are terse and are for convenience only. 
       FIG. 1A  illustrates one embodiment of an electric light device, in an exploded view. The electric light device comprises a case  106 , a cover  110 A, one or more lights  104 , an electrical circuit  102 , and a metal stem  108  for coupling with a conventional electrical threaded socket. The electrical circuit  102  is on one or more circuit boards  120  housed in the case  106 . The electrical circuit  102  is connected to the one or more lights  104 . The one or more lights  104  are preferably light emitting diodes (LEDs), but can be other alternatives by modifying components of the electrical circuit  102 . The one or more lights  104  may be multicolored. Clips  122  and holes  114  secure the one or more circuit boards  120 . The case  106  is connected to the metal stem  108 , whereby the electric light device may screw into a conventional 120 volt socket for electrical energy. One or more wires  112  connect the one or more lights  104 , the electrical circuit  102 , and the metal stem  108 . In a preferred embodiment, the electrical circuit  102  includes a light sensitive component  116  such as a light dependent resistor (LDR), where the light sensitive component  116  resides on the case  106 . The light sensitive component  116  may reside in an opening on the case. The light sensitive component  116  may be a standard or miniature LDR housed within a sealed epoxy case with a clear lens window; and may be installed to protrude from the opening, sit flush with the outer surface of the case or be recessed within the case  106 . The cover  110 A is releasably attachable to the case  106  and may curve outwardly at an end opposite to the case  106 , for example as a rounded dome-shape. The cover  110 A and case  106  may be threaded for coupling. 
     According to one or more embodiments, the cover  110 A is made of a plastic reflective material, enhancing and increasing distribution of light emitting from the electric light device. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1B , the cover  110 B may be substantially flat at the end opposite to the case  106 . 
     In another embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 2A  in an exploded view, the one or more lights  104  are attached to one or more surfaces  204 , where the one or more surfaces  204  connect to the case  106  at one or more slots  202  in the case  106 . The electrical circuit  102  is connected to an on/off switch  206 , the on/off switch  206  being on the case. The one or more lights  104  are off when the on/off switch  206  is set to an off position and the one or more lights  104  are on when the on/off switch  206  is set to an on position, independent of the amount of light detected by the light sensitive component  116 . The electrical circuit  102  may be connected to a music player, the music player producing music when the on/off switch  206  is set to an on position. 
       FIG. 2B  shows an embodiment of the electric light device in an assembled view, where the one or more surfaces  204  are connected to the case  106  at the one or more slots  202  in the case  106  and the cover  110 B is attached to the case  106 . 
     In another embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 3A  and  FIG. 3B , the device comprises a case  106  configured for receiving at least one standard light bulb  104 , where the case houses all electrical circuit components including the LDR components  116  and a metal stem  108  for engaging a conventional electrical socket. The light bulb  104  connects to the electrical circuit  102  at one or more threaded sockets  402 . In this embodiment, the light  104  comprises a standard type light bulb and the electrical circuit  102  including the LDR component inside the case  106 , are configured to be operable with the standard light bulb when the bulb stem is engaged with the threaded socket  402  of the device. Accordingly, conventional standard light bulbs, including incandescent, LED, CFL or halogen bulbs, can be used with the device in order to have a flashing feature or to automatically turn on or off. Such a device is convenient for exterior lighting, such as exterior home lighting, for example a porch light. The device therefore provides for flexibility as existing bulbs and the existing electrical socket can be used, which makes installation very easy and is overall cost effective. 
       FIG. 4  shows an embodiment of the electrical circuit  102 . The electrical circuit  102  is electrically connected across an alternating current (AC) input  302 . In a preferred embodiment, the AC input  302  supplies 120 volts AC to the electrical circuit  102 . A 220 ohm resistor  304  is provided in series to the AC input  302 . The resistor  304  is connected to a bridge rectifier  310 , comprising of four IN4001 rectifier diodes. The bridge rectifier  310  serves to convert AC voltage to direct current (DC) voltage. To block any DC voltage from the bridge rectifier  310  and absorb any high current or step pulses, a one microfarad capacitor  306  and a 100,000 ohm resistor  308  are provided in parallel between the resistor  304  and the bridge rectifier  310 . 
