Wall outlet with direct current output

• US 5,563,782 A
• Filed: 11/10/1994
• Issued: 10/08/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: AT&T Global Network Services LLC (AT&T, Inc.), Symbios Logic Incorporated (Broadcom, Inc.), Hyundai Electronics America Incorporated (SK Hynix Inc.)
• Inventors: Chen, Dao-Long, Ellsworth, Daniel L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hecker, Stuart N.
• Application Number:
  US08/337,591
• Time in Patent Office: 698 Days
• Field of Search: 363/146, 363/147, 363/178
• US Class Current: 363/146
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6675 with built-in power supply
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/703 operated by engagement or disengagement of coupling parts, e.g. dual-continuity coupling partH01R13/71 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/7039 the coupling part with coding means activating the switch to establish different circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2103/00 Two poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/58 Contacts spaced along longitudinal axis of engagement
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/76 with sockets, clips or analogous contacts and secured to apparatus or structure, e.g. to a wall
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 29/00 Coupling parts for selective co-operation with a counterpart in different ways to establish different circuits, e.g. for voltage selection, for series-parallel selection, programmable connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/28 using discharge tubes with control electrode or semiconductor devices with control electrode to produce the intermediate ac

Abstract

An AC-DC voltage conversion integrate circuit that integrates all the control and protection circuits, as well as the power transistors, into a single module. Passive components, such as the transformer and capacitors, are very small, as the switching frequency is in the KHz or MHz range. Including one or more integrated switched mode power supply ICs in every wall outlet allows for providing a plurality of DC voltages from such outlets.

Claims

1. In combination:

an electrical wall outlet comprising at least one connector;

means for converting an AC voltage to a DC voltage; and

means for providing said DC voltage to said at least one connector.

2. The combination of claim 1 further comprising means for selecting a particular DC voltage, from a plurality of DC voltages, that is provided to said at least one connector.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein said means for selecting comprises a plurality of objects insertable into said at least one connector, said objects having different insertable lengths.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein at least one of said plurality objects, when inserted in said wall outlet, actuates a variable resistor.

5. The combination of claim 2 wherein said means for selecting comprises an incremental multi-position switch.

6. The combination of claim 2 wherein said means for selecting comprises a linear switch.

7. The combination of claim 1 further comprising means for enabling said means for converting.

8. The combination of claim 7 wherein said means for enabling comprises a switch which is enabled by insertion of an object into said at least one connector.

9. The combination of claim 1 wherein said wall outlet further comprises at least one AC connector for providing an AC voltage.

10. The combination of claim 1 further comprising means for providing an AC voltage to said wall outlet.

11. The combination of claim 10 further comprising means for coupling either said AC voltage or said DC voltage to said at least one connector.

12. The combination of claim 11 wherein said means for coupling is selectively enabled by at least one of a plurality of plugs having dissimilar characteristics.

13. The combination of claim 12 wherein the plurality of plugs comprise an AC plug comprising two AC pins.

14. The combination of claim 12 wherein the plurality of plugs comprise a DC plug comprising two AC pins and a DC pin.

15. The combination of claim 14 wherein said DC pin has one of a plurality of different lengths depending on the DC voltage to be provided to said at least one connector.

16. The combination of claim 1 wherein said means for converting comprises a single module.

17. The combination of claim 16 wherein said single module comprises at least one integrated circuit device.

18. The combination of claim 16 wherein said single module comprises a plurality of quick release receptacles for accepting AC wiring.

19. The combination of claim 16 wherein said single module is attached to a housing for mounting to a wall.

20. In combination:

an electrical outlet having at least one receptacle, said receptacle having a first portion for access by a device requiring a supply voltage and a second portion for providing a supply voltage, wherein said first and second portions are coupled together; and

an AC to DC voltage converter circuit coupled to the second portion.

21. A system for powering a wall outlet, comprising:

a single module having an output, said single module comprising means for converting an AC voltage to a DC voltage;

means for coupling said output to said wall outlet.

22. A system for powering a device, comprising:

a single module having an output, said single module comprising means for converting an AC voltage to a DC voltage;

means for coupling said output to a wall outlet; and

means for coupling the wall outlet to the device.

23. A method for supplying at least one DC voltage to a wall outlet, comprising the steps of:

converting an AC voltage to a DC voltage by a single module comprising an integrated circuit device; and

providing said DC voltage to said wall outlet.

24. A method for supplying at least one DC voltage to a device, comprising the steps of:

converting an AC voltage to a DC voltage by a single module comprising an integrated circuit device; and

providing said DC voltage to said wall outlet; and

coupling said wall outlet to said device.