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Methods and apparatus for computer-based control of light sources in a networked lighting system. In one example, a plurality of LED-based lighting systems are arranged as computer controllable “light strings.” Applications contemplated for such light strings include, but are not limit

Methods and apparatus for computer-based control of light sources in a networked lighting system. In one example, a plurality of LED-based lighting systems are arranged as computer controllable “light strings.” Applications contemplated for such light strings include, but are not limited to, decorative and entertainment-oriented lighting applications (e.g., Christmas tree lights, display lights, theme park lighting, video and other game arcade lighting, etc.). Via computer control, one or more such light strings may provide a variety of complex temporal and color-changing lighting effects. In one example, lighting data is communicated in a given light string in a serial manner, according to a variety of different data transmission and processing schemes. In another example, individual lighting systems of a light string are coupled together via a variety of different conduit configurations to provide for easy coupling and arrangement of multiple light sources constituting the light string. In yet another example, small LED-based lighting systems capable of being arranged in a light string configuration are manufactured as integrated circuits including data processing circuitry and control circuitry for LED light sources, and are packaged along with LEDs for convenient coupling to a conduit to connect multiple lighting systems.

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1. A lighting system, comprising:an LED lighting system adapted to receive a data stream through a first data port, generate at least one illumination condition based on at least a first portion of the data stream, and communicate at least a second portion of the data stream through a second data po

1. A lighting system, comprising:an LED lighting system adapted to receive a data stream through a first data port, generate at least one illumination condition based on at least a first portion of the data stream, and communicate at least a second portion of the data stream through a second data port; anda housing adapted to retain the LED lighting system and electrically associate the first and second data ports with a data connection comprising an electrical conductor with at least one discontinuous section having a first side and a second side that is electrically isolated from the first side, the housing being adapted such that the first data port is electrically associated with the first side of the discontinuous section and the second data port is electrically associated with the second side of the discontinuous section. 2. The system of claim 1 wherein the housing further comprises a feature used to align the housing with data connection. 3. The system of claim 2 wherein the feature is adapted to align the housing with the at least one discontinuous section. 4. The system of claim 3 wherein the feature comprises a protrusion wherein the protrusion is inserted into the discontinuous section. 5. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first data port and the second data port is electrically associated with the data connection through a insulation displacement connector. 6. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first data port and the second data port is electrically associated with the data connection through a fastener. 7. The system of claim 1 wherein the electrical association of at least one of the first data port and the second data port also provides mechanical attachment; wherein the mechanical attachment is sufficient to secure the housing to the data connection. 8. The system of claim 1 wherein the LED lighting system is adapted to strip the first portion from the data stream. 9. The system of claim 8 wherein the LED lighting system is further adapted to communicate at least an unstripped portion of the data stream to another system. 10. The system of claim 1 wherein the LED lighting system is adapted to manipulate the first portion of the data stream. 11. The system of claim 10 wherein the LED system is further adapted to communicate at least the manipulated first portion of the data stream. 12. The system of claim 11 wherein the LED system is further adapted to communicate at least an unmanipulated portion of the data stream. 13. The system of claim 1 wherein the LED lighting system is adapted to modify the first portion of the data stream. 14. The system of claim 13 wherein the LED lighting system is adapted to modify the first portion of the data stream by changing at least one bit of the first portion. 15. The system of claim 13 wherein the LED lighting system is adapted to modify the first portion of the data stream by adding at least one bit to the first portion. 16. The system of claim 13 wherein the first portion comprises a packet of data. 17. The system of claim 16 wherein the packet of data comprises the first unmodified packet of data received by the LED lighting system. 18. The system of claim 13 wherein the LED lighting system is adapted communicate at least the modified portion to another system. 