Extension cord capable of providing estimated power costs incurred by an electrical appliance plugged thereinto

• US 7,511,633 B2
• Filed: 07/07/2006
• Issued: 03/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chia-Ming Chang, Chun-Hon Lin
• Original Assignee: Chia-Ming Chang, Chun-Hon Lin
• Inventors: Chang, Chia-Ming, Lin, Chun-Hon
• Primary Examiner(s): Edwards, Jr.; Timothy
• Application Number:
  US11/483,200
• Publication Number:
  US 20070027823A1
• Time in Patent Office: 998 Days
• Field of Search: 340/870.07, 340/825.69, 341/176, 307/139, 307/140, 361/601, 361/622
• US Class Current: 340/870.07
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 22/10 using digital techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply

Abstract

A method for providing estimated power costs incurred by an electrical appliance, which is plugged into a receptacle of an extension cord, includes enabling operation of the extension cord so as to measure electric current flowing through a receptacle, so as to compute an amount of electricity consumed by the electrical appliance within a predetermined period of time based on the electric current measured by the extension cord, so as to compute the estimated power costs incurred by the electrical appliance based on the amount of electricity computed by the extension cord, and so as to inform the costs computed by the extension cord to a user. An extension cord that performs the method is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for providing estimated power costs incurred by an electrical appliance to be implemented using an extension cord, the extension cord including a receptacle that is coupled to a power cord of the electrical appliance, and an electric cord that couples the receptacle to a power source, said method comprising:

enabling operation of the extension cord so as to measure electric current flowing through the receptacle, so as to compute an amount of electricity consumed by the electrical appliance within a predetermined period of time based on the electric current measured by the extension cord, so as to compute the estimated power costs incurred by the electrical appliance based on the amount of electricity computed by the extension cord, and so as to inform the costs computed by the extension cord to a user;

receiving a control signal adapted to control operation of the extension cord; and

allowing the user to enable or disable the extension cord from receiving the control signal.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of allowing a user to set the predetermined period of time within which the amount of electricity consumed by the electrical appliance is to be computed.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of allowing a user to select a monetary unit in which the computed costs are informed to the user.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of allowing a user to select a language in which the extension cord interacts with the user.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of allowing a user to set current date and time.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of enabling operation of the extension cord so as to permit the flow of electric current through the receptacle of the extension cord at a regular time interval.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, further comprising the step of allowing a user to set the regular time interval.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of enabling operation of the extension cord so as to permit the flow of electric current through the receptacle of the extension cord within a countdown time interval.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, further comprising the step of allowing a user to set the countdown time interval.

10. An extension cord, comprising:

a receptacle adapted to be coupled to a power cord of an electrical appliance;

an electric cord adapted for coupling said receptacle to a power source;

an ammeter coupled to said receptacle, and operable so as to measure electric current flowing through said receptacle;

a processing unit coupled to said ammeter;

a cost-computing module coupled to and controlled by said processing unit to compute an amount of electricity consumed by the electrical appliance within a predetermined period of time based on the electric current measured by said ammeter, and to compute estimated power costs incurred by the electrical appliance based on the amount of electricity computed thereby;

an informing module coupled to and controlled by said processing unit to inform the costs to a user;

a receiver module coupled to said processing unit, and adapted to receive control signals adapted to control operation of said processing unit; and

a switch module coupled to said receiver module adapted to enable and disable said receiver module to receive and from receiving the control signals.

11. The extension cord as claimed in claim 10, further comprising a user interface module coupled to said processing unit, and operable so as to enable said processing unit to set the predetermined period of time.

12. The extension cord as claimed in claim 10, further comprising a user interface module coupled to said processing unit, and operable so as to control selection of monetary units by said processing unit in which the costs are informed to the user.

13. The extension cord as claimed in claim 10, further comprising:

another switch module coupled to and controlled by said processing unit to permit the flow of electric current through said receptacle at a regular time interval;

a timer module coupled to and controlled by said processing unit to measure the regular time interval; and

a user interface module coupled to said processing unit, and operable so as to enable said processing unit to set the regular time interval.

14. The extension cord as claimed in claim 10, further comprising:

another switch module coupled to and controlled by said processing unit to permit the flow of electric current through said receptacle within a countdown time interval;

a timer module coupled to and controlled by said processing unit to measure the countdown time interval; and

a user interface module coupled to said processing unit, and operable so as to enable said processing unit to set the countdown time interval.

15. The extension cord as claimed in claim 10, further comprising:

a clock module coupled to and controlled by said processing unit to generate current date and time that are informed to the user through said informing module; and

a user interface module coupled to said processing unit, and operable so as to enable said processing unit to set the current date and time of said clock module.

16. The extension cord as claimed in claim 10, further comprising a user interface module coupled to said processing unit, permitting a user to interact with said extension cord in a selected one of languages, and operable so as to control selection of the languages by said processing unit.