Light bulb, intelligent lighting device and method and system for use in configuring same

An auxiliary device suitable for configuring an intelligent light bulb, the intelligent light bulb comprising a plurality of LED light components and a programmable controller, the programmable controller comprising a memory module having stored thereon firmware including instructions for controlling operations of the plurality of LED light components, said memory module including a memory component on which at least a portion of the firmware is stored, the programmable controller being programmed for operating the intelligent light bulb at least in part in accordance with the instructions stored on the memory module, said auxiliary device comprising:

• a) a communication interface suitable for communicating with the programmable controller over a wireless communication link;
• b) a processing unit in communication with the communication interface programmed for transmitting a signal over the wireless communication link to the intelligent light bulb carrying firmware update information, the signal being configured for:
• causing a firmware update process to be performed by the programmable controller to modify the instructions of the firmware based on the firmware update information carried by the signal, the firmware update information carried by the signal including program code implementing a specific light bulb configuration, wherein the plurality of LED light components are characterized in that operating in specific manners specific subsets of the plurality of LED light components allow respective distinct light colors to be generated by the intelligent light bulb and wherein the specific light bulb configuration implemented by the firmware update information is associated with at least one specific distinct subset of the LED light components so that the intelligent light bulb is caused to generate a corresponding specific light color when operated in a specific manner.

A method for configuring an intelligent light bulb, the intelligent light bulb comprising a plurality of LED light components and a programmable controller, the programmable controller comprising a memory module having stored thereon firmware including instructions for controlling operations of the plurality of LED light components, said memory module including a memory component on which at least a portion of the firmware is stored, the programmable controller being programmed for operating the intelligent light bulb at least in part in accordance with the instructions stored on the memory module, said method comprising:

• a) using an auxiliary device, obtaining firmware update information associated with the intelligent light bulb;
• b) using the auxiliary device, transmitting a signal carrying the firmware update information to the intelligent light bulb over a wireless communication link, the signal being configured for causing a firmware update process to be performed to modify the instructions of the firmware based on the update information carried by the signal, the firmware update information carried by the signal including program code implementing a specific light bulb configuration, wherein the plurality of LED light components are characterized in that operating in specific manners specific subsets of the plurality of LED light components allow respective distinct light colors to be generated by the intelligent light bulb, wherein the specific light bulb configuration implemented by the firmware update information is associated with at least one specific distinct subset of the LED light components so that the intelligent light bulb is caused to generate a corresponding specific light color when operated in a specific manner.

An intelligent light bulb comprising:

• a) a lighting element comprising multiple light components characterized in that operating in specific manners specific subsets of the light components allows respective distinct light colors to be generated by the light bulb;
• b) a programmable controller in communication with said lighting element, said programmable controller comprising:
• i) a memory module having stored thereon firmware including instructions for controlling operations of the lighting element, said memory module including a passive memory component on which at least a portion of the firmware is stored, the passive memory component of the memory module being configured to be responsive to a signal carrying firmware update information received over a wireless communication link from a device external to the intelligent light bulb for causing a firmware update process to be performed to modify the instructions of the firmware based on the update information carried by the signal;
• ii) a processing unit in communication with said memory module, said processing unit being programmed for operating the lighting element at least in part in accordance with the instructions of the firmware, wherein the instructions of the firmware enable the processing unit to control operations of specific subsets of the light components so that the intelligent light bulb is caused to generate a corresponding specific light color when operated in a specific manner.