Method and apparatus for receiving optical signal, processing and conveying electrical signal pertaining to power consumption data

• US 8,639,465 B1
• Filed: 09/12/2013
• Issued: 01/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elbex Video Limited (Elbex Japan Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Elbex Video Limited (Elbex Japan Ltd.)
• Inventors: Elberbaum, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Lau, Tung S
• Assistant Examiner(s): SUN, XIUQIN
• Application Number:
  US14/024,697
• Time in Patent Office: 138 Days
• Field of Search: 702/107
• US Class Current: 702/107
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 21/00 Arrangements for measuring electric power or power factor G01R7/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 21/01 in circuits having distributed constants G01R21/04, G01R21/07, G01R21/09, G01R21/12 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 35/005 Calibrating; Standards or reference devices, e.g. voltage or resistance standards, "golden" references G01R33/0035, G01R35/002 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/077 Constructional details, e.g. mounting of circuits in the carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10009 sensing by radiation using wavelengths larger than 0.1 mm, e.g. radio-waves or microwaves
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

A method and apparatus for receiving power consumption data via an optical cable connected to an intelligent power socket converting the received optical signal and conveying a processed data via a bus line to home automation controller direct or through a bus line distributor, said data generated by said socket pertaining to a load powered through it. Said optical signal further including selected data covering the current drain value, the power consumed value, the socket identification, the load identification and combinations thereof. The optical signal and said converted electrical signal for propagation at least one way of bidirectional communication via a network of optical cables and bus line. Said power consumption receiver includes at least one optoport, a CPU and a memory for storing the last received data pertaining to at least one of the power consumed and the load identification.

Claims

1. A method for communicating via a power consumption receiver at least one way of bidirectional coded signals pertaining to power consumption items by a load between an intelligent AC outlet and an home automation controller, said consumption receiver comprising a CPU, a memory, at least one receiver optoport and a first bus line driver, said intelligent AC outlet comprising communication and measuring circuits including an outlet optoport:

the location and particulars of said AC outlet are assigned via one of installed into said memory and set via at least one of setting switches included in one of said power consumption receiver and in said intelligent AC outlet;

said outlet optoport is connected with said receiver optoport via an optical cable selected from a group comprising lightguide, fiber optic cable and a combination thereof and said first bus line driver is connected via a twisted pair wires with one of a second bus line driver included in said controller directly and via a third bus line driver included in a bus line distributor, said method comprising the steps of;

a. assigning said location and particulars of said AC outlet;

b. connecting said optical cable between said outlet optoport and said receiver optoport;

c. connecting said twisted pair between said first bus line driver and one of said second and third bus line driver;

d. attaching a power plug of said load to said AC outlet; and

e. propagating said coded signals selected from a group comprising the power consumed by a load, location of said intelligent AC outlet, particulars of said intelligent AC outlet, combinations thereof and at least one of bidirectional responses to at least one of power consumption and particulars inquiry.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said load particulars are one of installed into said memory and set via at least one of setting switches included in said intelligent AC outlet and said coded signal selected from a group further comprising said load particulars.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein said at least one receiver optoport is accessed through one of a rear portion of said receiver for attaching said optical cable to said receiver optoport inside a wall box containing said receiver and the front surface of said receiver for attaching said optical cable to said receiver optoport in the front of said receiver.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein a plurality of receiver optoports are included in said receiver structured to accommodate a plurality of accesses selected from a group comprising said rear portion, said front surface and a combination thereof.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein a plurality of said setting switches are included in said receiver and are accessed for setting through a portion selected from a group comprising rear portion, front surface and a combination thereof.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein particular of said load are fed to said AC outlet via at least one of identification optoport and RFID antenna included in said AC outlet for mating with an identifying AC plug of said load including one of reciprocal identification optoport and identifying RFID tag via one of said AC outlet directly and a current sensing adaptor, and wherein said method steps a., b., d. and e. are amended to read:

a. assigning said location and particulars to one of said AC outlet and said current sensing adaptor;

b. connecting said optical cable between one of said outlet optoport and an outlet optoport included in said current sensing adaptor;

