Intelligent umbrella including wireless communication hub

• US 10,323,433 B2
• Filed: 02/19/2018
• Issued: 06/18/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2016
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ShadeCraft, Inc.
• Original Assignee: ShadeCraft, Inc.
• Inventors: Gharabegian, Armen Sevada
• Primary Examiner(s): Bousono, Orlando
• Application Number:
  US15/899,316
• Publication Number:
  US 20180313109A1
• Time in Patent Office: 484 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 17/02 Awnings , including rigid weather protection structures, e.g. sunroofs; Tarpaulins; Accessories for awnings or tarpaulins
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/00 UAVs specially adapted for particular uses or applications
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/31 generated by photovoltaics
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/00 Transport or storage specially adapted for UAVs
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 10/02 of flexible canopy materials, e.g. canvas ; Baldachins
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 12/2223 by screwing
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 15/02 Tents combined or specially associated with other devices
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 15/10 Heating, lighting or ventilating
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 15/28 Umbrella type tents
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 15/48 foldable, i.e. having pivoted or hinged means E04H15/405 and E04H15/46 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/34 on stationary objects or on stationary man-made structures
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2220/706 an electrical generator
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/911 already existing for a prior purpose
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0435 activated by remote control means
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0464 the sensor sensing the level of ambient illumination, e.g. dawn or dusk sensors
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/0004 Personal or domestic articles
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 : electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 : using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 3/105 : Solar tracker
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/042 : PV modules or arrays of single PV cells supporting structures for PV modules H02S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/40 : wherein a plurality of decentralised, dispersed or local energy generation technologies are operated simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 : using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 : of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 : with light sensitive cells
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 40/38 : Energy storage means, e.g. batteries, structurally associated with PV modules
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 99/00 : Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2823 : Reporting information sensed by appliance or service execution status of appliance services in a home automation network device-related reporting H04L43/065; arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom H04Q9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4625 : Single bridge functionality, e.g. connection of two networks over a single bridge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 : Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/028 : associated with devices performing functions other than acoustics, e.g. electric candles
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 : Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/00 : Circuits for transducers , loudspeakers or microphones
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 : Photovoltaic [PV] energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 : Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/728 : Onshore wind turbines
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 70/30 : Systems combining energy storage with energy generation of non-fossil origin

Abstract

A first intelligent umbrella includes a first base assembly, a first support assembly connected to the base assembly, a first shading expansion assembly connected to the support assembly, the shading assembly further comprising one or more arms connected to the shading expansion assembly, a wireless communication transceiver; and a computing device. The computing device may be located inside the first support assembly. The computing device comprises one or more processors, one or more memory modules, and computer-readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules. The computer-readable instructions fetched from the one or more memory modules and executed by the one or more processors communicate commands, instructions or messages to an external wireless network transceiver, the external wireless network transceiver to communicate the commands, instructions or messages to a global communications network.

Claims

1. A first intelligent umbrella, comprising:

a first base assembly placed on a surface;

a first support assembly connected to the first base assembly;

a first shading expansion assembly connected to the first support assembly, the first shading expansion assembly further comprising one or more arms connected to the first shading expansion assembly;

a wireless communication transceiver; and

a computing device, the computing device located inside the first support assembly, the computing device comprising;

one or more processors;

one or more memory modules;

a first audio transceiver and one or more first speakers; and

computer-readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules, the computer-readable instructions fetched from the one or more memory modules and executed by the one or more processors to;

communicate commands, instructions or messages to an external wireless network transceiver via the wireless communication transceiver;

the computer-readable instructions further executable by the one or more processors to;

communicate digital audio files to the first audio transceiver, which transfers audio files for playback by the one or more first speakers; and

communicate the digital audio files to the wireless communication transceiver,

wherein the wireless communication transceiver communicates the digital audio files to a second intelligent umbrella for audible playback utilizing a second audio transceiver and one or more second speakers of the second intelligent umbrella.

2. The first intelligent umbrella of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication transceiver communicates with the second intelligent umbrella utilizing a wireless local area network (LAN) communication protocol.

3. The first intelligent umbrella of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication transceiver communicates with the second intelligent umbrella utilizing a mesh networking protocol.

4. The first intelligent umbrella of claim 1, the computer-readable instructions further executable by the one or more processors to receive the digital audio files from an additional external wireless network transceiver before communicating the digital audio files to the first audio transceiver.

