(12) INNOVATION PATENT (cid:9)
`(19) AUSTRALIAN PATENT OFFICE
`
`(11) Application No. (cid:9) AU 2002100505 A4
`
`(54)
`
`(51)'
`
`Title
`An outdoor light device
`
`International Patent Classification(s)
`F21S 009/03 (cid:9)
`HO5B 037/02
`F21L 004/08
`
`(21)
`
`Application No: (cid:9)
`
`2002100505 (cid:9)
`
`(22)
`
`Date of Filing:
`
`2002.06.19
`
`(30)
`
`Priority Data
`
`(31)
`
`(45)
`(45)
`(45)
`
`(71)
`
`(72)
`
`(74)
`
`Number (cid:9)
`PR6236 (cid:9)
`PR8309 (cid:9)
`
`(32) (cid:9) Date
`2001.07.09
`2001.10.16
`
`(33) (cid:9) Country
`AU
`AU
`
`Publication Date: (cid:9)
`Publication Journal Date: (cid:9)
`Granted Journal Date: (cid:9)
`
`2002.11.21
`2002.11.21
`2002.11.21
`
`Applicant(s)
`H.P.M. Industries Pty Ltd
`
`Inventor(s)
`Richmond, Simon
`
`Agent / Attorney
`Griffith Hack, 256 Adelaide Terrace, Perth, WA, 6000
`
`Jiawei et al. Exhibit 1011 Page 1
`
`

`

`AUSTRALIA
`Patents Act 1990
`
`COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
`INNOVATION PATENT
`
`Appliaant(e):
`
`H.P.M. INDUSTRIES PTY LTD
`
`Invention Title:
`
`AN OUTDOOR LIGHT DEVICE
`
`The.following statement is a full description of this
`
`invention, including the best method of performing it known to
`
`me/us:
`
`Jiawei et al. Exhibit 1011 Page 2
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`- 2 -
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`AN OUTDOOR LIGHT DEVICE
`
`FIELD OF THE INVENTION
`
`The present invention relates to an outdoor light device suitable for
`illuminating portions of an outdoor area such as a garden.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`10
`
`It is known to provide an outdoor tight of essentially conventional
`configuration which includes a bulb connected to mains power supply through a step-
`down transformer.
`While this type of outdoor light operates satisfactorily in that a portion of an
`15 outdoor area is illuminated, each light consumes an amount of power which is not
`insignificant, generally of the order of 20 watts. As a result, if a plurality of lights are
`employed, a sizeable amount of power is used, particularly if the plurality of lights are
`illuminated daily for several hours.
`
`20
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`2 5
`
`In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a
`light device including power storage means, a light emitting element arranged to receive
`power from the power storage means to thereby cause the light emitting element to emit
`light, and solar power converting means arranged to convert solar power to electrical
`power, the device being arranged to use the electrical power to recharge the power
`storage means.
`Preferably, the power storage means is arranged to store electrical power and
`the light device further includes an inverter arranged to receive DC power from the
`30 power storage means and to convert the DC power to AC power for supply to the light
`emitting device.
`In one embodiment, the power storage means includes at least one
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`Jiawei et al. Exhibit 1011 Page 3
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`

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`15 (cid:9)
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`rechargeable battery.
`Preferably, the solar power converting means is a polycrystaline solar array,
`and the batteries are of nickel cadmium type.
`In a preferred embodiment, the device further includes a light sensing device
`5 arranged to sense the level of ambient light adjacent the device and to generate a signal
`indicative of the ambient light level, and the device is arranged to use the signal to
`determine whether sufficient ambient light is available to recharge the power storage
`means. If sufficient light is available, a recharge connection is established between the
`solar power converting means and the power storage means to enable recharging. If
`10 sufficient light is not available, such a connection is not made and recharging of the
`power storage means does not occur.
`The device may also be arranged to use the signal generated by the light
`sensing device to determine whether to activate and thereby illuminate the electro-
`huninescent element on the basis of the ambient light level.
`Preferably, the light sensing device is a light dependent resistor which may
`include cadmium sulphide.
`Preferably, the device also includes means for facilitating retention of the
`device in use in a predetermined orientation relative to an outdoor structure.
`In one embodiment, the means for facilitating retention of the device includes a
`spike which is insertable in use into a portion of ground such as a portion of a garden.
`Alternatively, or in addition, the means for facilitating retention of the device includes a
`mounting bracket or base plate.
`In one arrangement, a connector is provided between the light emitting element
`and the remaining components of the device, the connector enabling quick and simple
`connection and disconnection of the light emitting element.