c. connecting said twisted pair between said first bus line driver and one of said second and third bus line driver;

d. attaching said identifying AC plug to one of said AC outlet and said current sensing adaptor; and

e. propagating said coded signals selected from a group comprising the power consumed by a load, said load particulars, location of said intelligent AC outlet, particulars of said intelligent AC outlet, combinations thereof and at least one of bidirectional responses to at least one of power consumption and particulars inquiry.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein said particulars of said load and said load power consumption are routinely installed into said memory on the basis of each propagated coded signal via said optical cable by a given intelligent AC outlet for retaining the last identified load particulars including said load power consumption in the memory.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein said at least one receiver optoport is accessed through one of a rear portion of said receiver for attaching said optical cable to said receiver optoport inside a wall box containing said receiver and the front surface of said receiver for attaching said optical cable to said receiver optoport in the front of said receiver.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said CPU processes and directs said bidirectional coded signal propagation by converting said coded electrical signal to said coded optical signal and said coded optical signal to said coded electrical signal.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein said twisted pair feeds a DC power for operating said receiver and said receiver further comprising a circuit for separating the power feed and polarity from the communicated electrical signals.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein said CPU, said memory and at least one said receiver optoport are included in said bus line distributor.

12. A power consumption receiver comprising a CPU, a memory, at least one receiver optoport and a bus line driver for communicating at least one way of bidirectional coded signals between an intelligent AC outlet and an home automation controller, said intelligent AC outlet comprising communication and measuring circuits including an outlet optoport for propagating coded signals selected from a group comprising the power consumed by a load, location of said intelligent AC outlet, particulars of said intelligent AC outlet, combinations thereof and at least one of bidirectional responses to at least one of power consumption and particulars inquiry;

said outlet optoport is connected with said receiver optoport for communicating optical signals via an optical cable selected from a group comprising lightguide, fiber optic cable and a combination thereof and said bus line driver for communicating electrical signals is connected via a twisted pair wires with one of a bus line driver included in said controller directly and via a bus line driver included in a bus line distributor;

said location and said AC outlet particulars assignment are one of installed into said memory and set via at least one of setting switches included in one of said power consumption receiver and in said intelligent AC outlet; and

said CPU processes and directs said bidirectional coded signal propagation by converting said coded electrical signal to said coded optical signal and said coded optical signal to said coded electrical signal.

13. The power consumption receiver according to claim 12, wherein particulars of said load are one of installed into said memory and set via at least one of setting switches included in said intelligent AC outlet and said coded signal selected from a group further comprising said load particulars.

14. The power consumption receiver according to claim 13, wherein a plurality of said setting switches are included in said power consumption receiver and are accessed for setting through a portion selected from a group comprising rear portion, front surface and a combination thereof.

15. The power consumption receiver according to claim 12, wherein particulars of said load are fed to said AC outlet via at least one of identification optoport and RFID antenna included in said AC outlet for mating with an identification AC plug of said load including one of reciprocal identification optoport and identifying RFID tag via one of said AC outlet directly and a current sensing adaptor, and said coded signal selected from a group further comprising said load particulars.

16. The power consumption receiver according to claim 15, wherein said particulars of said load and said load power consumption are routinely installed into said memory on the basis of each propagated coded report via said optical cable by a given intelligent AC outlet for retaining the last identified load particulars including said load power consumption in the memory.

17. The power consumption receiver according to claim 12, wherein said at least one receiver optoport is accessed through one of a rear portion of said receiver for attaching said optical cable to said receiver optoport inside a wall box containing said receiver and the front surface of said receiver for attaching said optical cable to said receiver optoport in the front of said receiver.

18. The power consumption receiver according to claim 17, wherein a plurality of said receiver optoports are included in said receiver structured to accommodate a plurality of accesses selected from a group comprising said rear portion, said front surface and a combination thereof.

19. The power consumption receiver according to claim 12, wherein said twisted pair feeds a DC power for operating said receiver and said receiver further comprising a circuit for separating the power feed and polarity from the communicated electrical signals.

20. The power consumption receiver according to claim 12, wherein said CPU, said memory and at least one said receiver optoport are included in said bus line distributor.