Abstract:
A lighting device uses a wireless telephone. A lighting circuit is stored within the wireless telephone for allowing the wireless telephone to function as a flashlight.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     This invention relates to wireless devices and, more specifically, to a combination wireless telephone/cellular phone and a flashlight.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     In times of emergency, one item that most people generally require is a flashlight. During major storms when electrical power is disrupted, people are always searching for a flashlight in order to see their surroundings. In a like manner, people who are involved in accidents such as an automobile crash, a train or airline crash and the like generally require the use of a flashlight. The people involved in these situations are always looking for a flashlight in order to view their surrounds and to survey the damage. This is especially true if the accident occurs at night and/or in a remote location.  
         [0003]     While many people may have a flashlight at home, most people do not carry a flashlight with them when they travel or stored one in their automobile. Even if a person has a flashlight in the house or automobile, many times the flashlight will not work. This is generally due to the batteries in the flashlight no longer having sufficient power to illuminate the bulb. Most people rarely check the batteries in the flashlight and only find out that the batteries are drained when the person tries to use the flashlight.  
         [0004]     Therefore, a need existed to provide a device and method to overcome the above problem. The device and method must overcome the problems associated with prior art devices and methods.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a lighting device is disclosed. The lighting device has a wireless telephone. A lighting circuit is stored within the wireless telephone for allowing the wireless telephone to function as a flashlight.  
         [0006]     In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a lighting device is disclosed. The lighting device has a cellular telephone. A lighting circuit is stored within the cellular telephone for allowing the cellular telephone to function as a flashlight. The lighting circuit has a lighting element. An activation switch is coupled the lighting element and housed in the cellular telephone. A power supply is coupled to the lighting element and the activation switch and stored within the cellular telephone to power the lighting circuit. A lens is coupled to the body of the cellular telephone to cover the lighting element.  
         [0007]     The present invention is best understood by reference to the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]      FIG. 1  is a front view of one embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0009]      FIG. 2  is an elevated perspective view of a second embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0010]      FIG. 3  is an elevated perspective view of a third embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0011]      FIG. 4  is an elevated perspective view of a forth embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0012]      FIG. 5  is one embodiment of the lighting circuit used in the present invention; and  
         [0013]      FIG. 6  is another embodiment of the lighting circuit used in the present invention. 
     
    
       [0014]     Common reference numerals are used throughout the drawings and detailed description to indicate like elements.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0015]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a combination wireless phone and flashlight  10  is shown. The combination wireless phone and flashlight  10  over comes the problem associated with prior art devices. Since a majority of people carry wireless phones, the present invention will solve the problem of not having a flashlight in times of emergency. Furthermore, since most wireless phones use rechargeable batteries, the present invention will solve the problem of the flashlight not working due to having batteries that no longer having sufficient power to illuminate the light bulb. In the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 1 , the combination wireless phone and flashlight  10  is a cellular phone. However, this should not be seen as to limit the scope of the present invention.  
         [0016]     As can be seen in  FIG. 1 , the combination wireless phone and flashlight  10  will incorporate a lighting circuit  12  within a body of a wireless phone  14 . The lighting circuit  12  will allow one to use the combination wireless phone and flashlight  10  as a flashlight when required. The lightening circuit  12  will have an illuminating element  16 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , the illuminating element  16  is positioned on the top surface  18  of the body of a wireless phone  14 . However, this is only shown as an example. The illuminating element  16  may be positioned on any of the sides of the wireless phone  14 .  
