US20140063827A1 - Watercraft Light - Google Patents

Abstract

A watercraft includes a light source illuminated in response to a sound signal. The light source may be a decorative light or color coded to function as a port light, a starboard light, or an aft light. The sound source may be from a wireless transmission, line level output from a media player, or speaker output from media player, as examples.

Description

BACKGROUND
• The present disclosure relates to watercraft lights.
RELATED ART DESCRIPTIONS
• Watercraft lights used for navigation are typically limited by color to green, red, and white. Control of the navigation lights is typically limited to ON and OFF.
BRIEF DRAWING DESCRIPTIONS
• FIG. 1 depicts a personal watercraft including lights synchronized to music or sound in accordance with disclosed embodiments;
• FIG. 2 is a cross-section view from the front of the personal watercraft fromFIG. 1;
• FIG. 3 depicts a controller for synchronizing lights inFIG. 1 andFIG. 2 to music, sound or other input;
• FIG. 4 shows a watercraft paddle with lights synchronized with the lights inFIG. 1 inFIG. 2 or otherwise controlled by the controller inFIG. 3; and
• FIG. 5 shows a cross-section view of a personal watercraft hull with transparent portions and light sources on the inside of the watercraft.
SUMMARY OF DISCLOSED EMBODIMENTS
• An exemplary embodiment is a watercraft with a hull. It includes a light source and a controller for synchronizing operation of the light source with a sound signal. The personal watercraft may include a translucent hull portion with the light source positioned to show through the translucent portion. Alternatively, substantially all of the hull may be covered in translucent material. In some embodiments, the personal watercraft includes a microphone input for receiving sound as the sound signal.
• The personal watercraft may include a controller that is sensitive to sound and enabled for controlling the output (e.g., turning on, affecting the brightness, etc.) of a light emitting diode (LED). In some embodiments, the controller includes an input for receiving an external signal (e.g., an audio OUT signal from a media player or other line level output) as the sound signal. The signal may be wired or wireless (e.g., Bluetooth™).
• The controlled light source may be standard green and red navigation lights. In other embodiments , the light source includes red, green and blue bulbs. The red, green and blue lights may be light emitting diodes or incandescent bulbs.
• Other embodiments are personal watercrafts with a substantially watertight hulls having a translucent portion. They further include a light source for showing through the translucent portion when operating and a controller for causing the light source to operate in synchronization with a music source. In various embodiments, the music source couples to a media player, microphone, or electronic memory. The light source may include a light emitting diode or other suitable light used in a watercraft for navigation, decoration, or for visibility.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
• FIG. 1 depictswatercraft100. As shown,watercraft100 is a personal watercraft such as a kayak. Watercraft100 includesshock cord108 for storage.Shock cord108 may include lights controlled in accordance with disclosed embodiments.Seat120 includes abackrest102.Cockpit ring118 provides a buffer between a user and the watercraft. Stern light104 is illuminated during night time usage and may be controlled in accordance with disclosed embodiments. For example,stern light104 can be synchronized to music, synchronized to sound, flashed periodically, turned on, or otherwise controlled.Bow light110 and the other light sources may be likewise controlled.Hull light112 is attached to the inside or outside offront hull116 and its output is controlled by a controller as contemplated by disclosed embodiments. The outputs of optional front submergedlight114 andrear hull light106 are likewise controlled by the controller.
• FIG. 2 includes further details ofwatercraft100 fromFIG. 1. Frontcross section view200 includes components that are identical to or similar to those shown inFIG. 1. As shown, a portion offront hull116 is submerged belowwaterline205. Accordingly, front submergedlight114 is waterproof. Its output is controlled bycontroller213. Likewise, front submergedlight209 is submerged and has its output controlled bycontroller213. As shown, front submergedlight114 is on the port side of the watercraft and front submergedlight209 is on the starboard side and the front of the watercraft comes out of the page.Front hull211 includesfront hull light203. Likewise,front hull116 includesfront hull light112.Controller213 is coupled tofront hull light203,front hull light112, front submergedlight114, and front submergedlight209. They may be coupled through wires or wirelessly to the controller. Each light may include its own power source, or may be powered by a source it shares withcontroller213. In some embodiments,bow light110 andbow light201 are also controlled bycontroller213.
• Various lighting technologies (e.g., LED, LCD, fiber optic, incandescent, fluorescent) may be used forbow light110,bow light201, front submergedlight209, front submergedlight114,front hull light203, andfront hull light112. In some embodiments,front hull light112 is a light strip that includes red, green, and blue outputs that can be mixed bycontroller213 to achieve any color. The strip may be glued, fastened, or otherwise integrated intofront hull116.
