Automatically standby power cut-off plug socket

• US 7,830,041 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2006
• Issued: 11/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ki Chool Yang, Sun Young Kim
• Original Assignee: Ki Chool Yang, Sun Young Kim
• Inventors: Yang, Ki Chool, Kim, Sun Young
• Primary Examiner(s): Fureman; Jared J
• Assistant Examiner(s): RUTLAND WALLIS, MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US12/065,339
• Publication Number:
  US 20080231121A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,531 Days
• Field of Search: 307/115
• US Class Current: 307/115
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6658 on printed circuit board H01R13/6666 - H01R13/6691 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/70 with built-in switch
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2103/00 Two poles
• 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 25/006 the coupling part being secured to apparatus or structure, e.g. duplex wall receptacle
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 31/065 with built-in electric apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/60 Limiting power consumption in the network or in one section of the network, e.g. load shedding or peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/14 by switching loads on to, or off from, network, e.g. progressively balanced loading
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/005 using a power saving mode for copiers G03G15/5004
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/007 Detection of the absence of a load
• 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 70/3225 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• 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 20/00 Management or operation of end-user stationary applications or the last stages of power distribution; Controlling, monitoring or operating thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/20 End-user application control systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving

Abstract

An electric socket is provided. The socket includes a power saving circuit determining operation status of an electronic apparatus or plural electronic apparatus connected to another electric socket according to a load signal to control to supply or automatically interrupt power. It is possible to control power according to operating status of the connected electronic apparatus and to control power supplied to the electronic apparatus connected to a home network. After time has elapsed when the electronic apparatus is not used, power is automatically interrupted so that undesired power consumption due to standby power can be prevented and costs thereof are significantly saved. The electronic apparatus is prevented from accident load inputted from the exterior so that the lifespan of the electronic apparatus can be elongated and user convenience is remarkably improved.

Claims

1. An electric socket comprising:

a switch unit for supplying power to be supplied to an electronic apparatus or another electric socket and interrupting the power therefrom;

a signal input unit into which an operating signal is inputted such that the power is supplied to the electronic apparatus or another electric socket;

a load current detector for detecting a load signal according to status of the electronic apparatus or another electric socket and inputting the load signal; and

a controller for controlling the switch unit such to supply the power to the electronic apparatus or another electric socket when the operating signal is inputted from the signal input unit, and to automatically interrupt the power to be supplied to the electronic apparatus or another electric socket according to the load signal inputted from the load current detector,

wherein when the input signal inputted from the signal input unit is inputted over a predetermined time, the controller is configured to control the load current detector such that a standby power consumed by the connected electronic apparatus or another electric socket is measured for a predetermined time period, and to automatically set the load detecting value for interrupting the power in response to the scale of the standby power measured by the load current detector.

2. The electric socket of claim 1, wherein the load current detector comprises:

a current detector for detecting a load current of the power to be supplied to the electronic apparatus or another electric socket;

an overvoltage remover for removing an overvoltage contained in an alternating current power inputted from the current detector;

a converter for converting the alternating current power outputted from the overvoltage remover into a ripple voltage;

a smoothing unit for smoothing the converted ripple voltage such that a direct current load signal is inputted to the controller; and

a discharging unit for rapidly detecting a variation of the load current.

3. The electric socket of claim 2, wherein

the overvoltage remover comprises one or more diodes, one or more capacitors, and one or more resistors,

first and second diodes are connected to each other in reverse direction in series, and

the capacitor is connected to the first and second diodes in parallel so as to decrease a detection error due to the determination of the load signal performed by the controller, and to remove noise or momentary overvoltage that are contained in the voltage inputted from the current detector.

4. The electric socket of claim 3, wherein the first and second diodes comprise a Zener diode such that the first and second diodes absorb and remove the momentary overvoltage generated for a short time less than a few micro seconds and the resistor and the capacitor absorb and remove the momentary overvoltage generated for every 0.1 mm second.