         [0017]     Referring to  FIG. 5 , one embodiment of the lighting circuit  12  is shown. The lighting circuit  12  is generally comprised of the illuminating element  16 , a power supply  20  and an activation/deactivation button  22 . The illumination element  16  is generally a light bulb, light emitting diode, HID bulb, or the like. The listing of the above should not be seen as to limit the scope of the present invention. Other types of illumination elements  16  may be used without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. The illumination element  16  is positioned in the body of the wireless phone  14 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , the illumination element  16  is housed such that the main bulb section of the illumination element  16  is positioned out of the body of the wireless phone  14  and exposed. In the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 1 , the illuminating element  16  is positioned on the top surface  18  of the body of a wireless phone  14 . However, this is only shown as an example. The illuminating element  16  may be positioned on any of the sides of the wireless phone  14 . A plastic cover/lens  24  may be used to cover the illuminating element  16 . The plastic cover/lens  24  is used to protect the illuminating element  16  from being damaged and breaking. The plastic cover/lens  24  may further be used to focus the light beam emanating from the illuminating element  16 .  
         [0018]     The illuminating element  16  is coupled to a power supply  20 . The power supply  20  is used to power the lighting circuit  12  thereby illuminate the illuminating element  16 . The power supply  20  is generally the power supply of the wireless phone  14 . The power supply  20  is preferably a rechargeable battery.  
         [0019]     An activation/deactivation button  22  is coupled to the illuminating element  16  and to the power supply  20 . The activation/deactivation button  22  is used to activate and deactivate the illuminating element  16 . In the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 5 , the activation/deactivation button  22  is a new button placed on the wireless phone  14 .  
         [0020]     Referring now to  FIG. 6 , another embodiment of the lighting circuit  12 ′ is shown. In this embodiment, the lighting circuit  12 ′ is similar to that shown in  FIG. 5 . The main difference is that the activation/deactivation button  22  is an existing button on the wireless phone  14 . If the activation/deactivation button  22  is an existing button on the wireless phone  14 , the activation/deactivation button  22  is coupled to a timing module  24 . If the activation/deactivation button  22  is pressed for a predetermined amount of time, the timing module  24  will send a signal which activates/deactivates the illuminating element  16 . However, if the activation/deactivation button  22  is pressed for a timeframe shorter than that set by the timing module  24 , the activation/deactivation button  22  will function as a normal wireless phone button. The lighting circuit  12 ′ may be designed so that all existing keys are coupled to the timing module  24  and will thus activate/deactivate the illuminating element  16 . Alternatively, the lighting circuit  12 ′ may be designed so that one specific existing key is coupled to the timing module  24  and will thus activate/deactivate the illuminating element  16  (i.e., the #5 key on the keypad).  
         [0021]     Referring to  FIG. 2 , another embodiment of the combination wireless phone and flashlight  10 ′ is shown. The combination wireless phone and flashlight  10 ′ is similar to that shown in  FIG. 1 . The main difference is that the display panel  16 A is used as the illuminating element  16 . Most display panels  16 A on wireless phone  14  do not illuminate sufficient to be used as a flashlight. However, by incorporating the lighting circuit  12  or  12 ′ into the display panel  16 A, the display panel  16 A could be used as a flashlight. In this embodiment, the illuminating element  16  may have different wattages. For a first wattage, the illuminating element will illuminate the display panel  16 A so that one may read the display panel  16 . A second wattage is used when the lighting circuit  12  or  12 ′ is activated thereby allowing the display panel  16 A to be used as a flashlight.  
         [0022]     Referring to  FIG. 3 , another embodiment of the combination wireless phone and flashlight  10 ″ is shown. In this embodiment, the combination wireless phone and flashlight  10 ″ is similar to that shown in  FIG. 1 . The only difference is that the wireless phone  14  is a cordless home/office phone.  
         [0023]     Referring to  FIG. 4 , another embodiment of the combination wireless phone and flashlight  10 ′″ is shown. In this embodiment, the combination wireless phone and flashlight  10 ′″ is similar to that shown in  FIG. 2 . The only difference is that the wireless phone  14  is a cordless home/office phone.  
         [0024]     This disclosure provides exemplary embodiments of the present invention. The scope of the present invention is not limited by these exemplary embodiments. Numerous variations, whether explicitly provided for by the specification or implied by the specification, such as variations in structure, dimension, type of material and manufacturing process may be implemented by one of skill in the art in view of this disclosure.