Electronically enabling device remotely

Abstract

A system has an electronic key that transmits a coded signal and at least one tool or other device that can receive that signal. The coded signal is compared to a coded signal stored in the tool or other device. If the coded signal authenticates the stored signal, the tool is enabled or disabled for a specified amount of time. An on/off switch then enables the user of the tool to turn the tool or other device on and off during the specified amount of time. After the specified amount of time, the tool is disabled so that the tool or other device can no longer be used. Disabling the tool may be delayed if the tool or other device is in use. The tool or other device may also contain a unique identification code that can be read by an interrogating device to identify the tool or other device.

1 . A system comprising 
 (I) an electronic key that transmits a wireless coded signal, the electronic key being portable; and    (II) at least one tool that comprises 
 (A) a first switch that enables an operator of said tool to turn the tool on and off;  
 (B) a second switch in series with said first switch;  
 (C) a timer that opens said second switch after a predetermined amount of time; and  
 (D) a receiver that 
 receives said wireless coded signal,  
 compares the wireless coded signal to a coded signal stored in said tool and,  
 if the wireless coded signal authenticates the coded signal being stored, the receiver closes said second switch.  
 
   
   
   
       2 . A system according to  claim 1  wherein said first switch turns on an electric motor.  
   
   
       3 . A system according to  claim 1  wherein said first switch turns on a gasoline engine.  
   
   
       4 . A system according to  claim 1  wherein said first switch activates or deactivates an electronic circuit.  
   
   
       5 . A system according to  claim 1  wherein said tool includes a light source that indicates when said second switch is closed.  
   
   
       6 . A system according to  claim 1  wherein said system comprises at least two separate tools.  
   
   
       7 . A system according to  claim 1  wherein the electronic key includes at least a network connection for controlling said electronic key.  
   
   
       8 . A system according to  claim 7  wherein the electronic key includes at least a network connection for said electronic key to communicate over network topologies.  
   
   
       9 . A system according to  claim 1  wherein said timer opens said second switch after a predetermined amount of time only if first switch is off.  
   
   
       10 . A system according to  claim 1  wherein said signal from said electronic key reprograms said timer.  
   
   
       11 . A system according to  claim 1  wherein said tool includes a unique identification code that is readable by an authorized identification reader.  
   
   
       12 . A system according to  claim 1  wherein said tool includes a unique identification code that is readable by a wireless network.  
   
   
       13 . A system according to  claim 1  wherein said tool includes a unique identification code that is readable by a wired communication channel.  
   
   
       14 . A system according to  claim 1  wherein said tool includes a unique identification code that is readable by an optical communications channel.  
   
   
       15 . A system according to  claim 1  further comprising an identification reader, wherein said identification reader is in an auxiliary device for accessing the unique identification code via a network, the identification device being a separate unit that is not part of the tool.  
   
   
       16 . A system according to  claim 1  wherein said second switch remains closed for said predetermined amount of time when power to said tool is removed.  
   
   
       17 . A system according to  claim 1  wherein said electronic key includes at least a transmitter via which the electronic key is capable of transmitting a wireless coded signal to said tool that opens said second switch.  
   
   
       18 . A method of operating a device according to  claim 1  comprising 
 (A) closing said second switch by transmitting a wireless coded signal from said electronic key to said tool; and    (B) closing said first switch.    
   
   
       19 . A method of remotely locking and unlocking a tool from an electronic key comprising 
 (A) storing a coded signal in said tool;    (B) sending a wireless coded signal from said electronic key to said tool, the electronic key being portable;    (C) authenticating said coded signal that was sent based on said coded signal that was stored;    (D) if said coded signal that was sent is authenticated based on said stored coded signal that was stored, unlocking said tool for a predetermined period of time; and    (E) after said predetermined amount of time, locking said tool.    
   
   
       20 . A method according to  claim 19  wherein step (E) is delayed if said tool is being used.  
   
   
       21 . A method according to  claim 19  wherein step (E) is delayed if said predetermined amount of time is extended by a second coded signal from said electronic key.  
   
   
       22 . A system comprising an electronic key and a tool, where 
 (I) said electronic key is portable and comprises 
 (A) a transmitter for transmitting a wireless coded signal to said tool; and  
 (B) a receiver for receiving a wireless signal from said tool; and  
   (II) said tool comprises 
 (A) a first switch that enables the operator of said tool to turn it on and off,  
 (B) a second switch in series with said first switch;  
 (C) a receiver that 
 receives said wireless coded signal,  
 compares the wireless coded signal to a stored signal and,  
 if the wireless coded signal authenticates the stored signal, closes said second switch;  
 
 (D) a timer that opens said second switch after a predetermined amount of time;  
 (E) a unique identification code; and  
 (F) an interrogating device that transmits an authorization command that instructs said tool to transmit said unique identification code.  
   
