Wireless remote controlled tanning system

• US 5,971,598 A
• Filed: 06/07/1996
• Issued: 10/26/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Daniel E. Smith
• Original Assignee: Puretan International Inc.
• Inventors: Baba, Robert Jay, Brown, Roger Allen
• Primary Examiner(s): WACHSMAN, HAL D
• Application Number:
  US08/662,782
• Time in Patent Office: 1,236 Days
• Field of Search: 340/310.01, 340/310.02, 340/870.01-870.03, 340/870.1, 340/870.16, 340/870.18, 340/870.39, 340/870.41, 340/642, 340/825.06 , 340/825.07, 340/825.62, 340/825.69, 340/825.17, 340/825.72, 340/310.06, 340/825.05, 364/480, 364/481, 364/483, 364/492, 364/493, 364/569, 364/550, 364/551.01, 364/132, 364/138, 364/139, 364/141, 364/143, 364/146, 364/413.01, 364/413.02 , 364/413.04, 364/528.3, 364/528.31, 364/528.32, 364/528.41, 250/504 R, 250/494.1, 250/493.1, 250/372, 362/411, 362/84, 362/85, 362/233, 607/94, 607/91, 368/10, 315/360, 315/149, 377/16, 377/2, 702/57, 702/60, 702/62, 702/65, 702/79, 702/132, 702/134, 702/139, 702/140, 702/176, 702/178, 702/187, 702/188
• US Class Current: 700/296
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/175 by remote control

Abstract

A tanning system (14) is disclosed which allows a single centrally located control unit (10) to control a number of remote tanning beds. Each tanning bed is provided with a remote unit (12) associated with the tanning bed. Communication occurs between the control unit (10) and the remote unit (12) through a common AC power wiring structure (22) extending therebetween. The system can use CEBus, X10 or another suitable system for communicating through the AC wiring structure. The operator has control of the operating time of each tanning bed while the customer has control of when the tanning operation begins.

Claims

1. A system for operating a plurality of tanning beds, each tanning bed connected to a common power line for powering the tanning bed, comprising:

a central controller connected to a PC computer;

a transmitting unit at the central controller connected to the common power line;

a plurality of receiving units, a selected one of said plurality of receiving units at a corresponding one of said plurality of tanning beds and connected to the common power line, the selected one of said plurality of receiving units having a unique code associated therewith permitting direct communications between said transmitting unit and the selected one of said plurality of receiving units;

said transmitting unit transmitting a series of control signals through the common power line to the selected one of said plurality of receiving units, the selected one of said plurality of receiving units controlling the corresponding one of said plurality of tanning beds in response to the control signals transmitted by said transmitting unit;

the selected one of said plurality of receiving units transmitting information regarding conditions at the corresponding one of said plurality of tanning beds to said transmitting unit, said transmitting unit receiving the information transmitted by the selected one of said plurality of receiving units and displaying the information transmitted on said PC computer connected to said central controller;

said central controller having a pause for transmitting a pause signal to the corresponding one of said plurality of tanning beds, having a time limit and thereafter transmitting a signal to the corresponding one of said plurality of tanning beds to turn off said tanning bed, having a delay time and thereafter transmitting a signal to the corresponding one of said plurality of tanning beds to turn on said tanning bed, and transmitting a clean signal to the corresponding one of said plurality of tanning beds when cleaning of said tanning bed is necessary after a tanning session;

the selected one of said plurality of receiving units having a programmed maximum time for indicating a maximum length of tanning time appropriate for the corresponding one of said plurality of tanning beds and for turning off said tanning bed after expiration of said maximum length of tanning time, having a customer operated call button for transmitting a call signal to the transmitting unit, having a customer operated start button for turning on the corresponding one of said plurality of tanning beds prior to expiration of said delay time, and having a done cleaning button for indicating that the corresponding one of said plurality of tanning beds has been cleaned;

wherein the common power line is a common alternating current power line which transmits electrical power to the corresponding one of said plurality of tanning beds, the central controller, the transmitting unit, and said plurality of receiving units and also transmits the direct communications between said transmitting unit and said plurality of receiving units.