Electronically enabling device remotely
First Claim
1. A system comprising (I) an electronic key that transmits a wireless coded signal, the electronic key being portable;
- and (II) at least one tool that comprises (A) a first switch that enables an operator of said tool to turn the tool on and off;
(B) a second switch in series with said first switch;
(C) a timer that opens said second switch after a predetermined amount of time; and
(D) a receiver that receives said wireless coded signal, compares the wireless coded signal to a coded signal stored in said tool and, if the wireless coded signal authenticates the coded signal being stored, the receiver closes said second switch.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system has an electronic key that transmits a coded signal and at least one tool or other device that can receive that signal. The coded signal is compared to a coded signal stored in the tool or other device. If the coded signal authenticates the stored signal, the tool is enabled or disabled for a specified amount of time. An on/off switch then enables the user of the tool to turn the tool or other device on and off during the specified amount of time. After the specified amount of time, the tool is disabled so that the tool or other device can no longer be used. Disabling the tool may be delayed if the tool or other device is in use. The tool or other device may also contain a unique identification code that can be read by an interrogating device to identify the tool or other device.
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Citations
32 Claims
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1. A system comprising
(I) an electronic key that transmits a wireless coded signal, the electronic key being portable; - and
(II) at least one tool that comprises (A) a first switch that enables an operator of said tool to turn the tool on and off;
(B) a second switch in series with said first switch;
(C) a timer that opens said second switch after a predetermined amount of time; and
(D) a receiver that receives said wireless coded signal, compares the wireless coded signal to a coded signal stored in said tool and, if the wireless coded signal authenticates the coded signal being stored, the receiver closes said second switch. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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19. A method of remotely locking and unlocking a tool from an electronic key comprising
(A) storing a coded signal in said tool; -
(B) sending a wireless coded signal from said electronic key to said tool, the electronic key being portable;
(C) authenticating said coded signal that was sent based on said coded signal that was stored;
(D) if said coded signal that was sent is authenticated based on said stored coded signal that was stored, unlocking said tool for a predetermined period of time; and
(E) after said predetermined amount of time, locking said tool. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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22. A system comprising an electronic key and a tool, where
(I) said electronic key is portable and comprises (A) a transmitter for transmitting a wireless coded signal to said tool; - and
(B) a receiver for receiving a wireless signal from said tool; and
(II) said tool comprises (A) a first switch that enables the operator of said tool to turn it on and off, (B) a second switch in series with said first switch;
(C) a receiver that receives said wireless coded signal, compares the wireless coded signal to a stored signal and, if the wireless coded signal authenticates the stored signal, closes said second switch;
(D) a timer that opens said second switch after a predetermined amount of time;
(E) a unique identification code; and
(F) an interrogating device that transmits an authorization command that instructs said tool to transmit said unique identification code.
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30. A system comprising
(I) an electronic key that transmits a wireless coded signal; - and
(II) at least one tool that comprises (A) a first switch that enables the operator of said tool to turn the tool on and off;
(B) a second switch in series with said first switch;
(C) a timer that activates said second switch after a predetermined amount of time; and
(D) a receiver that receives said wireless coded signal, authenticates the wireless coded signal based on a coded signal stored in said tool and, if the wireless coded signal authenticates the coded signal being stored, the receiver activates said second switch;
wherein the tool includes at least a storage for storing a unique identifier and the tool is configured for performing a method including at least (i) when the tool is initially powered, a determination is made whether the predetermined amount of time has expired;
(ii) if the predetermined amount of time has expired, the tool is be disabled;
(iii) if the predetermined amount of time has not expired, a determination is made the coded wireless signal is present;
(iv) if the wireless coded signal is detected to be present, a determination is made whether the wireless coded signal is valid by at least checking whether the wireless coded signal authenticates a signal stored in the tool;
(v) if a match is found, a determination is made whether a disable signal is present;
(vi) if the disable signal is present, the tool disables itself;
(vii) if no match is found, a determination is made whether the predetermined amount of time has expired;
(viii) if a disable signal is not present, a determination is made whether an enable signal is present;
(ix) if an enable signal is present, the timer is reprogrammed, causing the tool to be activated;
(x) if neither a disable signal nor an enable signal is present, a determination is made to determine whether the predetermined amount of time has expired;
(xi) if the predetermined amount of time has expired, a determination is made whether an in-use indication is active, wherein an active in-use indication indicates that the tool is currently performing a function that should not be stopped; and
(xii) if the in-use indication is active, deactivation of the tool is delayed until the in-use indication is no longer active.
