1. An apparatus for lighting a vehicle wheel assembly, said vehicle having a stationary frame having at least one rotatably mounted axle, said axle terminating in an axle hub able to attach to a wheel, said wheel comprising a wheel rim having inner and outer sides mounted on said axle hub such that the inner side is adjacent said hub and said outer side is remote from said hub, said apparatus comprising:
a source of electrical power on said vehicle;
at least one illumination assembly for illuminating said wheel rim, said illumination assembly electrically connected to said electrical power source; and
a mounting for fixedly connecting with said illumination assembly, said mounting for mounting said illumination assembly at a mounting location on said vehicle, said mounting location adjacent said inner side of said wheel rim, said mounting not attaching to said wheel, said mounting not extending through said wheel;
wherein said wheel rim has at least one opening therein so that light from said apparatus can be seen from said outer side of said wheel rim.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said mounting comprises a length of generally M-shaped wire.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said frame further comprises a wheel control arm, wherein said mounting location is on said control arm.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein mounting has a first end extending to a second end, wherein said illumination assembly comprises a first bulb socket and a second bulb socket, wherein said first bulb socket is mounted on said first end and said second bulb socket is mounted on said second end, each of said bulb sockets for connection with a light bulb.
5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said mounting comprises a length of generally M-shaped wire, and wherein said first and second bulb sockets are soldered to said mounting.
6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein each light bulb is a 12-volt automotive bulb.
7. An apparatus for lighting a vehicle wheel assembly, said vehicle having a stationary frame having at least one rotatably mounted axle, said axle terminating in an axle hub able to attach to a wheel, said wheel comprising a wheel rim having inner and outer sides, said wheel mounted on said axle hub such that the inner side is adjacent said hub and said outer side is remote from said hub, said apparatus comprising:
a source of electrical power on said vehicle;
a first illumination assembly for illuminating said wheel rim, said first illumination assembly electrically connected to said electrical power source, said first illumination assembly comprising a first socket;
a second illumination assembly for illuminating said wheel rim, said second illumination assembly electrically connected to said electrical power source, said second illumination assembly comprising a second socket; and
a rigid mounting for fixedly connecting with said first illumination assembly and with said second illumination assembly, said rigid mounting is elongated, having a first end extending to a second end, wherein said first socket attaches to said first end and said second socket attaches to said second end, said rigid mounting configured for attachment to said frame in a manner whereby said first and second illumination assemblies are adjacent said wheel rim inner side;
wherein said wheel rim has at least one opening therein so that light from said apparatus can be seen from said outer side of said wheel rim.
8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said rigid mounting comprises a generally M-shaped length of stiff wire.
9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said frame further comprises at least one control arm and wherein said rigid mounting attaches to said frame at said control arm.
10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said rigid mounting attaches to said frame at said axle.
11. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said rigid mounting is attached to said frame through use of at least one length of wire connecting said rigid mounting to said frame.
12. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said rigid mounting is attached to said frame through use of at least one plastic tie connecting said rigid mounting to said frame.
13. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said first illumination assembly comprises a 12-volt bulb mounted in said first socket.
14. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said second illumination assembly comprises a 12-volt bulb mounted in said second socket.
15. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said rigid mounting is provided with at least one rubber grip thereon for allowing a user to more conveniently grip said rigid mounting.
16. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said first illumination assembly comprises a first 12-volt bulb mounted in said first socket, and wherein said second illumination assembly comprises a second 12-volt bulb mounted in said second socket.
17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said sockets further comprise bulb guards for protecting said bulbs from damage.
18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said rigid mounting is a generally M-shaped length of wire and wherein sockets are soldered to said ends.
19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein a ground wire connects said rigid mounting to said frame thereby grounding said rigid mounting and attached sockets.
