Solar lighting with pay-as-you go technology

• US 9,437,070 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2015
• Issued: 09/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Angaza Design, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Angaza Design, Inc.
• Inventors: Marincola, Lesley Silverthorn, Silverthorn, Bryan, Arch, Victoria, Silverthorn, Lee, Milburn, Joshua, Tsai, William, Thorne, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Torres, Juan A
• Application Number:
  US14/662,077
• Publication Number:
  US 20150287263A1
• Time in Patent Office: 538 Days
• Field of Search: 375/303
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/145 Payments according to the detected use or quantity
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3223 Realising banking transactions through M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 15/006 dispensed for the electrical charging of other devices than vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 7/02 Disposition of insulation
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/465 with solar battery as charging system
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 40/38 Energy storage means, e.g. batteries, structurally associated with PV modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/60 Systems for communication between relatively movable stations, e.g. for communication with lift H04B3/54 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/06 Dc level restoring means; Bias distortion correction ; Decision circuits providing symbol by symbol detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/02 Amplitude-modulated carrier systems, e.g. using on-off keying; Single sideband or vestigial sideband modulation H04L27/32 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/10 Frequency-modulated carrier systems, i.e. using frequency-shift keying H04L27/32 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0202 Portable telephone sets, e.g. cordless phones, mobile phones or bar type handsets constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. of speakers or microphones H04M1/03
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0274 for an electrical connector module
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6058 involving the use of a headset accessory device connected to the portable telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/68 Payment of value-added services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/202 selecting interactively a payment method
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/35 Pay as you go
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/265 for initial activation of new user
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/56 : Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 : Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 70/30 : Systems combining energy storage with energy generation of non-fossil origin
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/90 : Financial instruments for climate change mitigation, e.g. environmental taxes, subsidies or financing
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/12 : Billing, invoicing, buying or selling transactions or other related activities, e.g. cost or usage evaluation

Abstract

Disclosed are systems, devices and methods for providing solar lighting and power to a customer by using pay-as-you-go (PAYG) technology. The PAYG technology allows a customer to make incremental payments for a solar energy system that includes a lighting unit. The payments can be made through a smartphone. A cable is used to connect an audio jack of the smartphone and a PV power jack of the lighting unit. Analog AC signals including data about activation, payment, usage and status are transmitted over the cable between the service provider and lighting unit, through a smartphone. The power jack of the lighting unit is also used to connect to a solar panel of a charging unit and a battery of the lighting unit.

Claims

1. A method of managing a plurality of pay-as-you-go apparatuses, comprising:

receiving a payment message at a server, wherein the payment message is sent from a mobile device;

transmitting an encoded data message from the server to the mobile device, wherein the encoded data message is for a pay-as-you-go apparatus; and

receiving a data message at the server from the mobile device, wherein the received data message comprises data extracted from the pay-as-you-go apparatus using a cable that connects the pay-as-you-go apparatus to an audio jack of the mobile device;

wherein the pay-as-you-go apparatus comprises;

a jack configured to receive electrical power generated by a solar panel and facilitate bidirectional communications between the pay-as-you-go apparatus and the mobile device;

a switch controlled by a microcontroller to attenuate a signal transmitted by the mobile device during periodic time intervals, wherein the mobile device detects the attenuation through a microphone channel that is connected to a speaker channel of the cable connected to the jack of the pay-as-you-go apparatus;

an amplifier that converts an analog signal received from the mobile device into a plurality of digital pulses by collapsing areas of the analog signal that are below a first voltage threshold and raising areas of the analog signal that are above a second voltage threshold, wherein the microcontroller decodes the encoded data message transmitted from the server to the mobile device by measuring a width of a digital pulse to determine a bit value.

2. The method of managing a plurality of pay-as-you-go apparatuses of claim 1, wherein:

the mobile device is operated by an agent that collects a plurality of payments from a plurality of customers, and

the pay-as-you-go apparatus is associated with one of the plurality of customers.

3. The method of managing a plurality of pay-as-you-go apparatuses of claim 1, wherein the bidirectional communications are transmitted over a single conductor of the cable by employing the switch to permit transmission in a first direction when the switch is in a first position and permit transmission in a second direction, opposite the first direction, when the switch is in a second position.

4. The method of managing a plurality of pay-as-you-go apparatuses of claim 1, wherein a first cable is used to connect the pay-as-you-go apparatus to the solar panel and a second cable is used to connect the pay-as-you-go apparatus to the mobile device, the first and second cables being different or combined.

5. The method of managing a plurality of pay-as-you-go apparatuses of claim 2, further comprising:

transmitting information from the mobile device to an electronic money system, wherein the information comprises service provider identification information, a customer account, and a payment amount; and

authorizing deduction of the payment amount from an account that is associated with the agent or customer.

6. The method of managing a plurality of pay-as-you-go apparatuses of claim 3, wherein frequency-shift keying (FSK) modulation is employed for transmission in the first direction, and cooperative amplitude-shift keying (ASK) modulation is employed for transmission in the second direction.

