Power cord with in-line power control functionality

• US 10,158,199 B2
• Filed: 11/25/2015
• Issued: 12/18/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Siegler, John J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fureman, Jared
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pham, Duc M
• Application Number:
  US14/952,223
• Publication Number:
  US 20170149180A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,119 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 89/00 Combinations of two or more different basic types of electric switches, relays, selectors and emergency protective devices, not covered by any single one of the other main groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6683 with built-in sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/70 with built-in switch
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/7038 making use of a remote controlled switch, e.g. relais, solid state switch activated by the engagement of the coupling parts
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 27/02 for simultaneous co-operation with two or more dissimilar counterparts
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00 Circuit arrangements for providing remote indication of network conditions, e.g. an instantaneous record of the open or closed condition of each circuitbreaker in the network; Circuit arrangements for providing remote control of switching means in a power distribution network, e.g. switching in and out of current consumers by using a pulse code signal carried by the network
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/0005 the elements or equipment being or involving power plugs or sockets
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/185 via power line carrier transmission

Abstract

A power cord is described that includes “in-line” power control functionality. The power control functionality may selectively enable or disable a flow of electrical current through the power cord and/or selectively control an amount of electrical current that is permitted to flow through the power cord. The power control functionality may be activated and/or controlled through the receipt of control signals from an external device. The power cord may be configured to monitor the state of an electronic device to which it is connected and selectively activate and/or modify the operation of the power control functionality in response to the detection of a particular state of the electronic device. The power cord may also be configured to receive and analyze sensor data, and based at least on the analysis, selectively activate and/or modify the operation of the power control functionality.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a plurality of network switches;

a computing device that is connected to the plurality of network switches and is configured to monitor an operational state thereof; and

a corresponding power cord connected between each one of the network switches and a corresponding power source, each power cord comprising;

a first connector at a first end of the power cord, the first connector being configured to connect to the corresponding power source;

a second connector at a second end of the power cord, the second connector being configured to connect to the corresponding network switch;

a first conductive element that is connected to the first connector;

a second conductive element that is connected to the second connector;

a third conductive element that is connected to the first connector and the second connector;

a switching element that is operable to connect the first conductive element to the second conductive element, thereby enabling a flow of electric current from the first connector to the second connector, and to disconnect the first conductive element from the second conductive element, thereby disabling the flow of electric current from the first connector to the second connector; and

control logic that is configured to receive control signals from the computing device and, responsive to at least the control signals, control the switching element to either connect the first conductive element to the second conductive element or to disconnect the first conductive element from the second conductive element.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first conductive element and the second conductive element collectively comprise a hot wire of the power cord and wherein the third conductive element comprises one of a neutral wire or a ground wire of the power cord.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the switching element comprises a relay.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the switching element is operable to simultaneously connect and simultaneously disconnect a plurality of hot wires, each of the plurality of hot wires operating at a distinct phase.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the control logic is further configured to selectively increase or attenuate an amount of electric current that is passed from the first conductive element to the second conductive element when the first conductive element is connected to the second conductive element by the switching element.

6. A system, comprising:

a plurality of network switches; and

a corresponding power cord connected between each one of the network switches and a corresponding power source, each power cord comprising;

a first connector at a first end of the power cord, the first connector being configured to connect to the corresponding power source;

a second connector at a second end of the power cord, the second connector being configured to connect to the corresponding network switch;

a first conductive element that is connected to the first connector;

a second conductive element that is connected to the second connector;

a switching element that is operable to connect the first conductive element to the second conductive element, thereby enabling a flow of electrical current from the first connector to the second connector, and to disconnect the first conductive element from the second conductive element, thereby disabling the flow of electrical current from the first connector to the second connector; and

control logic that is configured to determine a state of the corresponding network switch to which the power cord is connected and, based at least on the state of the corresponding network switch to which the power cord is connected, control the switching element to either connect the first conductive element to the second conductive element or to disconnect the first conductive element from the second conductive element.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the switching element comprises a relay.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the switching element is operable to simultaneously connect and simultaneously disconnect a plurality of hot wires, each of the plurality of hot wires operating at a distinct phase.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the control logic is further configured to selectively increase or attenuate an amount of electric current that is passed from the first conductive element to the second conductive element when the first conductive element is connected to the second conductive element by the switching element.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the power cord further comprises:

an interface configured to receive signals from the corresponding network switch;

wherein the control logic is configured to determine the state of the corresponding network switch based at least on the signals.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the interface is configured to receive the signals from the corresponding network switch via at least one of a wired communication medium and a wireless communication medium.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the interface is configured to receive the signals from the corresponding network switch via one or more conductive elements of the power cord.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the control logic is configured to determine that the corresponding network switch is in an impaired state based at least on a cessation of signals from the corresponding network switch and to disconnect the first conductive element from the second conductive element responsive to at least determining that the corresponding network switch is in the impaired state.

14. A power cord, comprising:

a first connector at a first end of the power cord, the first connector being configured to connect to a multi-phase power source;

a second connector at a second end of the power cord, the second connector being configured to connect to a power consumer;

a first conductive element that is connected to the first connector;

a second conductive element that is connected to the second connector;

a third conductive element that is connected to the first connector;

a fourth conductive element that is connected to the second connector;

a switching element that is operable to connect the first conductive element to the second conductive element, thereby enabling a flow of electrical current from the first connector to the second connector to provide power at a first phase, to disconnect the first conductive element from the second conductive element, thereby disabling the flow of electrical current from the first connector to the second connector, to connect the third conductive element to the fourth conductive element, thereby enabling a flow of electrical current from the first connector to the second connector to provide power at a second phase that is different from the first phase, and to disconnect the third conductive element from the fourth conductive element, thereby disabling the flow of electrical current from the first connector to the second connector; and

control logic that is configured to receive control signals, and based on at least the control signals, to control the switching element to connect the first conductive element to the second conductive element, disconnect the first conductive element from the second conductive element, connect the third conductive element to the fourth conductive element, or disconnect the third conductive element from the fourth conductive element.

15. The power cord of claim 14, wherein the control logic is further configured to selectively increase or attenuate an amount of electric current that is passed from the first conductive element to the second conductive element when the first conductive element is connected to the second conductive element by the switching element.

16. The power cord of claim 14, comprising an interface configured to receive sensor data from one or more external sensors via at least one of a wired communication medium and a wireless communication medium.

17. The power cord of claim 16, wherein the interface is configured to receive the sensor data from one or more external sensors via one or more conductive elements of the power cord.

18. The power cord of claim 16, further comprising:

the one or more sensors.

19. The power cord of claim 16, wherein the one or more sensors include one or more of:

an accelerometer;

a gyroscope;

a digital compass;

a Global Position System (GPS) sensor;

a motion sensor;

a pressure sensor;

a humidity sensor;

a gas sensor;

a thermometer;

a smoke detector;

a microphone;

a light sensor; and

a camera.

20. The power cord of claim 14, wherein the control logic includes an application programming interface that enables programmatic invoking or modification of the control logic by a device external to the power cord.