5. The first intelligent umbrella of claim 1, the computer-readable instructions further executable by the one or more processors to:

communicate additional digital audio files to the wireless communication transceiver, the additional digital audio files being different than the digital audio files,

wherein the wireless communication transceiver communicates the additional digital audio files to a third intelligent umbrella for audible playback utilizing a third audio transceiver and one or more third speakers of the third intelligent umbrella.

6. The intelligent umbrella of claim 1, the wireless communication transceiver being located in the first support assembly.

7. An intelligent umbrella, comprising:

a base assembly placed on a surface;

a support assembly connected to the base assembly;

a shading expansion assembly connected to the support assembly, the shading expansion assembly further comprising one or more arms connected to the shading expansion assembly;

a wireless communication transceiver; and

a computing device, the computing device located inside the support assembly, the computing device comprising;

one or more processors;

one or more memory modules; and

computer-readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules, the computer-readable instructions fetched from the one or more memory modules and executable by the one or more processors to;

communicate commands, instructions or messages to an external wireless network transceiver via the wireless communication transceiver; and

receive commands, instructions or messages from a point-of-sale (POS) computing device in a venue including the intelligent umbrella, the received commands, instructions or messages to control additional electro-mechanical devices in the venue.

8. The intelligent umbrella of claim 7, the computer-readable instructions further executable by the one or more processors to:

communicate the commands, instructions or messages received from the POS computing device to one or more of the additional electro-mechanical devices in the venue utilizing the wireless communication transceiver.

9. The intelligent umbrella of claim 8, the additional electro-mechanical devices comprising at least one of:

a lighting system, a rigging system, a heating system, and an air conditioning system.

10. An intelligent umbrella, comprising:

a base assembly;

a support assembly connected to the base assembly;

a shading expansion assembly connected to the support assembly, the shading expansion assembly further comprising one or more arms connected to the shading expansion assembly;

a wireless communication transceiver; and

a computing device, the computing device located inside the support assembly, the computing device comprising;

one or more processors;

one or more memory modules; and

computer-readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules, the computer-readable instructions fetched from the one or more memory modules and executable by the one or more processors to;

communicate commands, instructions or messages to a global communications network via the wireless communications transceiver,

the wireless communication transceiver to communicate the commands, instructions or messages first to a point-of-sale (POS) system before the commands, instructions or messages are communicated to the global communications network.

11. The intelligent umbrella of claim 10, the wireless communications transceiver to be utilized as a wireless access point to the global communications network.

12. The intelligent umbrella of claim 10, the wireless communication transceiver to communicate additional commands, instructions or messages to one or more additional intelligent umbrellas to control movement of the one or more additional intelligent umbrellas.

13. An intelligent umbrella, comprising:

a base assembly;

a support assembly connected to the base assembly;

a shading expansion assembly connected to the support assembly, the shading expansion assembly further comprising one or more arms connected to the shading expansion assembly;

a wireless communication transceiver; and

a computing device, the computing device located inside the support assembly, the computing device comprising;

one or more processors;

one or more memory modules; and

computer-readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules, the computer-readable instructions fetched from the one or more memory modules and executed by the one or more processors to;

communicate commands, instructions or messages to a global communications network via the wireless communications transceiver, the wireless communication transceiver to receive commands, instructions or messages from one or more additional intelligent umbrellas, and the wireless communications transceiver to communicate the received commands, instructions or messages from the one or more additional intelligent umbrellas to the global communications network.

14. The intelligent umbrella of claim 13, the wireless communication transceiver to be integrated within the computing device.

15. The intelligent umbrella of claim 13, the wireless communication transceiver to be located within the support assembly.

16. An intelligent umbrella, comprising:

a base assembly;

a support assembly connected to the base assembly;

a shading expansion assembly connected to the support assembly, the shading expansion assembly further comprising one or more arms connected to the shading expansion assembly;

a wireless communication transceiver; and

a computing device, the computing device located inside the support assembly, the computing device comprising;

one or more processors;

one or more memory modules; and

computer-readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules, the computer-readable instructions fetched from the one or more memory modules and executable by the one or more processors to;

communicate commands, instructions or messages to one or more additional umbrellas via the wireless communication transceiver to establish a mesh network with the one or more additional umbrellas.

17. The intelligent umbrella of claim 16, the commands, instructions or messages to be communicated via the wireless communication transceiver to the one or more additional umbrellas utilizing a 802.11s wireless communication protocol.