19. The system of claim 1 wherein the LED lighting system is adapted to read a first portion of the data stream; wherein the first portion comprises a data packet. 20. The system of claim 19 wherein the data packet comprises a first packet of data received through the data stream. 21. The system of claim 19 wherein the data packet comprises a first unmodified data packet received through the data stream. 22. The system of claim 19 wherein the data packet is associated with identification data. 23. The system of claim 22 wherein the identification data indicates the status of the data packet. 24. The system of claim 23 wherein the status indicates weather the data packet has been pr eviously read by another system. 25. The system of claim 1 wherein the LED lighting system comprises a single color producing LED lighting system adapted to change the intensity of the color in response to the read portion of the data stream. 26. The system of claim 1 wherein the LED lighting system comprises a muli-color producing LED lighting system adapted to change at least one of an intensity and a color of the light produced by the LED lighting system in response to the first portion of the data stream. 27. The system of claim 26 wherein the LED lighting system controls LEDs through at least one of an analog control signal; PWM control, and current control signal. 28. The system of claim 26 wherein the LED lighting system comprises at least two different color producing LEDs and the LED lighting system independently controls the at least two different color producing LEDs. 29. The system of claim 1 wherein the LED lighting system further comprises a platform wherein at least one LED and a processor are mounted on the platform; and the housing retains the platform. 30. The system of claim 29 wherein the platform comprises a top side and a bottom side; wherein the processor is associated with the bottom side and the at least one LED is associated with the top side. 31. The system of claim 30 wherein the at least one LED comprises a plurality of LEDs. 32. The system of claim 31 wherein the plurality of LEDs comprises at least two different color producing LEDs. 33. The system of claim 31 wherein the plurality of LEDs comprises red, green and blue producing LEDs. 34. The system of claim 30 wherein the platform has a top side surface area smaller than approximately 0.5 square inches. 35. The system of claim 30 wherein the platform has a top side surface area smaller than approximately 0.25 square inches. 36. The system of claim 30 wherein the platform has a top side surface area smaller than approximately 0.2 square inches. 37. The system of claim 30 wherein the platform has a top side surface area smaller than approximately 0.15 square inches. 38. The system of claim 30 wherein the platform has a top side surface area smaller than approximately 0.1 square inches. 39. The system of claim 30 wherein the platform has a top side surface area smaller than approximately 0.05 square inches. 40. The system of claim 1 further comprising an optic arranged in optical association with at least one LED of the LED lighting system. 41. The system of claim 40 wherein the at least one LED comprises a plurality of LEDs of at least two different colors; wherein the optic is adapted to mix the light produced by the LEDs of at least two different colors. 42. The system of claim 41 wherein the optic is at least one of transparent, translucent, partially transparent, partially translucent. 43. The system of claim 41 wherein the transmission of the optic is greater than approximately 10%. 44. The system of claim 41 wherein the transmission of the optic is greater than approximately 20%. 45. The system of claim 41 wherein the transmission of the optic is greater than approximately 30%. 46. The system of claim 41 wherein the transmission of the optic is greater than approximately 40%. 47. The system of claim 41 wherein the transmission of the optic is greater than approximately 50%. 48. The system of claim 41 wherein the transmission of the optic is greater than approximately 60%. 49. The system of claim 41 wherein the transmission of the optic is greater than approximately 70%. 50. The system of claim 41 wherein the transmission of the optic is greater than approximately 80%. 51. The system of claim 41 wherein the transmission of the optic is greater than approximately 90%. 52. The system of claim 41 wherein the transmission of the optic is approximately 100%. 53. The system of claim 40 wherein the optic comprises at least one of glass, plastic, and polycarbonate. 54. The system of claim 40 wherein the optic is adapted to produce a prismatic effect. 55. A plurality of lighting systems of claim 1 wherein the data connection connects the plurality of lighting systems in series. 56. The plurality of lighting systems of claim 55 wherein the plurality is arranged on a surface. 57. The plurality of lighting systems of claim 56 wherein the surface comprises a buildings exterior surface. 58. The plurality of lighting systems of claim 56 wherein the surface comprises a buildings interior surface. 