All The Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A method of producing a conductive thin film, comprising:
depositing a metal oxide thin film on a substrate by an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process; and
at least partially reducing said metal oxide thin film with one or more organic compounds.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the organic compounds comprise at least one functional group selected from the group consisting of OH, CHO and COOH and the metal oxide is completely reduced.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the metal oxide thin film is at least 1 nm thick.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein depositing comprises at least three cycles of an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the organic compounds are in the vapor phase.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the metal oxide thin film is selected from the group consisting of ReO2, Re2O5, ReO3, RuO2, OsO2, CoO, Co3O4, Rh2O3, RhO2, IrO2, NiO, PdO, PtO2, Cu2O, CuO, Ag2O and Au2O3.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the ALD process comprises feeding into the reaction chamber and contacting the substrate with alternating vapor phase pulses of at least one first source chemical comprising a compound capable of adsorbing no more than a monolayer of metal species on the substrate and at least one second source chemical comprising a compound capable of oxidizing the metal species on the substrate into the metal oxide.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first source chemical is Cu(thd)2 and the second source chemical is selected from the group consisting of ozone (O3), oxygen (O2) and a mixture of O3 and O2.
9. The method of claim 7, wherein the first source chemical is CuCl and the second source chemical is selected from the group consisting of ozone (O3), oxygen (O2) and a mixture of O3 and O2.
10. The method of claim 7, wherein the first source chemical is anhydrous metal nitrate and the second source chemical is vaporized aqueous solution of NH3.
11. The method of claim 7, wherein the first source chemical is anhydrous copper nitrate (Cu(NO3)2) and the second source chemical is vaporized aqueous solution of NH3.
12. The method of claim 7, wherein the first source chemical is Co(thd)3 and the second source chemical is selected from the group consisting of ozone (O3), oxygen (O2), and a mixture of O3 and O2.
13. The method of claim 7, wherein the first source chemical is Pd(thd)3 and the second source chemical is selected from the group consisting of ozone (O3), oxygen (O2), and a mixture of O3 and O2.
14. The method of claim 7, wherein the first source chemical is bis(ethylcyclopentadienyl)ruthenium ((EtCp)2Ru) and the second source chemical is a mixture of oxygen and water gases.
15. The method of claim 5, wherein the vaporized organic compound used for reducing the metal oxide is an organic compound containing at least one alcohol (OH) group, said organic compound selected from the group consisting of primary alcohols; secondary alcohols; tertiary alcohols; polyhydroxy alcohols; cyclic alcohols which have an OH group attached to at least one carbon atom which is part of a ring of 1-10 carbon atoms; aromatic alcohols having at least one -OH group attached either to the benzene ring or to a carbon atom in a side-chain attached to benzene ring; halogenated alcohols; and other derivatives of alcohols.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein said primary alcohols are primary alcohols according to the general formula (I)
R1OH(I)
wherein R1 is a linear or branched C1-C20 alkyl or alkenyl group.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein each R1 is selected from the group consisting of methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, pentyl and hexyl groups.
18. The method of claim 15, wherein said secondary alcohols are secondary alcohols according to formula (II)
3
wherein each R1 is selected independently from the group of linear or branched C1-C20 alkyl and alkenyl groups.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein each R1 is selected from the group consisting of methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, pentyl and hexyl groups.
20. The method of claim 15, wherein said tertiary alcohols are tertiary alcohols according to the general formula (III)
4
wherein each R1 is selected independently from the group of linear or branched C1-C20 alkyl and alkenyl groups.
21. The method of claim 20, wherein each R1 is selected from the group consisting of methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, pentyl and hexyl groups.
22. The method of claim 15, wherein said cyclic alcohols have an OH group attached to at least one carbon atom which is part of a ring of 5-6 carbon atoms.
23. The method of claim 5, wherein the vaporized organic compound used for reducing the metal oxide is a compound containing at least one aldehyde (CHO) group, said reducing agent being selected from the group consisting of:
compounds having the general formula (V)
R3CHO(V)
wherein R3 is hydrogen or linear or branched C1-C20 alkyl or alkenyl group, preferably methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, pentyl or hexyl; and
compounds having the general formula (VI)
OHCR4CHO(VI)
wherein R4 is a linear or branched C1-C20 saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon or R4 is zero, when the aldehyde groups are bonded to each other; and
halogenated aldehydes; and
other derivatives of aldehydes.
