Umbrella including wireless communication hub

Abstract

A first intelligent umbrella includes a first base assembly, a first support assembly connected to the base assembly, a first shading expansion assembly connected to the support assembly, the shading assembly further comprising one or more arms connected to the shading expansion assembly, a wireless communication transceiver; and a computing device. The computing device may be located inside the first support assembly. The computing device comprises one or more processors, one or more memory modules, and computer-readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules. The computer-readable instructions fetched from the one or more memory modules and executed by the one or more processors communicate commands, instructions or messages to an external wireless network transceiver, the external wireless network transceiver to communicate the commands, instructions or messages to a global communications network.

1 . A first umbrella, comprising:
 a first base assembly placed on a surface;   a first support assembly connected to the base assembly;   a first shading expansion assembly connected to the support assembly, the shading assembly further comprising one or more arms connected to the first shading expansion assembly;   a wireless communication transceiver, the wireless communication transceiver comprising a first cellular network transceiver; and   a computing device, the computing device located inside the first support assembly, the computing device comprising:
 one or more processors; 
 one or more memory modules; and 
 computer-readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules, the computer-readable instructions fetched from the one or more memory modules and executed by the one or more processors to:
 communicate commands, instructions or messages to a second cellular network transceiver, the second external cellular network transceiver located in second umbrella. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The first umbrella of  claim 1 , wherein the first cellular network transceiver receives additional commands, instructions or messages from the second cellular network transceiver in the second umbrella. 
     
     
         3 . The first umbrella of  claim 2 , wherein the first cellular network transceiver communicates the additional commands, instructions or messages received from the second umbrella to the global communications network. 
     
     
         4 . The first umbrella of  claim 1 , further comprising a first audio transceiver and one or more first speakers;
 the computer-readable instructions executable by the one or more processors further to:   communicate digital audio files to the first audio transceiver, which transfers audio files for playback by the one or more first speakers;   communicate digital audio files to the first cellular network transceiver; and   communicate, via the first cellular network transceiver, the digital audio files to a second umbrella for audible playback utilizing a second audio transceiver and one or more second speakers of the second umbrella.   
     
     
         5 . The first umbrella of  claim 4 , the computer-readable instructions further executable by the one or more processors to receive the digital audio files an additional wireless network transceiver before communicating the digital audio files to the first audio transceiver for playback on the one or more first speakers. 
     
     
         6 . The first umbrella of  claim 3 , the computer-readable instructions further executable by the one or more processors to:
 communicate additional digital audio files to the first cellular network transceiver, the additional digital audio files being different than the digital audio files; and   to communicate, via the first cellular network transceiver, the additional digital audio files to a third umbrella for audible playback utilizing a third audio transceiver and one or more third speakers.   
     
     
         7 . A first umbrella, comprising:
 a first base assembly;   a first support assembly connected to the base assembly;   a first shading expansion assembly connected to the support assembly, the shading assembly further comprising one or more arms connected to the first shading expansion assembly;   a wireless communication transceiver; and   a computing device, the computing device located inside the first support assembly, the computing device comprising:
 one or more processors; 
 one or more memory modules; and 
 computer-readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules, the computer-readable instructions fetched from the one or more memory modules and executed by the one or more processors to: 
   communicate commands, instructions or messages to a global communications network via the wireless communications transceiver; and   communicate additional commands, instructions or messages to one or more additional umbrellas to control movement of the one or more additional umbrellas   
     
     
         8 . The first umbrella umbrella of  claim 7 , wherein the additional commands, instructions or messages are received from a point-of-sale (POS) computing device in a venue including the first umbrella. 
     
     
         9 . The first umbrella of  claim 7 , the computer-readable instructions further executable by the one or more processors to receive more commands, instructions or messages from a point-of-sale (POS) computing device in a venue including the first umbrella. 
     
     
         10 . The first umbrella of  claim 9 , the more commands, instructions or messages to control additional electro-mechanical devices in the venue. 
     
     
         11 . The first umbrella of  claim 10 , the additional electro-mechanical devices comprising a lighting system, a rigging system, a heating system or an air conditioning system. 
     
     
         12 . The first umbrella of  claim 7 , the wireless communication transceiver being located in the first support assembly. 
     
     
         13 . A first umbrella, comprising:
 a first base assembly;   a first support assembly connected to the base assembly;   a first shading expansion assembly connected to the support assembly, the shading assembly further comprising one or more arms connected to the first shading expansion assembly;   a wireless communication transceiver; and   a computing device, the computing device located inside the first support assembly, the computing device comprising:
 one or more processors; 
 one or more memory modules; and 
 computer-readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules, the computer-readable instructions fetched from the one or more memory modules and executable by the one or more processors to: 
   receive, at the wireless communication transceiver, commands, instructions or messages from one or more additional umbrellas and the wireless communications transceiver; and   communicate the received commands, instructions or messages from the one or more additional intelligent umbrellas to the global communications network.   
     
     
         14 . The first umbrella of  claim 13 , the wireless communication transceiver to communicate the commands, instructions or messages first to a point-of-sale system before the commands, instructions or messages are communicated to the global communications network. 
     
     
         15 . The first umbrella of  claim 13 , the wireless communications transceiver to be utilized as a wireless access point to the global communications network. 
     
     
         16 . The first umbrella of  claim 13 , the wireless communication transceiver to be integrated within the computing device. 
     
     
         17 . The first umbrella of  claim 13 , the wireless communication transceiver to be located within the first support assembly. 
     
     
         18 . The first umbrella of  claim 13 , the wireless communication transceiver to communicate additional commands, instructions or messages to the one or more additional umbrellas to control movement of the one or more additional umbrellas. 
     
     
         19 . The first umbrella of  claim 13 , the wireless communication transceiver to receive the additional commands, instructions or messages from the global communications network. 
     
     
         20 . The first umbrella of  claim 13 , the wireless communication transceiver to receive the additional commands, instructions or messages from a point-of-sale (POS) computing device.