Lights out alarm clock assembly

• US 20070217290A1
• Filed: 03/20/2006
• Published: 09/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Evergreen Innovation Partners I, LP
• Original Assignee: Evergreen Innovations LLC
• Inventors: Rock, David
• Application Number:
  US11/385,135
• Publication Number:
  US 20070217290A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 368/12
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/16 by timing means
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

An alarm clock assembly of an embodiment of the present invention is provided that also turns off a non-integrated, connected lamp or other electrical device based on pushing a button on the clock. The alarm clock assembly also has input means for setting a timer to turn off the connected device and can also be programmed to turn on the connected, non-integrated device at a specified time or after a specific time period has elapsed. The alarm clock assembly can also regulate the electrical current in such a manner to dim or flash a connected device, such as a lamp.

Claims

1. An alarm clock assembly couplable with a non-integrated electrical device powered by electricity from an electricity source, comprising:

an alarm clock having at least one of a timer mechanism, an alarm mechanism, and a clock, and a first communication mechanism coupled to the at least one of the timer mechanism, alarm mechanism, or clock, the first communication mechanism being configured to send or receive a control signal; and

a control unit associated with the alarm clock and couplable to the non-integrated electrical device and to the electricity source, the control unit configured to control electricity provided to the non-integrated electrical device in a manner related to the control signal, the control unit having a second communication mechanism that receives or sends the control signal.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the alarm clock is configured to generate the control signal to the control unit after an identified amount of time has elapsed.

3. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the alarm clock has the countdown timer coupled programmable with an amount of countdown time, and the alarm clock is configured to generate the control signal after the identified amount of time has elapsed.

4. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the alarm clock has the countdown timer and a display, the countdown timer is programmable with an amount of countdown time, and the display that simultaneously displays a time-of-day and the remaining time of the countdown time.

5. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the first communication mechanism provides the control signal wirelessly to the second control mechanism.

6. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the first communication mechanism is an RF transmitter configured to generate an RF control signal, and the second communication mechanism is an RF receiver configured to receive the RF control signal.

7. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the control unit includes a first electrical connector connectable to a power source, and the control unit includes a second electrical connector connectable to a portion of the non-integrated electrical device.

8. The assembly of claim 1 wherein alarm clock has a countdown timer and a display, the countdown timer is programmable with an amount of countdown time, and the display is configured to display an icon that indicates an a remaining amount of the countdown time with the countdown timer has been activated.

9. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the alarm clock includes a programmable, audible alarm, first controls coupled to the audible alarm, a programmable countdown timer coupled to the first communication mechanism, second controls coupled to the countdown timer.

10. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the alarm clock includes a programmable countdown timer coupled to the first communication mechanism, a plurality of controls coupled to the countdown timer configured to allow a user to program the countdown time with a countdown time, the countdown time being adjustable in at least one of a plurality of time increments.

11. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the alarm clock includes a programmable countdown timer coupled to the first communication mechanism and being programmable with an amount of countdown time, and the alarm clock is programmable to cause the control unit to modify power provided to the non-integrated electrical device prior to expiration of the countdown time.

12. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the alarm clock includes a programmable countdown timer programmable with an amount of countdown time, and the alarm clock is configured to provide a first control signal to the control unit prior to the countdown time fully elapsing so the non-integrated electrical device experiences a change visually or audibly detectable by a user, and to provide a second control signal to the control unit upon the countdown time fully elapsing.

13. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the alarm clock is programmable to provide the control signal that causes the control unit to control the electricity to the non-integrated electrical device so the non-integrated electrical devices turns off, flashes off and on, or changes intensity of output.

14. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the non-integrated electrical device is a lamp, and the alarm clock is programmable to provide the control signal that causes the control unit to cause the lamp to turn off, flashes off and on, or changes intensity of output.

15. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the control unit is configured to screw into a light socket, the control unit having a receptacle that can operatively receive light bulb.

16. An alarm clock assembly couplable with a non-integrated electrical device, comprising:

an alarm clock;

and a control unit associated with the alarm clock for regulating electricity to the non-integrated electrical device connected to the control unit;

wherein the control unit receives a signal from the alarm clock assembly to regulate the electricity to the non-integrated electrical device and the signal is transmitted to the controller by a radio frequency transmitter coupled with the alarm clock assembly and a radio frequency receiver coupled with the control unit.

17. The invention of claim 16 wherein the alarm clock sends the signal to the control unit after a defined amount of time has elapsed.

18. The invention of claim 17 wherein the alarm clock can be programmed by a user for a specific amount of time delay.

19. An alarm clock assembly couplable with a radio frequency transmitter, comprising:

an alarm clock;

and a control unit associated with the alarm clock for transmitting a radio frequency signal to a remote device after a defined amount of time has elapsed.

20. An alarm clock assembly couplable with a non-integrated electrical device, comprising:

an alarm clock;

and a control unit associated with the alarm clock for regulating electricity to the non-integrated electrical device connected to the control unit;

wherein the control unit receives a signal from the alarm clock assembly to regulate the electricity to the non-integrated electrical device after a user-specified amount of time has elapsed.

21. The invention of claim 20 wherein control unit is configured to regulate the electricity provided to the non-integrated electrical device in a manner that would dim or flash the brightness of the non-integrated electrical device.

22. The invention of claim 20 wherein the control unit has a connection portion configured to screw into a light socket, the control unit has a receptacle configured to receive a light bulb therein.

23. A method of adjusting an operating condition of non-integrated electronic device, comprising:

setting an alarm clock assembly with a countdown time period;

providing a signal to a controller remotely located from an alarm clock upon expiration of the countdown time;

changing a flow of electricity provided to the non-integrated device coupled to the controller in response to the signal to adjust the operating condition of the non-integrated electronic device from a first condition to a second condition.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the non-integrated electronic is a light-generating device, and changing the flow of electricity includes adjusting the operating condition from the first condition with a first illumination level to the second condition with a second illumiriation level different than the first illumination level.

25. The method of claim 23, further comprising causing the non-integrated electronic device to dim from the first condition to an intermediate condition prior to changing the second condition.