24. The method of claim 5, wherein the vaporized organic compound used for reducing the metal oxide is a compound containing at least one carboxylic acid (COOH) group, said reducing agent being selected from the group consisting of:
compounds having the general formula (VII)
R5COOH(VII)
wherein R5 is hydrogen or linear or branched C1-C20 alkyl or alkenyl group, preferably methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, pentyl or hexyl; and
polycarboxylic acids; and
halogenated carboxylic acids; and
other derivatives of carboxylic acids.
25. A method of producing a conductive thin film comprising the steps of:
A. placing a substrate in a chamber;
B. exposing the substrate to a gaseous first reactant, wherein the first reactant adsorbs no more than a monolayer of metal species on the substrate;
C. removing gases from the chamber;
D. exposing the substrate to a second gaseous reactant comprising a compound that is capable of oxidizing the adsorbed metal species on the substrate into metal oxide;
E. removing gases from the chamber;
F. repeating the above steps B through E at least three times to form a metal oxide film; and
G. following step F, exposing the substrate to one or more organic compounds.
26. The method of claim 25, wherein the organic compounds comprise at least one functional group selected from the group consisting of OH, CHO and COOH and wherein the organic compound reduces the metal oxide.
27. The method of claim 25 wherein the organic compounds reduce the metal oxide film to metal.
28. The method of claim 25, wherein the organic compound is in the vapor phase.
29. The method of claim 25, wherein in step F, steps B through E are repeated at least 10 times to form a metal oxide film.
30. The method of claim 25, wherein steps B through G are repeated at least twice to increase the thickness of the conductive film on the substrate.
31. A method of producing a conductive thin film comprising:
depositing a metal oxide thin film of at least 1 nm thickness on a substrate; and
reducing said metal oxide thin film to metal by exposing the metal oxide thin film to one or more organic compounds
32. The method of claim 31, wherein the organic compounds comprise at least one functional group selected from the group consisting of OH, CHO and COOH.

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. An active-matrix display device, comprising:
a plurality of pixel forming portions for forming an image to be displayed;
a plurality of video signal lines for transmitting video signals representing the image to be displayed;
a plurality of scanning signal lines crossing the video signal lines;
a plurality of switching elements arranged so as to respectively correspond to the video signal lines;
a plurality of control signal lines for transmitting control signals to control the plurality of switching elements, the pixel forming portions being arranged in a matrix in correspondence with respective intersections of the video signal lines and the scanning signal lines;
a scanning signal line driver circuit for selectively driving the scanning signal lines;
a video-signal-line time-division drive portion for driving the video signal lines by sequentially applying image signals inputted to represent the image to be displayed, to the video signal lines via the switching elements in a time-division manner within a predetermined period; and
a display control circuit for providing the control signals to the switching elements via the control signal lines, for controlling the switching elements so as to be kept on for a period required for providing video signals to pixel forming portions coupled to the scanning signal lines selected by the scanning signal line driver circuit, the video signals being transmitted by video signal lines corresponding to the pixel forming portions, wherein,
the video-signal-line time-division drive portion includes:
a video signal output circuit including a plurality of first output terminals respectively corresponding to a plurality of video signal line groups into which the video signal lines are divided, the video signal output circuit outputting video signals from the first output terminals in the time-division manner so as to be transmitted by the video signal line groups corresponding to the first output terminals; and
a demultiplexer having the switching elements that connect each of the first output terminals of the video signal output circuit to one of the video signal lines in the video signal line group corresponding to that first output terminal and switch the video signal line to be connected to the first output terminal among the video signal line group corresponding to the first output terminal in accordance with the time-division manner, and

the control signal lines are divided into sets whose number is equivalent to the number of video signal lines in the video signal line group corresponding to any one of the plurality of first output terminals, each set consisting of a plurality of control signal lines for transmitting a plurality of control signals to control switching elements that are to be turned on within a unit period of the time division.
