System and method for monitoring use of a lamp

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11145010-B2
Application number	US-201715685427-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 24, 2017
Priority date	Dec 6, 2012
Publication date	Oct 12, 2021
Grant date	Oct 12, 2021

Abstract

Systems and methods for monitoring and tracking usage of a lamp and, in one example, assigning a monetary value that can be billed to an end user are provided. Examples of the lamps can communicate wirelessly in order to receive and to transmit information related to initialization, authorization, electrical power consumption monitoring, and combinations thereof. In one embodiment, the lamp transmits data a usage parameter to a service provider via a network. The service provider can aggregate the data and, in one example, assign a usage fee that describes a monetary value based on the usage parameter and generate an output that includes that usage fee.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device for monitoring use of a lamp wirelessly, said device comprising:
a processor,
a memory storage medium coupled with the processor, and
a set of executable instructions stored in the memory storage medium and configured to be executed by the processor for:
wirelessly transmitting an authorization code to the lamp, wherein the authorization code contains instructions that cause the lamp to change from a first operating condition to a second operating condition that is different from the first operating condition;
wirelessly receiving a signal containing data that defines a usage parameter for the lamp through a wireless network, wherein the data that defines the usage parameter is generated by a processor of the lamp;
calculating a lamp usage fee by correlating the usage parameter to a first monetary value; and
generating an output comprising the lamp usage fee.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the output comprises a lamp ownership fee that defines a second monetary value.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein second monetary value reflects one or more costs associated with manufacture of the lamp.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the usage parameter comprises an amount of electrical power consumed by the lamp.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the usage parameter comprises an amount of time that the lamp is energized.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein in the second operating condition, the lamp can generate light.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further instructed to wirelessly verify an identification code of the lamp.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the output comprises an electronic message that displays the usage fee on a display.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the output comprises instructions to generate a printed mailing for delivery to a user.

10. A system, comprising:
a lamp comprising a light source; and
a monitoring device for wirelessly monitoring use of the lamp, said monitoring device comprising a processor, a memory storage medium coupled with the processor, and a set of executable instructions stored in the memory storage medium and configured to be executed by the processor for:
receiving a first signal containing an identification code of the lamp;
transmitting a second signal to the lamp in response to the first signal, the second signal containing an authorization code that contains instructions to cause the lamp changing from a first operating condition to a second operating condition in response to the authorization code, and wherein in the second operating condition, the lamp can generate light;
wirelessly receiving a third signal containing data that defines a usage parameter for the lamp in the second operating condition through a wireless network, wherein the data that defines the usage parameter is generated by a processor of the lamp;
calculating a lamp usage fee by correlating the usage parameter to a first monetary value; and
generating an output comprising the lamp usage fee.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the set of executable instructions further comprises instructions for associating the identification code for the lamp with a user account.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the output comprises a lamp ownership fee that defines a second monetary value that reflects one or more costs associated with manufacture of the lamp.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the lamp comprises a signal indicator, and wherein the signal indicator has a first operation that identifies when the lamp is waiting for the authorization code.

14. The system of claim 10 , wherein the lamp comprises a meter configured to measure an amount of electrical power used by the lamp, which is used by the processor of the lamp to generate the usage parameter.

15. The system of claim 10 , wherein the lamp comprises a timer configured to measure an amount of time the lamp is generating light, which is used by the processor of the lamp to generate the usage parameter.

16. A method for using a device to wirelessly monitor the usage of a lamp, said device comprising a processor, a memory storage medium coupled with the processor, and a set of executable instructions stored in the memory storage medium and configured to be executed by the processor to carry out the method,
said method comprising:
transmitting an authorization code to the lamp, wherein the authorization code contains instructions that cause the lamp to change from a first operating condition to a second operating condition that is different from the first operating condition;
wirelessly receiving a signal containing data that defines a usage parameter for the lamp through a wireless network, wherein the data that defines the usage parameter is generated by a processor of the lamp;
calculating a lamp usage fee by correlating the usage parameter to a first monetary value; and
generating an output comprising the lamp usage fee,
wherein the step for calculating a lamp usage fee utilizes a device comprising a processor and memory.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising verifying an identification code of the lamp and associating the identification code of the lamp with a user account.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the user account includes information identifying an end user that comprises information selected from a group comprising a name of the user, an address of the user, a telephone number of the end user, an electronic mailing address for the end user, a name for an electrical power supplier that provides electrical power to a location at which the lamp is located, an account number belonging to the end user for provision of electrical power to the end user by the electrical power supplier, an address for the electrical power supplier, a banking institution used by the end user, a routing number for the banking institution used by the end user, and any combination thereof.

Assignees

• Ge Lighting Solutions Llc
• Savant Tech Llc

Inventors

• Kuenzler Glenn Howard

Classifications

• H05B47/19

  via wireless transmission · CPC title

• H05B47/1985

  Creation of lighting zones or scenes · CPC title

• H05B47/17

  Operational modes, e.g. switching from manual to automatic mode or prohibiting specific operations · CPC title

• H05B47/10

  Controlling the light source · CPC title

• G06Q50/06 Primary

  Energy or water supply · CPC title