REMOTELY POWER-CONTROLLABLE POWER OUTLET DEVICE AND POWER OUTLET THEREOF

• US 20120086272A1
• Filed: 10/04/2011
• Published: 04/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Wan-Tien Chen, Wei-Cheng Lin
• Original Assignee: Wan-Tien Chen, Wei-Cheng Lin
• Inventors: Chen, Wan-Tien, Lin, Wei-Cheng
• Application Number:
  US13/252,338
• Publication Number:
  US 20120086272A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/38
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 3/027 with automatic disconnection after a predetermined time H02H3/033, H02H3/06 take precedence ; timing in overcurrent protection circuits H02H3/093; in undervoltage protection circuits H02H3/247; staggered disconnection H02H7/30
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 3/04 with warning or supervision in addition to disconnection, e.g. for indicating that protective apparatus has functioned watching of pilot wires H02H1/0084; protection of protective arrangements H02H7/008; indication of the state of electronic switches H03K17/18
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 3/0935 the timing being determined by numerical means
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 3/20 responsive to excess voltage

Abstract

A remotely power-controllable power outlet device has at least one power outlet and a remote control. Each of the at least one power outlet has at least one set of sockets formed through the power outlet, at least one power switch and a control circuit electrically connected with the at least one power switch. Each of the at least one power switch is mounted in a corresponding set of sockets. The control circuit is mounted in the power outlet, remotely receives a switching command having codes and a switching command corresponding to one set of sockets of the at least one set of sockets, and controls a corresponding power switch to switch power to the set of sockets in accordance with the power switching instruction. Accordingly, a single remote control can remotely power on or off electric appliances plugged in the at least one power outlets.

Claims

1. A remotely power controllable power outlet device, comprising:

at least one power outlet, each of the at least one power outlet having;

a casing;

at least one set of sockets formed through the casing;

at least one power switch, each of the at least one power switch mounted in the casing and electrically connected with one set of sockets of the at least one set of sockets; and

a control circuit mounted in the casing, remotely receiving a power switching instruction having a socket code and a switching command corresponding to one of the at least one power outlet and one set of sockets of the at least one set of sockets, and controlling a corresponding power switch to switch power of the set of sockets in accordance with the power switching instruction; and

a remote control having;

a body;

multiple buttons mounted on the body; and

a remote control circuit mounted inside the body, built in with at least one power outlet code respectively corresponding to the at least one power outlet and the at least one socket code respectively corresponding to the at least one set of sockets, and wirelessly transmitting the power switching instruction generated by the buttons and further having the power outlet code, wherein each of the at least one power outlet receives the power switching instruction, and then the control circuit of the power outlet checks whether the power outlet code is matched;

if so, the control circuit further switches one power switch corresponding to the socket code of the power switching instruction according to the switching command of the power switching instruction.

2. The remotely power controllable power outlet device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control circuit of each of the at least one power outlet has:

a processor;

a power switch driver electrically connected with the processor and the at least one power switch;

a first controller electrically connected with the processor; and

a first transceiver electrically connected with the first controller.

3. The remotely power controllable power outlet device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the control circuit of each of the at least one power outlet further has:

an input device mounted on the casing of the power outlet, and serving to input a power safety parameter of the control circuit;

a first memory unit electrically connected with the processor and storing power load information and the power safety parameter; and

a power measuring module electrically connected with the processor, serving to measure a piece of power load information of one of the at least one power outlet, and transmits the power load information to the processor to determine if a power load contained in the power load information exceeds the power safety parameter, so that if positive, the processor directly deactivates the currently active power switch and cuts off power to a corresponding set of sockets through the power switch.

4. The remotely power controllable power outlet device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the control circuit of each of the at least one power outlet further has an alarm triggered by the control circuit when the control circuit detects that the power load exceeds the power safety parameter.

5. The remotely power controllable power outlet device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control circuit of each of the at least one power outlet further has:

an input device mounted on the power outlet, and serving to input a power safety parameter of the control circuit;

a first memory unit electrically connected with the processor and storing power load information and the power safety parameter; and

a power measuring module electrically connected with the processor, serving to measure a piece of power load information of one of the at least one power outlet, and transmits the power load information to the processor to determine if a power load contained in the power load information exceeds the power safety parameter, so that if positive, the processor directly deactivates the currently active power switch and cuts off power to a corresponding set of sockets through the power switch.

6. The remotely power controllable power outlet device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the power load information includes voltage, current and consumed power.