2. The display device according to claim 1, further comprising buffer circuits respectively coupled to the control signal lines, wherein,
for each set of control signal lines, the display control circuit has one second output terminal for outputting the control signal, and
the buffer circuits receive the control signals outputted from the second output terminals corresponding to the sets of control signal lines, and provide the control signals to the control signal lines coupled thereto.
3. The display device according to claim 2, wherein for each set of control signal lines, the number of buffer circuits provided between the control signal line coupled thereto and the second output terminal corresponding to that set of control signal lines varies among the same set of control signal lines so that control signals transmitted by the coupled control signal lines have different phases among the same set of control signal lines.
4. The display device according to claim 2, wherein,
the display control circuit applies the control signals to the control signal lines only from one end, and
the buffer circuits are coupled to that end.
5. The display device according to claim 2, wherein,
the display control circuit applies the control signals to the control signal lines from both ends, and
the buffer circuits are coupled to either of the ends.
6. The display device according to claim 2, wherein,
the display control circuit applies the control signals to the control signal lines from an input point other than both ends, and
the buffer circuits are coupled to the input point.
7. The display device according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of buffer circuits respectively coupled to the control signal lines, wherein,
for each set of switching elements to be turned on within a unit period of the time division, the buffer circuits receive control signals from the control signal lines coupled thereto, and provide the control signals to switching elements respectively coupled to different first output terminals among the same set of switching elements.
8. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the first output terminals of the video signal output circuit respectively correspond to video signal line groups into which the video signal lines are divided, each group consisting of adjacent video signal lines respectively coupled to a plurality of pixel forming portions that respectively display predetermined primary colors.
9. The display device according to claim 1, wherein, for each set of control signal lines, the display control circuit outputs control signals that rise and fall at different times from each other during the unit period.
10. The display device according to claim 1, further comprising delay circuits, each being coupled to one of the control signal lines, wherein,
the delay circuits are provided one or more for each set of control signal lines such that control signals transmitted by the set of control signal lines have different phases from each other during the unit period.
11. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the display control circuit applies the control signals to the control signal lines only from one end.
12. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the display control circuit applies the control signals to the control signal lines from both ends.
13. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the display control circuit applies the control signals to the control signal lines from an input point other than both ends.
14. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the control signal lines in each set are connected to different first output terminals.
15. An active-matrix display device with a plurality of pixel forming portions for forming an image to be displayed, a plurality of video signal lines for transmitting video signals representing the image to be displayed, a plurality of scanning signal lines crossing the video signal lines, and a plurality of control signal lines for transmitting control signals to control a plurality of switching elements provided so as to respectively correspond to the video signal lines, the pixel forming portions being arranged in a matrix in correspondence with respective intersections of the video signal lines and the scanning signal lines, the device comprising:
a scanning signal line driver circuit for selectively driving the scanning signal lines;
a video-signal-line time-division drive portion for driving the video signal lines by sequentially applying image signal inputted to represent the image to be displayed, to the video signal lines via the switching elements in a time-division manner within a predetermined period;
a plurality of buffer circuits respectively coupled to the control signal lines; and
a display control circuit for providing the control signals to the switching elements via the buffer circuits coupled to the control signal lines, thereby controlling the switching elements so as to be kept on for a period required for providing video signals to pixel forming portions coupled to the scanning signal lines selected by the scanning signal line driver circuit, the video signals being transmitted by video signal lines corresponding to the pixel forming portions, wherein,
the video-signal-line time-division drive portion includes:
a video signal output circuit with a plurality of first output terminals respectively corresponding to a plurality of video signal line groups into which the video signal lines are divided, the video signal output circuit outputting video signals from the first output terminals in the time-division manner so as to be transmitted by the video signal line groups corresponding to the first output terminals; and
a demultiplexer having the switching elements that connect each of the first output terminals of the video signal output circuit to one of the video signal lines in the video signal line group corresponding to that first output terminal and switch the video signal line to be connected to the first output terminal among the video signal line group corresponding to the first output terminal in accordance with the time-division manner,

the control signal lines are provided in a number equivalent to the number of time divisions, and
for each set of switching elements to be turned on within a unit period of the time division, the buffer circuits receive control signal transmitted by the control signal line coupled thereto, and respectively output the control signals to control switching elements coupled within the same set.
