Intelligent wire connectors
First Claim
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1. An intelligent twist-on electrical wire connector for joining electrical wires into an electrical connection therein comprising:
- an electrically insulated housing having a closed end and an open end;
a spiral coil for maintaining an electrical wire in electrical contact within the insulated housing; and
an information device comprising a microprocessor carried by said electrical wire connector, said microprocessor operable to transmit dynamic information generated by the sensor to a location remote from the electrical wire connector either periodically, continually or in response to a signal external to the electrical wire connector.
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Abstract
An intelligent wire connector carrying a microprocessor for transmitting information and/or sensing conditions proximate the wire connector wherein information from the microprocessor may be transmitted to a remote location in either a wireless mode or indirectly through an electrical wire, which is secured in the wire connector.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An intelligent twist-on electrical wire connector for joining electrical wires into an electrical connection therein comprising:
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an electrically insulated housing having a closed end and an open end; a spiral coil for maintaining an electrical wire in electrical contact within the insulated housing; and an information device comprising a microprocessor carried by said electrical wire connector, said microprocessor operable to transmit dynamic information generated by the sensor to a location remote from the electrical wire connector either periodically, continually or in response to a signal external to the electrical wire connector. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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5. The electrical twist-on wire connector of claim 5 wherein the sensor comprises one or more of a moisture sensor, a pressure sensor, a location sensor or a temperature sensor.
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10. The method of remotely obtaining dynamic information proximate an electrical wire connector comprising:
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placing a microprocessor in or on an electrically insulated housing of an electrical wire connector; forming an electrical junction within the electrical wire connector without interfering with the microprocessor; placing the wire connector with the microprocessor in an area where the wire connector may be concealed from view; using the microprocessor to sense conditions proximate the wire connector to obtain dynamic information; and using the microprocessor to transmit the dynamic information to a remote location. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An intelligent electrical wire connector for joining electrical wires into an electrical connection comprising:
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an electrically insulated housing for eclectically isolating an electrical junction therein; a member located in said electrically insulated housing for holding electrical wires in electrical contact with each other; and a microprocessor carried by said electrically insulated housing, said microprocessor responsive to a condition proximate the electrical wire connector with said microprocessor operable for transmitting dynamic information to a location remote from the electrical wire connector either periodically, continually or in response to a signal external to the electrical wire connector. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification