Method of providing lumens and tracking of lumen consumption

• US 8,543,505 B2
• Filed: 01/13/2012
• Issued: 09/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Federal Law Enforcement Development Services, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Federal Law Enforcement Development Services, Inc.
• Inventors: Pederson, John C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shrestha, Bijendra K
• Application Number:
  US13/350,463
• Publication Number:
  US 20120185384A1
• Time in Patent Office: 620 Days
• Field of Search: 705/40
• US Class Current: 705/40
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/145 Payments according to the detected use or quantity
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 15/003 for electricity
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/10 Controlling the intensity of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/175 by remote control

Abstract

Techniques are disclosed for compensating an LED light fixture/light source provider for generation of photons by one or more LED light fixtures used by a customer. In one example, a method comprises receiving a monetary amount as compensation for photons generated by the LED light fixtures/light sources, maintaining a contractual relationship with the customer in exchange for the monetary amount, the contractual relationship including a requirement that the provider pay an electricity supplier for the electricity consumed by the LED light fixtures/light sources, determining, with a meter associated with each respective LED light fixture/light source, the amount of electricity consumed by the LED light fixtures/light sources used by the customer over a period of time, and in response to the determination and on behalf of the customer, submitting payment to the customer'"'"'s electricity supplier for the electricity consumed by the LED light fixtures/light sources used by the customer.

Claims

1. A method of tracking lumen generation and payment for lumen generation from at least one LED light fixture used by a customer, the method comprising:

paying to a provider of an LED light fixture a pre-determined monetary amount as compensation for photons generated by the at least one LED light fixture for a period of time;

using a first meter to measure the electricity entering the at least one LED light fixture over the period of time, using a second meter to measure the light exiting the at least one LED light fixture over the period of time, and storing the measured amount of electricity entering and the measured light exiting the at least one LED light fixture over the period of time on a processor;

comparing the measured amount of light at each of the at least one LED Light Fixtures for the designated period of time to data representative of a desired lumen illumination level as stored in the memory of the processor, and the processor adjusting the electricity to be provided to each of the at least one LED Light Fixtures to achieve the desired lumen illumination level and storing the adjusted amount of electricity provided to each of the at least one Led Light Fixtures for the designated period of time to achieve the desired lumen illumination level;

communicating the measured electricity and the adjusted electricity provided to each of the at least one LED Light Fixtures to a computing device for storage according to a communication schedule;

determining at the computing device the amount of compensation to be paid to the customer'"'"'s supplier of electricity for the electricity entering the at least one LED light fixture for the period of time; and

submitting payment from the provider of the at least one light fixture to the customer'"'"'s electricity supplier for the electricity entering the at least one LED light fixture for the period of time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein communicating the measured amount of electricity to a computing device comprises transmitting the measured amount of electricity to a computing device on a weekly basis.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing device is located at a location of the LED light fixture provider.

4. The method claim 1, wherein communicating the measured amount of electricity to the computing device comprises transmitting a unique identifier associated with the at least one LED light fixture.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the unique identifier comprises global positioning system information.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein communicating the measured amount of electricity to the computing device comprises transmitting, without user intervention, the measured amount of electricity to the computing device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein communicating the measured amount of electricity to the computing device comprises transmitting, upon a user or provider request, the measured amount of electricity to the computing device.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, with the second meter, the processor and data associated with each respective LED light fixture, the amount of lumens generated by the at least one LED light fixture over a period of time.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

increasing an amount of current applied to at least one LED of the LED light fixture if the amount of lumen generated by the at least one LED light fixture is determined to be below a pre-determined level.

10. A method for tracking lumen illumination and payment for lumen illumination, said method comprising:

authorizing a provider of at least one LED Light Fixture to submit payment to a preexisting customer electrical account with an electricity provider for electricity used in generating lumen illumination over a billing cycle;

installing at least one LED Light Fixture at a customer location;

paying to a provider of the at least one LED light fixture a pre-determined monetary amount as compensation for photons generated by each of the at least one LED light fixtures far a period of time;

measuring electricity provided to each of the at least one LED Light Fixtures for a designated period of time and storing the measured electricity provided to each of the at least one LED Light Fixtures within a processor having memory;

determining the amount of lumens generated by each of the at least one LED Light Fixtures for the designated period of time and storing the measured amount of lumens within a processor having memory;

comparing the measured amount of lumens at each of the at least one LED Light Fixtures for the designated period of time to data representative of a desired lumen illumination level as stored in the memory of the processor, and the processor adjusting the electricity to be provided to each of the at least one LED Light Fixtures to achieve the desired lumen illumination level;

measuring and storing the adjusted amount of electricity provided to each of the at least one Led Light Fixtures for the designated period of time to achieve the desired lumen illumination level;

communicating the measured electricity and the adjusted electricity provided to each of the at least one LED Light Fixtures from the memory of the processor to a computing device for storage according to a communication schedule;

calculating an electrical payment for the billing cycle to be made by the provider of at least one LED Light Fixture to the preexisting customer electrical account with the electricity provider, as calculated from the stored measured electricity and adjusted electricity provided to each of the at least one LED Light Fixtures; and

making a payment from the provider of at least one LED Light Fixture to the preexisting customer electrical account with the electricity provider.

11. The method of claim 10, each LED Light Fixture comprising a unique identifier.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein said period of time is a week.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein said period of time is a day.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the computing device is located at a location of the LED light fixture provider.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the unique identifier comprises global positioning system information.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein communicating the measured electricity and the adjusted electricity provided to each of the at least one LED Light Fixtures to the computing device comprises transmitting, without user intervention, the amount of electricity to a computing, device.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein communicating the measured electricity and the adjusted electricity provided to each of the at least one LED Light Fixtures to the computing device comprises transmitting, upon a user or provider request, the amount of electricity to a computing device.