59. The plurality of lighting systems of claim 55 wherein the plurality of lighting systems is arranged to illuminate a cove. 60. The plurality of lighting systems of claim 55 wherein the plurality of lighting systems is arranged to illuminate a walkway. 61. The plurality of lighting systems of claim 55 wherein the plurality of lighting systems is arranged to illuminate a pathway. 62. The plurality of lighting systems of claim 55 wherein the plurality of lighting systems is arranged to illuminate a tree. 63. The plurality of lighting systems of claim 55 wherein the plurality of lighting systems is arranged to illuminate a Christmas tree. 64. The plurality of lighting systems of claim 55 wherein the plurality of lighting systems is arranged as a part of a game. 65. The plurality of lighting systems of claim 55 wherein the plurality of lighting systems is arranged as part of a video game. 66. The plurality of lighting systems of claim 55 wherein the plurality of lighting systems is arranged as part of a jukebox. 67. The plurality of lighting systems of claim 55 wherein the plurality of lighting systems is arranged as part of a gambling machine. 68. The plurality of lighting systems of claim 55 wherein the plurality of lighting systems is arranged as part of a slot machine. 69. The plurality of lighting systems of claim 55 wherein the plurality of lighting systems is arranged as part of a pinball machine. 70. A method of controlling a plurality of lighting systems, comprising acts of:communicating a data stream to a first lighting system of the plurality of lighting systems;receiving the data stream at the first lighting system and reading at least a first portion of the data stream;generating at least one lighting effect at the first lighting system in response to the first portion of the data stream; andcommunicating at least a second portion of the data stream to a second lighting system of the plurality of lighting systems. 71. The method of claim 70 wherein the plurality of lighting systems comprise a plurality of LED lighting systems. 72. The method of claim 70 wherein the plurality of lighting systems comprise a plurality of illumination systems. 73. The method of claim 70 wherein the plurality of lighting systems comprise a plurality of non-LED lighting systems. 74. The method of claim 70 wherein the plurality of lighting systems comprise a plurality of color changing LED lighting systems. 75. The method of claim 70, further comprising the step of:causing the first lighting system to strip the first portion of the data stream from the data stream; andwherein the step of causing the first lighting system to communicate at least a second portion of the data stream to second lighting system of the plurality of lighting systems comprises causing the first lighting system to communicate at least a second portion of the data stream to second lighting system of the plurality of lighting systems; wherein the second portion of the data stream does not include the first portion. 76. The method of claim 70, further comprising the step of:causing the first lighting system to modify the first portion of the data stream such that the remaining lighting systems in the plurality of lighting systems recognize the first portion has been read by the first lighting system; andwherein the step of causing the first lighting system to communicate at least a second portion of the data stream to another of the plurality of lighting systems comprises causing the first lighting system to communicate at least a second portion of the data stream to another of the plurality of lighting systems; wherein the second portion of the data stream includes the modified first portion of the data stream. 77. The method of claim 76 wherein the step of causing the first lighting system to modify the first portion of the data stream such that the remaining lighting systems in the plurality of lighting systems recognize the first portion has been read by the first lighting system comprises causing the first lighting system to modify the first portion of the data stream with an extra bit such that the remaining lighting systems in the plurality of lighting systems recognize the first portion has been read by the first lighting system. 78. The method of claim 76 wherein the step of causing the first lighting system to modify the first portion of the data stream such that the remaining lighting systems in the plurality of lighting systems recognize the first portion has been read by the first lighting system comprises causing the first lighting system to modify a bit of the first portion of the data stream such that the remaining lighting systems in the plurality of lighting systems recognize the first portion has been read by the first lighting system. 79. The method of claim 70 wherein the data stream comprises a plurality of data packets;wherein the step of causing the first lighting system to receive the data stream and to read a first portion of the data stream comprises causing the first lighting system to receive the data stream and to read a first unread data packet from the data stream; andwherein the step of causing the first lighting system to generate a lighting effect in response to the first portion of the data stream comprises causing the first lighting system to generate a lighting effect in response to the first unread data packet from the data stream.