An article retention system, process, and lighting system that allows articles, particularly holiday string lighting, to be hung about organic bodies, e.g. trees, having a substantial height. The present invention obviates the need to either harm the organic entity for affixation or wind an elongate string about a tree.

An assemblable display that can be arranged into different formations, including conical-like shapes suitable for exhibition as artificial Christmas trees. The display, which may be packaged as a kit, includes a center post, an LED strip lighting system, and a plurality of translucent panels with interiors that comprise one or more hollow chambers. The LED strips are affixed to the outer surface of the center post in a pattern configured to shine light in outward directions along a length of the center post. Each hollow-chambered panel includes a hole through which the panel is mounted over the center post and affixed LED strips. When the LED strips are illuminated, the display appears to glow in a broad spectrum of colors, brightness levels, and animated lighting effects.

Disclosed is an integrated compact power supply system that includes a converter for converting AC power to a DC voltage capable of operating individual decorations or displays or portions of decorations or displays. Decorations or displays can be hardwired to the integrated system or wirelessly connected. Both lighting strings or individual LEDs can be controlled separately. Portions of lighting displays can also be controlled.

A decorative light string for draping on an external structure, comprising a plurality of decorative-lighting wires, each of the plurality of decorative-lighting wires including an outer insulation layer, one or more conductors, and one or more reinforcing strands; and a plurality of lamps electrically connected to one another by the plurality of decorative-lighting wires.

A lighting controller and a method of switching a light string between a plurality of lighting modes, and a light string assembly are provided. The lighting controller includes a control box, a switch power source circuit, and a lighting control circuit. A switching component is disposed on the control box. The switch power source circuit and the lighting control circuit are accommodated in the control box. The switch power source circuit is triggered to allow a power supply component to supply power to the light string during a predetermined time by the switching component receiving a turning-on timing trigger and allows the switching component to receive a plurality of lighting triggers. The lighting control circuit switches the light string between the plurality of lighting modes to exhibit a variable lighting effect according to the plurality of lighting triggers.

A system of lighting for an artificial tree or other decoration that allows easy replacement of small sub-strings of luminaries. Each sub-string contains N luminaries, where N is an integer around 10, where the N luminaries are wired in series. Extender cables can be supplied that contain parallel splits so that the different sub-strings are operated in parallel. The extender cable can attach to a master power source that supplies the constant voltage needed to power each sub-string. The exact voltage is determined by the number N and by the voltage requirement for each of the luminaries. Each sub-string has a plug that mates with a receptacle on either an extender cable, or on the master power device. Single point failures only cause one sub-string to go dark. The physical arrangement with plugs and receptacles allows easy replacement of an individual sub-string that is dark because of a failed luminary.

Disclosed is a unique trunk of a tree pole for a pre-lit Christmas tree. An inexpensive and easily fabricated circuit board is placed inside the tree trunk that has light sockets mounted directly to the printed circuit board. In addition, controllers and IoT devices can also be mounted on the printed circuit board. Pre-lit Christmas trees can be monitored and operated from any Internet location and each of the light strings on each of the branches can be separately controlled.

Disclosed are embodiments of adaptable LED light strings that can be configured by a user to decorate Christmas trees, outdoor features such as houses and patios, outdoor trees, windows and architecture of houses. A plurality of light string channels are used, which are connected to individual light strings which can be shorter strings that are easy to install and remove. In some embodiments, light strings may be configured to connect to additional light strings to provide longer light strings. Each of the light string channels can be individually controlled to produce different effects on each of the light strings.

A decorative light string for draping on an external structure, comprising a plurality of decorative-lighting wires, each of the plurality of decorative-lighting wires including an outer insulation layer, one or more conductors, and one or more reinforcing strands; and a plurality of lamps electrically connected to one another by the plurality of decorative-lighting wires.

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.