16. The display device according to claim 15, wherein for each set of switching elements, the number of buffer circuits provided between the control signal line coupled thereto and the coupled switching elements varies among the same set of switching elements so that control signals transmitted to the coupled switching elements have different phases among the same set of switching elements during the unit period.
17. A method for driving an active-matrix display device,
the active-matrix display device comprising:
a plurality of pixel forming portions for forming an image to be displayed,
a plurality of video signal lines for transmitting video signals representing the image to be displayed,
a plurality of scanning signal lines crossing the video signal lines,
a plurality of switching elements arranged so as to respectively correspond to the video signal lines, and
a plurality of control signal lines for transmitting control signals to control the plurality of switching elements, the pixel forming portions being arranged in a matrix in correspondence with respective intersections of the video signal lines and the scanning signal lines,

the method comprising:
a scanning signal line drive step of selectively driving the scanning signal lines;
a video-signal-line time-division drive step of driving the video signal lines by sequentially applying image signals inputted to represent the image to be displayed, to the video signal lines via the switching elements in a time-division manner within a predetermined period; and
a display control step of providing the control signals to the switching elements via the control signal lines, for controlling the switching elements so as to be kept on for a period required for providing video signals to pixel forming portions coupled to the scanning signal lines selected by the scanning signal line driver circuit, the video signals being transmitted by video signal lines corresponding to the pixel forming portions, wherein,
the video-signal-line time-division drive step includes:
an output step performed by a video signal output circuit including a plurality of first output terminals respectively corresponding to a plurality of video signal line groups into which the video signal lines are divided, the video signal output circuit outputting video signals from the first output terminals in the time-division manner so as to be transmitted by the video signal line groups corresponding to the first output terminals; and
a switching step performed by a demultiplexer having the switching elements that connect each of the first output terminals of the video signal output circuit to one of the video signal lines in the video signal line group corresponding to that first output terminal and switch the video signal line to be connected to the first output terminal among the video signal line group corresponding to the first output terminal in accordance with the time-division manner, and

the control signal lines are divided into sets whose number is equivalent to the number of video signal lines in the video signal line group corresponding to any one of the plurality of first output terminals, each set consisting of a plurality of control signal lines for transmitting a plurality of control signals to control switching elements that are to be turned on within a unit period of the time division.
18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the control signal lines in each set are connected to different first output terminals.

1. A job processing method for use with a job processing system comprising execution servers to execute tasks of a parametric job and a schedule server which extracts each of the tasks from the parametric job and which requests associated one of the execution servers to execute the task, wherein:
the schedule server comprises a scheduler and a data allocation control table;
each of the execution servers comprises a data allocation area, a data processing section, a data allocation section, and an external storage;
the data allocation section reads a data set as a processing target of the task in the data allocation area of an own execution server, and notifies correspondence information between the data set and the own execution server;
the scheduler stores, in the data allocation control table, the notified correspondence information between the data set and the own execution server to which information of a task executing the data set as a processing target is further added;
the scheduler retrieves, when selecting the execution server which can execute the task as the allocation-target execution server as an allocation target and allocating the task thereto, the data set as the processing target of the new task from the data allocation control table;
for data obtaining target at execution of the allocation-target execution server in the data processing section, if the data set as the processing target is beforehand allocated to the data allocation area in the allocation-target execution server, the scheduler sets the data set as the data obtaining target; and
if the data set as the processing target is beforehand allocated to the data allocation area in a second execution server other than the allocation-target execution server, the scheduler sets the data set allocated to the second execution server as the data obtaining target.
2. A job processing method according to claim 1, wherein if the data set as the processing target is beforehand allocated to the data allocation area in each of a plurality of the execution servers as allocation targets, the scheduler selects the data set of any ones of the execution servers in which failure has not occurred as the data obtaining target in preference to the data set of the execution servers in which failure has occurred.
