Enhanced power distribution unit with self-orienting display
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system to provide electrical power to at least one external device, the system comprising:
- a housing configured to have a selected installation orientation chosen from a plurality of possible installation orientations;
a power input coupled to the housing and couplable to receive electrical power;
at least one power output coupled to the housing and coupled to receive electrical power from the power input, the at least one power output being configured to supply power to the at least one external device;
a display non-movably attached to the housing and configured to visually display information in four presentation orientations relative to the housing, each corresponding to at least one of the plurality of possible installation orientations of the housing;
an orientation sensor coupled to the housing, at any one time the orientation sensor configured to exist in a particular one of a plurality of states corresponding to the selected installation orientation of the housing;
a second sensor coupled to the housing, at any one time the second sensor configured to exist in a particular one of a plurality of states based upon a sensed condition associated with the system; and
a microprocessor coupled to the housing, the microprocessor communicatively linked to the orientation sensor to receive input from the orientation sensor based upon the particular state of the orientation sensor, the microprocessor communicatively linked to the second sensor to receive input from the second sensor based upon the particular state of the second sensor, the microprocessor configured to select one of the four presentation orientations for the display based upon the input received from the orientation sensor and to send output to the display to visually display information based upon the input received from the second sensor in the selected one of the four presentation orientations.
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Abstract
An enhanced power distribution unit (PDU) with self-orienting display uses an orientation sensor in conjunction with a microprocessor to properly orient visual display of information by one or more displays of the enhanced PDU. Information displayed can relate to electrical current furnished to one or more power outlets of the enhanced PDU and/or information related to temperature, humidity or other conditions of the enhanced PDU.
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Citations
35 Claims
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1. A system to provide electrical power to at least one external device, the system comprising:
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a housing configured to have a selected installation orientation chosen from a plurality of possible installation orientations; a power input coupled to the housing and couplable to receive electrical power; at least one power output coupled to the housing and coupled to receive electrical power from the power input, the at least one power output being configured to supply power to the at least one external device; a display non-movably attached to the housing and configured to visually display information in four presentation orientations relative to the housing, each corresponding to at least one of the plurality of possible installation orientations of the housing; an orientation sensor coupled to the housing, at any one time the orientation sensor configured to exist in a particular one of a plurality of states corresponding to the selected installation orientation of the housing; a second sensor coupled to the housing, at any one time the second sensor configured to exist in a particular one of a plurality of states based upon a sensed condition associated with the system; and a microprocessor coupled to the housing, the microprocessor communicatively linked to the orientation sensor to receive input from the orientation sensor based upon the particular state of the orientation sensor, the microprocessor communicatively linked to the second sensor to receive input from the second sensor based upon the particular state of the second sensor, the microprocessor configured to select one of the four presentation orientations for the display based upon the input received from the orientation sensor and to send output to the display to visually display information based upon the input received from the second sensor in the selected one of the four presentation orientations. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A system to provide electrical power to one or more external devices, the system comprising:
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a housing mountable with a selected installation orientation; at least one power input cable coupled to the housing and couplable to receive electrical power; a plurality of receptacles coupled to the housing and coupled to receive electrical power from the at least one power input cable, the plurality of receptacles being configured to provide power to the one or more external devices; a display non-movably attached to the housing and configured to visually display information in four presentation orientations relative to the housing; an orientation sensor coupled to the housing and configured to detect the selected installation orientation; at least one current sensor coupled to the housing, at any one time at least one current sensor being configured to exist in a particular one of a plurality of states based upon a different current associated with the system; and a microprocessor coupled to the housing, the microprocessor communicatively linked to the orientation sensor to receive input from the orientation sensor based upon the detected selected installation orientation, the microprocessor communicatively linked to the at least one current sensor to receive input from the at least one current sensor based upon the particular state)of the at least one current sensor, the microprocessor configured to select one of the four presentation orientations for the display based upon the input received from the orientation sensor and to send output to the display to visually display information based upon the input received from the at least one current sensor in the selected one of the four presentation orientations. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A system to provide electrical power to at least one external device, the system comprising:
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a housing configured to have a selected installation orientation chosen from a plurality of installation orientations; at least one power input cable coupled to the housing and couplable to receive electrical power; a plurality of receptacles coupled to the housing and coupled to receive electrical power from the at least one power input cable, the plurality of receptacles couplable to provide the electrical power to the at least one external device; a segmented display non-movably attached to the housing and configured to visually display information in a first presentation orientation and a second presentation orientation, the segmented display including at least one segmented readout having a first LED unit with a first seven segment display and a first decimal point and a second LED unit with a second seven segment display and a second decimal point, the second LED unit being inverted relative to the first LED unit such that when the first LED unit is positioned upright the first decimal point is positioned in the lower right of the first seven segment display, and the second decimal point is positioned in the upper left of the second seven segment display; an orientation sensor coupled to the housing, the orientation sensor configured to exist in a plurality of states, each corresponding to one of the plurality of installation orientations of the housing, at any one time the orientation sensor configured to exist in a particular one of the plurality of states corresponding to the selected installation orientation of the housing; at least one current sensor coupled to the housing, the at least one current sensor configured to exist in a plurality of states, at any one time the at least one current sensor configured to exist in a particular one of the plurality of states based upon the current associated with the system; and a microprocessor coupled to the housing, the microprocessor communicatively linked to the orientation sensor to receive input from the orientation sensor based upon the particular state of the orientation sensor, the microprocessor communicatively linked to the at least one current sensor to receive input from the at least one current sensor based upon the particular state of the at least one current sensor, the microprocessor configured to select one of the first and second presentation orientations for the segmented display based upon the input received from the orientation sensor and to send output to the display to visually display information based upon the input received from the at least one current sensor in the selected one of the first and second presentation orientations. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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23. A method comprising:
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selecting an installation orientation for a housing, the installation orientation being chosen from a plurality of possible installation orientations; receiving electrical power through a power input; providing the electrical power to at least one external device through at least one power output; providing a display configured to visually display information in four presentation orientations; determining a closest one of the four presentation orientations of the display to a right-side-up presentation based upon the installation orientation selected for the housing; providing a present condition state based upon a condition associated with the providing the electrical power through the power output; and visually displaying information based upon the present condition state on the display with the determined presentation orientation of the display. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A power distribution unit mountable on an external structure in a selected installation orientation, the power distribution unit comprising:
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means for receiving electrical power; a plurality of receptacles powered by the means for receiving electrical power, each of the plurality of receptacles being operable to supply power to at least one external device; a display configured to visually display information in four presentation orientations; an orientation sensor configured to sense the power distribution unit is in the selected installation orientation; a second sensor configured to sense a condition related to the power distribution unit; and a microprocessor communicatively linked to the orientation sensor to receive input from the orientation sensor indicating the power distribution unit is in the selected installation orientation, the microprocessor communicatively linked to the second sensor to receive input from the second sensor based upon the sensed condition, the microprocessor configured to select one of the four presentation orientations for the display based upon the input received from the orientation sensor and to send output to the display to visually display information based upon the input received from the second sensor in the selected one of the four presentation orientations. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35)
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Specification