Managed electrical outlet for providing rank-ordered over-current protection
First Claim
1. A managed electrical outlet for supplying electrical power to one or more loads, comprising:
- a managed receptacle;
an unmanaged receptacle;
a pair of input terminals connected to provide power to the managed and unmanaged receptacles;
a current sensor coupled between either one of the pair of input terminals and the managed and unmanaged receptacles for sensing the total current magnitude flowing through the current sensor and consumed by the one or more loads connected to the managed receptacle and the unmanaged receptacle;
a logic circuit connected to the current sensor and configured to produce an output signal indicative of an over-current condition when the current magnitude sensed by the current sensor exceeds a reference current level; and
a switch coupled to the managed receptacle and responsive to the signal from the logic circuit to disable the current flow through the managed receptacle.
7 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A managed electrical outlet includes a plurality of electrical receptacles, a current sensor, logic circuitry, a switch driver, and one or more switches. The electrical current provided to the managed electrical outlet is measured by the current sensor, which in turn sends an electrical signal to the logic circuit, representative of the amount of electrical current flowing through the outlet. The logic circuit compares the level of current flowing through the outlet with a reference current level to determine whether an over-current state exists. If the logic circuit determines the presence of an over-current state, the logic circuit sends a signal to the switch driver, causing the switch driver to trigger the switch into an open-circuit condition. In a two-receptacle outlet, one of the two receptacles is coupled to the switch while the other receptacle is unmanaged. Thus, in an over-current condition, current continues to be provided to the unmanaged receptacle while the managed receptacle (connected to the switch) is disabled.
106 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A managed electrical outlet for supplying electrical power to one or more loads, comprising:
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a managed receptacle; an unmanaged receptacle; a pair of input terminals connected to provide power to the managed and unmanaged receptacles; a current sensor coupled between either one of the pair of input terminals and the managed and unmanaged receptacles for sensing the total current magnitude flowing through the current sensor and consumed by the one or more loads connected to the managed receptacle and the unmanaged receptacle; a logic circuit connected to the current sensor and configured to produce an output signal indicative of an over-current condition when the current magnitude sensed by the current sensor exceeds a reference current level; and a switch coupled to the managed receptacle and responsive to the signal from the logic circuit to disable the current flow through the managed receptacle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A managed electrical outlet for supplying electrical power to one or more loads, comprising:
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a managed receptacle; an unmanaged receptacle; a pair of input terminals connected to provide power to the managed and unmanaged receptacles; a means for sensing the magnitude of electrical current flowing between the input terminals and consumed by the one or more loads connected to the managed receptacle and the unmanaged receptacle; a logic means, responsive to the sensing means, for comparing the magnitude of current consumed by the one or more loads connected to the managed receptacle and the unmanaged receptacle with a reference current level and producing an output signal indicative of an over-current condition when the sensed current magnitude exceeds the reference current level; and a means for disabling the current flow through the managed receptacle in response to the output signal from the logic means. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A managed electrical outlet system for supplying electrical power to one or more loads, comprising:
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a first outlet having a first receptacle and a second receptacle, wherein the first receptacle is an unmanaged receptacle and the second receptacle is a managed receptacle; a pair of input terminals connected to provide power to the first and second receptacles; a current sensor coupled between one terminal of the pair of input terminals and the first and second receptacles for sensing the total current magnitude flowing through the current sensor and consumed by the one or more loads connected to the first and second receptacles; a logic circuit connected to the current sensor and configured to produce an output signal indicative of an over-current condition when the current magnitude sensed by the current sensor exceeds a reference current level; a switch coupled to the second receptacle and responsive to the signal from the logic circuit to disable the current flow through the second receptacle; and a second outlet having a third receptacle and a fourth receptacle, wherein the third receptacle is connected to the first receptacle and the fourth receptacle is connected to the second receptacle. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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Specification