Electronically enabling devices remotely

• US 7,298,240 B2
• Filed: 03/08/2005
• Issued: 11/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: David Lamar
• Original Assignee: David Lamar
• Inventors: Lamar, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman; Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brown; Vernal
• Application Number:
  US10/906,807
• Publication Number:
  US 20060071753A1
• Time in Patent Office: 987 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.6, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 340/572.1, 340/539.13, 340/5.1, 340/5.2, 340/5.22, 340/5.23, 340/5.61, 340/5.64, 340/5.62
• US Class Current: 340/5.6
• CPC Class Codes: B25F 5/00 Details or components of portable power-driven tools not particularly related to the operations performed and not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/08 With time considerations, e.g. temporary activation, valid time window or time limitations
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks

Abstract

A device has (1) an electronic key that transmits a wireless coded signal and (2) at least one tool that can receive that signal. The coded signal is compared to a coded signal stored in said tool. If the coded signal matches the stored signal, a switch is closed for a predetermined amount of time. An on/off switch then enables the user of the tool to turn the tool on and off during the predetermined amount of time. After the predetermined amount of time, the switch is opened so that the tool can no longer be used. Opening the switch may be delayed if the tool is in use. The tool may also contain a unique identification code that can be read by various electronic means to identify the tool.

Claims

1. 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 user 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 matches the coded signal being stored, the receiver closes 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 disabled;

(iii) if the predetermined amount of time has not expired, a determination is made whether 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 contains a unique identification code by at least checking whether the wireless coded signal matches a signal stored in a storage 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 reset, 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 flag is active, wherein an active in-use flag indicates that the tool is currently performing a function that should not be stopped; and

(xii) if the in-use flag is active, deactivation of the tool is delayed until the in-use flag is no longer active.

2. A system according to claim 1 wherein said first switch turns on an electric motor.

3. A system according to claim 1 wherein said first switch turns on a gasoline engine.

4. A system according to claim 1 wherein said first switch activates an electronic circuit.

5. A system according to claim 1 wherein said tool includes a light source that indicates when said second switch is closed.

6. A system according to claim 1 wherein said system comprises at least two separate tools.

7. A system according to claim 1 wherein the electronic key includes at least a network connection for controlling said electronic key.

8. A system according to claim 7 wherein the electronic key includes at least a network connection via which said electronic key communicates over network topologies.

9. A system according to claim 1 wherein said timer opens said second switch after a predetermined amount of time only if first switch is off.

10. A system according to claim 1 wherein said signal from said electronic key resets said timer.

11. A system according to claim 1 wherein said tool includes a unique identification code that is readable by an authorized identification reader.

12. A system according to claim 1 wherein said tool includes a unique identification code that is readable by a wireless network.

13. A system according to claim 1 wherein said tool includes a unique identification code that is readable by a wired communication channel.

14. A system according to claim 1 wherein said tool includes a unique identification code that is readable by an optical communications channel.

15. A system according to claim 1 further comprising an identification reader, wherein said identification reader is in an auxiliary device that is for accessing the unique identification code via a network.

16. A system according to claim 1 wherein said second switch remains closed for said predetermined amount of time when power to said tool is removed.

17. A system according to claim 1 wherein said electronic key includes at least a transmitter via which the electronic key transmits a wireless coded signal to said tool that opens said second switch.

18. A system according to claim 1 wherein said tool includes a unique identification code that is readable by an infrared communications channel.

19. The system of claim 1, further comprising

a machine readable medium storing a program that is for causing a computer to run a program for an authorized user to login to a remote secure database associated with the tool via a network connection.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the tool further comprises:

an electronic combination lock for entering a combination for accessing the tool, wherein the tool may be accessed by either the remote electronic key or the electronic combination lock, and

a visual indication of an entry into the electronic combination lock.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the electronic combination lock includes at least a series of switches for entering the combination.

22. A system comprising:

(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, for the electronic key to communicate 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 for 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 matches 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 matches 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 reset, 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 flag is active, wherein an active in-use flag indicate that the tool is currently performing a function that should not be stopped, and

(xii) if the in-use flag is active, deactivation of the tool is delayed until the in-use flag 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;

(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; and

(IV) a mesh network including at least

(A) the tool, and

(B) a plurality of wireless access points that are able to communicate with the tool and each other, and

(C) at least one wireless access point that does not have a connection to a network access point wherein the network access point has access to another network, wherein the at least one wireless access point that does not have a network connection connects to the other network through the network access point, wherein the tool is for communicating with the mesh network, via which the tool allows the tool'"'"'s operations to be reprogrammed, a security code to be changed, and location of the tool to be identified; and

(V) a machine readable medium storing a program that is for causing a computer to run the program, wherein the program allows an authorized user to login to a remote secure database via the network connection.

23. 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 identical to said stored coded signal that was stored, unlocking said tool for a predetermined period of time;

(B) 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 flag is active, wherein an active in-use flag indicates that the tool is currently performing a function that should not be stopped, and

if the in-use flag is active, delaying a deactivation of the tool until the in-use flag is no longer active.

24. A method of operating a device according to claim 23 comprising

(A) closing said second switch by transmitting a wireless coded signal from said electronic key to said tool;

and

(B) closing said first switch.

25. A method according to claim 23 wherein step (E) is delayed if said tool is being used.

26. A method according to claim 23 wherein step (E) is delayed if said predetermined amount of time is extended by a second coded signal from said electronic key.