POWER SUPPLY SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20100007286A1
• Filed: 08/05/2006
• Published: 01/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: JDO Labs Pte., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: JDO Labs Pte., Ltd.
• Inventors: Tey, Ching Sze, Koh, Yat Chong
• Granted Patent: US 8,004,208 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 315/291
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00009 using pulsed signals
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/0001 using modification of a parameter of the network power signal
• 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: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/121 using the power network as support for the transmission

Abstract

A power supply system and a method for providing power supply to electrical equipment from conventional lighting circuits in buildings are disclosed. The invention is intended to provide power supply to electrical equipment, without the need of conventional alternating current (AC) power supply power socket outlets. Instead, it obtains electrical power from existing lighting points. An embodiment of the invention is disclosed for achieving this without disrupting normal operation of turning on and off existing lighting sources. The present invention consists a wall switch unit and a lighting source control unit. The wall switch unit control s the level or waveforms of AC voltage supply to the lighting source control unit while the lighting source control unit detects the AC voltage level or waveforms for switching on or off a lighting source. Additionally, regardless of whether the lighting source is switched on or off, an uninterrupted power supply is derived from the lighting source control unit with this power supply being usable for electrically powering external electrical equipment connected thereto.

Claims

1. A power supply system comprising:

a detector for receiving alternating current (AC) power supply having at least one property being detectable by the detector, the detector for providing one of a plurality of control signals corresponding with the at least one property detectable by the detector;

a converter for converting the AC power supply into direct current (DC) power supply; and

a power switching device for receiving the one of a plurality of control signals from the detector, the one of a plurality of control signals for one of enabling and disabling switching of the power switching device for one of enabling and disabling flow of the AC power supply to an AC output.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, the detector further comprising:

a voltage level detector for detecting changes in voltage level of the AC power supply, the voltage level being one of the at least one property of the AC power supply.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1, the detector further comprising:

an interruption detector for determining interruption in the AC power supply, the interruption being one of the at least one property of the AC power supply.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the converter activates the detector by providing the DC power supply thereto.

5. The system as claimed in claim 4, the power switching device comprising:

a relay for receiving the DC power supply from the converter; and

a transistor electrically coupled to the relay, the transistor for enabling flow of the DC power supply through the relay for energising the relay when the one of the plurality of control signals is received by the transistor, and the relay enables flow of the AC power supply to the AC output when being energised.

6. The system as claimed in claim 1, the AC output being connectible to a lighting source, the lighting source being turned on by the AC power supply.

7. The system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a minimum-load resistor electrically interfacing the converter and a ground for providing minimum loading to the DC power supply converted by the converter.

8. The system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a power source for supplying the current to a supply path wherefrom the detector and the converter receive the AC power supply.

9. The system as claimed in claim 8, further comprising;

a controller interfacing the power source and the supply path for controlling the at least one property of the AC power supply.

10. The system as claimed in claim 9, the controller comprising:

a supply switch; and

a capacitor electrically coupled in parallel with the supply switch, the supply switch being operable for one of enabling and disabling supply of the AC power supply from the power source to the supply path via the supply switch.

11. The system as claimed in claim 9, the controller comprising:

an electronic circuitry for controlling the at least one property of the AC power supply along the supply path.

12. The system as claimed in claim 11, the controller comprising:

a receiver for receiving one of infrared (IF) signals and radio frequency (RF) signals for controlling the controller.

13. The system as claimed in claim 8, further comprising:

an auxiliary output electrically coupled to the supply path for providing the AC power supply to at least one auxiliary device.

14. The system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a DC output for receiving the DC power supply from the converter and for providing the DC power supply to at least one auxiliary device.

15. A power supply method comprising the steps of:

receiving alternating current (AC) power supply by a detector, the AC power supply having at least one property detectable by the detector;

correlating the at least one property to one of a plurality of control signals by the detector;

providing direct current (DC) power supply being converted from the AC power supply by a converter; and

receiving the one of a plurality of control signals by a power switching device, the one of a plurality of control signals for one of enabling and disabling switching of the power switching device for one of enabling and disabling flow of the AC power supply to an AC output.

16. The method as claimed in claim 15, further comprising the step of:

providing a controller for controlling the at least one property of the AC power supply.

17. The method as claimed in claim 15, the step of providing the AC power supply to an AC output comprising the step of:

providing the AC power supply to a lighting source coupled to the AC output.

18. The method as claimed in claim 15, further comprising the step of:

providing a minimum-load resistor electrically interfacing the converter and a ground for providing minimum loading to the DC power supply converted by the converter.

19. The method as claimed in claim 15, further comprising the step of:

providing the AC power supply to an auxiliary output, the auxiliary output for providing the AC power supply to at least one auxiliary device.

20. The method as claimed in claim 15, further comprising the step of:

providing the DC power supply to a DC output, the DC output for providing the DC power supply to at least one auxiliary device, and the DC power supply being converted from the AC power supply by the converter.