Power sampling systems and methods

• US 7,745,954 B1
• Filed: 10/31/2007
• Issued: 06/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Green Plug, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Polsinelli Shughart PC
• Inventors: Menas, Gregory W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Paladini, Albert W
• Assistant Examiner(s): CAVALLARI, DANIEL J
• Application Number:
  US11/931,310
• Time in Patent Office: 972 Days
• Field of Search: 307/31, 307/38
• US Class Current: 307/38
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/266 Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/261 PC controlled powerstrip
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/652 with earth pin, blade or socket
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/66 Structural association with built-in electrical component coupling devices having concentrically or coaxially-arranged contacts H01R24/38
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/701 the switch being actuated by an accessory, e.g. cover, locking member
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2103/00 Two poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/52 mounted in or to a panel or structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/68 mounted on directly pluggable apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/70 with additional earth or shield contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/78 with additional earth or shield contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 25/003 the coupling part being secured only to wires or cables
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 9/03 Connectors arranged to contact a plurality of the conductors of a multiconductor cable , e.g. tapping connections
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

An automatic sensing power system automatically has a voltage sampling system that samples a voltage from an electrical device, determines a power requirement for the electrical device, converts power to the required level, and outputs the power to the electrical device when the electrical device is connected to the automatic sensing power system.

Claims

1. A power system for configuring alternating current (AC) power, the power system comprising:

a plurality of direct current (DC) receptacles;

at least one AC to DC regulator to convert the AC power to DC power;

a voltage sampling system to sample a voltage from at least one voltage sampling receptacle and to generate a signal comprising sampling data that, when processed, identifies the sampled voltage;

at least one DC to DC regulator to receive the DC power from the AC to DC regulator, to convert the DC power to the sampled voltage, and to generate the DC power at the sampled voltage for at least one DC receptacle, the sampled voltage not initially preset; and

a processor to process the signal and, in response thereto, determine the sampled voltage and configure the at least one DC to DC regulator to convert the DC power to the sampled voltage.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the voltage sampling system comprises a detector to receive the sampled voltage and to generate the signal.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the power system further comprises a plurality of AC receptacles; and

the at least one voltage sampling receptacle comprises at least one member of the group consisting of the plurality of DC receptacles and the plurality of AC receptacles.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the power system further comprises an electrical device to connect to the at least one voltage sampling receptacle; and

the voltage sampling system is further to detect a connection between the voltage sampling receptacle and the electrical device and to dynamically sample a required voltage of the electrical device upon detecting the connection.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the at least one DC receptacle comprises the at least one voltage sampling receptacle, and wherein the electrical device receives the DC power at the required voltage from the at least one power sampling receptacle.

6. The system of claim 4 wherein the electrical device comprises at least one member of another group consisting of a computer, a printer, a fax machine, a pocket PC, a personal digital assistant, a phone, a camera, a recording device, an audio device, a video device, and a drill.

7. The system of claim 4 wherein the sample voltage corresponds to an amount of voltage drawn by the electrical device connected to the at least one voltage sampling receptacle or corresponds to another amount of voltage generated by the connected electrical device.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the electrical device comprises a transformer, and wherein the voltage sampling system determines the amount of voltage drawn by the transformer or to determine the other amount of voltage generated by the transformer.

9. A power system for configuring alternating current (AC) power, the power system comprising:

a plurality of direct current (DC) receptacles;

a power sampling system to sample a DC power level from at least one power sampling receptacle, the power sampling system comprising;

at least one AC to DC regulator to convert the AC power to DC power; and

a detector to receive the DC power from the at least one AC to DC regulator and to generate a signal comprising sampling data that, when processed, identifies the sampled DC power level;

at least one DC to DC regulator to receive the DC power from the AC to DC regulator, to convert the DC power to the sampled DC power level, and to generate the DC power at the sampled DC power level for at least one DC receptacle, the sampled DC power level not initially preset; and

a processor to process the signal and, in response thereto, determine the sampled DC power level and configure the at least one DC to DC regulator to convert the DC power to sampled DC power level.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein:

the at least one power sampling receptacle comprises a DC power sampling receptacle to convey other DC power;

the detector receives the other DC power from the DC power sampling receptacle and to generate another signal comprising other sampling data that, when processed, identifies another sampled DC power level;

the at least one DC to DC regulator receives the other DC power from the DC power sampling receptacle, to convert the other DC power to the other sampled DC power level, and to generate the other DC power at the other sampled DC power level for the at least one DC receptacle, the other sampled DC power level not initially preset; and

the processor processes the other signal and, in response thereto, determine the other sampled DC power level and to configure the at least one DC to DC regulator to convert the other DC power to the other sampled DC power level.