5. The electric socket of claim 2, wherein the converter comprises a third diode and a variable resistor for adjusting a voltage value, and

the third diode comprises a germanium diode having an anode connected to the overvoltage remover and a cathode connected to the variable resistor.

6. The electric socket of claim 2, wherein the smoothing unit comprises at least one capacitor to smooth the ripple voltage.

7. The electric socket of claim 2, wherein the discharging unit comprises at least one resistor.

8. The electric socket of claim 1, further comprising a noise removing unit including at least one capacitor connected to an output end of the switch unit and a power output end to absorb and remove noise inputted from the connected electronic apparatus or another electric socket.

9. The electric socket of claim 1, wherein the switch unit is connected between a power input end to which the inputting power is supplied and a power output end from which the power is outputted to an electronic apparatus or another electric socket, to switch at least one of a single-pole and two-poles such that the power is supplied to the electronic apparatus or another electric socket.

10. The electric socket of claim 9, further comprising a battery for supplying a driving voltage to the controller when the power is interrupted by the switch unit.

11. The electric socket of claim 1, wherein when an education setting unit is manipulated, the controller stores a signal inputted through the signal input unit to set to detect the store operating signal and supplies the power to the electronic apparatus or another electric socket when the stored operating signal is inputted through the signal input unit.

12. The electric socket of claim 1, wherein, when the load signal inputted from the load current detector is less than the load detecting value, the controller controls the power supplied to the electronic apparatus to be automatically interrupted after a predetermined delay time has elapsed according to automatically set load detecting value.

13. The electric socket of claim 11, further comprising:

a memory for storing data for the detection of the operating signal, the automatically set load detecting value, and the delay time until the power is interrupted; and

a backup memory for storing data optionally set and stored in the memory.

25. The electrical socket of claim 1, further comprising a setting switch for setting a load detecting value for the interruption of the power to be supplied to the connected electronic apparatus or another electric socket.

26. The electrical socket of claim 1, wherein the signal input unit includes at least one of an infrared module connected by a lead wire to receive an infrared signal and to input the operating signal to the controller, and a button for inputting an operating signal according to the supplied power when the button is pressed.

14. A wall electrical socket comprising:

at least one insertion opening into which plugs of an electronic apparatus or another electric socket are inserted;

a power saving circuit for detecting a load value for the supplying or interruption of a power to supply and interrupt the power to and from the electronic apparatus connected to the insertion opening;

a jack connecting unit for supplying the power to the electronic apparatus or another electric socket directly or through the power saving circuit according to an installation status of a connecting jack when supplying the power to the electronic apparatus or another electric socket through the power saving circuit,

wherein the power saving circuit includes;

a switch unit for switching at least one of a single-pole and two-poles such that the power is supplied to the electronic apparatus or another electric socket connected to the insertion opening;

a wire or radio signal input unit to which an operating signal is inputted such that the power is supplied to the electronic apparatus or another electric socket;

a load current detector for detecting a load signal according to an operating status of the electronic apparatus or another electric socket from the power supplied to the electronic apparatus or another electric socket; and

a controller for controlling the switch unit such that the power is supplied according to an input signal from the signal input unit and the power is supplied or automatically interrupted according to the load signal from the load current detector,

wherein when the input signal inputted from the signal input unit is inputted over a predetermined time, the controller controls the load current detector such that a standby power consumed by the connected electronic apparatus or another electric socket is measured for a predetermined time period, and automatically sets the load detecting value for interrupting the power in response to the scale of the standby power measured by the load current detector.

15. The wall electrical socket of claim 14, further comprising a setting switch for setting a load detecting value for the interruption of the power to be supplied to the connected electronic apparatus or another electric socket.

16. The wall electrical socket of claim 14, further comprising at least one of a power line communication unit for receiving data contained in the inputted power, converting the data into a readable data, and supplying the converted data to the controller, and a radio frequency communication unit for receiving a radio frequency signal, converting the radio frequency signal into readable data, and supplying the converted data to the controller.

