Apparatus For Providing Electrical Power To Electrical Device And Method Of Use

• US 20090146494A1
• Filed: 10/03/2008
• Published: 06/11/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Belkin International Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Belkin International Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Herman, Gid, Gandhi, Hanoz, Mori, Kenneth, Iida, Yoko, Roepke, Jon
• Application Number:
  US12/245,556
• Publication Number:
  US 20090146494A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/38
• 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 2200/261 PC controlled powerstrip
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00019 using optical means
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/0005 the elements or equipment being or involving power plugs or sockets
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/00 Management or operation of end-user stationary applications or the last stages of power distribution; Controlling, monitoring or operating thereof

Abstract

In some embodiments, a surge protector includes: (a) an electrical connector configured to receive electrical power; (b) one or more receivers configured to receive input via wireless signals; (c) at least one first switch electrically coupled to the electrical connector; (d) one or more first electrical outlets; and (e) one or more second electrical outlets electrically coupled to the electrical connector. In these embodiments, each switch of the at least one first switch is electrically coupled to at least one of the one or more first electrical outlets and at least one of the one or more receivers. The at least one first switch is configured to turn on or turn off the electrical power to the one or more first electrical outlets based on the input received by the one or more receivers. Furthermore, the one or more second electrical outlets are coupled to the electrical connector such that when the electrical connector receives electrical power, the one or more second electrical outlets receive electrical power. Other embodiments are disclosed in this application.

Claims

1. A surge protector comprising:

an electrical connector configured to receive electrical power;

one or more receivers configured to receive input via wireless signals;

at least one first switch electrically coupled to the electrical connector;

one or more first electrical outlets; and

one or more second electrical outlets electrically coupled to the electrical connector,

wherein;

each switch of the at least one first switch is electrically coupled to at least one of the one or more first electrical outlets and at least one of the one or more receivers;

the at least one first switch is configured to turn on or turn off the electrical power to the one or more first electrical outlets based on the input received by the one or more receivers; and

the one or more second electrical outlets are coupled to the electrical connector such that when the electrical connector receives electrical power, the one or more second electrical outlets receive electrical power.

2. The surge protector of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one first switch is configured to turn on or turn off the electrical power individually to each of the one or more first electrical outlets based on input received by the one or more receivers.

3. The surge protector of claim 1, further comprising:

a power toggle mechanism configured to allow a user to turn on or turn off the electrical power to the one or more first electrical outlets.

4. The surge protector of claim 3, wherein:

the power toggle mechanism is further configured to allow a user to turn on or turn off the electrical power to the one or more second electrical outlets.

5. The surge protector of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one second switch electrically coupled to the at least one first switch such that a first switch of the at least one second switch is configured to allow a user to choose whether a first outlet of the one or more first electrical outlets is on, off, or controlled by a remote control.

6. An apparatus for providing electrical power to a first electrical device, the apparatus comprising:

an electrical power device comprising;

a switch;

at least two first electrical connectors electrically coupled to the switch;

at least one second electrical connector; and

a receiver electrically coupled to the switch and configured to wirelessly receive information; and

a control device comprising;

a transmitter configured to wirelessly transmit the information to the receiver of the electrical power device; and

a user input mechanism electrically coupled to the transmitter and configured to receive the information from a user,

wherein;

the switch is configured to toggle electrical power to the at least two first electrical connectors based on the information received by the receiver; and

the at least one second electrical connector receives electrical power when the electrical power device is receiving electrical power regardless of the information received by the receiver.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein:

the transmitter of the control device is configured to transmit the information over a first medium; and

the receiver of the electrical power device is configured to receive the information over the first medium; and

the first medium is a radio frequency.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein

the switch is configured to individually toggle electrical power to each of the at least two first electrical connectors based on the information received by the receiver.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein:

the electrical power device further comprises;

a power toggle mechanism coupled to the at least two first electrical connectors such that the user can toggle the electrical power to the at least two first electrical connectors using the power toggle mechanism.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein:

the electrical power device further comprises;

an electrical plug;

each of the at least two first electrical connectors comprises;

a hot prong;

a neutral prong; and

a ground prong;

one of the hot prong and the neutral prong of each of the at least two first electrical connectors is electrically coupled to the switch; and

ground prong is electrically coupled to the electrical plug.

11. A system for providing electrical power to at least one first electrical device, the system comprising:

an electrical power device comprising;

at least one first electrical connector configured to electrically couple to the at least one first electrical device;

a first receiver configured to receive a first wireless signal over a first medium; and

a switch electrically coupled to the first receiver and the at least one first electrical connector, the switch configured to control providing of electrical power to the at least one first electrical connector based on the first wireless signal; and

a signal management device comprising;

a second receiver configured to receive a second wireless signal over a second medium; and

a first transmitter electrically coupled to the second receiver and configured to transmit the first wireless signal over the first medium.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein:

the electrical power device comprises at least one of a surge protector, a power strip, and a power line conditioner.

13. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

a control device comprising;

a first user input mechanism configured to receive instructions from a user;

a second transmitter electrically coupled to the first user input mechanism and configured to translate the instructions received by the first user input mechanism into the second wireless signal and transmit the second wireless signal over the second medium.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein:

the first wireless signal and the second wireless signal comprise the instructions from the user received by the first user input mechanism of the control device.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein:

the first medium is radio frequency.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein:

the second medium is infrared.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein:

the signal management device further comprises;

a user input mechanism electrically coupled to the first transmitter and configured to receive instructions from a user; and

the first transmitter is further configured to translate the instructions from the user into the first wireless signal.

18. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

a repeater comprising;

a third receiver configured to receive the second wireless signal over the second medium;

a third transmitter electrically coupled to the third receiver and configured to transmit the second wireless signal over the second medium.

19. A method of providing electrical power to a first electrical device and a second electrical device, the method comprising:

electrically coupling a first electrical outlet of an electrical power device to an electrical connector of the first electrical device;

electrically coupling a second electrical outlet of the electrical power device to an electrical connector of the second electrical device;

receiving a first input from a user;

transmitting a first signal over a first wireless medium, the first signal comprises the first input;

receiving the first signal;

providing or stopping to provide electrical power to the first electrical connector of the first electrical device based on the first signal; and

providing electrical power to the second electrical connector of the second electrical device regardless of the first signal.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein:

providing or stopping to provide electrical power comprises;

converting the first signal into a second signal, the second signal comprises the first input;

transmitting the second signal over a second wireless medium; and

providing or stopping to provide electrical power to the electrical connector of the second electrical device based on the second signal.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

receiving a second input from the user;

transmitting a second signal over the first wireless medium, the second signal comprises the second input;

receiving the second signal;

providing or stopping to provide electrical power to the electrical connector of the first electrical device based on the second signal.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein:

receiving the first input comprises;

receiving the first input from the user using a remote control;

transmitting the first signal comprises;

transmitting the first signal over the first wireless medium using the remote control; and

receiving the first signal comprises;

receiving the first signal using the electrical power device.