     The bridge rectifier  310  is connected to a 100 microfarad capacitor  312 , which serves to smooth DC voltage output from the bridge rectifier  310 . 
     The capacitor  312  is connected to a 555 timer  318 . The 555 timer  318  serves as an inverting buffer, having a supply voltage of 12 volt DC. 
     A 12 volt zener diode (type IN4742A)  314  is connected at the cathode to the 555 timer  318  at pin  8   316  and connected at the anode to ground  320 , which controls voltage going to the 555 timer  318  and prevents voltage going to the 555 timer  318  from exceeding 12 volts. 
     When voltage going to the 555 timer  318  at pin  6   322  is less than ⅓ of the supply voltage of 12 volts, the output voltage of the 555 timer  318  at pin  3   324  will be high. When voltage going to the 555 timer  318  at pin  6   322  is greater than ⅔ of the supply voltage of 12 volts, the output voltage of the 555 timer  318  at pin  3   324  will be low. 
     A light dependent resistor (LDR)  326  is connected between the 555 time  318  at pin  8   316  and the 555 timer  318  at pin  6   322 , which controls voltage going to the 555 timer  318  at pin  6   322 . The LDR  326  changes resistance based on the amount of light detected by the LDR  326 . LDR resistance is low when light is detected by the LDR  326 , which causes a high input voltage to the 555 timer  318  at pin  6   322  and a low output voltage from the 555 timer  318  at pin  3   324 . 
     The 555 timer  318  is connected to a second 555 timer  328 . The second 555 timer  328  is used to produce an astable circuit. The one or more lights  104  connected in series are connected to the second 555 timer  328  at pin  3   332 . When light is not detected by the LDR  326 , LDR resistance is high, causing a low input voltage to the 555 timer  318  at pin  6   322 , a high output voltage from the 555 timer  318  at pin  3   324 , a high input voltage to the second 555 timer  328  at pin  8   330 , and a high output voltage from the second 555 timer  328  at pin  3   332  to the one or more lights  104 . When light is detected by the LDR  326 , LDR resistance is low, causing a high input voltage to the 555 timer  318  at pin  6   322 , a low output voltage from the 555 timer  318  at pin  3   324 , a low input voltage to the second 555 timer  328  at pin  8   330 , and a low output voltage from the second 555 timer  328  at pin  3   332  to the one or more lights  104 . 
     The 555 timer  328  may cause the one or more lights  104  to stay on for a period of time or flash repeatedly, dependent on values of a 47 ohm resistor  334 , a 100 ohm resistor  336 , and a 470 microfarad capacitor  338 . 
     According to another embodiment of the present invention there is a method for turning off one or more lights. The method comprises connecting an electrical circuit and a metal stem for coupling with a conventional electrical threaded socket. The electrical circuit is on one or more circuit boards and may further include resistors, capacitors, diodes, and integrated circuits. The method comprises including one or more lights and a light sensitive component in the electrical circuit, such that the one or more lights turn off when light is detected by the light sensitive component. The light sensitive component may be an LDR. The method comprises housing the electrical circuit in a case and residing the light sensitive component on the case. The case is releasably attached to a cover. The method further comprises engaging/screwing the metal stem into a conventional 120 volt socket for electrical energy. The one or more lights may be multi-colored decorative lights or Christmas lights. As a result of the device, ordinary Christmas lights can be used with ordinary electrical light sockets, have automatic on/off functionality depending on light, that is low powered, long lasting, easy to install, inexpensive and portable. 
     Throughout the description and drawings, example embodiments are given with reference to specific configurations. It will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that the present invention can be embodied in other specific forms. Those of ordinary skill in the art would be able to practice such other embodiments without undue experimentation. The scope of the present invention, for the purpose of the present patent document, is not limited merely to the specific example embodiments of the foregoing description.