7. The remotely power controllable power outlet device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control circuit of each of the at least one power outlet further has a display displaying a display signal generated by the control circuit after the control circuit acquires the power load information from the power measuring module.

8. The remotely power controllable power outlet device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the remote control circuit is built in with a remote outlet power load setting process having steps of:

receiving a control input, wherein the remote control receives the control input inputted through the buttons and sends the control input to the controller;

generating a control signal, wherein the controller generates a corresponding control signal in accordance with the control input; and

transmitting the control signal, wherein the remote control circuit transmits the control signal to a corresponding power outlet.

9. The remotely power controllable power outlet device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the processor is built in with an outlet power load setting process having steps of:

receiving the control signal, wherein the first transceiver transmits the control signal to the processor through the first controller after receiving the control signal; and

modifying the power safety parameter, wherein the processor modifies the power safety parameter stored in the first memory unit in accordance with the control signal.

10. The remotely power controllable power outlet device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the processor is further built in with a power monitoring process having steps of:

acquiring a piece of power load information, wherein the processor acquires the power load information from the power measuring module;

displaying and storing the power load information, wherein after acquiring the power load information, the processor stores the power load information in the first memory unit, generates and sends a display signal to the display for displaying;

determining if a power load contained in the power load information exceeds an upper limit, wherein the processor reads the power safety parameter stored in the first memory unit and determines if the current power load of the power outlet exceeds an upper limit of the power safety parameter;

if positive, performs next step;

otherwise, resumes the step of acquiring a piece of power load information;

cutting off power to sockets and sending a power outlet alarm, wherein after the processor determines that the power load of the power outlet exceeds the upper limit of the power safety parameter, a power cutoff time is set up in accordance with a formula for determining an over-voltage cutoff time or an over-current cutoff time, when the power cutoff time is up, power supplied to the at least one set of sockets through the at least one power switch is terminated, and an alarm signal is generated and sent to the alarm to issue an alarm.

11. The remotely power controllable power outlet device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the formula for determining an over-voltage cutoff time is expressed by:

T₀=(l/(k3×

(m3×

V))⊕

(1/k1×

(m1×

1n(m1×

1n(h2×

I))))

where

T₀ represents the power cutoff time of one set of sockets;

m1 and m3 represent rating coefficients;

I represents the detected current in the power load information;

V represents the detected voltage in the load power load information; and

⊕

represents the smaller value of (1/(k3×

(m3×

V)) and (1/k1×

(m1×

1n(m1×

1n(h2×

I))))

12. The remotely power controllable power outlet device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the formula for determining an over-current cutoff time is expressed by:

T₁=1/(k1×

m1×

1n(h1×

I))

where

T₁ represents the power cutoff time of one set of sockets;

m1 represents a rating coefficient;

k1 represents a trip delayed time modifier; and

I represents the detected current in the power load information.

13. The remotely power controllable power outlet device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the remote control circuit is built in with a remote socket switching process having steps of:

receiving a switching input, wherein after receiving the switching input from the buttons, the remote control transmits the switching input to the remote control circuit;

generating an activation command, wherein the remote control circuit generates an activation command in accordance with the switching input; and

transmitting the activation command, wherein the remote control circuit transmits the activation command to the power outlet.

14. The remotely power controllable power outlet device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the processor is built in with a socket switching process having steps of:

receiving the switching signal, wherein after receiving the activation command, the first transceiver transmits the activation command to the processor; and

switching the power switch of a set of sockets, wherein the processor switches the power switch of a corresponding set of sockets in accordance with the activation command,

15. The remotely power controllable power outlet device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the processor is built in with an inputted outlet power load setting process having steps of:

receiving an input signal, wherein after receiving the input signal, the input device of a corresponding power outlet transmits the input signal to the processor; and

modifying the power safety parameter, wherein the processor modifies the power safety parameter stored in the first memory unit in accordance with the input signal,

16. The remotely power controllable power outlet device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the processor is built in with an inputted socket switching process having steps of:

receiving a power switch switching signal, wherein after receiving the power switch switching signal, the input device transmits the power switch switching signal to the processor; and

switching the power switch in a set of sockets, wherein the processor switches the corresponding power switch of a set of sockets on or off in accordance with the switching signal.

17. The remotely power controllable power outlet device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the first transceiver follows WiFi wireless communication standard.

18. The remotely power controllable power outlet device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the first transceiver follows Bluetooth wireless communication standard.

19. The remotely power controllable power outlet device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the first transceiver follows ZigBee wireless communication standard,

20. The remotely power controllable power outlet device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the first transceiver follows infrared wireless communication standard.