   
   
       23 . A system according to  claim 1  wherein said tool includes a unique identification code for being read by an infrared communications channel.  
   
   
       24 . A system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a mesh network including at least 
 (A) the tool;    (B) a plurality of wireless access points that are able to communicate with the tool and each other; and    (C) the plurality of wireless access points having    at least a first wireless access point that does not have a connection to a network access point, and    at least a second wireless access point that has a connection to a network access point,    wherein 
 (a) the network access point has access to another network,  
 (b) the first wireless access point, despite not having the network access point, connects to the other network through the network access point of the second wireless access point, by communicating with the second wireless access point, and  
 (c) the tool is for communicating with the mesh network, via which the tool allows at least 
 (1) the tool's operations to be reprogrammed,  
 (2) a security code to be changed, and  
 (3) a location of the tool to be identified.  
 
   
   
   
       25 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising 
 a machine readable medium storing a program that is for of causing a computer to run a program for an authorized user to login to a remote secure database associated with the tool via a network connection.    
   
   
       26 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a control circuit, wherein the control circuit includes at least 
 the second switch, the timer, and storage for storing at least 
 (i) a first unique identifier for gaining access to the tool, and  
 (ii) a second unique identifier for identifying ownership of the tool.  
   
   
   
       27 . The system of  claim 26 , further comprising a handheld device that is capable of at least 
 (A) interrogating the tool to find out the second unique identifier and    (B) locating the tool based on the second unique identifier    
   
   
       28 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the tool further comprises: 
 an electronic combination lock for entering a combination for accessing the tool, wherein the tool may be accessed by either the remote electronic key or the electronic combination lock, and    a visual indication of an entry into the electronic combination lock.    
   
   
       29 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the electronic combination lock includes at least a series of switches for entering the combination.  
   
   
       30 . A system comprising 
 (I) an electronic key that transmits a wireless coded signal; and    (II) at least one tool that comprises 
 (A) a first switch that enables the operator of said tool to turn the tool on and off;  
 (B) a second switch in series with said first switch;  
 (C) a timer that activates said second switch after a predetermined amount of time; and  
 (D) a receiver that 
 receives said wireless coded signal,  
 authenticates the wireless coded signal based on a coded signal stored in said tool and,  
 if the wireless coded signal authenticates the coded signal being stored, the receiver activates said second switch;  
 wherein the tool includes at least a storage for storing a unique identifier and the tool is configured for performing a method including at least  
 
 (i) when the tool is initially powered, a determination is made whether the predetermined amount of time has expired;  
 (ii) if the predetermined amount of time has expired, the tool is be disabled;  
 (iii) if the predetermined amount of time has not expired, a determination is made the coded wireless signal is present;  
 (iv) if the wireless coded signal is detected to be present, a determination is made whether the wireless coded signal is valid by at least checking whether the wireless coded signal authenticates a signal stored in the tool;  
 (v) if a match is found, a determination is made whether a disable signal is present;  
 (vi) if the disable signal is present, the tool disables itself;  
 (vii) if no match is found, a determination is made whether the predetermined amount of time has expired;  
 (viii) if a disable signal is not present, a determination is made whether an enable signal is present;  
 (ix) if an enable signal is present, the timer is reprogrammed, causing the tool to be activated;  
 (x) if neither a disable signal nor an enable signal is present, a determination is made to determine whether the predetermined amount of time has expired;  
 (xi) if the predetermined amount of time has expired, a determination is made whether an in-use indication is active, wherein an active in-use indication indicates that the tool is currently performing a function that should not be stopped; and  
 (xii) if the in-use indication is active, deactivation of the tool is delayed until the in-use indication is no longer active.  
   
   
   
       31 . A system comprising: 
 (I) a remote electronic key that is for wirelessly communicating with a tool, wherein the remote electronic key 
 (A) is for transmitting 
 (1) a first unique identification code to the tool for gaining access to the tool,  
 (2) a second unique identification code to the tool for storage and identification of ownership of the tool,  
 (3) a signal to place the tool in a programmable mode, and  
 (4) a signal to terminate the programmable mode,  
 
 (B) includes at least a connection, via which the electronic key is for communicating with a computer,  
 (C) is for being reprogrammed in order to control additional tools, and  
 (D) is for being reprogrammed in order to change an operation of the tool;  
   (II) a tool that includes at least 
 (A) a power source,  
 (B) an on/off switch that enables an operator of the tool to turn the tool on and off;  
 (C) a locking switch in series with the on/off switch, wherein the on/off switch causes the tool to turn on only if the locking switch is in an on state;  
 (D) a transceiver that is capable of sending and receiving a coded wireless signal to and from the remote electronic key, wherein the transceiver is for receiving the first unique identification code and the second unique identification code from the remote electronic key;  
 (E) a control circuit that compares the coded wireless signal received from the remote electronic key to a coded signal stored within the tool, wherein the coded signal stored is associated with the first unique identification code, wherein if the coded wireless signal received authenticates the coded signal stored, the locking switch is set to an on state, wherein the control circuit has a programmable mode that expires after a first time period or after receiving the signal to terminate the programmable mode 
 (1) wherein the control circuit includes at least 
 (a) storage for storing at least  
  (i) the coded signal associated with the first unique identifier for gaining access to the tool, and  
  (ii) another signal associated with the second unique identifier for identifying ownership of the tool, and  
 (b) a timer that is activated for a second time period if the coded wireless signal authenticates the signal stored, wherein  
  (i) the timer is settable such that at a start of a third time period prior to an end of the second time period the indicator indicates that the second time period will expire soon, and  
  (ii) the timer is for being reset to allow the second time period to be extended,  
 
 (2) wherein at an expiration of the time period the tool is not deactivated as long as the on/off switch is held in the on position by the operator,  
 (3) the control circuit is configured for performing a method including at least 
 (i) when the tool is initially powered, the control circuit determines whether the second time period expired,  
 (ii) if the second time period expired, the tool is disabled,  
 (iii) if second time period did not expire, the control circuit proceeds to determine if the coded wireless signal is present,  
 (iv) if the coded wireless signal is detected to be present, the control circuit determines whether the coded wireless signal contains the first unique identification code by at least checking whether the coded wireless signal matches the coded signal stored in the storage,  
 (v) if a match is found, the control circuit determines whether a disable signal is present,  
 (vi) if a disable signal is present, the control circuit disables the tool,  
 (vii) if no match is found, the second time period is checked to determine whether the second time period expired,  
 (viii) if the disable signal is not present, an analysis is performed to determine whether an enable signal is present,  
 (ix) if an enable signal is present, the timer is reprogrammed, causing the tool to be activated,  
 (x) if neither a disable signal nor an enable signal is present, a determination is made to determine whether the second time period has expired,  
 (xi) if the first time period has expired, an analysis is made to determine whether an in-use indication is active, wherein an active in-use indication indicates that the tool is currently performing a function that should not be stopped, and  
 (xii) if the in-use indication is active, deactivation of the tool is delayed until the in-use indication is no longer active,  
 
 
 (F) an indicator that gives an indication 
 (1) when the first time period begins,  
 (2) when the second time period begins, and  
 (3) when the first time period ends,  
 
 (G) an application power control, which when in an on state, permits the operator to control the tool via the on/off switch until the predetermined amount of time has expired when the power control is switched to an off state;  
 (H) an actuator that turns on the application power control,  
 (I) an electronic combination for entering a combination for accessing the tool, wherein the tool may be accessed by either the remote electronic key or the electronic combination, and  
 (J) a visual indication of an entry into the electronic combination; and  
   (III) a handheld device that is for 
 (A) interrogating the tool to find out the second unique identifier, and  
 (B) locating the tool based on the second unique identifier.  
   
   
   
       32 . A method of remotely locking and unlocking a tool from an electronic key comprising 
 (A) storing a coded signal in said tool;    (B) sending a wireless coded signal from said electronic key to said tool;    (C) comparing said coded signal that was sent to said coded signal that was stored;    (D) if said coded signal that was sent is authenticated based on said stored coded signal that was stored, unlocking said tool for a predetermined period of time if an unlock signal was present or; 
 locking tool if a lock signal was present;  
   (E) after said predetermined amount of time, locking said tool; and,    (F) determining whether to delay performing (E) by at least, 
 if the time period has expired, performing an analysis to determine if an in-use indication is active, wherein an active in-use indication indicates that the tool is currently performing a function that should not be stopped, and  
 if the in-use indication is active, delaying a deactivation of the tool until the in-use flag is no longer active.