Apparatus and method for distributing data and controlled temperature air to electronic equipment via electronic device power cord plug assemblies with mating wall outlets which incorporate integral signal and/or controlled temperature air supply lines

• US 20040000816A1
• Filed: 06/26/2002
• Published: 01/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bahman Khoshnood
• Original Assignee: Bahman Khoshnood
• Inventors: Khoshnood, Bahman
• Granted Patent: US 6,855,881 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/149
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3817 containing optical and electrical conductors cables including electrical and optical conductors H01B11/22; G02B6/3816 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3897 Connectors fixed to housings, casing, frames or circuit boards G02B6/44528 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/005 Electrical coupling combined with fluidic coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/652 with earth pin, blade or socket
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2103/00 Two poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/30 with additional earth or shield contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/78 with additional earth or shield contacts

Abstract

A multifunction power/data distribution wiring system which consists of a multifunction cable system that provides power, data signal lines, and air cooling from a single wall outlet. Each electronic device, such as a computer or other device which attaches to a wall outlet has a single cable which brings power, data signal lines, and/or temperature controlled air conduit to that device. The power cord and power plug include an appliance coupler assembly which incorporates one or more of the following: (1) fiber optics signal line, (2) coax cable, (3) temperature controlled air supply line, and/or (4) telephone line for use with electronic devices which require both power and signal line and/or temperature controlled air connections. All of the data lines may be combined into a single high bandwidth line capable of simultaneous transmission of multiple data types. Corresponding internal wiring within the building will allows data, telephone, and temperature controlled air conduit lines to be installed with the power lines. Only a single cable is required to be run between the appliance coupler socket on the wall and an appliance, such as a PC, telephone, etc., to connect the appliance to an external power source, to a data network, to telephone network, or to a source of air cooling. The system provides for, and describes several types of, mating wall sockets and appliance end plugs. The data signals is used by the various devices can be networked through a building utilizing a LAN, routers, and/or electronic switches.

Claims

1. A multifunction power, data and/or cooling system, comprising:

a power/data cable, further comprising;

an internal power line with input contacts for inputting electrical power at a first end and output contacts for outputting electrical power at a second end; and

an internal data line with means to input data at either end and output data at the opposing end;

a wall receptacle, said wall receptacle further comprising;

a power input for receiving electrical power;

at least one data port for receiving/transmitting data; and

a receptacle for attachment to the power/data cable, the receptacle further comprising;

output power contacts to output electrical power to the power/data cable; and

a receptacle data input/output means to output data to the internal data line that was received at the data port, and to output data to the data port that was received from the internal data line;

whereby electrical power and data is delivered to a power receptacle and a single power/data cable is used to transfer both the electrical power and the data.

2. A system, as in claim 1, wherein:

the power/data cable further comprises multiple internal data lines; and

the wall receptacle further comprises multiple receptacle data input/output means;

whereby multiple data paths are provided by the power/data cable.

3. A system, as in claim 2, wherein the data transferred on the internal data lines is computer data, and/or facsimile data, security data, and/or voice telephone data, and/or video data;

whereby multiple types of data are transferred on the internal data lines.

4. A system;

as in claim 3, further comprising;

a power/data router/switch, the power/data router/switch further comprising;

a router/switch power input for receiving external power;

a router/switch telephone data input/output for communicating with an external telephone network;

a router/switch power output;

a router/switch data output;

a router/switch data input; and

means to control data traffic between wall receptacles by routing data through the power/data router/switch;

a router/switch power line electrically attaching the router/switch power output to the power inputs of the wall receptacle; and

a router/switch data line attaching the wall receptacle to the router/switch data output and/or the router/switch data input;

whereby the router/switch supplies power to the wall receptacles and controls data traffic to and from the wall receptacles.

5. A system, as in claim 3, further comprising:

a temperature controlled air supply having an air output;

a temperature controlled air supply line attached to the air output, and further attached to a temperature controlled air input on the wall receptacle;

the wall receptacle further having a temperature controlled air output to output temperature controlled air received at its cool air input; and

the power/data cable further comprising;

a temperature controlled air input at one end of the power/data cable;

a temperature controlled air output at the other end of the power/data cable; and

a temperature controlled air conduit connecting the temperature controlled air input and the cool air output;

whereby the power/data cable supplies power, data, and temperature controlled air.

