System and an apparatus for controlling electric power supply and methods therefor

• US 10,444,816 B2
• Filed: 05/23/2017
• Issued: 10/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TrickleStar Ltd.
• Original Assignee: TrickleStar Ltd.
• Inventors: Emby, Bernard Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Rehman, Mohammed H
• Application Number:
  US15/602,762
• Publication Number:
  US 20170255245A1
• Time in Patent Office: 875 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3231 Monitoring the presence, absence or movement of users
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3287 by switching off individual functional units in the computer system
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 25/003 the coupling part being secured only to wires or cables
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A system and an apparatus for controlling electric power supply and methods therefore are described. In particular, a system and an apparatus for powering down an electronic device and methods therefore comprises a device and a sensor. The sensor is configured for transmitting a sensing signal to the device via a communication protocol. The device comprises a processing module for receiving and processing the sensing signal, and powering down operation of the device in an event the sensor detects that the device is operating in an absence of the user.

Claims

1. A system for controlling electric power supply comprising:

a device for receiving external signals, converting the external signals into media content, and for broadcasting the media content; and

a sensor for monitoring presence of a user and for detecting a control signal, the sensor is configured for transmitting a sensing signal to the device via a communication protocol,

wherein the device comprises a processing module for receiving and processing the sensing signal, and safely powering down operation of the device in an event the sensor detects that the device is operating in an absence of the user after a predetermined period of time.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the device is configured for receiving external signals from a cable network.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the device is configured for receiving external signals from internet.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the device is configured for broadcasting media content via a television set.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the device is configured for detecting radio frequency activity.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is any one of an infrared sensor or a passive infrared sensor.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein the control signal is any one of an infrared signal or a passive infrared signal.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the processing module comprises a logic module configured for safely powering down the device, an electrical appliance, or peripherals connected to the device by the end of the predetermined period of time.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the device is configured for detecting and providing information on a status of the sensor.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the communication protocol is assisted by a universal serial bus connection to the device.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein the universal serial bus connection is configured for receiving electric power from the device.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein the device is configured for alerting the user before safely powering down the operation of the device.

13. The system according to claim 1, wherein processing module further comprises a timer for tracking the predetermined period of time.

14. The system according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined period of time is reset in the event of the detection of the presence of the user or the control signal.

15. An apparatus for controlling electric power supply comprising:

a sensor for monitoring presence of a user and for detecting a control signal, and the sensor is configured for transmitting a sensing signal to a device via a communication protocol,

wherein the device is configured for receiving external signals, converting the external signals into media content and for broadcasting the media content, and the device further comprises a processing module for receiving and processing the sensing signal, and safely powering down operation of the device in an event the sensor detects that the device is operating in an absence of the user after a predetermined period of time.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the device is configured for receiving external signals from a cable network.

17. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the device is configured for receiving external signals from Internet.

18. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the device is configured for broadcasting media content via a television set.

19. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the device is configured for detecting radio frequency activity.

20. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the sensor is any one of an infrared sensor or a passive infrared sensor.

21. The apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the control signal is any one of an infrared signal or a passive infrared signal.

22. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the processing module comprises a logic module configured for safely powering down the device, an electrical appliance, or peripherals connected to the device by the end of the predetermined period of time.

23. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the device is configured for detecting and providing information on a status of the sensor.

24. The system according to claim 15, wherein the communication protocol is assisted by a universal serial bus connection to the device.

25. The system according to claim 24, wherein the universal serial bus connection is configured for receiving electric power from the device.

26. A method of operation of the apparatus of claim 15 comprising the steps of:

monitoring presence of the user;

alerting the user in an event the sensor detects that the device is operating in an absence of the user;

tracking detection of the user activity for the predetermined period of time; and

powering down the device in the event the absence of the user is detected for the predetermined period of time.

27. A method of operation of the apparatus of claim 15 comprising the steps of:

monitoring presence of the user;

alerting the user in an event the sensor detects that the device is operating in an absence of the user;

tracking detection of the user activity for the predetermined period of time; and

resetting a timer in the event the presence of the user is detected.

28. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the device is configured for alerting the user before safely powering down the operation of the device.

29. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the processing module further comprises a timer for tracking the predetermined period of time.

30. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the predetermined period of time is reset in the event of the detection of the presence of the user or the control signal.