Power Management Connection Devices And Related Methods

• US 20090251127A1
• Filed: 04/03/2009
• Published: 10/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2008
• 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: Kim, John
• Application Number:
  US12/417,946
• Publication Number:
  US 20090251127A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/76.110
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/0416 Connectors, terminals G01R1/0425 and G01R1/0433 take precedence; with measurement function for battery poles G01R31/364
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 22/063 related to remote communication
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00002 characterised by monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00004 characterised by the power network being locally controlled
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00022 using wireless data transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/14 The load or loads being home appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/14 by switching loads on to, or off from, network, e.g. progressively balanced loading
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/3225 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• 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 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/242 Home appliances
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/126 using wireless data transmission

Abstract

Embodiments of power management connection devices and related methods are described herein. Other embodiments and related methods are also disclosed herein

Claims

1. A power management system comprising:

a connection device comprising;

an electrical outlet set with at least a first electrical outlet;

a first power consumption meter coupled to the first electrical outlet;

a network interface coupled to the first power consumption meter; and

a power adapter coupled to the network interface;

wherein;

the first power consumption meter is configured to measure a first power consumption of the first electrical outlet; and

the network interface is configured to transmit information about the first power consumption via the power adapter.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the electrical outlet set further comprises a second electrical outlet;

the second electrical outlet is coupled to the first power consumption meter;

the first power consumption meter is configured to measure a second power consumption of the second electrical outlet; and

the network interface is configured to transmit information about the second power consumption via the power adapter.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the connection device further comprises a second power consumption meter coupled to the network interface;

the electrical outlet set further comprises a second electrical outlet coupled to the second power consumption meter;

the second power consumption meter is configured to measure a second power consumption of the second electrical outlet; and

the network interface is configured to transmit information about the second power consumption via the power adapter.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a power network coupled to the power adapter of the connection device;

wherein the information about the first power consumption is transmitted through the power network.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a power monitoring module coupled to the network interface; and

a display coupled to the power monitoring module;

wherein the power monitoring module is configured to;

receive the information about the first power consumption from the network interface; and

display the information about the first power consumption on the display.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein:

the power monitoring module is coupled to the network interface of the connection device via at least one of;

the first electrical outlet;

the power network;

a power grid;

a powerline network;

the power adapter;

a power plug;

a network adapter;

a powerline adapter;

an Ethernet connection;

an optical interface;

a USB connection;

a wireless connection;

a modem;

a router;

or

the Internet.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein:

the power monitoring module is configured to process the information about the first power consumption to display at least one of;

a current drain;

a power status;

or

a voltage level.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein:

the display presents the information about the first power consumption via a graphical user interface.

9. The system of claim 5, wherein:

the power monitoring module is configured to control a first power output of the first electrical outlet via the network interface of the connection device.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein:

the network interface is configured to control the first power output via the first power consumption meter.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein:

the power monitoring module is configured to automatically control the first power output of the first electrical outlet at the connection device based on the information about the first power consumption.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein:

the power monitoring module is configured to accept and process a control input to control the first power output of the first electrical outlet at the connection device.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein:

the control input is entered via a graphical user interface on the display.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the connection device further comprises;

a communications port set comprising at least one of;

the first electrical outlet;

a second electrical outlet;

the power adapter;

an Ethernet port;

a USB port;

an optical interface port;

or

wireless port.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

a first networking device coupled to a first port of the communications port set; and

a second networking device coupled to a second port of the communications port set;

wherein the first networking device and the second networking device communicate with each other via the network interface of the connection device.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the network interface of the connection device transmits the information via the power adapter using at least one of;

a frequency shift keying mechanism;

or

an orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing mechanism.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the network interface of the connection device is compliant with at least one of;

a HomePlug Alliance standard;

a CEPCA standard;

or

a UPA standard.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the connection device further comprises a surge protection module coupled to the power adapter.

19. A method comprising:

measuring a first power consumption from a first electrical outlet of a connection device; and

transmitting information about the first power consumption via a power adapter of the connection device.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

controlling a first power output of the first electrical outlet via a network interface of the connection device.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein:

measuring the first power consumption from the first electrical outlet comprises;

measuring a value of the first power consumption via a first power consumption meter coupled to the first electrical outlet; and

generating the information about the first power consumption based on the value measured by the first power consumption meter;

and

transmitting the information about the first power consumption comprises;

forwarding the information about the first power consumption to a network interface of the connection device; and

transmitting the information about the first power consumption via the power adapter coupled to the network interface.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

measuring a second power consumption from a second electrical outlet of the connection device; and

transmitting information about the second power consumption via the power adapter of the connection device;

wherein;

measuring the second power consumption from the second electrical outlet comprises;

measuring a second value of the second power consumption via at least one of;

the first power consumption meter coupled to the second electrical outlet;

or

a second power consumption meter coupled to the second electrical outlet;

and

generating the information about the second power consumption based on the second value;

and

transmitting the information about the second power consumption comprises;

forwarding the information about the second power consumption to the network interface of the connection device; and

transmitting the information about the second power consumption via the power adapter coupled to the network interface.

23. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

facilitating communication between a first networking device and a second networking device via a network interface of the connection device;

wherein the first and second networking devices couple to the network interface via a communications port set comprising at least one of;

the first electrical outlet, the power adapter, an Ethernet port, a USB port, an optical interface port, or a wireless port.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein:

transmitting the information comprises;

transmitting the information through a power network coupled to the power adapter of the connection device.

25. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

displaying the information at a display of a power monitoring module coupled to a network interface of the connection device;

wherein;

the power monitoring module couples to the network interface of the connection device via at least one of the first electrical outlet, a power network, a power grid, a powerline network, the power adapter, a power plug, a network adapter, a powerline adapter, an Ethernet connection, an optical interface, a USB connection, a wireless connection, a modem, a router, or the Internet; and

the power monitoring module processes the information to display at least one of a current drain, a power status, or a voltage level.

26. A method comprising:

providing a body of a connection device;

providing an electrical outlet set coupled to the body and comprising a first electrical outlet;

providing a first power consumption meter coupled to the first electrical outlet and configured to measure a first power consumption of the first electrical outlet;

providing a network interface coupled to the first power consumption meter and configured to transmit information about the first power consumption via a power adapter;

providing the power adapter coupled to the network interface and to the body of the connection device; and

providing a communications port set coupled to the network interface and comprising at least one of;

the electrical outlet set, the power adapter, an Ethernet port, a USB port, an optical interface port, or a wireless port.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

providing a display coupled to the first power consumption meter to display the information about the first power consumption.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein:

providing the network interface comprises;

providing the network interface to control a first power output of the first electrical outlet via the first power consumption meter.