# US 10,455,667 B2 · Lighting control systems > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,455,667 B2 - Document ID: US10455667B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/624,464 - Filed: 2015-02-17 - Published: 2015-06-11 - Granted: 2019-10-22 - Earliest claimed: 2013-02-20 - Assignees: Current USA, Inc. - Applicants: Current-USA, Inc. - Inventors: Dennis Fredricks - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10455667B2 ## CPC - A01K 61/85: for use with aquaria - A01K 63/06: Arrangements for heating or lighting in, or attached to, receptacles for live fish - H05B 45/18: using temperature feedback - H05B 45/20: Controlling the colour of the light - H05B 47/155: Coordinated control of two or more light sources - H05B 47/16: by timing means - H05B 47/195: the transmission using visible or infrared light - Y02A 40/81: Aquaculture, e.g. of fish - Y02B 20/40: Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection - A01K: ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; AVICULTURE; APICULTURE; PISCICULTURE; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS - H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL - Y02A: TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE - Y02B: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS ## Abstract A lighting controller that may be utilized with aquariums is provided. The light controller provides easy control over various lighting fixtures comprising various light sources. A user may program various lighting characteristics and effects such as the turn on or turn off date and time, the color, the brightness, the power supplied to the lighting fixtures via different user interfaces. The user programmed lighting characteristics may be wirelessly delivered to the controller over a wireless access point. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An aquarium lighting controller comprising: a plurality of electrical connectors configured to removably couple one or more lighting fixtures to the aquarium lighting controller, wherein the one or more lighting fixtures are external to the aquarium lighting controller, and one of the plurality of electrical connectors is configured to removably couple an aquarium device to the aquarium lighting controller, and the aquarium device comprises a mister, and the plurality of electrical connectors supply pulse width modulated (PWM) control signals to the one or more lighting fixtures and the aquarium device; a communications module configured to receive a set of instructions from a remote user over a communication medium, wherein the set of instructions comprises lighting control information and aquarium device control information; a memory coupled to the communication module, the memory storing the set of instructions; and a processing module coupled to the memory and external to the one or more lighting fixtures, the processing module controlling the one or more lighting fixtures and the aquarium device, via the PWM control signals, according to the set of instructions. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The aquarium lighting controller of claim 1, wherein the one or more lighting fixtures comprise a plurality of light sources, wherein the set of instructions comprise flashing at various times one or more of the plurality of light sources to simulate lightning in a thunderstorm. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The aquarium lighting controller of claim 1, wherein the one or more lighting fixtures comprise a plurality of light sources, wherein the set of instructions comprise varying a speed at which preselected light sources dim and brighten to simulate moving cloud cover. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The aquarium lighting controller of claim 1, wherein the one or more lighting fixtures comprise an RGB LED system comprising a red LED, a green LED, and a blue LED, and the set of instructions comprise a predetermined color blend for the RGB LED system. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The aquarium lighting controller of claim 4, wherein the set of instructions comprise ramping up an intensity of the blue LED at one time and ramping down the intensity of the blue LED at another time to simulate a sunrise/sunset. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The aquarium lighting controller of claim 4, wherein the predetermined color blend enhances a color of a fish species. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The aquarium lighting controller of claim 1, wherein the one or more lighting fixtures comprises a light strip and a spotlight, and the processing module further controls the light strip the spotlight in concert. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The aquarium lighting controller of claim 1, wherein the communications medium is a wireless communications medium. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The aquarium lighting controller of claim 1, wherein the set of instructions adjust a time, a color, a photoperiod, or a dimming option of the one or more lighting fixtures. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The aquarium lighting controller of claim 1, wherein the communication module, the memory, and the processing module are mounted on a printed circuit board. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The aquarium lighting controller of claim 10, further comprising an additional lighting fixture, wherein the additional lighting fixture is mounted on the printed circuit board. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The aquarium lighting controller of claim 1, wherein the one or more lighting fixtures is employed to selectively light an aquarium. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The aquarium lighting controller of claim 1, wherein the one or more lighting fixtures comprises a blue LED wherein the set of instructions comprise varying an intensity of the blue LED to simulate moon light. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The aquarium lighting controller of claim 1, wherein the communications medium comprises infrared light signals, Bluetooth signals, or Radio Frequency signals. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The aquarium lighting controller of claim 1, further comprising an electrical connector configured to removably couple an audio speaker to the lighting controller, wherein the set of instructions comprise audio information for controlling the audio output of the audio speaker. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The aquarium lighting controller of claim 1, further comprising: a display; a plurality of tactile buttons for programming the lighting controller according to a second set of instructions; wherein the second set of instructions control the one or more lighting fixtures and the aquarium device. ### Claim 17 A lighting controller system for an aquarium, the lighting controller system coupled to one or more aquarium lighting fixtures and a plurality of aquarium devices, the lighting controller system comprising: a remote control; an aquarium lighting controller comprising: a plurality of electrical connectors configured to removably couple one or more aquarium lighting fixtures to the aquarium lighting controller, wherein the one or more aquarium lighting fixtures are external to the aquarium lighting controller, and one of the plurality of electrical connectors is configured to removably couple the plurality of aquarium device to the aquarium lighting controller, and the aquarium device comprises a mister, and the plurality of electrical connectors supply pulse width modulated (PWM) control signals to the one or more aquarium lighting fixtures and the plurality of aquarium devices; a receiver for receiving a set of instructions from the remote control, wherein the set of instructions comprises aquarium lighting control information and aquarium device control information; and a processing module, the processing module controlling the one or more aquarium lighting fixtures and the plurality of aquarium devices, in concert, according to the set of instructions, wherein the plurality of aquarium devices comprises a mister, wherein the lighting controller is external to the plurality of aquarium devices. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The aquarium lighting controller of claim 1, wherein the received set of instructions were sent by the remote user via a smartphone, computer, or tablet.