`The device may include a further connector which enables power to be
`received directly from an external supply, such as a step-down transformer connected to
`a mains AC power supply. With this arrangement, the device may be arranged to divert
`power from the external power supply directly to the electro-luminescent element
`and/or to the batteries for the purpose of recharging the batteries.
`The device may further include a control unit which operates so as to control
`and co-ordinate operations in the device. For example, the control unit may be arranged
`
`20
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`25
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`30
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`Jiawei et al. Exhibit 1011 Page 4
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`to carry out appropriate switching of power to the light emitting element depending on
`whether an external power supply is present, to carry out appropriate recharge
`operations depending on the characteristics of signals generated by a light sensing
`device, to control the charge supplied to the power storage means during recharging, to
`control the level of power supplied to the inverter, to protect the power storage means
`from overcharge, and/or to prevent a reverse flow of current to solar power converting
`means.
`
`The device may also be arranged to cause the signal generated by the inverter
`to change so as to cause the light emitting element to emit a desired light pattern. For
`10 example, the inverter may be controlled so that the light emitting element is caused to
`flash or so that the light emitting element mimics the characteristics of a flame.
`A plurality of light emitting elements may be used and light emitting elements
`of different colours or of different combined colours may be used
`The light emitting element(s) may be electro-luminescent element(s), cold
`15 cathode fluorescent lamp(s) or any other suitable low power light emitting element(s).
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`The present invention will now be described, by way of example, with
`20 reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
`Figure 1 is a block diagram showing components of an outdoor light device in
`accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and
`Figure 2 is a diagrammatic representation of an outdoor light device in
`accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the outdoor light device
`2 5 including the components shown in Figure 1.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
`
`Referring to the drawings, there is shown an outdoor light device 10, shown
`30 more particularly in Figure 2, which includes operative components 11, shown more
`particularly in Figure 1.
`The operative components 11 include a power supply, in this example a power
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`Jiawei et al. Exhibit 1011 Page 5
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`- 5 -
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`5 (cid:9)
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`10
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`storage device in the form of rechargeable batteries 12, an inverter 14 for converting
`DC power from the batteries 12 to AC power, and a light emitting element, in this
`example an electro-luminescent element in the form of an electro-luminescent film 16,
`which receives AC power from the inverter 14 and is thereby caused to 'emit light.
`However, it will be understood that other light emitting elements may be used,
`preferably light emitting elements of low power of the order of up to 10W, such as cold
`cathode fluorescent lamps, and so on.
`In this example, the batteries 12 are NiCd batteries which generate 3.5V
`dc/100mA at the input of the inverter 14, and the inverter 14 is arranged to generate a
`110V AC/600Hz sine wave in response to the DC input from the batteries 12.
`The approximate power consumed by the electro-luminescent film 16 is 0.5W.
`The operative components 11 also include solar power converting means 18
`which act to convert solar power to electrical power for the purpose of recharging
`batteries 12, and a control unit 20 for control and coordination of operations in the
`15 device 10.
`The solar power converting means 18 may take the form of any device suitable
`for converting solar power to electrical power. In this example, the solar power
`converting means 18 is in the form of encapsulated polycrystalline PV solar panels 18.
`Also provided is an on/off switch 22 for selectively activating or deactivating
`operation of the device 10, and a light sensing device, in this example in the form of a
`light dependent resistor 24. The light dependent resistor 24 is arranged to generate a
`signal which is used by the control unit 20 to enable or disable a recharge connection
`between the solar panels 18 and the batteries 12, the type of signal generated depending
`on ambient light levels and thereby the time of day. The signal is also used by the
`control unit 20 to activate or deactivate illumination of the electro-luminescent element
`16. The light dependent resistor 24 in this example includes cadmium sulphide.
`A first connector 26 is provided between the electro-luminescent film 16 and
`the remaining components 11 to enable quick and simple connection and disconnection
`of the electm-huninescent film 16 for replacement and/or repair purposes.
`The device 10 may be arranged to receive AC power directly from an external
`supply, such as from a step-down transformer 28 connected to mains AC power supply
`30. Such an external power supply may be connected to the device using a second
`
`20
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`25
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`30 (cid:9)
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`Jiawei et al. Exhibit 1011 Page 6
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`(cid:9)
`(cid:9)
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`- 6 -
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`connector 32 which is arranged to facilitate quick and simple connection and
`disconnection of the external power supply.
