Accessory outlet apparatus

Abstract

An accessory outlet apparatus includes a main body, a lighter unit including a coil provided at the main body to receive electricity to heat the coil, one or more power outlets provided at the main body to receive electricity and to provide power to external devices plugged into the one or more power outlets, and a control unit to control a supply of the electricity to the lighter unit and to the one or more power outlets.

1 . An accessory outlet apparatus, comprising: 
 a main housing;    a lighter unit including a heater coil provided at the main housing to receive a voltage; and    a power supply housing separated from the main housing, and including a power supply unit provided therein to receive electricity from an external power source, to convert the received electricity into a voltage compatible with the lighter unit and to transmit the compatible voltage to the lighter unit to heat the heater coil.    
   
   
       2 . The accessory outlet apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the power supply unit comprises a transformer to convert one of a 110 volt and a 220 volt alternating current signal received from the external power source into a 12 volt direct current signal.  
   
   
       3 . The accessory outlet apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a power outlet to provide power to an external device plugged into the power outlet.    
   
   
       4 . The accessory outlet apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the power supply unit transmits the compatible voltage to the lighter unit and to the power outlet, and the power outlet comprises: 
 a direct current power outlet to receive the compatible voltage transmitted from the power supply unit and to output the received voltage to the external device plugged into the power outlet.    
   
   
       5 . The accessory outlet apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the main housing is formed in a predetermined shape to couple with an arm rest of a chair.  
   
   
       6 . An accessory outlet apparatus, comprising: 
 a main body;    a lighter unit including a coil provided at the main body to receive electricity to heat the coil;    one or more power outlets provided at the main body to receive electricity and to provide power to external devices when plugged into the one or more power outlets; and    a control unit to control a supply of the electricity to the lighter unit and to the one or more power outlets.    
   
   
       7 . The accessory outlet apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the one or more power outlets comprise: 
 one or more DC power outlets to transfer a DC voltage to the external devices plugged into the one or more power outlets.    
   
   
       8 . The accessory outlet apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the one or more power outlets comprise: 
 one or more AC power outlets to transfer an AC voltage to the external devices plugged into the one or more power outlets.    
   
   
       9 . The accessory outlet apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the one or more power outlets comprise: 
 one or more DC power outlets to transfer a DC voltage to external devices plugged into the one or more DC power outlets; and    one or more AC power outlets to transfer an AC voltage to external devices plugged into the one or more AC power outlets.    
   
   
       10 . The accessory outlet apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein each of the one or more DC power outlets comprises a 12 volt DC power port.  
   
   
       11 . The accessory outlet apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein each of the one or more AC power outlets outputs one of a 110 volt AC signal and a 220 volt AC signal.  
   
   
       12 . The accessory outlet apparatus of  claim 9 , further comprising: 
 a power supply unit to receive an AC voltage from an external power source, to convert the AC voltage to a DC voltage, and to transmit the DC voltage to the lighter unit to heat the coil of the lighter unit and to the one or more DC power outlets, wherein the AC voltage from the external power source is supplied to the AC power outlets.    
   
   
       13 . The accessory outlet apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the control unit selectively provides a closed circuit between the power supply unit and the external power source to control the power supply unit to supply the DC voltage to the lighter unit and the one or more DC power outlets, and selectively provides a closed circuit between the one or more AC outlets and the external power source to supply the AC voltage to the one or more AC power outlets  
   
   
       14 . The accessory outlet apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the control unit comprises: 
 one of a currency acceptor and a credit card reader to allow a user to purchase an amount of time; and    a control to supply the electricity to the lighter and to the one or more power outlets for the purchased amount of time.    
   
   
       15 . The accessory outlet apparatus of  claim 6 , further comprising: 
 one or more internet connection ports to connect external devices plugged into the one or more internet connection ports to the internet, wherein the control unit activates the one or more internet connection ports when the control unit supplies the electricity to the lighter and to the one or more power outlets.    
   
   
       16 . The accessory outlet apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the main body has a predetermined shape corresponding to an armrest of a chair to be attachable to the armrest of the chair.  
   
   
       17 . An accessory outlet apparatus, comprising: 
 a main body;    a lighter including a heater coil attached to the main body to receive electricity to heat the heater coil;    one or more internet connection ports provided at the main body to connect external devices plugged into the one or more internet connection ports to the internet; and    a control unit to selectively supply the electricity to the lighter and to selectively connect the internet connection ports to the internet.    
   
   
       18 . The accessory outlet apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the control unit comprises: 
 a currency acceptor to accept currency and to supply the electricity to the lighter and to connect the one or more internet connection ports to the internet for a predetermined amount of time after accepting a predetermined amount of the currency.    
   
   
       19 . The accessory outlet apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the control unit comprises: 
 a credit card reader to charge an amount to a credit card corresponding to a desired amount of time, and to supply the electricity to the lighter unit and to connect the one or more internet connection ports to the internet for the desired amount of time after charging the credit card.    
   
   
       20 . The accessory outlet apparatus of  claim 17 , further comprising: 
 a switching unit to connect the one or more internet connection ports to an external internet connection line according to a control signal from the control unit and to divide a bandwidth of the external internet connection line between the one or more internet connection ports.    
   
