Sensing socket assembly

• US 20060175903A1
• Filed: 11/11/2002
• Published: 08/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TrickleStar Ltd.
• Original Assignee: One Click (IP) Limited
• Inventors: Browne, Ian, Palmer, Norman, Robertson, Peter Steven
• Granted Patent: US 7,193,335 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/39
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/266 Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/28 Supervision thereof, e.g. detecting power-supply failure by out of limits supervision
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/261 PC controlled powerstrip

Abstract

A socket assembly enables a number of electrical appliances to be automatically isolated from, and reconnected to, an electrical power supply upon respectively switching off or on a “master” appliance. Generally, the assembly includes: a master electrical outlet and at least one slave electrical outlet, both connectable to a common power source; sensing means for sensing power drawn from the master electrical outlet; a controller operable to isolate the at least one slave electrical outlet from the power source when the sensing means detects a fall in power drawn from the master electrical outlet from a first, higher level to a second, lower level.

Claims

1. A power distribution apparatus comprising:

a master electrical outlet and at least one slave electrical outlet, both connectable to a common power source;

sensing means for sensing power drawn from the master electrical outlet;

a controller operable to isolate the at least one slave electrical outlet from the power source when the sensing means detects a fall in power drawn from the master electrical outlet from a first, higher level to a second, lower level.

2. The power distribution apparatus of claim 1 in which the second, lower level is non-zero.

3. The power distribution apparatus of claim 1 in which the first and/or second levels are variable.

4. The power distribution apparatus of claim 1 in which the sensing means is operative to detect said fall in power as a fractional change.

5. The power distribution apparatus of claim 4 in which the sensing means is operative to detect whether the power drawn from the master electrical outlet has fallen below a threshold.

6. The power distribution apparatus of claim 5 in which the sensing means is operable to adjust the level of the threshold.

7. The power distribution apparatus of claim 6 in which the level of the threshold is adjusted to be a set fraction of the first, higher level.

8. The power distribution apparatus of claim 1 in which the controller is operable to connect the at least one slave electrical outlet to the power source when the sensing means detects a rise in power drawn from the master electrical outlet from a third, lower level to a fourth, higher level.

9. The power distribution apparatus of claim 8 in which the third, lower level is non-zero.

10. The power distribution apparatus of claim 8 in which the third and/or fourth levels are variable.

11. The power distribution apparatus of claim 8 in which the third level is substantially equal to the second level and the fourth level is substantially equal to the first level.

12. The power distribution apparatus of claim 8 in which the sensing means is operable to detect said rise in power as a fractional change.

13. A power distribution apparatus comprising:

a master electrical outlet and at least one slave electrical outlet, wherein the master electrical outlet is electrically independent to the at least one slave electrical outlet;

means for supplying electrical power to the master electrical outlet;

a controller, the controller including;

means for sensing power consumption drawn from the master electrical outlet; and

an electrical switching means;

wherein the controller is operable to supply or interrupt electrical power to the at least one slave electrical outlet, when the sensing means detects a prescribed change in power drawn from the master electrical outlet, the prescribed change relative to a sensing power threshold.

14. A power distribution apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the threshold is non-zero, the threshold defining a power level to which the power drawn from the master electrical outlet is compared.

15. A power distribution apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein the controller is adapted to adjust the threshold level away from an initial pre-set value.

16. A power distribution apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein, when a master device is connected to the master electrical outlet, the controller is adapted to adjust the threshold by:

(a) determining, after a set delay from the time when the master device is switched to its operating state, the level of power consumption of the master device in its operating state; and

then, if this level exceeds the pre-set value of the threshold

(b) adjusting the threshold, away from its pre-set value, to be a pre-determined percentage of the level of power consumption of the master device in its operating state.

17. A power distribution apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the pre-determined percentage is from about 30% to about 70%.

18. A power distribution apparatus as claimed in claim 15 or 16 or 17, wherein the controller is adapted to return the threshold level to its original pre-set value in response to a pre-determined event.

19. A power distribution apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein the pre-determined event is:

(i) an interruption in the supply of power to the controller and/or the power distribution apparatus;

(ii) disconnection of a master device from the master electrical outlet; and

/or

(iii) the fall to zero of the power drawn from the master electrical outlet.

20. A power distribution apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the electrical switching means includes means for providing electrical connectivity between the electrical power supply and the at least one slave electrical outlet.

21. A power distribution apparatus as claimed in claim 20, wherein the electrical connectivity means are operable to break an electrical connection between the electrical power supply and the at least one slave electrical outlet in response to a fall in power consumption drawn from the master electrical outlet below the sensing power threshold.

22. A power distribution apparatus as claimed in claim 20, wherein the electrical connectivity means are operable to make an electrical connection between the electrical power supply and the at least one slave electrical outlet in response to a rise in power consumption drawn from the master electrical outlet above a pre-determined power threshold.

23. A power distribution apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the master electrical outlet is electrically connected to the electrical power supply via an electrical load-bearing element.

24. A power distribution apparatus as claimed in claim 23, wherein the sensing means is electrically connected across the load-bearing element, so as to measure the potential across the element.

25. A power distribution apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the master electrical outlet and the at least one slave electrical outlet supply mains power.

26. A power distribution apparatus as claimed in claim 20, wherein the electrical connectivity means comprises a bi-directional gate controlled thyrister.

27. A power distribution apparatus as claimed in claim 20, wherein the electrical connectivity means comprises a relay.

28. A power distribution apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the controller further comprises electrical power rectification means capable of converting an alternating electrical power supply into an internal DC supply.

29. A power distribution apparatus as claimed in claim 13, further comprising means to prevent the controller being damaged by transient high voltages from the electrical power supply.

30. A power distribution apparatus as claimed in claim 13, further comprising a visual notification means operable to indicate supply of electrical power to the master electrical outlet and/or the at least one slave electrical outlet.

31. A method of power distribution comprising:

supplying electrical power to a master electrical outlet and to at least one slave electrical outlet, both connectable to a common power source;

sensing power drawn from the master electrical outlet;

isolating the at least one slave electrical outlet from the power source when a sensing means in a controller detects a fall in power drawn from the master electrical outlet from a first, higher level to a second, lower level.

32. A method of controlling the distribution of electrical power, the method comprising:

supplying electrical power to an electrical outlet assembly, the assembly including a master electrical outlet and at least one slave electrical outlet;

sensing a change in the electrical power consumption drawn from the master electrical outlet; and

supplying, or interrupting, electrical power to the at least one slave electrical outlet when the sensing means detects a change in power consumption drawn from the master electrical outlet, the change relative to a sensing power threshold.