3. A job processing method according to claim 1, wherein if the data set as the processing target is beforehand allocated to the data allocation area in each of a plurality of the execution servers other than the execution server as an allocation target, the scheduler sets as the data obtaining target the data allocation area in one of the execution servers having a lowest task allocation rate.
4. A job processing method according to claim 1, wherein:
the data processing section detects abnormal termination of a task during execution and notifies the abnormal termination to the scheduler; and
when abnormal termination of a plurality of tasks is notified from the data processing section in a predetermined one of the execution servers, the scheduler excludes the predetermined execution server from the execution servers as allocation targets at allocation of a new task.
5. A job processing method according to claim 1, wherein:
the data processing section detects abnormal termination of a task during execution and notifies the abnormal termination to the scheduler; and
when abnormal termination of a plurality of tasks is notified from the data processing section in a predetermined one the execution servers, the scheduler searches an entry of the task associated with the notification of abnormal termination from tasks indicated as \u201cduring execution\u201d in the data allocation control table and then clears the tasks of \u201cduring execution\u201d from the entry.
6. A job processing method according to claim 1, wherein if the data set as the processing target is not beforehand allocated to the data allocation area in any one of the execution servers, the scheduler sets the data allocation area in the external storage as the data obtaining target.
7. A job processing method for use with a job processing system comprising execution servers to execute tasks of a parametric job and a schedule server which extracts each of the tasks from the parametric job and which requests associated one of the execution servers to execute the task, wherein:
the schedule server comprises a scheduler and a data allocation control table;
each of the execution servers comprises a data allocation area, a data processing section, a data allocation section, and an external storage;
the data allocation section reads a data set as a processing target of the task in the data allocation area of an own execution server, and notifies correspondence information between the data set and the own execution server;
the scheduler stores, in the data allocation control table, the notified correspondence information between the data set and the own execution server to which information of a task executing the data set as a processing target is further added;
the scheduler retrieves, when selecting the execution server which can execute the task as the allocation-target execution server as an allocation target and allocating the task thereto, the data set as the processing target of the new task from the data allocation control table;
for data obtaining target at execution of the allocation-target execution server in the data processing section, if the data set as the processing target is beforehand allocated to the data allocation area in the allocation-target execution server, the scheduler sets the data set as the data obtaining target;
if the data set as the processing target is not beforehand allocated to the data allocation area in any one of the execution servers, the scheduler sets the data set in the external storage area as the data obtaining target; and
if the data set as the processing target is beforehand allocated to the data allocation area in a second execution server other than the allocation-target execution server, the scheduler sets the data set allocated to the second execution server as the data obtaining target.

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 modular lighting bar, comprising:
a housing having a length, a width, and a supply recess along the length of the housing dimensioned to receive an electrical supply line having a positive lead and a negative lead; and
a mounting bar having a top surface, a bottom surface, two side surfaces and two ends, and including
a housing recess along the top surface dimensioned to receive the housing and to orient the electric supply line therebetween,
at least one light recess on the bottom surface for receiving a miniature light assembly, the at least one light recess dimensioned and positioned such that a positive prong and negative prong of a light assembly disposed in the at least one light recess makes electrical contact with the corresponding positive and negative lead of the electric supply line,
a male connector at one of the two ends, and
a corresponding female connector at the other of the two ends.
2. The modular lighting bar of claim 1, further comprising means for fastening the mounting bar to a surface.
3. The modular lighting bar of claim 1, wherein the mounting bar further comprises at least one through hole extending through the mounting bar through which the modular lighting bar is fastenable to a surface.
4. The modular lighting bar of claim 1, wherein the male connector and the female connector comprise interlocking dovetail connectors.
5. The modular lighting bar of claim 1, wherein the mounting bar further comprises at least one member-receiving recess on the bottom surface dimensioned to receive an end of at least one member.
6. The modular lighting bar of claim 5, wherein the at least one member is a baluster.
7. The modular lighting bar of claim 5, wherein
the mounting bar further comprises at least one cylindrical recess on at least one of the two side surfaces of the mounting bar that internally connects to a corresponding member-receiving recess;
the at least one member-receiving recess is sufficiently wide to allow the member to pivot within the member-receiving recess; and
further comprising at least one rotating cylindrical plug disposed in the at least one cylindrical recess and having a means for securely receiving the end of the at least one member.
