# US 9,437,070 B2 · Solar lighting with pay-as-you go technology

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- Number: US 9,437,070 B2
- Document ID: US9437070B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/662,077
- Filed: 2015-03-18
- Published: 2015-10-08
- Granted: 2016-09-06
- Earliest claimed: 2014-04-02
- Assignees: Angaza Design, Inc.
- Applicants: Angaza Design, Inc.
- Inventors: Lesley Silverthorn Marincola; Bryan Silverthorn; Victoria Arch; Lee Silverthorn; Joshua Milburn; William Tsai; Eric Thorne
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9437070B2

## CPC

- G07F 15/006: {dispensed for the electrical charging of other devices than vehicles}
- G06Q 20/145: {Payments according to the detected use or quantity}
- G06Q 20/3223: {Realising banking transactions through M-devices}
- 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
- H01B 7/02: Disposition of insulation
- H01M 10/465: {with solar battery as charging system}
- H02J 7/35: with light sensitive cells
- H02S 40/38: Energy storage means, e.g. batteries, structurally associated with PV modules
- H04B 3/60: Systems for communication between relatively movable stations, e.g. for communication with lift (H04B3/54 takes precedence)
- H04L 25/06: DC level restoring means; Bias distortion correction {; Decision circuits providing symbol by symbol detection}
- H04L 27/02: Amplitude-modulated carrier systems, e.g. using on-off keying; Single sideband or vestigial sideband modulation (H04L27/32 takes precedence)
- H04L 27/10: Frequency-modulated carrier systems, i.e. using frequency-shift keying (H04L27/32 takes precedence)
- 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)}
- H04M 1/0274: {for an electrical connector module}
- H04M 1/72409: by interfacing with external accessories (hands-free H04M1/60)
- H04M 17/35: {Pay as you go}
- H04W 8/265: {for initial activation of new user}
- H04M 1/6058: {involving the use of a headset accessory device connected to the portable telephone}
- H04M 15/68: {Payment of value-added services}
- H04M 17/202: {selecting interactively a payment method}
- Y02E 10/56: Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers
- Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries
- Y02E 70/30: Systems combining energy storage with energy generation of non-fossil origin
- Y02P 90/90: Financial instruments for climate change mitigation, e.g. environmental taxes, subsidies or financing
- Y04S 50/12: Billing, invoicing, buying or selling transactions or other related activities, e.g. cost or usage evaluation
- G07F: COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS (coin sorting G07D3/00; coin testing G07D5/00; {handling coins or paper currencies apart from payment activated apparatus G07D; payment architectures, schemes or protocols G06Q20/00})
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H01B: CABLES; CONDUCTORS; INSULATORS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR CONDUCTIVE, INSULATING OR DIELECTRIC PROPERTIES (selection for magnetic properties H01F1/00; waveguides H01P {; printed circuits H05K})
- H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY
- H02S: GENERATION OF ELECTRIC POWER BY CONVERSION OF INFRARED RADIATION, VISIBLE LIGHT OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT, e.g. USING PHOTOVOLTAIC [PV] MODULES (obtaining electrical energy from radioactive sources G21H1/12; light sensitive inorganic semiconductor devices H10F; light sensitive organic semiconductor devices H10K30/00; thermoelectric devices H10N10/00; pyroelectric devices H10N15/00)
- H04B: TRANSMISSION
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)
- H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08)
- H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72)
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS
- Y04S: SYSTEMS INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO POWER NETWORK OPERATION, COMMUNICATION OR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES FOR IMPROVING THE ELECTRICAL POWER GENERATION, TRANSMISSION, DISTRIBUTION, MANAGEMENT OR USAGE, i.e. SMART GRIDS

## 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

### Claim 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.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

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.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

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.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

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.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

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.

### Claim 6 (depends on 3)

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.

### Claim 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.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

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

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

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.

### Claim 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.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

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.

### Claim 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.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

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

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

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.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

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.

### Claim 16 (depends on 12)

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.

### Claim 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.