Managing Power Emission to Electrical Appliances

• US 20140111028A1
• Filed: 10/24/2012
• Published: 04/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Higgins, ChunHui Y., Higgins, William P.
• Granted Patent: US 9,836,037 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/125
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence

Abstract

A method, system or computer usable program product for controlling power emission from a socket to a plug including providing a first unit connected to the socket with full power emission disabled and a second unit connected to the plug, each unit with a signal generation capability, establishing a handshake protocol between the first and second units, and responsive to a successful handshake protocol between the first and second units, the first unit enabling full power emission from the socket to the plug.

Claims

1. A method of controlling power emission from a socket to a plug comprising:

providing a first unit connected to the socket with full power emission disabled and a second unit connected to the plug, each unit with a signal generation capability;

establishing a handshake protocol between the first and second units; and

responsive to a successful handshake protocol between the first and second units, the first unit enabling full power emission from the socket to the plug.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the handshake protocol includes the first unit sending a first electrical signal, the second unit detecting the first electrical signal, the second unit sending a second electrical signal in response to the first electrical signal, and the first unit detecting the second electrical signal.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the second electrical signal is a hashed form of the first electrical signal and wherein the first unit verifies the second electrical signal as part of the handshake protocol.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the first unit provides low level direct current across a power line from the plug to the socket prior to the handshake protocol to power the second unit, wherein the low level direct current is not adequate to injure a person, wherein the low level direct current is not adequate to power an alternating current based electrical appliance, and wherein full power emission in response to a successful handshake protocol is across the power line.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the second unit is an adapter and the electrical appliance does not have handshake protocol capability.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the first unit is built into an AC based outlet containing the socket.

7. The method of claim 4 wherein the first unit is an adapter to the socket and the second unit is an adapter to the plug.

8. A data processing system for controlling power emission from a socket to a plug, the data processing system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing program instructions which when executed by the processor execute the steps of;

responsive to providing a first unit connected to the socket with full power emission disabled and a second unit connected to the plug whereby each unit with a signal generation capability;

establishing a handshake protocol between the first and second units; and

responsive to a successful handshake protocol between the first and second units, the first unit enabling full power emission from the socket to the plug.

9. The data processing system of claim 8 wherein the handshake protocol includes the first unit sending a first electrical signal, the second unit detecting the first electrical signal, the second unit sending a second electrical signal in response to the first electrical signal, and the first unit detecting the second electrical signal.

10. The data processing system of claim 9 wherein the second electrical signal is a hashed form of the first electrical signal and wherein the first unit verifies the second electrical signal as part of the handshake protocol.

11. The data processing system of claim 8 wherein the first unit provides low level direct current across a power line from the plug to the socket prior to the handshake protocol to power the second unit, wherein the low level direct current is not adequate to injure a person, wherein the low level direct current is not adequate to power an alternating current based electrical appliance, and wherein full power emission in response to a successful handshake protocol is across the power line.

12. The data processing system of claim 11 wherein the second unit is an adapter and the electrical appliance does not have handshake protocol capability.

13. The data processing system of claim 11 wherein the first unit is built into an AC based outlet containing the socket.

14. The data processing system of claim 11 wherein the first unit is an adapter to the socket and the second unit is an adapter to the plug.

15. A computer usable program product comprising a computer usable storage medium including computer usable code for use in controlling power emission from a socket to a plug, the computer usable program product comprising code for performing the steps of:

responsive to providing a first unit connected to the socket with full power emission disabled and a second unit connected to the plug whereby each unit with a signal generation capability, establishing a handshake protocol between the first and second units; and

responsive to a successful handshake protocol between the first and second units, the first unit enabling full power emission from the socket to the plug.

16. The computer usable program product of claim 15 wherein the handshake protocol includes the first unit sending a first electrical signal, the second unit detecting the first electrical signal, the second unit sending a second electrical signal in response to the first electrical signal, and the first unit detecting the second electrical signal.

17. The computer usable program product of claim 16 wherein the second electrical signal is a hashed form of the first electrical signal and wherein the first unit verifies the second electrical signal as part of the handshake protocol.

18. The computer usable program product of claim 15 wherein the first unit provides low level direct current across a power line from the plug to the socket prior to the handshake protocol to power the second unit, wherein the low level direct current is not adequate to injure a person, wherein the low level direct current is not adequate to power an alternating current based electrical appliance, and wherein full power emission in response to a successful handshake protocol is across the power line.

19. The computer usable program product of claim 18 wherein the second unit is an adapter and the electrical appliance does not have handshake protocol capability.

20. The computer usable program product of claim 18 wherein the first unit is built into an AC based outlet containing the socket.