SMART OUTLET

• US 20130097070A1
• Filed: 08/16/2012
• Published: 04/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Raymond Bradford Baker
• Original Assignee: Raymond Bradford Baker
• Inventors: Baker, Raymond Bradford
• Application Number:
  US13/586,928
• Publication Number:
  US 20130097070A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/38
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply

Abstract

A smart electrical outlet, comprising an electrical outlet, and a counter counting a unit, wherein the counter is configured to count up when a counting criterion is met, and wherein the counter is configured to stop counting up when an ending criterion is met. A smart electrical outlet, comprising an electrical outlet and a screen for communicating with a user, wherein the screen is configured to provide to a user an option of leasing the smart electrical outlet based on time of use or sell electrical power provided by the smart electrical outlet.

Claims

1. A smart electrical outlet system comprising:

A smart electrical outlet configured to provide to a user an option of leasing the smart electrical outlet based on at least one of time of use or amount of electrical power provided by the smart electrical outlet.

2. The smart electrical outlet system of claim 1, wherein the smart electrical outlet is a plurality of smart electrical outlets.

3. The smart electrical outlet system of claim 2, wherein each smart electrical outlet is connected to another smart electrical outlet by one of a wireless bus, a wired bus, a fiber optical bus, and an electrical power bus.

4. The smart electrical outlet system of claim 2, further comprising:

a central computer coupled to the smart electrical outlet and the second smart electrical outlet; and

an interface to a credit authorization system;

wherein the central computer obtains credit card information from a user of each of the smart electrical outlets and communicates charging information with the credit authorization system.

5. The smart electrical outlet system of claim 2, further comprising:

a central computer coupled to each of the smart electrical outlets; and

an interface to an account database;

wherein the central computer obtains account information from a user of each of the smart electrical outlets and communicates charging information with an account database.

6. The smart electrical outlet system of claim 2, further comprising:

a central computer coupled to each of the smart electrical outlets;

an interface to a credit authorization system; and

an interface to an account database;

wherein the central computer obtains

     1) credit card information;

or

     2) account information from a user of each of the smart electrical outlets and communicates charging information with

     1) a credit authorization system, or

     2) an account database accordingly.

7. The smart electrical outlet system of claim 2, wherein each of the smart electrical outlets is uniquely identifiable by an Internet protocol address.

8. The smart electrical outlet system of claim 6, wherein each of the smart electrical outlets with the unique identification number can be reserved for use by accessing a reservation system.

9. A smart electrical outlet, comprising:

an electrical outlet; and

a screen for communicating with a user, wherein the screen is configured to provide to a user an option of leasing the smart electrical outlet based on at least one of time of use or amount of electrical power provided by the smart electrical outlet.

10. The smart electrical outlet of claim 9, further comprising:

a wireless interface configured to communicate data associated with

     1) account information, and

     2) power usage.

11. The smart electrical outlet of claim 10, further comprising:

a credit card swipe device configured to read magnetic strips of credit cards.

12. The smart electrical outlet of claim 9, further comprising:

a wired interface configured to communicate data associated with

     1) account information, and

     2) power usage.

13. The smart electrical outlet of claim 9, further comprising:

a ground fault circuit, configured to interrupt flow of electrical power when a ground fault is sensed.

14. The smart electrical outlet of claim 9, further comprising:

a current sensing circuit configured to

     1) interrupt flow of current, or

     2) limit flow of current when a current threshold is reached.

15. A smart electrical outlet, comprising:

an electrical outlet; and

a counter counting a unit,

wherein the counter is configured to count up when a counting criterion is met, and

wherein the counter is configured to stop counting when an ending criterion is met.

16. The smart electrical outlet of claim 15, wherein the counter can be reset to zero,

17. The smart electrical outlet of claim 15, wherein the counter is configured to count time.

18. The smart electrical outlet of claim 15, wherein the counter is configured to count power usage.

19. The smart electrical outlet of claim 15, wherein the counting criterion is met commensurate with plugging of a device into the smart outlet.

20. The smart electrical outlet of claim 15, wherein the counting criterion is met commensurate with an amount of electrical current drawn out of the smart outlet rising above a threshold.

21. The smart electrical outlet of claim 15, wherein the ending criterion is met commensurate with an amount of electrical current drawn out of the smart outlet falling below a threshold.

22. The smart electrical outlet of claim 15, wherein the ending criterion is met commensurate with unplugging of a device from the smart outlet.