An umbrella assembly can be assembled using L-shaped elongate members pivotably coupled with upper and lower hubs for supporting and actuating an umbrella cover. The L-shaped elongate members can be pivotably coupled together and paired such that a lateral portion of each of the elongate members extends opposite the other lateral portion within the pair and pivotably coupled with one of the upper hub and the lower hub. The lateral portions pivotably coupled within rib-receiving slots corresponding to one of the upper hub and the lower hub and secured within the rib-receiving slots by one of an upper hub cap and a lower hub cap.

An umbrella assembly can be assembled using L-shaped elongate members pivotably coupled with upper and lower hubs for supporting and actuating an umbrella cover. The L-shaped elongate members can be pivotably coupled together and paired such that a lateral portion of each of the elongate members extends opposite the other lateral portion within the pair and pivotably coupled with one of the upper hub and the lower hub. The lateral portions pivotably coupled within rib-receiving slots corresponding to one of the upper hub and the lower hub and secured within the rib-receiving slots by one of an upper hub cap and a lower hub cap.

An intelligent umbrella includes a wireless communication transceiver to receive commands or messages from a mobile computing device and an integrated computing device, the integrated computing device including one or more memory devices, one or more processors and computer-readable instructions stored in the one or more memory devices. The computer-readable instructions are executable by the one or more processors to receive the commands or messages, via the wireless communication transceiver from the mobile computing device and to generate instructions, signals, commands and/or messages, based, at least in part on the received commands or messages from the mobile computing device. The computer-readable instructions are executable by the one or more processors to communicate the generated instructions, signals, commands or messages to one or more assemblies of the intelligent umbrella to cause the one or more assemblies of the intelligent umbrella to move in a specified manner.

An intelligent umbrella includes a wireless communication transceiver to receive commands or messages from a mobile computing device and an integrated computing device, the integrated computing device including one or more memory devices, one or more processors and computer-readable instructions stored in the one or more memory devices. The computer-readable instructions are executable by the one or more processors to receive the commands or messages, via the wireless communication transceiver from the mobile computing device and to generate instructions, signals, commands and/or messages, based, at least in part on the received commands or messages from the mobile computing device. The computer-readable instructions are executable by the one or more processors to communicate the generated instructions, signals, commands or messages to one or more assemblies of the intelligent umbrella to cause the one or more assemblies of the intelligent umbrella to move in a specified manner.

An intelligent shading object, comprises a plurality of shading elements, a shading element deployment mechanism, a support structure, and a base unit. A shading element deployment mechanism deploys a plurality of shading elements independently of each other. A support structure is coupled to the shading element deployment mechanism. A base unit is coupled to the support structure to provide stability to the support structure, the shading element deployment mechanism, and the plurality of shading elements.

An intelligent shading object, comprises a plurality of shading elements, a shading element deployment mechanism, a support structure, and a base unit. A shading element deployment mechanism deploys a plurality of shading elements independently of each other. A support structure is coupled to the shading element deployment mechanism. A base unit is coupled to the support structure to provide stability to the support structure, the shading element deployment mechanism, and the plurality of shading elements.

An umbrella and a method for controlling the same are provided. The umbrella includes a canopy; a support assembly configured to support the canopy; a driving mechanism configured to drive the support assembly; a photographing assembly configured to take a photograph of user's head(s) and output the photograph of user's head(s); and a control assembly configured to acquire a user information according to outputted photograph of user's head(s), and to process the user information to generate an adjustment signal, and to control the driving mechanism according to the adjustment signal, so as to adjust a coverage of the canopy.

An umbrella and a method for controlling the same are provided. The umbrella includes a canopy; a support assembly configured to support the canopy; a driving mechanism configured to drive the support assembly; a photographing assembly configured to take a photograph of user's head(s) and output the photograph of user's head(s); and a control assembly configured to acquire a user information according to outputted photograph of user's head(s), and to process the user information to generate an adjustment signal, and to control the driving mechanism according to the adjustment signal, so as to adjust a coverage of the canopy.

A robotic umbrella, comprising a base assembly, a support assembly coupled to the base assembly, one or more shading assemblies coupled to the support assembly, one or more processors and one or more memory devices. The robotic umbrella comprises computer-readable instructions stored in the one or more memory devices, accessed from the one or more memory devices which are executed by the one or more processors to: a) determine a geographical location of the robotic umbrella utilizing at least one of a wireless communication transceiver or a global positioning system (GPS) transceiver, or a combination thereof; and b) determine an orientation of a light source with respect to the robotic umbrella utilizing at least one of a compass, an accelerometer, a magnetometer or a gyroscope, or combination thereof. The robotic umbrella further comprises one or more distance sensors to calculate a distance from the robotic umbrella to the object.

A robotic umbrella, comprising a base assembly, a support assembly coupled to the base assembly, one or more shading assemblies coupled to the support assembly, one or more processors and one or more memory devices. The robotic umbrella comprises computer-readable instructions stored in the one or more memory devices, accessed from the one or more memory devices which are executed by the one or more processors to: a) determine a geographical location of the robotic umbrella utilizing at least one of a wireless communication transceiver or a global positioning system (GPS) transceiver, or a combination thereof; and b) determine an orientation of a light source with respect to the robotic umbrella utilizing at least one of a compass, an accelerometer, a magnetometer or a gyroscope, or combination thereof. The robotic umbrella further comprises one or more distance sensors to calculate a distance from the robotic umbrella to the object.