Wireless Power Distribution System and Device

• US 20110077788A1
• Filed: 06/08/2010
• Published: 03/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Raritan Americas Incorporated (Legrand SA)
• Original Assignee: Raritan Americas Incorporated (Legrand SA)
• Inventors: Chan, Herman, Anderson, Swen, Cao, Huimin
• Application Number:
  US12/796,460
• Publication Number:
  US 20110077788A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/291
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2300/032 using RFID technology in switching devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00026 involving a local wireless network, e.g. Wi-Fi, ZigBee or Bluetooth
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00036 the elements or equipment being or involving switches, relays or circuit breakers circuits for indication of single switches H01H9/167
• 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 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 10/18 using switches, relays or circuit breakers, e.g. intelligent electronic devices [IED]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/14 Protecting elements, switches, relays or circuit breakers
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/20 End-user application control systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/126 using wireless data transmission

Abstract

The invention pertains to a system for monitoring and controlling power distribution including a power distribution device which has a module, a input line, and an output line. The input and output lines carry electrical power into an out of the module. The module has a switch in open or close position and a device wireless unit and a sensor. The sensor sends information regarding the electrical characteristics of the electric power being carried to the device microcontroller which causes a data to be sent wirelessly to the base unit. The base unit maintains a wireless connection for transmitting and receiving RF signals. The base unit receives the information regarding the electrical characteristics and sends it to a computer over a network.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring and control of power distribution comprising:

a power distribution device having a module,

said module having a switch with an open and closed position,

a relay which controls the switch,

a sensor which senses certain electrical characteristics,

a device wireless unit for maintaining a wireless connection including a device antennae for transmitting and receiving RF signals, and

a device microcontroller which controls the relay, the sensor, and the device wireless unit;

an input line for carrying electric power with certain electrical characteristics into the module, and

an output line for carrying electric power with the certain electrical characteristics out of the module;

a base station having an antennae for transmitting and receiving RF signals,

a base wireless unit for maintaining a wireless connection,

a network port, and

an interface to a computer

a base microcontroller for controlling the base wireless unit, the network port,

and the interface to a computer,

a wireless connection between said power distribution device and base station;

wherein said base microcontroller may issue instructions to said device microcontroller over said wireless connection to have said relay set the switch in a open or closed position; and

wherein said sensor may transmit data regarding the certain electrical characteristics from said power distribution device to said base station via said wireless connection

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the power distribution device is embodied in a switched power cord.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the power distribution device is embodied in a power distribution unit.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the device wireless unit is embodied in a USB stick.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the electrical characteristics comprise either voltage or current.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the power distribution device is embodied in a plug-in wall outlet.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the power distribution device is embodied in an integrated wall outlet.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the device wireless unit employs a Z-Wave protocol.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the device wireless unit employs a Wi-Fi protocol.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the device wireless unit employs a Bluetooth protocol.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the device wireless unit employs a Zigbee protocol.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the device wireless unit employs a Wireless USB protocol.

13. A method for monitoring power distribution, comprising the steps of:

sensing electrical characteristics of power transmitted over a power line via a sensor;

sending said sensed electrical charaicteristic data through a device microcontroller of a power distribution device to a device wireless unit;

transmitting said electrical characteristics data from said device wireless unit through a device antenna over a wireless connection;

receiving said electrical characteristics data over said wireless connection at a antenna of a base wireless unit of a base station;

processing said received electrical characteristics data at said base microcontroller;

sending said electrical characteristics data via a network port or interface to a computer.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of sensing electrical characteristics data of power over a power line includes sensing the voltage or current.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of transmitting said electrical characteristics data includes the step of formatting the data to be transmitted over a Z-Wave, protocol.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of transmitting said electrical characteristics data includes the step of formatting data to be transmitted over a Wi-Fi protocol.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of transmitting said electrical characteristics data includes the step of formatting data to be transmitted over a Wireless USB protocol.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of transmitting said electrical characteristics data includes the step of formatting data to be transmitted over a Bluetooth protocol.

19. A method of controling power distribution, comprising the steps of:

receiving a software switch command a via a network port or interface to a computer;

processing said software switch command via a base unit microcontroller;

transmitting said software switch command from a base wireless unit through a base antenna to a antenna in a power distribution device;

interpreting the switch command via a device microcontroller;

actuating a relay to open or close a switch in the power distribution device depending on the switch command.

20. A system for monitoring and controling power distribution in a data center, comprising the steps of:

establishing a mesh network between a number of power distribution devices and a base station using the Z-Wave protocol;

introducing interference between any one of the number of power distribution devices and the base station;

rerouting transmissions from the one of the number of participation devices to the base station through other of the number of power distribution devices;

wherein the transmissions include electrical data and or switch commands.