   
       21 . The accessory outlet apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein each of the one or more internet connection ports comprise: 
 an Ethernet port to accommodate an RJ-45 plug of an external device therein and to connect the external device to the internet through an Ethernet connection line or a wireless connection line.    
   
   
       22 . The accessory outlet apparatus of  claim 17 , further comprising: 
 one or more DC power outlets to provide a DC power to an external device; and    one or more AC power outlets to provide an AC power to an external device, wherein the control unit supplies electricity to the one or more DC power outlets and to the one or more AC power outlets when the control unit supplies the electricity to the lighter.    
   
   
       23 . The accessory outlet apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the main body has a predetermined shape corresponding to an armrest of a chair to be attachable to the armrest of the chair.  
   
   
       24 . An accessory outlet apparatus, comprising: 
 a lighter unit including a heater coil to receive a DC voltage to heat the heater coil;    at least one DC outlet to receive the DC voltage, to accommodate a first type of plug, and to transfer the received DC voltage to an external device through the first type of plug;    at least one AC outlet to receive an AC voltage from an external power source, to accommodate a second type of plug, and to transfer the received AV voltage to an external device through the second type of plug; and    at least one internet connection port to communicate with the internet.    
   
   
       25 . The accessory outlet apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein the at least one internet connection port accommodates a third type of plug, and connects an external device to the internet through the third type of plug.  
   
   
       26 . The accessory outlet apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein the at least one internet connection port communicates with the internet wirelessly.  
   
   
       27 . The accessory outlet apparatus of  claim 24 , further comprising: 
 a power supply unit to receive the AC voltage from the external power source, to convert the AC voltage into the DC voltage, and to transmit the DC voltage to the lighter unit and to the DC outlet.    
   
   
       28 . The accessory outlet apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein the first plug comprises: 
 a 12 volt DC plug.    
   
   
       29 . The accessory outlet apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein the second plug comprises: 
 one of a 110 volt AC plug and a 220 volt AC plug.    
   
   
       30 . The accessory outlet apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein the third plug comprises either an RJ-45 Ethernet plug or another type of internet connection.  
   
   
       31 . The accessory outlet apparatus of  claim 24 , further comprising: 
 a currency acceptor to accept currency; and    a controller to prevent the lighter unit from receiving the DC voltage, the at least one DC outlet from receiving the DC voltage, the at least one AC outlet from receiving the AC voltage, and the at least one internet connection port from communication with the internet unless a predetermined amount of currency is accepted, and to control the lighter unit to receive the DC voltage, the at least one DC outlet to receive the Dc voltage, the at least one AC outlet to receive the AC voltage, and the at least one internet connection port to communicate with the internet for a predetermined amount of time when the predetermined amount of currency is accepted.    
   
   
       32 . The accessory outlet apparatus of  claim 24 , further comprising: 
 a credit card reader to charge an amount to a credit card; and    a controller to prevent the lighter unit from receiving the DC voltage, the at least one DC outlet from receiving the DC voltage, the at least one AC outlet from receiving the AC voltage, and the at least one internet connection port from communication with the internet when the no credit card is charged, and to control the lighter unit to receive the DC voltage, the at least one DC outlet to receive the Dc voltage, the at least one AC outlet to receive the AC voltage, and the at least one internet connection port to communicate with the internet for an amount of time corresponding to the amount charged to the credit card when the credit card is charged.    
   
   
       33 . An accessory outlet system, comprising: 
 a plurality of accessory outlet stations, each comprising: 
 a lighter unit to light a smoking implement,  
 one or more DC outlets to provide DC power to external devices,  
 one or more AC outlets to provide AC power to external devices, and  
 one or more internet connection ports to connect external devices to the internet; and  
   a kiosk connected to the plurality of accessory outlet stations to control a supply of electricity and an internet access capability to each of the plurality of accessory outlet stations.    
   
   
       34 . The accessory outlet system of  claim 33 , wherein the kiosk comprises: 
 a credit card reader to allow a user to purchase an amount of time of electricity and internet access supplied, and the kiosk assigns a PIN corresponding to the purchased amount of time.    
   
   
       35 . The accessory outlet system of  claim 34 , wherein each of the plurality of accessory outlet stations further comprises: 
 a keypad to enter the assigned PIN, and when the user enters the assigned PIN from a selected one of the plurality of accessory outlet stations, the kiosk verifies the entered PIN and controls electricity and internet access to the selected one of the plurality of accessory outlet stations.    
   
   
       36 . The accessory outlet system of  claim 33 , wherein each of the plurality of accessory outlet stations further comprises: 
 a credit card reader to allow a user to purchase an amount of time at a selected one of the plurality of accessory outlet stations and to communicate with the kiosk to verify credit card information of the user, and when the credit card information of the user is verified through the credit card verification service, the kiosk controls electricity and internet access to the selected one of the plurality of accessory outlet stations.    
   
   
       37 . The accessory outlet system of  claim 34 , wherein each of the plurality of accessory outlet stations further comprise a keypad with a display to allow transaction activities directly from an accessory outlet system.