Enablement period controlled lighting appliance

• US 9,089,011 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2013
• Issued: 07/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jennifer Lowry, Robert Steininger
• Original Assignee: Sonopro Power & Light, Inc.
• Inventors: Steininger, John, Vilsack, Douglas, Gelvin, David, Tillson, Timothy
• Primary Examiner(s): Owens, Douglas W
• Assistant Examiner(s): Alaeddini, Borna
• Application Number:
  US13/749,406
• Publication Number:
  US 20130200811A1
• Time in Patent Office: 908 Days
• Field of Search: 315/291, 315/307, 315/154, 315/158, 315/159, 705/39, 705/35, 362/183, 362/276
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/10 Controlling the light source
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/17 Operational modes, e.g. switching from manual to automatic mode or prohibiting specific operations
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/175 by remote control

Abstract

Various arrangements of a rechargeable lighting appliance are presented. The rechargeable lighting appliance may include a light. A rechargeable battery may be connected with the light. The rechargeable lighting appliance may include a communication interface configured to receive an enablement period. The rechargeable lighting appliance may include a non-transitory machine-readable storage device configured to store an indication of the enablement period. The rechargeable lighting appliance may include one or more processors. The one or more processors may be configured to control a mode of the rechargeable lighting appliance. The mode may be configured to be set to a first mode or a second mode. The first mode may permit illumination of the light at least partially based on activation of the enablement period stored by the non-transitory machine-readable storage device. The second mode may allow for unlimited illumination of the light without activation of the enablement period.

Claims

1. A rechargeable lighting appliance, comprising:

a light;

a rechargeable battery connected with the light;

a communication interface configured to receive an enablement period, wherein the enablement period indicates a period of time of a predetermined duration during which one or more functions of the rechargeable lighting appliance are enabled for use;

a non-transitory machine-readable storage device configured to store the enablement period;

one or more processors, configured to;

control a mode of the rechargeable lighting appliance, wherein;

the mode is configured to be set to a first mode or a second mode;

the first mode permits illumination of the light at least partially based on activation of the enablement period stored by the non-transitory machine-readable storage device; and

the second mode allows for illumination of the light without activation of the enablement period; and

a short-range transceiver, configured to;

permit the enablement period to be transferred from the rechargeable lighting appliance to a second rechargeable lighting appliance, wherein;

the communication interface comprises the short-range transceiver;

transfer of the enablement period stored by the non-transitory machine-readable storage device is permitted if the enablement period has not been activated by the rechargeable lighting appliance; and

following transfer from the rechargeable lighting appliance to the second rechargeable lighting appliance, the one or more processors are configured such that;

the enablement period is not available for activation by the rechargeable lighting appliance.

2. The rechargeable lighting appliance of claim 1, wherein the light, when illuminated, has a brightness of at least 20 lumens.

3. The rechargeable lighting appliance of claim 1, wherein, when the rechargeable lighting appliance is in the first mode:

activation of the enablement period stored by the non-transitory machine-readable storage device permits use of the light for a predefined period of time; and

use of the light is not permitted unless the enablement period is activated.

4. The rechargeable lighting appliance of claim 3, further comprising:

an external device charging connection, wherein

when the rechargeable lighting appliance is in the first mode;

activation of the enablement period stored by the non-transitory machine-readable storage device permits use of the external device charging connection for a predefined period of time; and

use of the external device charging connection is not permitted unless the enablement period is activated.

5. The rechargeable lighting appliance of claim 1, wherein:

the communication interface is configured to receive the enablement period as an encrypted enablement period;

the one or more processors are further configured to;

prior to receiving the encrypted enablement period, provide a random number to a mobile device that is to provide the encrypted enablement period; and

after receiving the encrypted enablement period via the communication interface, decrypt the encrypted enablement period using the random number and an encryption key stored locally by the rechargeable lighting appliance, wherein;

the encrypted enablement period is encrypted using the random number; and

the encryption key is not transmitted between the mobile device and the rechargeable lighting appliance.

6. The rechargeable lighting appliance of claim 1, wherein the

short-range transceiver is further configured to:

receive the enablement period from a mobile device, wherein

the one or more processors are further configured such that;

the enablement period is available for activation by the rechargeable lighting appliance following receipt of the enablement period from the mobile device.

7. The rechargeable lighting appliance of claim 6, wherein the mobile device is a cellular telephone.

8. The rechargeable lighting appliance of claim 1, wherein, at manufacture, a plurality of enablement keys are stored to the non-transitory machine-readable storage device, wherein the plurality of enablement keys are unique from enablement keys of other rechargeable lighting appliances;

and

the one or more processors are further configured to permit activation of the enablement period only if the enablement period indicates an enablement key of the plurality of enablement keys.

