IP Library Granted Patent US 9,642,222
Granted Patent B2
US 9,642,222 · App. 14/978,795 · Granted May 2, 2017

Light bulb adapter

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,642,222
App. No.
14/978,795
Granted
May 2, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

A light bulb adapter is disclosed. The light bulb adapter has a main housing configured to house electronic circuits for wirelessly receiving controlling commands via WiFi from a user through the use of a software application installed in a mobile device. In operation, the user unplug a light bulb from an existing lighting fixture and plugs the light bulb plug of the light bulb adapter into the lighting fixture. A light bulb is inserted to the light bulb receptacle of the light bulb adapter. The user can connect a mobile device to the light bulb adapter over a wireless local area network via an accessory protocol and control the light bulb adapter, and subsequently the light bulb connected to it, using the accessory protocol.

Claims (22)

1. A light bulb adapter comprising:

a light bulb receptacle configured to receive a light bulb;

a light bulb plug configured to connect to a lighting fixture;

a shell having an outer side wall, an upper wall, an inner side wall and a lower wall, the inner side wall and the lower wall are configured to surround and support the light bulb receptacle;

a base configured to engage with the perimeter region of the outer wall of the shell to form a main housing, wherein the main housing that encloses electronic circuits are configured to wirelessly receive commands over WiFi from a mobile electronic device to control the function of the light bulb adapter; and

plurality of vents, wherein the light bulb adapter further comprises a trench having two ends and a center portion in between the ends, wherein the trench is opened at the upper wall, and wherein at least one of the plurality of vents is located at one of the two ends of the trench.

2. The light bulb adapter of claim 1 , wherein the electronic circuits comprise a MCU (microcontroller unit) module, a WACIO/UART (wide area communications IO/universal asynchronous receiver and transmitter) module, and a meter module.

3. The light bulb adapter of claim 2 , wherein the WACIO/UART module establishes connection to local area network (LAN), manages wireless local area network connection, and performs security encryption.

4. The light bulb adapter of claim 2 , wherein the meter module monitors and reports the amount of energy that is consumed by the light bulb that is connected to the light bulb receptacle.

5. The light bulb adapter of claim 1 , wherein the light bulb adapter further comprises an antenna for receiving the commands.

6. The light bulb adapter of claim 1 , wherein the commands are generated from a voice recognition software application.

7. The light bulb adapter of claim 1 , wherein the function of the light bulb adapter is to turn the light bulb on/off.

8. A light bulb adapter comprising:

a light bulb receptacle configured to receive a light bulb;

a light bulb plug configured to connect to a lighting fixture;

a shell configured to support the light bulb receptacle;

a vent opened through the shell; and

a base configured to engage with the shell to form a main housing, wherein the main housing is configured to house electronic circuits that are configured to wirelessly receive commands from a user through a software application installed in a mobile device to control the function of the light bulb adapter, wherein the vent is opened through an upper wall of the shell, and wherein the light bulb adapter further comprises a trench opened through the upper wall of the shell and having two ends, and wherein the vent is located at one of the two ends of the trench.

9. The light bulb adapter of claim 8 , wherein the electronic circuits comprise a MCU (microcontroller unit) module, a WACIO/UART (wide area communications IO/universal asynchronous receiver and transmitter) module, and a meter module.

10. The light bulb adapter of claim 8 , wherein the light bulb adapter further comprises an antenna for receiving the commands.

11. The light bulb adapter of claim 8 , wherein the commands are generated from a voice recognition software application.

12. The light bulb adapter of claim 8 , wherein the function of the light bulb adapter is to turn the light bulb on/off.

Assignments (13)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 3, 2025
From: ONWARD BRANDS LLC; VEVEY LLC
To: CHEN, SOLOMON
Reel/Frame 074052/0368 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 24, 2025
From: ACS GROUP ACQUISITION LLC
To: VEVEY LLC
Reel/Frame 070610/0873 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 24, 2025
From: VINCI BRANDS LLC
To: ACS GROUP ACQUISITION LLC
Reel/Frame 070610/0783 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Nov 26, 2021
From: ARMOR ACQUISITION LLC
To: VINCI BRANDS LLC
Reel/Frame 058252/0226 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 17, 2021
From: INCIPIO, LLC
To: ARMOR ACQUISITION LLC
Reel/Frame 058177/0077 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 6, 2021
From: ARMOR ACQUISITION LLC
To: SIENA LENDING GROUP LLC
Reel/Frame 057112/0057 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS AT REEL/FRAME NO. 47247/0963 Recorded Jun 3, 2019
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: INCIPIO, LLC
Reel/Frame 050341/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 22, 2019
From: INCIPIO, LLC; INCASE DESIGNS CORP.; GRIFFIN TECHNOLOGY, LLC; INCIPIO TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: MIDCAP FUNDING IV TRUST
Reel/Frame 050129/0814 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 10, 2018
From: INCIPIO, LLC
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 047247/0963 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 5, 2016
From: FATHOLLAHI, ANDY; ABDALLAH, AHMED
To: INCIPIO TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 038476/0756 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 22, 2016
From: INCIPIO, LLC
To: MONROE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT ADVISORS, LLC
Reel/Frame 037571/0787 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 14, 2016
From: INCIPIO LLC
To: GOODE INCIPIO HOLDCO LLC
Reel/Frame 037515/0671 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 31, 2015
From: INCIPIO TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: INCIPIO, LLC
Reel/Frame 037408/0421 →