• FIG. 3 illustrates additional details of an embodiment ofcontroller213 fromFIG. 2. As shown,controller213 includesantenna302.Antenna302 may be used for Bluetooth communication with a music source, or for communicating with lights such asbow light201,bow light110,front hull light112, and so on.Controller213 includes speaker324 producing sound output that may be synchronize with the light output of lights controlled bycontroller213. In the event lights controlled bycontroller213 are hardwired to control213, outputs such asnavigation output304, submergedlight output306, andhull light output308 are provided.Hull light output308 would be coupled to, for example,front hull light116, and front hull light211 (fromFIG. 2). In addition,hull light output308 may be coupled to rear hull light106 (FIG. 1). Similarly,navigation output304 may be coupled tobow light110,bow light201, and one or more stern lights such asstern light104.Front hull light112 may be used as a navigation light with its input commonly tied to bowlight110. Similarly,front hull light203 may have its input tied commonly to the input tobow light201. In such cases,navigation output304 may be tied to the inputs of these hull lights so that they function as navigation lights. Similarly, front submergedlight114 and front submerged light209 may have their inputs tied tonavigation output304 so they function as navigation lights. Typically, as is commonly known to those who operate watercraft, navigation lights such asbow light110 and bow light201 are either red or green in color. In contrast,stern light104 would typically be white in color.
• Controller213 inFIG. 3. includespower input318 which may receive, for example, 12 volt DC power from a watercraft battery or other source.Memory316 is for storing music, signals, data, schemes, programs, or information for synchronizing or otherwise controlling the light sources on the watercraft. In accordance with disclosed embodiments,controller213 synchronizes the outputs of hull lights, navigation lights, and submerged lights (in some combination) with music. Power supply314 provides an optional onboard power supply for poweringcontroller213. In addition, power supply314 may power navigation lights, submerged lights, or hull lights.Line level input312 receivesmusic input controller213 uses to synchronize the outputs of light sources such as hull lights, submerged lights, or navigation lights. Likewise,microphone310 optionally providescontroller213 with audio input to affect (e.g., synchronize to) the output of the lights.Speaker320, in some embodiments, provides sound output simultaneously withcontroller213 controlling the output of the lights.
• Controller213 affects whether particular lights are on, the brightness of the lights, and the color of the lights. Such control over the lights is done simultaneously in some embodiments to provide a desired output. For example,controller213 may be configured to turn on standard navigation lights while also providing submerged lights with controls signals to pulsate ON and OFF with the drum beat of a song stored inmemory316 and played overspeaker320. In some embodiments,controller213 responds to voice commands (e.g., “turn on navigation lights) received overmicrophone310 to cause navigation lights to turn on.
• FIG. 4 illustratespaddle400 forwatercraft100 fromFIG. 1. As shown, paddle400 optionally includesblade light401 andblade light405. Blade lights401 and405 may be powered by batteries local to paddle400 or by an external power source (e.g., power supply314 inFIG. 3 or indirectly through power input318). Likewise paddle400 optionally includes handle light403 and handle light407. Each of these handle lights may be powered similarly toblade lights401 and405. Each of the lights may controlled through control signals sent wirelessly or through a wired connection which may also serve as a tether betweenwatercraft100 andpaddle400.
• A disclosed embodiment is a personal watercraft (e.g.,watercraft100 inFIG. 1) with one or more light sources such as front hull light112 (FIG. 1) and front submerged light114 (FIG. 1). The embodiment includes a controller such as controller213 (FIG. 2). The controller synchronizes operation of the light sources with a sound signal. For example,controller213 has amemory316 with stored music. The stored music generates or represents a sound signal andcontroller213 determines when to brighten or turn on the light source (e.g.front hull light112 inFIG. 1 andFIG. 2).
• Watercraft100 inFIG. 1 or other embodied watercraft may include translucent hull portions. The translucent or transparent portions may include a glass window installed in the hull. Alternatively, the entire hull may be a translucent or transparent material. For example,FIG. 5 illustrates across section500 of a watercraft withtranslucent portion502 andtransparent portion504.Translucent portion502 is in proximity tohull light506, which is inside the watercraft. Whenhull light506 is illuminated, light shows throughtranslucent portion502. Likewise, when submergedlight508 is illuminated, light shows throughtransparent portion504, which is submerged under water.Submerged light508 is inside the watercraft, and preferably is not submerged in water.
• Controller213 inFIG. 3 includesmicrophone310. The microphone may be extended from the physical body ofcontroller213 and extended under water or attached to a paddle (e.g.,paddle400 inFIG. 4).Controller213, when enabled with a microphone, is a sound sensitive controller. To the extent any light thatcontroller213 controls is a light emitting diode (LED),controller213 can be described as a sound sensitive light emitting diode controller. As shown,controller213 includesline level input312, which receives an external signal as a sound signal.
• Smart phones often perform as music players (e.g., media players) and may be used to provide input to line level input31, for example via a stereo speaker jack. Alternatively,antenna302 may receive a Bluetooth protocol signal or similar signal from a smart phone or other media player with music data used bycontroller213 to synchronize outputs to the music (e.g., vianavigation output304, submergedoutput306, or hull light output308). The outputs are synchronized to music and used to control lights by adjusting their brightness and color. In some embodiments, the lights are simply turned on. In other embodiments, the color, intensity, and other characteristics of the lights are affected bycontroller213.Controller213 may respond to a remote control signal received over radio waves or via an infrared signal (e.g., viaantenna302, which is shown for illustration purposes and not intended to limit technologies for receiving signals to a particular type, physical phenomenon, or protocol).
• Objects that embody the appended claims may be described herein as “exemplary embodiments” or similar terms. Such descriptions are meant to indicate examples of claim subject matter. The descriptions are not meant to suggest, by use of the term “exemplary,” that one embodiment is better than another object.

