Power supply and method related thereto

• US 8,890,372 B2
• Filed: 01/05/2011
• Issued: 11/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Belkin International Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Belkin International Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Garb, Jeffrey W., Seal, Joshua
• Primary Examiner(s): CAVALLARI, DANIEL J
• Application Number:
  US12/985,339
• Publication Number:
  US 20110163600A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,413 Days
• Field of Search: 307/35, 307/140
• US Class Current: 307/140
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/261 PC controlled powerstrip
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6675 with built-in power supply
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/007 Detection of the absence of a load
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

Some embodiments include an electrical system. In many embodiments, the electrical system can include a power input. In the same or different embodiments, the electrical system can include at least one power output configured to be electrically coupled to at least one load. In the same or different embodiments, the electrical system can include a first user input device configured to provide a start up input. In the same or different embodiments, the electrical system can include a second user input device configured to provide a time select input. In the same or different embodiments, the electrical system can include an internal assembly. In many embodiments, the internal assembly can include a power switch module, a power conserve module, a power supply module, and a control module.

Claims

1. An electrical system comprising:

a power input;

at least one power output comprising an electrical outlet configured to be electrically coupled to at least one external device;

a first user input device configured to provide a start up input;

a second user input device configured to provide a time select input; and

an internal assembly comprising;

a power switch circuit electrically coupled between the power input and the at least one power output, the power switch circuit being configured to receive a first power signal from the power input and comprising a control mechanism configured to open and close to regulate a flow of the first power signal to the at least one power output;

a power conserve circuit electrically coupled to the power switch circuit, the power conserve circuit being configured to receive the first power signal from the power switch circuit, to receive the start up input from the first user input device, and to attenuate the first power signal to a second power signal and a third power signal at different times;

a power supply circuit electrically coupled between the power switch circuit and the power conserve circuit, the power supply circuit being configured to receive the second power signal and the third power signal at different times from the power conserve circuit, to convert the second power signal into a fourth power signal and a fifth power signal, to convert the third power signal into a sixth power signal and a seventh power signal, and to provide the fourth power signal and the sixth power signal at different times to the power switch circuit;

a control circuit electrically coupled between the power supply circuit and the power switch circuit, the control circuit being configured to receive the fifth power signal and the seventh power signal at different times from the power supply circuit and to receive the time select input from the second user input device;

wherein;

the time select input comprises a length of time input;

the control circuit is configured to activate a countoff register set to run for the length of time; and

while the control mechanism is closed and the power conserve circuit is not receiving the start up input;

the control circuit references the countoff register to determine if the length of time has elapsed; and

the control circuit provides a termination power signal to the power switch circuit when the length of time has elapsed and opens the control mechanism to prevent the first power signal from passing to the at least one power output and through the power conserve circuit.

2. The electrical system of claim 1, wherein:

the first power signal has a high voltage;

the second power signal has a first low voltage;

the third power signal has a second low voltage; and

the high voltage being greater than the first low voltage and the second low voltage.

3. The electrical system of claim 1, wherein:

the first power signal, the second power signal, and the third power signal comprise alternating currents; and

the fourth power signal, the fifth power signal, the sixth power signal, and the seventh power signal comprise direct currents.

4. The electrical system of claim 1, wherein at least one of:

the sixth power signal is less than the fourth power signal;

or the seventh power signal is less than the fifth power signal.

5. The electrical system of claim 1, wherein, while the power conserve circuit receives the start up input:

the power conserve circuit receives the first power signal from the power switch circuit and attenuates the first power signal to the second power signal;

the power supply circuit receives the second power signal from the power conserve circuit and converts the second power signal to the fourth power signal and the fifth power signal; and

the power switch circuit receives the fourth power signal and closes the control mechanism to permit the first power signal to pass to the at least one power output.

6. The electrical system of claim 1, wherein, while the control mechanism is closed and the power conserve circuit is not receiving the start up input:

the power conserve circuit receives the first power signal from the power switch circuit and attenuates the first power signal to the third power signal;

the power supply circuit receives the third power signal from the power conserve circuit and converts the third power signal to the sixth power signal and the seventh power signal; and

the power switch circuit receives the sixth power signal and keeps the control mechanism closed to permit the first power signal to continue to pass to the at least one power output.

7. The electrical system of claim 1, wherein, while the power conserve circuit receives the start up input:

the control circuit receives the fifth power signal and the time select input.

8. The electrical system of claim 7, wherein, while the control mechanism is closed and the power conserve circuit is not receiving the start up input:

the power conserve circuit receives the first power signal from the power switch circuit and attenuates the first power signal to the third power signal;

the power supply circuit receives the third power signal from the power conserve circuit and converts the third power signal to the sixth power signal and the seventh power signal; and

the control circuit receives the seventh power signal.

9. The electrical system of claim 1, wherein, while the control mechanism is open and the power conserve circuit is not receiving the start up input:

the power switch circuit is electrically decoupled from the power conserve circuit such that the electrical system consumes approximately zero power.

