Systems and methods for selectively controlling electrical outlets using power profiling

• US 7,657,763 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2005
• Issued: 02/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Electric Works Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Electric Works Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Eastham, W. Bryant, Nelson, Mark E., Simister, James L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Du; Thuan N
• Application Number:
  US11/321,705
• Publication Number:
  US 20070155349A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,496 Days
• Field of Search: 713/300, 323/234
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00006 characterised by information or instructions transport means between the monitoring, controlling or managing units and monitored, controlled or operated power network element or electrical equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/00 Data switching networks interconnection of, or transfer of information or other signals between, memories, input/output devices or central processing units G06F13/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/242 Home appliances
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/12 characterised by data transport means between the monitoring, controlling or managing units and monitored, controlled or operated electrical equipment

Abstract

A system for selectively controlling electrical outlets using power profiling is disclosed. There is a plurality of electrical outlets that each comprises a power socket capable of receiving a plug, an outlet identification and a switch that when in a first position no power is available at the power socket, and when the switch is in a second position power is available at the power socket. A controller is in electronic communication with the plurality of electrical outlets. The controller includes a processor and memory in electronic communication with the processor. The controller also includes power profiles and operates to receive data from an electrical outlet of the plurality of electrical outlets. A device or class of device is identified based on the received data. A power profile is identified based on the received data. Action is taken based on the power profile.

Claims

1. A system for selectively controlling electrical outlets using power profiling comprising:

a plurality of electrical outlets, wherein each electrical outlet comprises;

a power socket capable of receiving a plug;

a switch that when in a first position no power is available at the power socket, and when the switch is in a second position power is available at the power socket;

an outlet identification;

a controller in electronic communication with the plurality of electrical outlets, wherein the controller comprises;

a processor;

memory in electronic communication with the processor;

power profiles, wherein each power profile comprises a power threshold indicating the amount of power a device or class of device should not exceed;

instructions stored in the memory, the instructions being executable to;

receive data from an electrical outlet of the plurality of electrical outlets;

identify a device or class of device based on the received data;

identify a power profile from the power profiles based on the identified device or class of device; and

take action based on the power profile, wherein if the power threshold for the identified device or class of device is exceeded, power is disabled to the outlet providing power to the identified device or class of device.

2. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein taking action comprises staffing a timer.

3. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein taking action comprises sending a command to the electrical outlet.

4. The system as defined in claim 3, wherein the command causes the switch to be in the first position such that no power is available at the power socket.

5. The system as defined in claim 3, wherein the command causes the switch to be in the second position such that power is available at the power socket.

6. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein each electrical outlet further comprises a signal detector for receiving a signal from a signal producing element.

7. The electrical outlet device as defined in claim 6, wherein the signal detector comprises an RFID reader.

8. The electrical outlet device as defined in claim 6, wherein the signal detector comprises a barcode reader.

9. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein each electrical outlet further comprises a signal detector for receiving commands from the controller.

10. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein the controller further comprises rules for determining allowed power use by devices.

11. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein the instructions stored in the memory of the controller are further executable to store the device or the class of device in a device database.

12. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein the instructions stored in the memory of the controller are further executable to obtain the outlet identification from the received data.

13. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein the instructions stored in the memory of the controller are further executable to:

start a timer based on a first device that was identified;

wait for time to expire on the timer;

send a command to the electrical outlet when the time expires that causes the switch to go from the second position to the first position such that no power is available at the power socket.

14. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein the instructions stored in the memory of the controller are further executable to allow user input to store user preferences and to add new rules.

15. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein the controller further comprises a network interface to connect to a computer network in order to download updated power profiles.

16. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein the instructions stored in the memory of the controller are further executable to receive inputs from a lighting controller system to be used in determining a next action, wherein the lighting controller system is in electronic communication with the controller, and wherein the inputs from the lighting controller system comprise light switch inputs from certain rooms, and wherein the next action comprises sending a command to at least one electrical outlet of the plurality of electrical outlets from the certain rooms.

17. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein the instructions stored in the memory of the controller are further executable to receive inputs from a security controller system to be used in determining a next action, wherein the security controller system is in electronic communication with the controller, and wherein the inputs from the security controller system comprise sensor inputs from certain rooms, and wherein the next action comprises sending a command to at least one electrical outlet of the plurality of electrical outlets from the certain rooms.

18. An electrical plug adapter for enabling a device to be used with a system for selectively controlling electrical outlets using power profiling, the adapter comprising:

one or more holes for receiving one or more contacts from a plug; and

a signal producing element that produces a signal to be used in combination with an electrical outlet that is configured for use with a system for selectively controlling electrical outlets using power profiling, wherein the power profile used by the system comprises a power threshold indicating the amount of power a device or class of device should not exceed, wherein the signal producing element produces a signal that allows the electrical outlet or a controller to identify the specific device or class of device, wherein if the power threshold for the identified device or class of device is exceeded, power is disabled to the outlet providing power to the identified device or class of device.

19. A controller for selectively controlling electrical devices using power profiling comprising:

a processor;

memory in electronic communication with the processor;

an interface for communications with a plurality of electrical devices or outlets;

power profiles, wherein each power profile comprises a power threshold indicating the amount of power a device or class of device should not exceed;

instructions stored in the memory, the instructions being executable to;

receive data from an electrical device or outlet of the plurality of electrical devices or outlets;

identify a device or class of device based on the received data;

identify a power profile based on the identified device or class of device; and

take action based on the power profile, wherein if the power threshold for the identified device or class of device is exceeded, power is disabled to the outlet providing power to the identified device or class of device.

20. The controller as defined in claim 19, wherein the data is received from an electrical device that is not receiving power through an outlet.

21. The controller as defined in claim 20, wherein the action taken based on the power profile comprises dimming a light.

22. An electrical outlet for use with a system for selectively controlling electrical outlets using power profiling, the electrical outlet comprising:

a power socket capable of receiving a plug;

a switch that when in a first position no power is available at the power socket, and when the switch is in a second position power is available at the power socket;

an outlet identification;

a signal detector that is capable of detecting a signal from the plug, that is capable of sending the signal and the outlet identification to a controller to allow the controller to identify the specific device or class of device, and that is capable of receiving a command from the controller, the controller comprising power profiles, wherein each power profile comprises a power threshold indicating the amount of power the specific device or class of device should not exceed, and wherein the signal detector is in electrical communication with the switch such that when the signal detector receives a power off command from the controller, the signal detector causes the switch to be in the first position, and such that when the signal detector receives a power on command from the controller, the signal detector causes the switch to be in the second position, wherein if the power threshold for the specific device or class of device is exceeded, power is disabled to the outlet providing power to the identified device or class of device.