8. The modular lighting bar of claim 7, further comprising at least one cap dimensioned to cover an end of the at least one cylindrical recess.
9. The modular lighting bar of claim 5, wherein the at least one light recess and at least one member-receiving recess respectively further comprise symmetrically spaced pluralities of light recesses and member-receiving recesses.
10. The modular lighting bar of claim 1, wherein the mounting bar and the housing together serve as a hand rail mounting base.
11. The modular lighting bar of claim 1, wherein the supply recess is mateable with the electrical supply line in only one possible orientation.
12. The modular lighting bar of claim 1, further comprising at least one miniature light assembly including a light source enclosed in a light housing and a positive prong and a negative prong supplying power to the light source protruding from the light housing.
13. The modular lighting bar of claim 12, wherein the light source is an LED.
14. The modular lighting bar of claim 1, composed of at least one of the materials selected from the group consisting of metal, wood and plastic.
15. The modular lighting bar of claim 1, wherein the mounting bar and housing each include at least one section that is straight or curved.
16. The modular lighting bar of claim 1, wherein the mounting bar and housing include at least one articulating segments.
17. A modular lighting bar, comprising:
a housing having a length, a width, and a supply recess along the length of the housing dimensioned to receive an electrical supply line having a positive lead and a negative lead; and
a mounting bar having a top surface, a bottom surface and two side surfaces, and including
a housing recess along the top surface dimensioned to receive the housing and orient the electrical supply line therebetween,
at least one light recess on the bottom surface for receiving a miniature light assembly, the least one light recess dimensioned and positioned such that a positive prong and negative prong of a light assembly disposed in the at least one light recess makes electrical contact with the corresponding positive and negative lead of the electrical supply line, and
at least one member-receiving recess on the top surface of the mounting bar dimensioned to receive an end of at least one member.
18. The modular lighting bar of claim 17, wherein the at least one member is a baluster.
19. The modular lighting bar of claim 17, wherein
the mounting bar further comprises at least one cylindrical recess on at least one of the two side surfaces of the mounting bar that internally connects to a corresponding member-receiving recess;
the at least one member-receiving recess is sufficiently wide to allow the member to pivot within the member-receiving recess; and
further comprising at least one rotating cylindrical plug disposed in the at least one cylindrical recess and having a means for securely receiving the end of the at least one member.
20. The modular lighting bar of claim 19, further comprising at least one cap dimensioned to cover an end of the at least one cylindrical recess.
21. The modular lighting bar of claim 17, wherein the at least one light recess and at least one member-receiving recess respectively further comprise symmetrically spaced pluralities of light recesses and member-receiving recesses.
22. The modular lighting bar of claim 17, wherein the mounting bar and the housing together serve as a hand rail mounting base.
23. The modular lighting bar of claim 17, wherein the supply recess is mateable with the electrical supply line in only one possible orientation.
24. The modular lighting bar of claim 17, further comprising at least one miniature light assembly including a light source enclosed in a light housing and a positive prong and a negative prong for supplying power to the light source protruding from the light housing.
25. The modular lighting bar of claim 24, wherein the light source is an LED.
26. The modular lighting bar of claim 17, composed of at least one material selected from the group consisting of metal, wood and plastic.
27. The modular lighting bar of claim 17, wherein the mounting bar and the housing include at least one section having a shape selected from the group consisting of straight and curved.
28. The modular lighting bar of claim 17, wherein the mounting bar and the housing each include at least one articulating segments.
29. A modular lighting bar, comprising:
a mounting bar having a top surface, a bottom surface, two side surfaces and two ends, and including
an internal supply recess dimensioned to receive and to orient a pair of electrical supply lines within the mounting bar in a predetermined orientation to establish a specific polarity,
at least one light recess on the bottom surface for receiving a miniature light assembly, the at least one light recess being dimensioned and positioned to receive a light assembly in only a predetermined orientation such that a positive prong and negative prong of a light assembly disposed in the at least one light recess makes electrical contact with corresponding positive and negative leads of the electrical supply lines,

a male connector at one of the two ends, and
a corresponding female connector at the other of the two ends.