10. The electrical system of claim 1, wherein:

the first user input device comprises at least one of a manual switch, a momentary switch, or a push button switch.

11. The electrical system of claim 1, wherein:

the second user input device comprises at least one of a slide switch, a potentiometer, an encoder, or a remote device.

12. The electrical system of claim 1, wherein:

the electrical system further comprises at least one indicator; and

the at least one indicator is electrically coupled to the power supply circuit;

the at least one indicator is configured to active when the power supply circuit receives at least one of the second power signal or the third power signal; and

the at least one indicator comprises at least one of a visual indicator, an audible indicator, or a tactile indicator.

13. The electrical system of claim 12, wherein:

the at least one indicator is configured to active with a higher intensity when the power supply circuit receives the second power signal than when the power supply circuit receives the third power signal; and

the second power signal has a higher amperage than the third power signal.

14. The electrical system of claim 1, wherein:

the electrical system is configured to be manually coupled to an electrical wall outlet without using any tools.

15. A method for manufacturing an electrical system, the method comprising:

providing a power input;

providing at least one power output comprising an electrical outlet configured to be electrically coupled to at least one external device;

providing a first user input device configured to provide a start up input;

providing a second user input device configured to provide a time select input;

providing an internal assembly comprising;

a power switch circuit configured to receive a first power signal from the power input and comprising a control mechanism that opens and closes to regulate a flow of the first power signal to the at least one power output;

a power conserve circuit configured to receive the first power signal, to receive the start up input, and to attenuate the first power signal to a second power signal and a third power signal;

a power supply circuit configured to receive the second power signal and the third power signal, to convert the second power signal into a fourth power signal and a fifth power signal, to convert the third power signal into a sixth power signal and a seventh power signal, and to provide the fourth power signal and the sixth power signal to the power switch circuit; and

a control circuit configured to receive the fifth power signal, the seventh power signal, and the time select input;

coupling the power input to the power switch circuit;

coupling the at least one power output to the power switch circuit;

coupling the power switch circuit to the power conserve circuit;

coupling the power switch circuit to the power supply circuit;

coupling the power conserve circuit to the power supply circuit;

coupling the power supply circuit to the control circuit; and

coupling the control circuit to the power switch circuit;

wherein;

the time select input comprises a length of time input;

the control circuit is configured to activate a countoff register set to run for the length of time; and

while the control mechanism is closed and the power conserve circuit is not receiving the start up input;

the control circuit references the countoff register to determine if the length of time has elapsed; and

the control circuit provides a termination power signal to the power switch circuit when the length of time has elapsed and opens the control mechanism to prevent the first power signal from passing to the at least one power output and through the power conserve circuit.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein:

the first user input device comprises at least one of a manual switch, a momentary switch, or a push button switch.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein:

the second user input device comprises at least one of a slide switch, potentiometer, an encoder, or a remote device.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

providing at least one indicator configured to activate when the power supply circuit receives at least one of the second power signal or the third power signal; and

coupling the at least one indicator to the power supply circuit.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein two or more of:

coupling the power input to the power switch circuit, coupling the at least one power output to the power switch circuit, coupling the power switch circuit to the power conserve circuit, coupling the power switch circuit to the power supply circuit, coupling the power conserve circuit to the power supply circuit, coupling the power supply circuit to the control circuit, and coupling the control circuit to the power switch circuit, occur simultaneously with each other.

20. A method for regulating a flow of a first power signal to at least one power output comprising an electrical outlet configured to be electrically coupled to at least one external device, the method comprising:

attenuating the first power signal to a second power signal having a lower voltage than the first power signal;

converting the second power signal to a third power signal and a fourth power signal at different times, the second power signal having an alternating current and the third power signal and fourth power signal having direct currents;

permitting the first power signal to flow to the at least one power output after receiving a control mechanism activation signal from a control mechanism;

activating a countdown register such that the countdown register counts down from a time interval until the time interval elapses;

attenuating the first power signal to a fifth power signal having a lower voltage than the first power signal and the second power signal;

converting the fifth power signal to a sixth power signal and a seventh power signal, the fifth power signal having an alternating current and the sixth power signal and the seventh power signal having direct currents;

powering the control mechanism with the sixth power signal such that the control mechanism remains in a state permitting the first power signal to flow to the at least one power output;

referencing the countdown register to determine whether the time interval has elapsed;

causing the first power signal to be prohibited from flowing to the at least one power output when the time interval elapses or after the time interval has elapsed and in response to determining that the time interval has elapsed; and

prohibiting the flow of the first power signal to the at least one power output such that approximately zero power passes to the at least one power output when the countdown register is not counting down from the time interval.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising activating an indicator upon occurrence of at least one of:

converting the second power signal to a third power signal and a fourth power signal, the second power signal having an alternating current and the third power signal and fourth power signal having direct currents;

or

converting the fifth power signal to a sixth power signal and a seventh power signal, the fifth power signal having an alternating current and the sixth power signal and the seventh power signal having direct currents.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

obtaining the first power signal from an electrical wall outlet.

23. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

coupling the at least one external device to the at least one power output.