9. The rechargeable lighting appliance of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

enter the second mode from the first mode after a threshold number of enablement periods have been activated on the rechargeable lighting appliance; and

once the second mode is entered based on the threshold number of activations of enablement periods being met, the rechargeable lighting appliance remains permanently in the second mode.

10. The rechargeable lighting appliance of claim 9, wherein the non-transitory machine-readable storage device is further configured to store a total number of enablement periods activated on the rechargeable lighting appliance.

11. The rechargeable lighting appliance of claim 1, further comprising:

an accelerometer, in communication with the one or more processors, wherein the one or more processors are configured, based on data received from the accelerometer, to detect an actuation action performed using the rechargeable lighting appliance.

12. The rechargeable lighting appliance of claim 11, wherein the actuation action comprises tipping the rechargeable lighting appliance within communication range of the second rechargeable lighting appliance.

13. The rechargeable lighting appliance of claim 1, further comprising:

a solar panel configured to recharge the rechargeable battery.

14. The rechargeable lighting appliance of claim 1, wherein the rechargeable lighting appliance is waterproof.

15. A method for controlling use of a rechargeable lighting appliance, the method comprising:

setting the rechargeable lighting appliance to a first mode, wherein;

the first mode permits illumination of a light of the rechargeable lighting appliance at least partially based on activation of an enablement period stored by a non-transitory machine-readable storage device of the rechargeable lighting appliance, wherein the enablement period indicates a predefined period of time during which one or more functions of the rechargeable lighting appliance are enabled for use;

receiving, by the rechargeable lighting appliance, the enablement period;

storing, by the rechargeable lighting appliance, the enablement period;

receiving, by the rechargeable lighting appliance, user input that indicates to activate the enablement period;

enabling, by the rechargeable lighting appliance, use of the light for the predetermined period of time at least partially based on activation of the enablement period;

receiving, by the rechargeable lighting appliance, a second enablement period;

receiving, by the rechargeable lighting appliance, user input that indicates to transfer the second enablement period to a second rechargeable lighting appliance; and

transferring, by the rechargeable lighting appliance, the second enablement period to the second rechargeable lighting appliance, wherein;

following the transfer, the second enablement period is not available for activation by the rechargeable lighting appliance; and

following the transfer, the second enablement period is available for activation by the second rechargeable lighting appliance.

16. The method for controlling use of the rechargeable lighting appliance of claim 15, further comprising:

enabling, by the rechargeable lighting appliance, use of an external device charging connection for a predetermined period of time at least partially based on activation of the enablement period.

17. The method for controlling use of the rechargeable lighting appliance of claim 15, wherein the enablement period is received from a cellular phone via a wireless communication protocol.

18. The method for controlling use of the rechargeable lighting appliance of claim 15, further comprising:

following receiving the enablement period, increasing, by the rechargeable lighting appliance, an available enablement period count; and

following activation of the enablement period, decreasing, by the rechargeable lighting appliance, the available enablement period count.

19. The method for controlling use of the rechargeable lighting appliance of claim 18, further comprising:

while in the first mode, tracking, by the rechargeable lighting appliance, an amount of time since the enablement period was activated; and

while in the first mode, disabling, by the rechargeable lighting appliance, following expiration of the predetermined period of time, availability of the light for illumination.

20. The method for controlling use of the rechargeable lighting appliance of claim 19, further comprising:

following enabling use of the light for the predetermined period of time at least partially based on the activation of the enablement period, increasing, by the rechargeable lighting appliance, a lifetime activated enablement period count, wherein the lifetime activated enablement period count indicates a total number of enablement periods that have been activated on the rechargeable lighting appliance.

21. A lighting apparatus, comprising:

means for lighting;

means for setting the lighting apparatus to a first mode, wherein;

the first mode permits illumination of the means for lighting at least partially based on activation of an enablement period, wherein the enablement period indicates a predetermined time period during which one or more functions of the lighting apparatus are enabled for use;

means for receiving a first enablement period;

means for storing the first enablement period;

means for receiving user input that indicates to activate the first enablement period;

means for enabling use of the light for the predetermined time period at least partially based on activation of the first enablement period;

means for receiving a second enablement period after the first enablement period is received;

means for storing the second enablement period;

means for receiving user input that indicates to transfer the second enablement period to a second lighting apparatus; and

means for transferring the second enablement period to the second lighting apparatus, wherein;

following the transfer, the second enablement period is not available for activation by the lighting apparatus; and

following the transfer, the second enablement period is available for activation by the second lighting apparatus.