17. The wall electrical socket of claim 16, wherein the controller controls reads the data inputted from one of the radio frequency communication unit and the power line communication unit to supply or interrupt the power to or from the electronic apparatus or another electric socket.

18. The wall electrical socket of claim 14, wherein the signal input unit comprises at least one of an infrared module connected by a lead wire to receive an infrared signal and to input the operating signal to the controller, and a button for inputting an operating signal according to the supplied power when the button is pressed.

19. The wall electrical socket of claim 18, wherein the signal input unit comprises a connecting jack inserted into the jack connecting unit and is attached to or detached from the jack connecting unit.

20. The wall electrical socket of claim 19, wherein the controller detects the installation state of the jack connecting unit to supply or automatically interrupt the power to the electronic apparatus or another electric socket through the power saving circuit when the signal input unit is installed in the jack connecting unit and to supply the power directly to the electronic apparatus or another electric socket when the signal input unit is not installed.

21. The wall electrical socket of claim 14, wherein the insertion opening comprises at least one of a power saving insertion opening to which the power saving circuit unit is connected, and a normal power insertion opening, and the normal power insertion opening is different from the power saving insertion opening by at least one of color, pattern, and shape.

27. The wall electrical socket of claim 14, wherein the power saving unit further comprises a switch for switching the power to be directly supplied to the electronic apparatus or another electric socket when the power saving circuit is malfunctioned.

28. The wall electric socket of claim 14, wherein when an education setting unit is manipulated, the controller is configured to store a signal inputted through the signal input unit to set to detect the store operating signal and to supply the power to the electronic apparatus or another electric socket when the stored operating signal is inputted through the signal input unit.

22. A wall electrical socket using a radio signal comprising:

a main electric socket including a power saving circuit for detecting a load value of the connected electronic apparatus or another electric socket to supply or automatically interrupt the power to or from the connected electronic apparatus or another electric socket; and

a signal gateway for converting an infrared operating signal to be received into an operating signal according to a desired communication protocol and for transmitting and inputting an operating signal the main electric socket,

wherein the power saving circuit includes;

a switch unit for switching at least one of a single-pole and two-poles such that the power is supplied to the electronic apparatus or another electric socket connected to the insertion opening;

a wire or radio signal input unit to which an operating signal is inputted such that the power is supplied to the electronic apparatus or another electric socket;

a load current detector for detecting a load signal according to an operating status of the electronic apparatus or another electric socket from the power supplied to the electronic apparatus or another electric socket; and

a controller for controlling the switch unit such that the power is supplied according to an input signal from the signal input unit and the power is supplied or automatically interrupted according to the load signal from the load current detector,

wherein when the input signal inputted from the signal input unit is inputted over a predetermined time, the controller controls the load current detector such that a standby power consumed by the connected electronic apparatus or another electric socket is measured for a predetermined time period, and automatically sets the load detecting value for interrupting the power in response to the scale of the standby power measured by the load current detector.

23. The wall electrical socket using a radio signal of claim 22, wherein the signal gateway comprises:

an infrared receiver for receiving an infrared signal;

a communication unit for transmitting and receiving data according to one of communication protocol among a radio frequency communication, a power line communication, and a local area network;

a signal converter for converting an infrared operating signal inputted from the infrared receiver into an operating signal according to at least one of the radio frequency communication, the power line communication, and the local area network;

a manual switch manually manipulated to supply the operating signal; and

a gateway controller for controlling the input and output of the operating signal by at least one of the infrared receiver and the manual switch and an operation of the signal converter.

24. The wall electrical socket using a radio signal of claim 22, wherein

the main electrical socket comprises a communication unit for receiving an operating signal according to at least one communication protocol of the radio frequency communication, the power line communication, and the local area network from the signal gateway, and a power saving circuit, and

the power saving circuit is controlled to supply the power to the connected electronic apparatus or another electric socket according to the operating signal received through the communication unit and to supply and automatically interrupt the power by detecting a load signal according to operating statuses of the connected electronic apparatus or another electric socket.