`The control unit 20 operates so as to sense whether power is present from an
`external power supply through the second connector 32 and, if so, power is supplied
`5 directly from the external transformer 28 to the electro-luminescent film 16 through a
`bypass connection 33. If power is not supplied from the external transformer 28, the
`control unit diverts power from the batteries 12 to the inverter 14.
`The control unit 20 also operates so as to sense the ambient light level using
`the light dependent resistor 24. If a determination is made that sufficient ambient light
`10 is available for recharging the batteries 12 using the solar panels 18, a connection is
`made between the solar panels 18 and the batteries 12 and a recharge current flows from
`the solar panels 18 to the batteries 12. If a determination is made that insufficient
`ambient light is available, a connection is not made between the solar panels 18 and the
`batteries 12 and a current does not flow to the batteries 12. The determination that
`15 insufficient ambient light is available is also used to cause power to be transferred to the
`electro-luminescent film 16 to thereby illuminate the electro-luminescent film 16.
`It will be understood that when an external transformer 28 is connected to the
`control unit 20, the control unit 20 may be arranged to convert AC power received from
`the transformer 28 to DC power, and to divert the DC power to the power storage
`20 means for recharging the power storage means.
`It will also be understood that the control unit 20 may include appropriate
`circuitry for controlling the charge supplied to the power storage means during
`recharging, for controlling the level of power supplied to the inverter 14, for protecting
`the power storage means 12 from overcharge, and/or for preventing reverse flow of
`current to the solar panels 18.
`It will be appreciated that the control unit 20 may include circuitry which
`causes the signal generated by the inverter 14 to change over time and the light output
`pattern of the light emitting element to also change over time. By controlling the signal
`generated by the inverter 14, a desired light pattern produced by the light emitting
`element can be obtained. For example, the inverter 14 may be controlled so as to cause
`the light emittingelement to flash or to mimic the characteristics of a flame.
`It will also be appreciated that the device 10 may be arranged to emit light of a
`
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`Jiawei et al. Exhibit 1011 Page 7
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`particular colour or colours by selecting an appropriate light emitting element.
`It will also be appreciated that although one light emitting element is shown in
`the present embodiment, more than one element may be provided. With this
`arrangement, a plurality of first connectors 26 may be provided, or all elements may be
`connected to the same first connector 26.
`As shown in Figure 2, the light device in accordance with the present
`embodiment takes the form of a housing 34 which includes the operative components
`11, and a retaining device, in this example in the form of a spike 36. The spike 36
`serves to retain the device 10 in a predetermined orientation relative to a portion of an
`outdoor area, such as a garden, by inserting the spike 36 into the garden.
`Although the present embodiment is described in relation to a retaining device
`which is a spike, it will be understood that the retaining device may be any device
`which is arranged to retain the light device in a predetermined position. For example,
`the retaining device may be a mounting bracket or base plate for facilitating retention of
`15 the light device relative to any suitable outdoor structure.
`Modifications and variations as would be apparent to a skilled addressee are
`deemed to be within the scope of the present invention.
`
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`Jiawei et al. Exhibit 1011 Page 8
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`

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`THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS:
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`- 8 -
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`5
`
`1. (cid:9)
`A light device including power storage means, a light emitting element
`arranged to receive power from the power storage means to thereby cause the light
`emitting element to emit light, and solar power converting means arranged to convert
`solar power to electrical power, the device being arranged to use the electrical power to
`recharge the power storage means.
`
`2 . (cid:9)
`A light device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the power storage means is
`10 arranged to store electrical power and the light device further includes an inverter
`arranged to receive DC power from the power storage means and to convert the DC
`power to AC power for supply to the light emitting device.
`
`3 . (cid:9)
`A device as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the power storage means
`includes at least one rechargeable battery.
`
`15
`
`A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, further including a light
`4 . (cid:9)
`sensing device arranged to sense a level of ambient light adjacent the device and to
`generate a signal indicative of the ambient light level, the device being arranged to use
`the signal to determine whether sufficient ambient light is available to recharge the
`power storage means and/or to determine whether to activate and thereby illuminate the
`light emitting element on the basis of the ambient light level,
`
`20
`
`A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the light
`5 . (cid:9)
`25 emitting element is provided with connection means arranged to facilitate replacement
`of the light emitting element.
`
`Dated this 19th day of June 2002
`HPM INDUSTRIES PTY LTD
`3 0 By their Patent Attorneys
`GRIFFITH HACK
`
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`Jiawei et al. Exhibit 1011 Page 9
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`Jiawei et al. Exhibit 1011 Page 10
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`Jiawei et al. Exhibit 1011 Page 11
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`Jiawei et al. Exhibit 1011 Page 11
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