LIGHTING DEVICE CONTROLLER PROGRAMMING

• US 20130043795A1
• Filed: 08/09/2012
• Published: 02/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SureFire LLC (Surefire Holdings LLC)
• Original Assignee: SureFire LLC (Surefire Holdings LLC)
• Inventors: Burayez, Ammar, Ivanov, Ivan, Hunt, William A., Matthews, John W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,981,650 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 315/150
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/00 Circuit arrangements for operating light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/195 the transmission using visible or infrared light

Abstract

Various techniques are provided for programming lighting devices. In one example, a lighting device includes a light emitting diode (LED). The lighting device also includes a microcontroller configured to receive a programming signal generated by the LED in response to illumination of the LED with an externally-supplied light signal modulated with the programming signal.

Claims

1. A lighting device, comprising:

a light emitting diode (LED); and

a controller configured to receive a programming signal generated by the LED in response to illumination of the LED with an externally-supplied light signal modulated with the programming signal.

2. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein the programming signal is an on-off programming signal.

3. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to drive an illumination of the LED to confirm receipt of the programming signal to an external programming tool.

4. The lighting device of claim 3, wherein the external programming tool includes a controller for generating the programming signal.

5. The lighting device of claim 3, wherein the external programming tool couples to a computer, and wherein the computer generates the programming signal.

6. The lighting device of claim 5, wherein the external programming tool couples to the computer through a universal serial bus (USB) cable.

7. The lighting device of claim 1, further comprising

a first switch, wherein the controller is configured to transition between a programming mode of operation and a normal mode of operation with respect to actuation of the first switch.

8. The lighting device of claim 7, further comprising a second switch including a plurality of leaf spring contacts, wherein the controller is programmable according to the programming signal to respond to actuation of the leaf spring contacts by varying a, power level for the LED.

9. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein the LED comprises a plurality of LEDs.

10. The lighting device of claim 9, wherein the plurality of LEDs includes a white-light LED and an infrared LED.

11. The lighting device of claim 10, further comprising:

a rotatable total internal reflection (TIR) lens, wherein a first rotation of the TIR lens selects the white-light LED and a second rotation of the TIR lens selects the infrared LED; and

a rotatable bezel mechanically coupled to the TIR lens, wherein a user rotates the TIR lens through rotation of the rotatable bezel.

12. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein the controller comprises a microcontroller or a microprocessor.

13. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein the lighting device comprises a flashlight.

14. A method, comprising:

illuminating a lighting device'"'"'s light emitting diode (LED) with a light signal modulated with a programming signal, wherein the LED generates a current responsive to the illumination; and

programming a controller within the lighting device according to the programming signal received from the illuminated LED.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising

in response to illumination of the lighting device'"'"'s LED with the modulated light signal, powering the LED to transmit a modulated light signal back to an external programming tool to indicate a successful programming of the controller.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising

in response to illumination of the lighting device'"'"'s LED with the modulated light signal, powering the LED to transmit a modulated light signal back to an external programming tool to indicate an unsuccessful programming of the controller.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein programming the controller comprises programming the controller to vary a power level for the LED in response to an actuation of an input control by a user.

18. A lighting device programming tool, comprising:

a housing adapted to mate with a lighting device bezel;

a light emitting diode (LED) contained within the housing; and

a driving circuit operable to drive the LED according to a programming signal supplied by a programming host.

19. The lighting device programming tool of claim 18, further comprising a universal serial bus (USB) port to receive the programming signal.

20. The lighting device programming tool of claim 18, wherein the driving circuit is further operable to decode a programming confirmation signal received through illumination of the LED.