POWER SUPPLY AND METHOD RELATED THERETO

• US 20110163600A1
• Filed: 01/05/2011
• Published: 07/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Belkin International Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Belkin International Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Seal, Joshua, Garb, Jeffrey W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,890,372 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/35
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/261 PC controlled powerstrip
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6675 with built-in power supply
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/007 Detection of the absence of a load
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

Some embodiments include an electrical system. In many embodiments, the electrical system can include a power input. In the same or different embodiments, the electrical system can include at least one power output configured to be electrically coupled to at least one load. In the same or different embodiments, the electrical system can include a first user input device configured to provide a start up input. In the same or different embodiments, the electrical system can include a second user input device configured to provide a time select input. In the same or different embodiments, the electrical system can include an internal assembly. In many embodiments, the internal assembly can include a power switch module, a power conserve module, a power supply module, and a control module.

Claims

1. An electrical system comprising:

a power input;

at least one power output configured to be electrically coupled to at least one load;

a first user input device configured to provide a start up input;

a second user input device configured to provide a time select input; and

an internal assembly comprising;

a power switch module electrically coupled between the power input and the at least one power output, the power switch module being configured to receive a first power signal from the power input and comprising a control mechanism configured to open and close to regulate a flow of the first power signal to the at least one power output;

a power conserve module electrically coupled to the power switch module, the power conserve module being configured to receive the first power signal from the power switch module, to receive the start up input from the first user input device, and to attenuate the first power signal to a second power signal and a third power signal at different times;

a power supply module electrically coupled between the power switch module and the power conserve module, the power supply module being configured to receive the second power signal and the third power signal at different times from the power conserve module, to convert the second power signal into a fourth power signal and a fifth power signal, to convert the third power signal into a sixth power signal and a seventh power signal, and to provide the fourth power signal and the sixth power signal at different times to the power switch module;

a control module electrically coupled between the power supply module and the power switch module, the control module being configured to receive the fifth power signal and the seventh power signal at different times from the power supply module and to receive the time select input from the second user input device.

2. The electrical system of claim 1, wherein:

the first power signal has a high voltage;

the second power signal has a first low voltage;

the third power signal has a second low voltage; and

the high voltage being greater than the first low voltage and the second low voltage.

3. The electrical system of claim 1, wherein:

the first power signal, the second power signal, and the third power signal comprise alternating currents; and

the fourth power signal, the fifth power signal, the sixth power signal, and the seventh power signal comprise direct currents.

4. The electrical system of claim 1, wherein at least one of:

the sixth power signal is less than the fourth power signal;

or

the seventh power signal is less than the fifth power signal.

5. The electrical system of claim 1, wherein, while the power conserve module receives the start up input:

the power conserve module receives the first power signal from the power switch module and attenuates the first power signal to the second power signal;

the power supply module receives the second power signal from the power conserve module and converts the second power signal to the fourth power signal and the fifth power signal; and

the power switch module receives the fourth power signal and closes the control mechanism to permit the first power signal to pass to the at least one power output.

6. The electrical system of claim 1, wherein while the control mechanism is closed and the power conserve module is not receiving the start up input:

the power conserve module receives the first power signal from the power switch module and attenuates the first power signal to the third power signal;

the power supply module receives the third power signal from the power conserve module and converts the third power signal to the sixth power signal and the seventh power signal; and

the power switch module receives the sixth power signal and keeps the control mechanism closed and to permit the first power signal to continue to pass to the at least one power output.

7. The electrical system of claim 1, wherein:

the control module receives the fifth power signal and the time select input;

the time select input comprises a length of time; and

the control module activates a countdown register set to run for the length of time.

8. The electrical system of claim 7, wherein while the control mechanism is closed and the power conserve module is not receiving the start up input:

the power conserve module receives the first power signal from the power switch module and attenuates the first power signal to the third power signal;

the power supply module receives the third power signal from the power conserve module and converts the third power signal to the sixth power signal and the seventh power signal;

the control module receives the seventh power signal and the time select input;

the control module references the countdown register to determine if the length of time has elapsed; and

the control module provides a termination power signal to the power switch module when the length of time has elapsed and closes the control mechanism to prevent the first power signal from passing to the at least one power output and through the power conserve module.

9. The electrical system of claim 1, wherein while the control mechanism is open and the power conserve module is not receiving the start up input:

the power switch module is electrically decoupled from the power conserve module such that the electrical system consumes approximately zero power.

