Apparatus with switch generating SMS message

• US 9,043,416 B2
• Filed: 11/19/2010
• Issued: 05/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Richard Faulkner
• Original Assignee: Richard Faulkner
• Inventors: Faulkner, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): KIM, EDWARD J
• Application Number:
  US13/510,829
• Publication Number:
  US 20120246253A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,649 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/224
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network

Abstract

Apparatus for selectively enabling functionality of a machine having a first state, wherein some or all of the functionality associated with the machine is selectively disabled, the apparatus comprising: an input for a user to select the disabled functionality; a transmitter for sending an SMS message in response to a user input at the input means; a controller for generating a control signal associated with the sending of the SMS message, the control signal configured to place the machine in a second active state in which some or all of the functionality associated with the machine is selectively enabled.

Claims

1. Apparatus which selectively enables functionality of a machine having a first state when some or all of the functionality associated with the machine is selectively disabled, the apparatus comprising:

an input for a user to select a disabled functionality;

a transmitter which sends an SMS message in response to the user selection of disabled functionality at the input;

a controller; and

a sensor which generates a first control signal in response to detection of the sending of the SMS message by the transmitter, the first control signal configured to instruct the controller to place the machine in a second active state in which the disabled functionality selected by the user at the input is selectively enabled.

2. Apparatus of claim 1 wherein the SMS message is transmitted to a remote server configured to monitor usage of the machine from the received SMS messages.

3. Apparatus of claim 1 wherein the apparatus further comprises receiving means to receive a message from an external source and to generate a second control signal in response to the receipt of a message.

4. Apparatus of claim 1 wherein the transmitter comprises an SMS message generator configured to include specific content in the message.

5. Apparatus of claim 4 wherein the SMS message contains one or more identifiers associated with the apparatus.

6. Apparatus of claim 4 wherein the SMS message contains a security code.

7. Apparatus of claim 1 wherein the SMS message contains an identifier associated with the machine

8. Apparatus of any of claim 4 wherein the SMS message contains an identifier associated with the functionality to be enabled in the second state.

9. Apparatus of claim 8 wherein the first control signal selectively enables the functionality identified in the SMS message.

10. Apparatus of claim 2 wherein the remote server comprises a computer to receive the SMS message configured to identify the originating machine from the content of the SMS message.

11. Apparatus of claim 2 wherein upon receipt of an SMS message the remote server initiates payment for use of the machine, and/or generates an invoice.

12. Apparatus of claim 1 wherein the transmitter comprises the controller.

13. Apparatus of claim 1 further comprising the machine whose functionality is selectively enabled.

14. Apparatus of claim 1 wherein the machine is a beauty machine.

15. Apparatus of claim 1 wherein the input is a mechanical switch which effects connection and disconnection of the controller to a power supply.

16. A method of selecting enabling functionality of a machine having functionality which is selectively enabled and disabled, the method comprising:

placing the machine in a first state where some or all of the functionality associated with the machine is selectively disabled;

a user selecting disabled functionality to be enabled via a user input;

in response to the selection sending, from the machine to an external server, an SMS message via a transmitter; and

generating a first control signal at the machine, said first control signal generated in response to the sending of the SMS message by the transmitter, the first control signal configured to place the machine in a second active state in which some or all of the disabled functionality selected at the input is selectively enabled, and placing the machine in the second active state.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the method further comprises the steps of a central server receiving the SMS message and generating an invoice and/or processing payment in response to the receipt of the message.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the method further comprises a central server sending a conformation message to the machine upon receipt of the SMS message and generating a second control signal in response to the receipt of the SMS message from the central server.