Intelligent electrical devices
First Claim
1. A flashlight for use with an exhaustible power source, comprising:
- a light source;
a first circuit for conducting power from said power source to activate the light source;
a switch, wherein the switch is not a serial element of the first circuit, and wherein the switch is a user interface;
a microchip having a first input coupled to the switch;
wherein the microchip is capable of controlling the activation and the deactivation of the light source in response to a first signal from the switch received through said first input, such that in a first operating mode the microchip causes the light source to turn off after a predetermined time interval passes following receipt of an activation signal from the switch; and
wherein the microchip, in response to at least a second signal from the switch through said first input, is capable of causing the light source to operate in at least a second operating mode, in which a different level of power is supplied to the light source, than in the first operating mode, such that the light is illuminated in the second operating mode with a brightness level that is different than when illuminated in the first operating mode.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An electronic circuit for use with an exhaustible power source and load such as a light bulb, a radio or motor, includes a microchip with an input that transmits a signal to the microchip when the load is activated or deactivated. The input does not form a serial link between the power source and the load. The power switch, by on/off switching, controls energy flow from the power source to the load. The electronic circuit has an automatic delayed shut-off function for the load and, a find-in-the-dark indicator and a power source level indicator which are active when the load is not energized and the power source is not being charged. The input to the microchip acts as an activation/deactivation user interface. The microchip allows the user to select specific functions based on the time duration of activation signals, the time duration between activation signals and the number of activation signals at the input.
148 Citations
73 Claims
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1. A flashlight for use with an exhaustible power source, comprising:
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a light source; a first circuit for conducting power from said power source to activate the light source; a switch, wherein the switch is not a serial element of the first circuit, and wherein the switch is a user interface; a microchip having a first input coupled to the switch; wherein the microchip is capable of controlling the activation and the deactivation of the light source in response to a first signal from the switch received through said first input, such that in a first operating mode the microchip causes the light source to turn off after a predetermined time interval passes following receipt of an activation signal from the switch; and wherein the microchip, in response to at least a second signal from the switch through said first input, is capable of causing the light source to operate in at least a second operating mode, in which a different level of power is supplied to the light source, than in the first operating mode, such that the light is illuminated in the second operating mode with a brightness level that is different than when illuminated in the first operating mode. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
wherein the microchip is further capable of causing the light source to change from one of the operating modes to the off mode if the time period between a switch operation when selecting the operating mode and a subsequent activation of the switch, is more than a predetermined period of time.
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8. The flashlight of claim 7, wherein the microchip is further capable of causing the light source to indicate the strength of one or more batteries associated with the flashlight.
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9. The flashlight of claim 1, wherein the microchip is further configured to control the light source to indicate the strength of one or more batteries associated with the flashlight.
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10. The flashlight of claim 1, wherein the microchip is capable of controlling the flow of power to the light source to gradually vary the brightness, such that the gradual change in brightness is not easily visible to the user.
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11. The flashlight of claim 10, wherein the microchip is further configured to control the light source to indicate the strength of one or more batteries associated with the flashlight.
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12. The flashlight of claim 1, wherein the microchip is further capable of allowing a user to gradually vary the power to the light source in response to at least a signal received through the switch.
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13. The flashlight of claim 1, wherein the microchip is further capable of providing a find-in-the-dark indication by controlling an indicator.
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14. The flashlight of claim 1, further comprising an exhaustible power source that supplies power to the light source under control of the microchip.
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15. The flashlight of claim 1, further comprising a casing and wherein the light source, switch, and microchip are each coupled to and/or enclosed in the casing.
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16. A method of controlling a flashlight for use with an exhaustible power source comprising a light source and a push button switch that serves as a user interface but does not form a part of a path for supplying power from the power source to operate the light source, the method comprising:
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receiving a signal from the switch on a first input of a microchip, wherein the microchip is capable of activating and deactivating the light source in response to at least a first signal received through said first input; causing, under control of the microchip, the flow of power to the light source to be varied in response to at least a signal received on the first input and further operate such that in a first operating mode the microchip causes the light source to turn off after a predetermined time interval following receipt of an activation signal from the switch on said first input; and causing, under control of the microchip and in response to a second signal from the switch, the light source to operate in at least a second operating mode in which a different level of power is supplied to the light source than in the first operating mode in order to provide a different level of illumination than in the first operating mode. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A flashlight for use with an exhaustible power supply, comprising:
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a light source; a first circuit for conducting power from said power source to activate the light source; a switch, wherein the switch is not a serial element of the first circuit, and wherein the switch is a user interface; a microchip having a first input coupled to the switch, wherein the microchip is capable of controlling the activation, deactivation and at least one other function of the light source in response to at least a signal received through said first input; and wherein the microchip is further configured to provide a find-in-the-dark function by activating an indicator that is active when the light source has not been activated by the user, said indicator also being controlled to give an indication of the switch operation and/or an indication of the remaining power level of the power supply. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A lighting unit for use with an exhaustible power supply, comprising:
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a light source; a first circuit for conducting power from said power source to activate the light source; a switch, wherein the switch is not a serial element of the first circuit, and wherein the switch is a user interface; a microchip having a first input coupled to the switch, wherein the microchip is capable of controlling the activation and deactivation of the light source in response to at least a signal received through said first input; wherein the light source has a plurality of operating modes including at least a first operating mode and a second operating mode with an adjusted power level supplied to the light source, and wherein the user selects an operating mode from said plurality of modes through the said switch connected to said first input, and wherein the second operating mode provides a different level of illumination when compared with the first operating mode; and wherein the microchip is further configured to gradually vary the power to the light source based on the time period of switch actuation, such that the gradual change in power is not easily visible to the user. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
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52. A flashlight for use with an exhaustible power supply, comprising:
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a light source; a first circuit for conducting power from said power source to operate the light source; a switch, wherein the switch is a serial element of said first circuit, and wherein the switch is a user interface; a microchip having a first input coupled to the switch, wherein the microchip is capable of controlling the activation and deactivation of the light source; wherein the light source has a plurality of modes including at least an off mode; and wherein the microchip is further configured to provide a shut off function if the time period of switch actuation was longer than a certain predefined period of time and to provide another of the plurality of modes if the time period of switch actuation was less than a certain predefined period of time. - View Dependent Claims (53, 54, 55, 56)
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57. A lighting unit for use with an exhaustible power source, comprising:
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a light source; a first circuit for conducting power from said power source to operate the light source; a switch, wherein the switch is not a serial element of said first circuit, and wherein the switch is a user interface; a microchip having a first input connected to the switch, wherein the microchip is capable of controlling the activation and deactivation of the light source in response to a signal received from said switch through said input; wherein the light source has a plurality of user-selectable operating modes controlled by said microchip, and said operating modes selected by signals received at least from said switch through said first input; wherein the microchip is further capable of causing the light source to change from an active operating mode, that is one of the plurality of operating modes, to an off mode, if the time period between a switch operation during the selection of the active operating mode and the next activation of the switch is longer than a predetermined period of time; wherein the microchip is further capable of causing the light source to change from an active operating mode, that is one of the plurality of operating modes, to another one of the plurality of operating modes, if the time period between a switch operation during the selection of the active operating mode and the next activation of the switch is not longer than a predetermined period of time; and wherein the light source has an operating mode in which the microchip causes an adjustment of the average current supplied to the light source by means of an intermittent power delivery sequence from said power source, such that any dead period of power when the power source is disconnected from said light source, is not easily visible to the human eye. - View Dependent Claims (58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73)
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Specification