PROGRAMMABLE LIGHTING DEVICE

• US 20080272714A1
• Filed: 04/14/2008
• Published: 11/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nextorch Industries Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nextorch Industries Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Noble, Barry Angus, Noble, Fergus McPherson
• Granted Patent: US 8,947,005 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 315/292
• CPC Class Codes: F21L 4/027 the light sources being a LED
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 10/00 Lighting devices or systems producing a varying lighting effect
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0407 for flashing
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0414 specially adapted to be used with portable lighting devices
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/38 using boost topology
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/17 Operational modes, e.g. switching from manual to automatic mode or prohibiting specific operations

Abstract

A flashlight (1) having a control unit (4) with a push button (12) for activating the flashlight (1). The control unit (4) connects to a computer via USB port, whereby user-configurable control information is downloaded. A computer program running on the computer enables operating conditions of the flashlight to be selected by a user according to predetermined types of activation e.g. of the push button (12). The operating conditions are collated into operating instructions associated with the predetermined types of activation. The operating instructions are converted into byte code and downloaded to and stored on a memory in the control unit (4). Upon detecting a predetermined activation type, the control unit accesses the operating conditions and configures the flashlight accordingly.

Claims

1. A lighting system having:

a lighting device for providing light, the lighting device having

a light source,

a power supply for providing electric current to the light source, and

a control unit for controlling operation of the lighting device; and

a programming device remote from the lighting device and communicable with the control unit, the programming device having

a computer program loaded thereon that is arranged;

to receive commands from a user;

to create one or more operation instructions on the basis of the received commands; and

to communicate the created operation instruction(s) to the control unit;

wherein the control unit has a memory for storing the communicated operation instruction(s) and activation means for causing the control unit to execute a stored operation instruction, each operation instruction being arranged to configure one or more operating conditions for the lighting device.

2. A lighting system according to claim 1, wherein the commands from the user correspond to one or more values for operating conditions of the lighting device in the programming device, and the computer program is arranged to collate the value or values into an operating instruction for downloading on to the control unit memory.

3. A lighting system according to claim 1, wherein the lighting device is portable and separable from the programming device.

4. A lighting device having:

a light source;

a power supply for providing electric current to the light source; and

a control unit for controlling operating of the light device, the control unit being communicable with an external device in order to receive one or more operation instructions from the external device,

wherein the control unit is arranged to store the received operation instruction(s) and to execute a stored operation instruction upon receipt of a user command, each operation instruction being arranged to configure operating conditions for the lighting device.

5. A lighting device according to claim 4, wherein the light source comprises one or more LEDs,

6. A lighting device according to claim 4, wherein the control unit includes electronic circuitry for operating the device and a communication interface for receiving the operating instructions from the external processing device.

7. A lighting device according to claim 6, wherein the communication interface includes a USB port and associated circuitry.

8. A lighting device according to any of claim 4, wherein the control unit includes user-operable activation means arranged to send commands to the control unit.

9. A lighting device according to any of claim 4, wherein the control unit includes processing means arranged to configure operation of the lighting device on the basis of operating instructions received from the external processing device.

10. A lighting device according to claim 8, wherein the processing means is arranged to select one or more of the operating instructions to configure the lighting device on the basis of commands received from the user.

11. A lighting device according to any of claim 4 that is a flashlight.

12. A lighting device according to claim 11, having a tail switch located on an end of the flashlight body opposite the light source and arranged to send a signal to the control unit if it is actuated, whereby the control unit is arranged to configure the lighting device according to a customizable operating instruction.

13. A lighting device according to claim 12, wherein the tail switch is arranged to momentarily disconnect the power supply when actuated.

14. A lighting device according to any of claim 11, wherein the control unit is communicable with one or more remote switches.

15. A control unit for controlling a light source in a lighting device, the control unit having:

a communications interface for receiving one or more operation instructions from an external (remote) processing device;

a memory for storing the received operation instruction(s);

input means for receiving commands from a user; and

processing means for executing a stored operation instruction upon receipt of a user command,

wherein each operation instruction is arranged to configure operating conditions for the lighting device.

16. A control unit according to claim 15 including embedded software arranged to interpret the operation instruction(s) and, based on the interpreted operation instruction, to configure components of the lighting device.

17. A kit for constructing a lighting device, the kit including a plurality of modules interconnectable to form the lighting device, wherein the plurality of modules include:

one or more interchangeable light source modules;

one or more interchangeable power supply modules for providing electric current to the light source module; and

one or more interchangeable control unit module for controlling operation of the light source, each control unit module being communicable with an external device in order to receive one or more operation instructions from the external device, the control unit being arranged to store the received operation instruction(s) and to execute a stored operation upon receipt of a user command, each operation instruction being arranged to configure operating conditions for the light source, wherein the assembled lighting device includes at least one of a light source module, power supply module and a control unit module.

18. A kit according to claim 17 including one or more interchangeable switch modules, each having one or more operating buttons thereon, whose function are controllable by the control unit.

19. A computer program product comprising a computer program for loading on a processing device that is communicable with a lighting device, the computer program being arranged to cause the processing device:

to receive commands from a user of the processing device;

to create one or more operation instructions on the basis of the received commands; and

to communicate the created operated instruction(s) to the lighting device, wherein each operation instruction is arranged to configure operating conditions for the lighting device.

20. A computer program product according to claim 19, wherein the operating conditions include a value for a brightness of the light source or an electric current provided to the light source.

21. A computer program product according to claim 19, wherein each operating instruction may configure the lighting device so that a sequence of differing configurations is provided.

22. A computer program product according to claim 21, wherein the sequence includes two or more basic configuration blocks, each configuration block containing value for one or more parameters used to configure the lighting device.

23. A computer program product according to claim 22, wherein the sequence includes one or more of:

a fade block arranged to gradually increase or decrease the brightness level between the configuration blocks;

a strobe block arranged to produce a series of rapid flashes having the same brightness level; and

a repeat loop arranged to repeat a series of one or more consecutive configuration blocks.

24. A computer program product according to claim 22, wherein the computer program is arranged to compile the sequences directly into byte code for storage on the lighting device.