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31. A system comprising:
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(I) a remote electronic key that is for wirelessly communicating with a tool, wherein the remote electronic key (A) is for transmitting (1) a first unique identification code to the tool for gaining access to the tool, (2) a second unique identification code to the tool for storage and identification of ownership of the tool, (3) a signal to place the tool in a programmable mode, and (4) a signal to terminate the programmable mode, (B) includes at least a connection, via which the electronic key is for communicating with a computer, (C) is for being reprogrammed in order to control additional tools, and (D) is for being reprogrammed in order to change an operation of the tool;
(II) a tool that includes at least (A) a power source, (B) an on/off switch that enables an operator of the tool to turn the tool on and off;
(C) a locking switch in series with the on/off switch, wherein the on/off switch causes the tool to turn on only if the locking switch is in an on state;
(D) a transceiver that is capable of sending and receiving a coded wireless signal to and from the remote electronic key, wherein the transceiver is for receiving the first unique identification code and the second unique identification code from the remote electronic key;
(E) a control circuit that compares the coded wireless signal received from the remote electronic key to a coded signal stored within the tool, wherein the coded signal stored is associated with the first unique identification code, wherein if the coded wireless signal received authenticates the coded signal stored, the locking switch is set to an on state, wherein the control circuit has a programmable mode that expires after a first time period or after receiving the signal to terminate the programmable mode (1) wherein the control circuit includes at least (a) storage for storing at least
(i) the coded signal associated with the first unique identifier for gaining access to the tool, and
(ii) another signal associated with the second unique identifier for identifying ownership of the tool, and(b) a timer that is activated for a second time period if the coded wireless signal authenticates the signal stored, wherein
(i) the timer is settable such that at a start of a third time period prior to an end of the second time period the indicator indicates that the second time period will expire soon, and
(ii) the timer is for being reset to allow the second time period to be extended,(2) wherein at an expiration of the time period the tool is not deactivated as long as the on/off switch is held in the on position by the operator, (3) the control circuit is configured for performing a method including at least (i) when the tool is initially powered, the control circuit determines whether the second time period expired, (ii) if the second time period expired, the tool is disabled, (iii) if second time period did not expire, the control circuit proceeds to determine if the coded wireless signal is present, (iv) if the coded wireless signal is detected to be present, the control circuit determines whether the coded wireless signal contains the first unique identification code by at least checking whether the coded wireless signal matches the coded signal stored in the storage, (v) if a match is found, the control circuit determines whether a disable signal is present, (vi) if a disable signal is present, the control circuit disables the tool, (vii) if no match is found, the second time period is checked to determine whether the second time period expired, (viii) if the disable signal is not present, an analysis is performed to determine whether an enable signal is present, (ix) if an enable signal is present, the timer is reprogrammed, causing the tool to be activated, (x) if neither a disable signal nor an enable signal is present, a determination is made to determine whether the second time period has expired, (xi) if the first time period has expired, an analysis is made to determine whether an in-use indication is active, wherein an active in-use indication indicates that the tool is currently performing a function that should not be stopped, and (xii) if the in-use indication is active, deactivation of the tool is delayed until the in-use indication is no longer active, (F) an indicator that gives an indication (1) when the first time period begins, (2) when the second time period begins, and (3) when the first time period ends, (G) an application power control, which when in an on state, permits the operator to control the tool via the on/off switch until the predetermined amount of time has expired when the power control is switched to an off state;
(H) an actuator that turns on the application power control, (I) an electronic combination for entering a combination for accessing the tool, wherein the tool may be accessed by either the remote electronic key or the electronic combination, and (J) a visual indication of an entry into the electronic combination; and
(III) a handheld device that is for (A) interrogating the tool to find out the second unique identifier, and (B) locating the tool based on the second unique identifier.
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32. A method of remotely locking and unlocking a tool from an electronic key comprising
(A) storing a coded signal in said tool; -
(B) sending a wireless coded signal from said electronic key to said tool;
(C) comparing said coded signal that was sent to said coded signal that was stored;
(D) if said coded signal that was sent is authenticated based on said stored coded signal that was stored, unlocking said tool for a predetermined period of time if an unlock signal was present or;
locking tool if a lock signal was present;
(E) after said predetermined amount of time, locking said tool; and
,(F) determining whether to delay performing (E) by at least, if the time period has expired, performing an analysis to determine if an in-use indication is active, wherein an active in-use indication indicates that the tool is currently performing a function that should not be stopped, and if the in-use indication is active, delaying a deactivation of the tool until the in-use flag is no longer active.
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Specification