10. The electrical system of claim 1, wherein:

the first user input device comprises at least one of a manual switch, a momentary switch, or a push button switch.

11. The electrical system of claim 1, wherein:

the second user input device comprises at least one of a slide switch, a potentiometer, an encoder, or a remote device.

12. The electrical system of claim 1, wherein:

the electrical system further comprises at least one indicator; and

the at least one indicator is electrically coupled to the power supply module;

the at least one indicator is configured to active when the power supply module receives at least one of the second power signal or the third power signal; and

the at least one indicator comprises at least one of a visual indicator, an audible indicator, or a tactile indicator.

13. The electrical system of claim 12, wherein:

the at least one indicator is configured to active with a higher intensity when the power supply module receives the second power signal than when the power supply module receives the third power signal; and

the second power signal has a higher amperage than the third power signal.

14. The electrical system of claim 1, wherein:

the electrical system is configured to be manually coupled to an electrical wall outlet without using any tools.

15. A method for manufacturing an electrical system, the method comprising:

providing a power input;

providing at least one power output configured to be electrically coupled to at least one load;

providing a first user input device configured to provide a start up input;

providing a second user input device configured to provide a time select input;

providing an internal assembly comprising;

a power switch module configured to receive a first power signal from the power input and comprising a control mechanism that opens and closes to regulate a flow of the first power signal to the at least one power output;

a power conserve module configured to receive the first power signal, to receive the start up input, and to attenuate the first power signal to a second power signal and a third power signal;

a power supply module configured to receive the second power signal and the third power signal, to convert the second power signal into a fourth power signal and a fifth power signal, to convert the third power signal into a sixth power signal and a seventh power signal, and to provide the fourth power signal and the sixth power signal to the power switch module; and

a control module configured to receive the fifth power signal, the seventh power signal, and the time select input;

coupling the power input to the power switch module;

coupling the at least one power output to the power switch module;

coupling the power switch module to the power conserve module;

coupling the power switch module to the power supply module;

coupling the power conserve module to the power supply module;

coupling the power supply module to the control module; and

coupling the control module to the power switch module.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein:

the first user input device comprises at least one of a manual switch, a momentary switch, or a push button switch.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein:

the second user input device comprises at least one of a slide switch, potentiometer, an encoder, or a remote device.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

providing at least one indicator configured to activate when the power supply module receives at least one of the second power signal or the third power signal; and

coupling the at least one indicator to the power supply module.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein two or more of:

coupling the power input to the power switch module, coupling the at least one power output to the power switch module, coupling the power switch module to the power conserve module, coupling the power switch module to the power supply module, coupling the power conserve module to the power supply module, coupling the power supply module to the control module, and coupling the control module to the power switch module, occur simultaneously with each other.

20. A method for regulating a flow of a first power signal to at least one power output, the method comprising:

attenuating the first power signal to a second power signal having a lower voltage than the first power signal;

converting the second power signal to a third power signal and a fourth power signal at different times, the second power signal having an alternating current and the third power signal and fourth power signal having direct currents;

permitting the first power signal to flow to the at least one power output after receiving a control mechanism activation signal;

activating a countdown register such that the countdown register counts down from a time interval until the time interval elapses;

attenuating the first power signal to a fifth power signal having a lower voltage than the first power signal and the second power signal;

converting the fifth power signal to a sixth power signal and a seventh power signal, the fifth power signal having an alternating current and the sixth power signal and the seventh power signal having direct currents;

powering the control mechanism with the sixth power signal such that the control mechanism remains in a state permitting the first power signal to flow to the at least one power output;

referencing the countdown register to determine whether the time interval has elapsed;

prohibiting the first power signal from flowing to the at least one power output when the time interval elapses or after the time interval has elapsed; and

prohibiting the flow of the first power signal to the at least one power output such that approximately zero power passes to the at least one power output when the countdown register is not counting down from the time interval.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising activating an indicator upon the occurrence of at least one of:

converting the second power signal to a third power signal and a fourth power signal, the second power signal having an alternating current and the third power signal and fourth power signal having direct currents;

or

converting the fifth power signal to a sixth power signal and a seventh power signal, the fifth power signal having an alternating current and the sixth power signal and the seventh power signal having direct currents.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

obtaining the first power signal from an electrical wall outlet.

23. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

coupling at least one electrical load to the at least one power output.