Enhanced cigarette lighter adapter

Abstract

A cigarette lighter adapter (CLA) is disclosed comprising a body and a barrel portion extending therefrom, said barrel portion including a first and second contacts respectively connectable within a vehicle cigarette lighter to be powered therefrom, said CLA being additionally provided with at least one primary electronic circuit within the body thereof, connected directly or indirectly to said contacts, and an output to which a power signal is capable of being delivered. The CLA is characterized in that it includes an antenna component in electrical communication with said primary electronic circuit, the latter delivering at least one of the antenna signal, a electronically processed version thereof, or data derived from the electronic processing thereof, to said output in conjunction with said power signal, the source of which is derived from said contacts or from an alternative power source provided within the body of said CLA, such as an on-board rechargeable battery, said power signal source further providing power to said primary electronic circuit to enable operation thereof. Further features include the provision of one or more secondary electronic circuits within the CLA to provide power management, regulation, control, switching, and/or battery re-charging functions, and the segregation of the primary and secondary electric circuits so as to ensure effective heat dissipation. Most preferably, the CLA is provided with vents adjacent which at least one of the secondary electronic circuits is provided. In an alternative aspect, the invention provides a CLA with power circuitry, a wireless modem, an antenna, and a subscriber identity module (SIM), together with a further wireless transceiver by means of which signals received by the antenna and processed by the modem can be wirelessly communicated to a remote device.

1 . A cigarette lighter adapter comprising a body and a barrel portion extending therefrom, said barrel portion including a first and second contacts respectively connectable within a vehicle cigarette lighter to be powered therefrom, said cigarette lighter adapter being additionally provided with at least one primary electronic circuit within the body thereof, connected directly or indirectly to said contacts, said cigarette lighter adapter including an antenna component in electrical communication with said primary electronic circuit which primarily derives a source of power from said contacts, wherein
 said cigarette lighter adapter further includes a subscriber identity module (SIM) capable of receiving a SIM card and being in electrical communication with said primary electronic circuit, and a wireless transceiver in electrical communication with said primary electronic circuit and capable of wirelessly communicating
 the antenna signal, 
 a electronically processed version thereof, 
 data derived from the electronic processing thereof 
   
       to a remote device. 
     
     
         2 . A cigarette lighter adapter according to  claim 1  wherein an on-board source of power is provided as an alternative to the source of power derived through the contacts 
     
     
         3 . A cigarette lighter adapter according to  claim 1  further including one or more tertiary electronic circuits providing at least one of power management, control, regulation, switching and recharging functions, wherein at least one of the tertiary electronic circuits is separate from the primary electronic circuit and wireless transceiver but in electrical communication with at least one thereof. 
     
     
         4 . A cigarette lighter adapter according to  claim 2  further including one or more tertiary electronic circuits providing at least one of power management, control, regulation, switching and recharging functions, wherein at least one of the tertiary electronic circuits is separate from the primary electronic circuit and wireless transceiver but in electrical communication with at least one thereof. 
     
     
         5 . A cigarette lighter adapter according to  claim 4  wherein at least one tertiary electronic circuits is provided to implement a recharging function, said at least one tertiary electronic circuit being in electrical communication with both said contacts and said on-board power source and re-charging the latter when a source of power is derived through the contacts. 
     
     
         6 . A cigarette lighter adapter according  claim 1  wherein the primary electronic circuit is a wireless telecommunications protocol processing circuit. 
     
     
         7 . A cigarette lighter adapter according to  claim 1  wherein the primary electronic circuit is a wireless modem. 
     
     
         8 . A cigarette lighter adapter according to either  claim 6  wherein the wireless telecommunications protocol processing circuit is adapted for at least one of the following wireless telecommunications protocols: GSM, GPRS, EDGE, HSDPA, CDMA, WCDMA, WiFi, WiMax. 
     
     
         9 . A cigarette lighter adapter according to  claim 1  wherein the cigarette lighter adapter output is a cable in direct or indirect electrical communication with said primary electronic circuit. 
     
     
         10 . A cigarette lighter adapter according to  claim 1  further provided with one or more LEDs indicative of at least one of: the charging of an on-board power source, the existence of a source of power for the cigarette lighter adapter from a live vehicle cigarette lighter, and the processing of signals within the primary electronic circuit received by the antenna. 
     
     
         11 . A cigarette lighter adapter according to  claim 10  wherein cigarette lighter adapter is provided with at least two LEDs, a first LED providing an indication of the existence of a source of power for the cigarette lighter adapter, and a second LED for providing an indication of the processing of signals received by the antenna. 
     
     
         12 . A cigarette lighter adapter according to  claim 11  wherein the LEDs are of different colours. 
     
     
         13 . A cigarette lighter adapter according to  claim 1  wherein the antenna is a substantially flat component affixed to the inside surface of a part of the body of the cigarette lighter adapter. 
     
     
         14 . A cigarette lighter adapter according to  claim 1  further provided with vents in the body through which hot air, generated as a result of contact with the hot-working electronic circuits, can escape. 
     
     
         15 . A cigarette lighter adapter according to  claim 1  wherein the output is a serial output selected from one of: a USB connector or cable, a UART connector or cable. 
     
     
         16 . A cigarette lighter adapter according to any preceding claim wherein the primary electronic circuit is capable of establishing a wireless connection using at least one of a subscriber identifier (IMSI), a modem identifier (IMEI), and an identifier of a PND (PND UID).