Automatic sensing power systems and methods

• US 8,115,335 B2
• Filed: 10/05/2010
• Issued: 02/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Green Plug, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Green Plug, Inc.
• Inventors: Miller, Brent A., Spano, Steve, Menas, Gregory W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barnie, Rexford
• Assistant Examiner(s): Parries, Dru
• Application Number:
  US12/898,456
• Publication Number:
  US 20110018345A1
• Time in Patent Office: 497 Days
• Field of Search: 307/11
• US Class Current: 307/11
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• 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 13/6675 with built-in power supply
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2103/00 Two poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/04 for network, e.g. LAN connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/06 for computer periphery
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/22 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 27/02 for simultaneous co-operation with two or more dissimilar counterparts
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 29/00 Coupling parts for selective co-operation with a counterpart in different ways to establish different circuits, e.g. for voltage selection, for series-parallel selection, programmable connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/10 Parallel operation of dc sources
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/40 adapted for charging from various sources, e.g. AC, DC or multivoltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00036 Charger exchanging data with battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00047 with provisions for charging different types of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/008 Plural converter units for generating at two or more independent and non-parallel outputs, e.g. systems with plural point of load switching regulators
• 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 determines a power requirement for an 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 method for powering an electrical device, comprising:

detecting at least one electrical device connecting to one of a plurality of receptacles;

in response to detecting the at least one electrical device, transmitting a detection signal to a processor, wherein the processor determines the power requirement of the at least one connected electrical device based on the detection signal;

driving a low voltage signal to the one receptacle via a low current driver; and

in response to receiving a control signal from the processor that enables a switch, providing a high voltage signal to the one receptacle via the switch, and bypassing the low current driver.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating configuration data of the connected electrical device to the processor via a communication interface.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the configuration data includes a device identifier.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing data to a memory received from the processor and retrieving data from the memory to transmit the data to the processor.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising modulating a communication received from the processor for transmission to the at least one electrical device connected to the one receptacle, and demodulating a communication received from the at least one electrical device connected to the one receptacle for transmission to the processor.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein driving the low voltage signal to the one receptacle includes supplying a minimal level of DC power to the one receptacle in response to the electrical device being connected to the one receptacle.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the minimal level of DC power is sufficient to turn on a processor of the connected electrical device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the high voltage signal to the one receptacle via the switch includes providing sufficient power to charge the electrical device.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising down converting the detection signal to a low DC power level and transmitting the low DC power level to the processor as the detection signal.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving AC power from a power source and converting the AC power to DC power to provide DC power to the plurality of receptacles.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the detection signal is a DC power.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the detection signal is an AC power.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising converting the detected AC power to DC power before transmitting the detection signal to the processor.

14. A method for powering an electrical device, comprising:

detecting at least one electrical device connecting to one of a plurality of receptacles;

in response to detecting the at least one electrical device, generating a detection signal, wherein the detection signal is an AC power;

converting the detected AC power to DC power before transmitting the detection signal to a processor;

transmitting the detection signal to the processor, wherein the processor determines the power requirement of the at least one connected electrical device based on the detection signal; and

driving a low voltage signal to the one receptacle via a low current driver.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising communicating configuration data of the connected electrical device to the processor via a communication interface.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the configuration data includes a device identifier.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising storing data to a memory received from the processor and retrieving data from the memory to transmit the data to the processor.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising modulating a communication received from the processor for transmission to the at least one electrical device connected to the one receptacle, and demodulating a communication received from the at least one electrical device connected to the one receptacle for transmission to the processor.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein driving the low voltage signal to the one receptacle includes supplying a minimal level of DC power to the one receptacle in response to the electrical device being connected to the one receptacle.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the minimal level of DC power is sufficient to turn on a processor of the connected electrical device.

21. The method of claim 14, further comprising, in response to receiving a signal from the processor that enables a switch, providing a high voltage signal to the one receptacle via the switch, and bypassing the low current driver.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein providing the high voltage signal to the one receptacle via the switch includes providing sufficient power to charge the electrical device.

23. The method of claim 14, further comprising down converting the detection signal to a low DC power level and transmitting the low DC power level to the processor as the detection signal.

24. The method of claim 14, further comprising receiving AC power from a power source and converting the AC power to DC power to provide DC power to the plurality of receptacles.