7. A method of managing a plurality of pay-as-you-go apparatuses, comprising:

receiving a payment message at a server, wherein the payment message is sent from a mobile device;

transmitting an encoded data message from the server to the mobile device, wherein the encoded data message is for a pay-as-you-go apparatus; and

receiving a data message at the server from the mobile device, wherein the received data message comprises data extracted from the pay-as-you-go apparatus using a cable that connects the pay-as-you-go apparatus to an audio jack of the mobile device;

wherein the pay-as-you-go apparatus comprises a jack configured to receive electrical power generated by a solar panel and facilitate bidirectional communications between the pay-as-you-go apparatus and the mobile device;

wherein a first cable is used to connect the pay-as-you-go apparatus to the solar panel and a second cable is used to connect the pay-as-you-go apparatus to the mobile device, the first and second cables being different or combined;

wherein the second cable comprises;

a first end configured to connect to the jack of the pay-as-you-go apparatus and comprising only two conductors; and

a second end configured to connect to an audio jack of the mobile device and comprising three or more conductors.

8. The method of managing a plurality of pay-as-you-go apparatuses of claim 7, wherein the first end is a photovoltaic plug.

9. The method of managing a plurality of pay-as-you-go apparatuses of claim 8, wherein the second end is a tip-ring-ring-sleeve (TRRS) connector.

10. A method of managing a plurality of pay-as-you-go apparatuses, comprising:

receiving a payment message at a server, wherein the payment message is sent from a mobile device;

transmitting an encoded data message from the server to the mobile device, wherein the encoded data message is for a pay-as-you-go apparatus; and

receiving a data message at the server from the mobile device, wherein the received data message comprises data extracted from the pay-as-you-go apparatus using a cable that connects the pay-as-you-go apparatus to an audio jack of the mobile device;

wherein the pay-as-you-go apparatus comprises a jack configured to receive electrical power generated by a solar panel and facilitate bidirectional communications between the pay-as-you-go apparatus and the mobile device;

wherein a first cable is used to connect the pay-as-you-go apparatus to the solar panel and a second cable is used to connect the pay-as-you-go apparatus to the mobile device, the first and second cables being different or combined; and

wherein the pay-as-you-go apparatus comprises;

a microprocessor configured to produce and interpret analog AC signals for communicating with the server through the second cable connected to the mobile device; and

a power module configured to provide power to a device, wherein the device comprises a lighting unit or an electrical outlet.

11. The method of managing a plurality of pay-as-you-go apparatuses of claim 10, wherein the pay-as-you-go apparatus is configured to communicate with the provider system using an application on the mobile device.

12. A method of managing a plurality of pay-as-you-go apparatuses, comprising

receiving a payment message at a server, wherein the payment message is sent from a mobile device;

transmitting an encoded data message from the server to the mobile device, wherein the encoded data message is for a pay-as-you-go apparatus; and

receiving a data message at the server from the mobile device, wherein the received data message comprises data extracted from the pay-as-you-go apparatus using a cable that connects the pay-as-you-go apparatus to an audio jack of the mobile device;

wherein the cable comprises;

an input connector comprising;

a first conducting portion for transmitting a first signal;

a second conducting portion for transmitting a second signal or a ground signal; and

a third conducting portion for transmitting the second signal or the ground signal;

an output connector comprising;

a fourth conducting portion for transmitting the first signal; and

a fifth conducting portion for transmitting the ground signal; and

a circuit electrically connecting the first conducting portion to the fourth conducting portion and the first and second conducting portions to the fifth conducting portion, wherein the circuit is configured to transmit a ground signal from the second or third conducting portions to the fifth conducting portion.

13. The method of managing a plurality of pay-as-you-go apparatuses of claim 12, wherein the second signal is a microphone signal.

14. The method of managing a plurality of pay-as-you-go apparatuses of claim 12, wherein the circuit is configured to transmit the second signal as a portion of the first signal.

15. The method of managing a plurality of pay-as-you-go apparatuses of claim 12, wherein the input connector further comprises a sixth conducting portion for transmitting a differential signal with the first conducting portion.

16. The method of managing a plurality of pay-as-you-go apparatuses of claim 12, wherein:

the first conducting portion and the third conducting portion are electrically connected to the fourth conducting portion; and

the second conducting portion is directly electrically connected to the fifth conducting portion.

17. A system for managing a plurality of pay-as-you-go apparatuses comprising:

one or more processors;

memory; and

one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for;

receiving a payment message sent from a mobile device;

transmitting an encoded data message to the mobile device, wherein the encoded data message is for a pay-as-you-go apparatus; and

receiving a data message from the mobile device, wherein the received data message comprises data extracted from the pay-as-you-go apparatus using a cable that connects the pay-as-you-go apparatus to an audio jack of the mobile device;

wherein the pay-as-you-go apparatus comprises;

a jack configured to receive electrical power generated by a solar panel and facilitate bidirectional communications between the pay-as-you-go apparatus and the mobile device;

a switch controlled by a microcontroller to attenuate a signal transmitted by the mobile device during periodic time intervals, wherein the mobile device detects the attenuation through a microphone channel that is connected to a speaker channel of the cable connected to the jack of the pay-as-you-go apparatus.

an amplifier that converts an analog signal received from the mobile device into a plurality of digital pulses by collapsing areas of the analog signal that are below a first voltage threshold and raising areas of the analog signal that are above a second voltage threshold, wherein the microcontroller decodes the encoded data message transmitted from the server to the mobile device by measuring a width of a digital pulse to determine a bit value.