6. A system, as in claim 5, further comprising:

a power/data router/switch, the power/data router/switch further comprising;

a router/switch power input for receiving external power;

a router/switch telephone data input/output for communicating with an external telephone network;

a router/switch power output;

a router/switch data output;

a router/switch data input; and

means to control data traffic between wall receptacles by routing data through the power/data router/switch;

a router/switch power line electrically attaching the router/switch power output to the power inputs of the wall receptacle; and

a router/switch data line attaching the wall receptacle to the router/switch data output and/or the router/switch data input;

whereby the router/switch supplies power to the wall receptacles and controls data traffic to and from the wall receptacles.

7. A system, as in claim 1, further comprising:

a temperature controlled air supply having an air output;

a temperature controlled air supply line attached to the air output, and further attached to a temperature controlled air input on the wall receptacle;

the wall receptacle further having a temperature controlled air output to output temperature controlled air received at its temperature controlled air input; and

the power/data cable further comprising;

a temperature controlled air input at one end of the power/data cable;

a temperature controlled air output at the other end of the power/data cable; and

a temperature controlled air conduit connecting the temperature controlled air input and the temperature controlled air output;

whereby the power/data cable supplies power, data, and temperature controlled air.

8. A system, as in claim 1, wherein:

the wall receptacle further comprises a ground lug aperture for receiving a ground lug on the power/data cable;

the power/data cable further comprises a ground lug, the ground lug having a central conduit;

the internal data line is inserted through the central conduit;

the wall receptacle further having means to receive data output from the internal data line, and means to input data into the input data line.

9. A system, as in claim 8, wherein:

the power/data cable further comprises multiple internal data lines; and

the wall receptacle further comprises multiple receptacle data input/output means;

whereby multiple data paths are provided by the power/data cable.

10. A system, as in claim 9, wherein the data transferred on the internal data lines is computer data, and/or facsimile data, security data, and/or voice telephone data, and/or video data;

whereby multiple types of data are transferred on the internal data lines.

11. A system, as in claim 10, further comprising:

a power/data router/switch, the power/data router/switch further comprising;

a router/switch power input for receiving external power;

a router/switch telephone data input/output for communicating with an external telephone network;

a router/switch power output;

a router/switch data output;

a router/switch data input; and

means to control data traffic between wall receptacles by routing data through the power/data router/switch;

a router/switch power line electrically attaching the router/switch power output to the power inputs of the wall receptacle; and

a router/switch data line attaching the wall receptacle to the router/switch data output and/or the router/switch data input;

whereby the router/switch supplies power to the wall receptacles and controls data traffic to and from the wall receptacles.

12. A system, as in claim 11, further comprising:

a temperature controlled air supply having an air output;

a temperature controlled air supply line attached to the air output, and further attached to a temperature controlled air input on the wall receptacle;

the wall receptacle further having a temperature controlled air output to output cool air received at its temperature controlled air input; and

the power/data cable further comprising;

a temperature controlled air input at one end of the power/data cable;

a temperature controlled air output at the other end of the power/data cable; and

a temperature controlled air conduit connecting the temperature controlled air input and the temperature controlled air output;

whereby the power/data cable supplies power, data, and temperature controlled air.

13. A system, as in claim 10, wherein the wall receptacle further comprises:

two parallel apertures for accepting power cord voltage prongs, the parallel voltage prongs aligned with the ground lug such that either a power/data cable or a conventional power plug can be inserted in the wall receptacle;

whereby the wall receptacle connects to the power/data cable or to a conventional power plug.