30. The modular lighting bar of claim 29, further comprising means for fastening the mounting bar to a surface.
31. The modular lighting bar of claim 29, wherein the mounting bar further comprises at least one through hole extending through the mounting bar through which the modular lighting bar is fastenable to a surface.
32. The modular lighting bar of claim 29, wherein the male connector and the female connector comprise interlocking dovetail connectors.
33. The modular lighting bar of claim 29, wherein the mounting bar further comprises at least one member-receiving recess on the bottom surface dimensioned to receive an end of at least one member.
34. The modular lighting bar of claim 33, wherein the at least one member is a baluster.
35. The modular lighting bar of claim 33, wherein
the mounting bar further comprises at least one cylindrical recess on at least one of the two side surfaces of the mounting bar that internally connects to a corresponding member-receiving recess;
the at least one member-receiving recess is sufficiently wide to allow the member to pivot within the member-receiving recess; and
further comprising at least one rotating cylindrical plug disposed in the at least one cylindrical recess and having a means for securely receiving the end of the at least one member.
36. The modular lighting bar of claim 35, further comprising at least one cap dimensioned to cover an end of the at least one cylindrical recess.
37. The modular lighting bar of claim 29, further comprising at least one miniature light assembly including a light source enclosed in a light housing and a positive prong and a negative prong supplying power to the light source.
38. The modular lighting bar of claim 29, wherein the mounting bar includes at least one section that is of a shape selected from the group consisting of straight or curved.
39. The modular lighting bar of claim 29, wherein the mounting bar includes at least one articulating segment.
40. A modular lighting bar, comprising:
a mounting bar having a top surface, a bottom surface and two side surfaces, and including
an internal supply recess dimensioned to receive and to orient an electrical supply line in only one possible orientation within the mounting bar,
at least one light recess on the bottom surface for receiving a miniature light assembly, the at least one light recess dimensioned and positioned such that a positive prong and negative prong of a light assembly disposed in the at least one light recess makes electrical contact only with corresponding positive and negative leads of the electrical supply line, and
at least one member-receiving recess on the bottom surface dimensioned to receive an end of at least one member.
41. The modular lighting bar of claim 40, wherein the at least one member is a baluster.
42. The modular lighting bar of claim 40, wherein
the mounting bar further comprises at least one cylindrical recess on at least one of the two side surfaces of the mounting bar that internally connects to a corresponding member-receiving recess;
the at least one member-receiving recess is sufficiently wide to allow the member to pivot within the member-receiving recess; and
further comprising at least one rotating cylindrical plug disposed in the at least one cylindrical recess and having a means for securely receiving the end of the at least one member.
43. The modular lighting bar of claim 42, further comprising at least one cap dimensioned to cover an end of the at least one cylindrical recess.
44. The modular lighting bar of claim 40, wherein the at least one light recess and at least one member-receiving recess respectively further comprise symmetrically spaced pluralities of light recesses and member-receiving recesses.
45. The modular lighting bar of claim 40, wherein the supply recess is mateable with the electrical supply line in only one possible orientation.
46. The modular lighting bar of claim 40, further comprising at least one miniature light assembly including a light source enclosed in a light housing and a positive prong and a negative prong supplying power to the light source protruding from the light housing.
47. The modular lighting bar of claim 40, wherein the mounting bar includes at least one section that is straight or curved.
48. The modular lighting bar of claim 17, wherein the mounting bar includes at least one articulating segment.
49. A railing system including at least one modular lighting bar as in claim 1.
50. A railing system including at least one modular lighting bar as in claim 17.
51. The railing system of claim 50, wherein a pair of lighting bars comprise segments of top and bottom rails, respectively, each holding opposite ends of at least one baluster.
52. A railing system including at least one modular lighting bar as in claim 29.
53. A railing system including at least one modular lighting bar as in claim 40.
54. The railing system of claim 53, wherein a pair of lighting bars comprise segments of top and bottom rails, respectively, each holding opposite ends of at least one baluster.