# US 12,111,042 B2 · Variable multi-color LED light string and controller for an artificial tree > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,111,042 B2 - Document ID: US12111042B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/959,112 - Filed: 2022-10-03 - Published: 2023-01-26 - Granted: 2024-10-08 - Earliest claimed: 2016-03-04 - Assignees: Polygroup Macau Limited (BVI) - Applicants: Polygroup Macau Limited (Bvi) - Inventors: Chi Yin Alan Leung; Chi Kin Samuel Kwok - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12111042B2 ## CPC - F21V 23/003: {the elements being electronics drivers or controllers for operating the light source, e.g. for a LED array} - F21S 4/10: with light sources attached to loose electric cables, e.g. Christmas tree lights - F21V 23/00: Arrangement of electric circuit elements in or on lighting devices {(characterised by cooling arrangements F21V29/508)} - F21V 23/001: {the elements being electrical wires or cables} - F21V 23/02: the elements being transformers, impedances {or power supply units, e.g. a transformer with a rectifier} - H05B 45/10: Controlling the intensity of the light - H05B 45/20: Controlling the colour of the light - H05B 45/40: Details of LED load circuits - H05B 47/155: Coordinated control of two or more light sources - F21W 2121/04: for Christmas trees - F21Y 2103/10: comprising a linear array of point-like light-generating elements - F21Y 2113/17: forming a single encapsulated light source - F21Y 2115/10: Light-emitting diodes [LED] - F21V: FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS THEREOF; STRUCTURAL COMBINATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES WITH OTHER ARTICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - F21S: NON-PORTABLE LIGHTING DEVICES; SYSTEMS THEREOF; VEHICLE LIGHTING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLE EXTERIORS - H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL - F21W: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES F21K, F21L, F21S and F21V, RELATING TO USES OR APPLICATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS - F21Y: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES F21K, F21L, F21S and F21V, RELATING TO THE FORM OR THE KIND OF THE LIGHT SOURCES OR OF THE COLOUR OF THE LIGHT EMITTED ## Abstract Certain embodiments of the disclosed technology include a decorative lighting system that can be integrated with an artificial tree. The decorative lighting system may include a white light emitting diode (LED) light string and a variable-color LED light string. The variable-color LED light string may employ LED lamps having embedded Red, Green, and Blue (RGB) LEDs. The RGB LED lamps may include an embedded integrated circuit (IC) configured to communicate with and control the energizing of each of the corresponding RGB LEDs to create a multitude of colors and color combinations that can vary with time to create a light show. An electronic controller in communication with the LED lamps may allow a user to select the mode for the light show and further may provide a periodic reset signal to restart or re-synchronize the light show. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A lighted artificial tree comprising: a power cord; a wiring harness having two or more electrical conductors; a first tree segment having a first decorative lighting system, the first decorative lighting system comprising: a first light string, the first light string comprising a first plurality of lamps, each of the first plurality of lamps comprising a plurality of color LEDs; and a first controller configured to selectively control one or more illumination characteristics of the first plurality of lamps responsive to data indicative of user preference; and a second tree segment having a second decorative lighting system, the second decorative lighting system comprising: a second light string, the second light string comprising a second plurality of lamps, each of the second plurality of lamps comprising a plurality of color LEDs; and a second controller configured to selectively control one or more illumination characteristics of the second plurality of lamps responsive to data indicative of user preference. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The lighted artificial tree of claim 1, wherein the lighted artificial tree further comprises a third tree segment having a third decorative lighting system, the third decorative lighting system comprising: a third light string, the third light string comprising a third plurality of lamps, each of the third plurality of lamps comprising a plurality of color LEDs; and a third controller configured to selectively control one or more illumination characteristics of the third plurality of lamps responsive to data indicative of user preference. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The lighted artificial tree of claim 1, wherein at least one of the illumination characteristics of the plurality of color LEDs of the first decorative lighting system is controlled by Pulse-Width Modulation (PWM) signals. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The lighted artificial tree of claim 1, wherein the plurality of color LEDs of the first decorative light system comprises a red, a green, and a blue LED. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The lighted artificial tree of claim 1, wherein the respective controllers are configured to receive a signal for resetting a color show sequence of the color LEDs in the respective decorative lighting systems. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The lighted artificial tree of claim 1, wherein the respective controllers are configured to receive indications representative of user selections for displaying one or more illumination sequence. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The lighted artificial tree of claim 6, wherein a user can select from at least the following illumination sequences: (1) variable-color LED illumination sequence; (2) white LED illumination sequence; and/or (3) both the white LED illumination sequence and the variable-color LED illumination sequence. ### Claim 8 A lighted artificial tree comprising: a power cord; a controller configured to (i) receive user input related to a desired illumination property and (ii) transmit instructions for selectively controlling one or more LED lamps based on the received desired illumination property; a first trunk portion comprising: a first trunk body; a first wiring harness having two or more electrical conductors configured to be disposed at least partially within the first trunk body; a first connection mechanism; a first plurality of branch segments extending axially from the first trunk portion; and a first variable-color LED light string distributed across the first plurality of branch segments, the first variable-color LED light string comprising a first plurality of LED lamps, each of the first plurality of LED lamps comprising a plurality of LEDs; and a first integrated circuit (IC) configured to communicate with the first wiring harness and at least one of the first plurality of LED lamps; and a second trunk portion comprising: second trunk body; a second wiring harness having two or more electrical conductors configured to be disposed at least partially within the second trunk body; a second connection mechanism; a second plurality of branch segments extending axially from the first trunk portion; and a second variable-color LED light string distributed across the second plurality of branch segments, the second variable-color LED light string comprising a second plurality of LED lamps, each of the second plurality of LED lamps comprising a plurality of LEDs; and a second IC configured to communicate with the second wiring harness and at least one of the second plurality of LED lamps, wherein the first connection mechanism is configured to mate with the second connection mechanism when the first trunk portion is mated with the second trunk portion. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The lighted artificial tree of claim 8, wherein the plurality of LEDs of the first variable-color LED light string comprises a red, a green, and a blue LED. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The lighted artificial tree of claim 9, further comprising a white LED light string comprising at least one white LED lamp. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The lighted artificial tree of claim 8, wherein a color of an LED lamp of the first variable-color LED light string is determined by varying a pulse width modulation output from the first IC to at least one LED of at least one respective LED lamp of the first variable-color LED light string. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The lighted artificial tree of claim 8, wherein the desired illumination property can include one or more of LED brightness level, illumination sequence, blinking speed, and lamp color. ### Claim 13 A lighted artificial tree comprising: a power cord; a wiring harness having two or more electrical conductors; a first tree segment having a first decorative lighting system, the first decorative lighting system comprising: a first light string, the first light string comprising a first plurality of lamps, at least one of the first plurality of lamps comprising a plurality of color LEDs; and a first controller configured to selectively control one or more illumination characteristics of at least one of the first plurality of lamps responsive to data indicative of user preference; and a second tree segment having a second decorative lighting system, the second decorative lighting system comprising: a second light string, the second light string comprising a second plurality of lamps, at least one of the second plurality of lamps comprising a plurality of color LEDs; and a second controller configured to selectively control one or more illumination characteristics of at least one of the second plurality of lamps responsive to data indicative of user preference. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The lighted artificial tree of claim 13, wherein the lighted artificial tree further comprises a third tree segment having a third decorative lighting system, the third decorative lighting system comprising: a third light string, the third light string comprising a third plurality of lamps, at least one of the third plurality of lamps comprising a plurality of color LEDs; and a third controller configured to selectively control one or more illumination characteristics of at least one of the third plurality of lamps responsive to data indicative of user preference. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The lighted artificial tree of claim 13, wherein at least one of the illumination characteristics of at least one of the plurality of color LEDs of the first decorative lighting system is controlled by Pulse-Width Modulation (PWM) signals. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The lighted artificial tree of claim 13, wherein at least one of the plurality of color LEDs of the first decorative light system comprises a red, a green, and a blue LED. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The lighted artificial tree of claim 13, wherein the respective controllers are configured to receive a signal for resetting a color show sequence of the color LEDs in the respective decorative lighting systems. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The lighted artificial tree of claim 13, wherein the respective controllers are configured to receive indications representative of user selections for displaying one or more illumination sequence.