14. A system, as in claim 9, further comprising:

a temperature controlled air supply having an air output;

a temperature controlled air supply line attached to the air output, and further attached to a temperature controlled air input on the wall receptacle;

the wall receptacle further having a temperature controlled air output to output temperature controlled air received at its temperature controlled air input; and

the power/data cable further comprising;

a temperature controlled air input at one end of the power/data cable;

a temperature controlled air output at the other end of the power/data cable; and

a temperature controlled air conduit connecting the temperature controlled air input and the temperature controlled air output;

whereby the power/data cable supplies power, data, and cool air.

15. A system, as in claim 14, further comprising:

a power/data router/switch, the power/data router/switch further comprising;

a router/switch power input for receiving external power;

a router/switch telephone data input/output for communicating with an external telephone network;

a router/switch power output;

a router/switch data output;

a router/switch data input; and

means to control data traffic between wall receptacles by routing data through the power/data router/switch;

a router/switch power line electrically attaching the router/switch power output to the power inputs of the wall receptacle; and

a router/switch data line attaching the wall receptacle to the router/switch data output and/or the router/switch data input;

whereby the router/switch supplies power to the wall receptacles and controls data traffic to and from the wall receptacles.

16. A system, as in claim 14, wherein the wall receptacle further comprises:

two parallel apertures for accepting power cord voltage prongs, the parallel voltage prongs aligned with the ground lug such that either a power/data cable or a conventional power plug can be inserted in the wall receptacle;

whereby the wall receptacle connects to the power/data cable or to a conventional power plug.

17. A system, as in claim 8, wherein the wall receptacle further comprises:

two parallel apertures for accepting power cord voltage prongs, the parallel voltage prongs aligned with the ground lug such that either a power/data cable or a conventional power plug can be inserted in the wall receptacle;

whereby the wall receptacle connects to the power/data cable or to a conventional power plug.

18. A method of supplying power, data and/or cooling with a single cable, including the steps of:

using a wall receptacle which has input/output ports for power and data;

using a multifunction power/data cable to carry power between a wall receptacle and an electronic device via internal power lines which carry power from the wall receptacle to the electronic device; and

using the multifunction power/data cable to carry data between the wall receptacle and the electronic device via internal data lines which carry data between the wall receptacle and the electronic device;

whereby both electrical power and data is delivered to a wall receptacle and a single power/data cable is used to transfer both the electrical power and the data between the wall receptacle and the electronic device.

19. A method, as in claim 18, including the additional steps of:

supplying temperature controlled air to the wall receptacle;

transferring the temperature controlled air from the wall receptacle to the power/data cable; and

inputting temperature controlled air from the power/data cable to the electronic device;

whereby the electronic device receives power and temperature controlled air from the wall receptacle using a power/data cable, and transmits data between the electronic device and the wall receptacle via the power/data cable.

20. A method, as in claim 18, including the additional steps of:

forming the wall receptacle such that it provides apertures for conventional voltage blades and an aperture for a ground lug, such that a conventional power plug can be operably connected to the wall receptacle;

locating the internal data line inside a conduit in the ground lug; and

providing means in the wall receptacle to transfer data between the wall receptacle and the internal data line;

whereby the wall receptacle can be attached to either a conventional power plug or a power/data cable.

21. A method, as in claim 18, including the additional steps of:

using an air conduit in the power/data cable to provide a path for extracting air from the power/data cable to the wall receptacle; and

pulling ambient air into an electronic device by extracting air from the electronic device by pumping air from the power/data cable through the wall receptacle;

whereby the electronic device is cooled by extracting air from it through the wall receptacle, and pulling cooler ambient air into the electronic device.

22. A method, as in claim 18, including the additional steps of:

using an air conduit in the power/data cable to provide a path for extracting air from the power/data cable to the wall receptacle;

pulling ambient air into the power/data cable by pumping air from the power/data cable through the wall receptacle; and

remotely monitoring the air extracted from the power/data cable;

whereby the ambient air can be remotely monitored.

24. A multifunction plug receptacle, as in claim 21, further comprising an air input aperture.

23. A multifunction plug receptacle for use with a power/data cable having an internal power line and an internal data line, further comprising:

a power input having voltage lines and a ground lug with a central conduit; and

at least one data input, the data input located such that it receives and transmits data via a data path in the central conduit in the ground lug.