Claims (18)

What is claimed:

1. A watercraft comprising:

a hull;

a light source; and

a controller for synchronizing operation of the light source with a sound signal.

2. The personal watercraft ofclaim 1, further comprising:

a translucent hull portion;

wherein the light source is positioned to show through the translucent portion.

3. The personal watercraft ofclaim 1;

wherein substantially all of the hull is covered in translucent material.

4. The personal watercraft ofclaim 1, further comprising:

a microphone input for receiving sound as the sound signal.

5. The personal watercraft ofclaim 4, wherein the microphone is substantially water-proof.

6. The personal watercraft ofclaim 1, further comprising:

a sound sensitive light emitting diode controller.

7. The personal watercraft ofclaim 1, further comprising:

an input for receiving an external signal as the sound signal.

8. The personal watercraft ofclaim 7:

wherein the input is for a line level output from a media player.

9. The personal watercraft ofclaim 7:

wherein the input is for a wireless signal.

10. The personal watercraft ofclaim 9:

wherein the wireless signal conforms to Bluetooth protocols.

11. The personal watercraft ofclaim 7:

wherein the light source includes a green light and a red light.

12. The personal watercraft ofclaim 7:

wherein the light source includes red, green and blue lights.

13. The personal watercraft ofclaim 12:

wherein the red, green and blue lights include light emitting diodes.

14. A personal watercraft comprising:

a substantially watertight hull with a translucent portion;

a light source for showing through the translucent portion when operating; and

a controller for causing the light source to operate in synchronization with a music source.

15. The personal watercraft ofclaim 14, wherein the music source couples to a media player.

16. The personal watercraft ofclaim 14, wherein the music source couples to a microphone.

17. The personal watercraft ofclaim 14, wherein the music source is electronic memory.

18. The personal watercraft ofclaim 14, wherein the light source includes a light emitting diode.

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