11. A power system for configuring alternating current (AC) power, the power system comprising:

a plurality of direct current (DC) receptacles;

a power sampling system to sample a DC power level from at least one power sampling receptacle, the power sampling system comprising;

at least one AC to DC regulator to convert the AC power to DC power;

at least one DC to DC regulator to receive the DC power from the AC to DC regulator, to convert the DC power to the sampled DC power level, and to generate the DC power at the sampled DC power level for at least one DC receptacle, the sampled DC power level not initially preset; and

a detector to receive the DC power from the at least one DC to DC regulator and to generate a signal comprising sampling data that, when processed, identifies the sampled DC power level; and

a processor to process the signal and in response thereto, determine the sampled DC power level and configure the at least one DC to DC regulator to convert the DC power to sampled DC power level.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein:

the at least one power sampling receptacle comprises a DC power sampling receptacle to convey other DC power;

the at least one DC to DC regulator receives the other DC power from the DC power sampling receptacle, to convert the other DC power to another sampled DC power level, and to generate the other DC power at the other sampled DC power level for the at least one DC receptacle, the other sampled DC power level not initially preset;

the detector receives the other DC power from the at least one DC to DC regulator and to generate another signal comprising other sampling data that, when processed, identifies another sampled DC power level; and

the processor processes the other signal and, in response thereto, determine the other sampled DC power level and to configure the at least one DC to DC regulator to convert the other DC power to the other sampled DC power level.

13. The system of claim 11 further comprising:

an electrical device to connect to the at least one power sampling receptacle; and

the power sampling system is further configured to detect a connection between the at least one power sampling receptacle and the electrical device and to dynamically sample a voltage required by the electrical device upon detecting the connection.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the electrical device receives the DC power at the required voltage from the at least one power sampling receptacle.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein the electrical device comprises at least one member of another group consisting of a computer, a printer, a fax machine, a pocket PC, a personal digital assistant, a phone, a camera, a recording device, an audio device, a video device, and a drill.

16. The system of claim 11 wherein the power sampling system is determines a voltage at the at least one power sampling receptacle, the voltage corresponding to an amount of voltage drawn by an electrical device or corresponding to another amount of voltage generated by the electrical device.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the electrical device comprises a transformer, and wherein the power sampling system determines the amount of voltage drawn by the transformer or to determine the other amount of voltage generated by the transformer.

18. A power system for configuring alternating current (AC) power, the power system comprising:

a plurality of direct current (DC) receptacles;

a voltage sampling system to convey the AC power through at least one voltage sampling receptacle and to sample a voltage from the at least one voltage sampling receptacle, the voltage sampling system comprising;

at least one AC to DC regulator to convert the AC power to a first DC power;

at least one DC to DC regulator to receive the first DC power from the AC to DC regulator, to convert the first DC power to a second DC power at the sampled voltage, and to generate the second DC power at the sampled voltage for at least one DC receptacle, the sampled voltage not initially preset;

a detector to receive the second DC power and to generate a signal comprising sampling data that, when processed, identifies the sampled voltage; and

a processor to process the signal and in response thereto, determine the sampled voltage, configure the at least one DC to DC regulator to convert the first DC power to the second DC power at the sampled voltage.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the voltage sampling system conveys other DC power through at least one other power sampling receptacle, and wherein:

the at least one DC to DC regulator receives the other DC power from the at least one other power sampling receptacle, to convert the other DC power to another sampled voltage, and to generate the other DC power at the other sampled voltage for the at least one DC receptacle, the other sampled voltage not initially preset;

the detector configured to receive the other DC power and to generate another signal comprising sampling data that, when processed, identifies the other sampled voltage; and

the processor configured to process the other signal and, in response thereto, determine the other sampled voltage and configure the at least one DC to DC regulator to convert the other DC power to the other sampled voltage.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein the at least one voltage sampling receptacle comprises an AC power sampling receptacle to convey AC power at an AC power level and wherein the at least one AC to DC regulator receives the AC power from the AC power sampling receptacle.

21. The system of claim 18 further comprising:

an electrical device to connect to the at least one voltage sampling receptacle; and

the voltage sampling system is further configured to detect a connection between the at least one voltage sampling and the electrical device and to dynamically sample a required voltage of the electrical device upon detecting the connection.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein the at least one DC receptacle comprises the at least one voltage sampling receptacle, and wherein the electrical device receives the required voltage from the at least one voltage sampling receptacle.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the electrical device comprises at least one member of another group consisting of a computer, a printer, a fax machine, a pocket PC, a personal digital assistant, a phone, a camera, a recording device, an audio device, a video device, and a drill.

24. The system of claim 18 wherein the sample voltage corresponds to an amount of voltage drawn by the electrical device connected to the at least one voltage sampling receptacle or corresponding to another amount of voltage generated by the connected electrical device.

25. A power system for configuring alternating current (AC) power, the power system comprising:

a plurality of direct current (DC) receptacles;

a power sampling system to convey the AC power through at least one power sampling receptacle, the power supply system comprising;

at least one rectifier to convert the AC power to a first DC power;

a filter for filtering the first DC power;

at least one operational amplifier to convert the filtered first DC power to a second DC power; and

at least one DC to DC regulator to generate DC power at a sampled voltage for at least one DC receptacle, the sampled voltage not initially preset; and

a processor to process the second DC power signal and, in response thereto, determine the sampled voltage and configure the at least one DC to DC regulator to convert the second DC power to the sampled voltage.