20. An apparatus for lighting a vehicle wheel assembly, said vehicle having a stationary frame having at least one rotatably mounted axle, said axle terminating in an axle hub able to attach to a wheel, said wheel comprising a wheel rim having inner and outer sides, said wheel mounted on said axle hub such that the inner side is adjacent said hub and said outer side is remote from said hub, said wheel rim having at least one opening therein so that light from said apparatus can be seen from said outer side of said wheel rim; said apparatus comprising:
a source of electrical power on said frame;
a first illumination assembly for illuminating said wheel rim, said first illumination assembly electrically connected to said electrical power source, said first illumination assembly comprising a first socket and a 12-volt bulb;
a second illumination assembly for illuminating said wheel rim, said second illumination assembly electrically connected to said electrical power source, said second illumination assembly comprising a second socket and a 12-volt bulb; and
a rigid mounting for fixedly connecting with said first illumination assembly and with said second illumination assembly, said rigid mounting comprising a generally M-shaped length of stiff wire having a first end extending to a second end, wherein said first socket is soldered to said first end and said second socket is soldered to said second end, said rigid mounting configured for attachment to said frame in a manner whereby said first and second illumination assemblies are adjacent said wheel rim inner side.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method comprising:
providing a plurality of wireless nodes including at least one parent node and at least one child node;
a control panel sending instructions to and receiving data from the plurality of nodes through a wired connection with a primary gateway and a wireless subsystem of the primary gateway;
the primary gateway synchronizing the plurality of nodes into a network by periodically transmitting a synchronization signal;
one of the plurality of nodes detecting failure of the primary gateway and transmitting an idle mode synchronization signal for so long as the one of the plurality of nodes detects failure of the primary gateway;
a backup gateway wired to the control panel initializing and synchronizing with the network and then entering a sleep mode;
the backup gateway detecting the idle mode synchronization signal from the one of the plurality of nodes and assuming a role of the primary gateway; and
upon detecting an over-riding synchronization signal from the primary gateway, the backup gateway resuming its backup state,
wherein there are no differences between the primary and backup gateways except that the backup gateway includes a backup control program.
2. The method as in claim 1 further comprising the idle mode synchronization signal inhibiting message traffic from the other of the plurality of nodes.
3. The method as in claim 1 further comprising the backup gateway synchronizing the plurality of nodes by transmitting a second synchronization signal.
4. The method as in claim 3 further comprising the one node detecting the second synchronization signal from the backup gateway and synchronizing to the backup gateway.
5. The method as in claim 4 further comprising the backup gateway exchanging messages between at least some of the plurality of nodes and the control panel.
6. The method as in claim 1 wherein the one node further comprises a child node directly coupled to the one node.
7. The method as in claim 1 further comprising the plurality of wireless nodes arranging themselves into a mesh network.
8. The method as in claim 1 further comprising the plurality of nodes communicating with the primary gateway under a time division multiplex (TDM) format.
9. The method as in claim 1 wherein the plurality of nodes and the primary gateway operate as a security system.
10. The method as in claim 1 further comprising at least some of the plurality of nodes detecting a fire and reporting the detection to the control panel through the primary gateway.
11. An apparatus comprising:
a plurality of wireless nodes including at least one parent node and at least one child node;
a primary gateway;
a control panel having a wired connection with the primary gateway, wherein the control panel sends instructions to and receives data from the plurality of nodes through the primary gateway and a wireless subsystem of the primary gateway, wherein the primary gateway synchronizes the plurality of nodes into a network by periodically transmitting a synchronization signal, and wherein one of the plurality of nodes detects failure of the primary gateway and transmits an idle mode synchronization signal for so long as the one of the plurality of nodes detects failure of the primary gateway; and
a backup gateway wired to the control panel wherein there are no differences between the primary and backup gateways except that the backup gateway includes a backup control program, wherein the backup gateway initializes and synchronizes with the network and then enters a sleep mode, wherein, upon detecting the idle mode synchronization signal from the one of the plurality of nodes, the backup gateway assumes a role of the primary gateway, and wherein, upon detecting an over-riding synchronization signal from the primary gateway, the backup gateway resumes its backup state.
12. The apparatus as in claim 11 further comprising a processor of each of the plurality of wireless nodes that inhibits message traffic from the node.
13. The apparatus as in claim 11 further comprising a processor of the backup gateway that synchronizes the plurality of nodes by transmitting a second synchronization signal.
14. The apparatus as in claim 13 further comprising a processor of the one node that detects the second synchronization signal from the backup gateway and synchronizes to the backup gateway.
15. The apparatus as in claim 14 further comprising a processor of the backup gateway that exchanges messages between at least some of the plurality of nodes and the control panel.
16. The apparatus as in claim 11 wherein the one node further comprises a directly coupled child node of the primary gateway.
17. The apparatus as in claim 11 arranged into a mesh network.
18. An apparatus comprising:
a plurality of wireless nodes of a mesh network including at least one parent node and at least one child node;
a primary gateway that synchronizes each of the plurality of wireless nodes to the primary gateway;
a control panel wired to the primary gateway, wherein the control panel sends instructions to and receives data from the plurality of nodes through the primary gateway and a wireless subsystem of the primary gateway, and wherein one of the plurality of nodes detects failure of the primary gateway and transmits an idle mode synchronization signal for so long as the one of the plurality of nodes detects failure of the primary gateway; and
a backup gateway wired to the control panel, wherein there are no differences between the primary and backup gateways except that the backup gateway includes a backup control program, wherein the backup gateway synchronizes the plurality of nodes and exchanges messages between the plurality of wireless nodes in place of the primary gateway upon detection of the idle mode synchronization signal from the one of the plurality of nodes, and wherein, upon detecting an over-riding synchronization signal from the primary gateway, the backup gateway resumes its backup state.