Electrical power and data distribution apparatus

• US 8,976,541 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2012
• Issued: 03/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Potens IP Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: Potens IP Holdings LLC
• Inventors: Ballard, Claudio R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh, Tuan T
• Application Number:
  US13/599,994
• Publication Number:
  US 20130058012A1
• Time in Patent Office: 922 Days
• Field of Search: 361821-827, 439535-536
• US Class Current: 361/823
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/18 providing line outlets

Abstract

An electrical power and data distribution apparatus comprises an enclosure having a rear connector configured to connect to a first cable including electrical power and data conductors, a front connector configured to connect to a second cable including electrical and data conductors, at least one electrical power outlet configured to connect to a power plug and at least one data input/output connector configured to connect to a device having a predetermined connection configuration. A power hub is connected to the rear connector to receive electrical power, and to the front connector and the power outlet to supply electrical power. The data conductors of the front and rear connectors are connected to a network interface of a controller for sending and receiving data with a first protocol, and the data input/output connector is connected to an input/output section of the controller for sending and receiving data with a second protocol.

Claims

1. An electrical power and data distribution apparatus comprising:

an enclosure configured for installation in a wall of a building, the enclosure including a front surface and a rear surface;

a rear power/data connector mounted on the rear surface of the enclosure and configured to electrically connect to a first hybrid external cable including both electrical power conductors and network data conductors;

a front power/data connector mounted on the front surface of the enclosure and configured to electrically connect to a second hybrid external cable including both electrical power conductors and network data conductors;

at least one electrical power outlet mounted on the front surface of the enclosure and configured to electrically connect to a standard wall outlet power plug;

at least one data input/output connector mounted on the front surface of the enclosure and configured to connect to an external device having a predetermined connection configuration;

a power hub disposed inside the enclosure and operatively connected to the rear power/data connector to receive electrical power therefrom and operatively connected to the front power/data connector and the at least one electrical power outlet to supply electrical power thereto;

a controller system disposed inside the enclosure including a processor, a memory, a network interface and an input/output section; and

wherein the network data conductors of the rear power/data jack and the front power/data jack are operatively connected to the network interface of the controller system for sending and receiving network data therebetween in accordance with a first communication protocol and the at least one data input/output connector is operatively connected to the input/output section of the controller system for sending and receiving data therebetween in accordance with a second communication protocol.

2. The electrical power and data distribution apparatus of claim 1, wherein the power hub is connected to the controller system for receiving control signals therefrom and adapted to selectively control the flow of electrical power to the at least one electrical power outlet or to the front power/data connector in response to the control signals received from the controller system.

3. The electrical power and data distribution apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data input/output port is a high definition multimedia interface (HDMI) port implementing the EIA/CEA-861 standards.

4. The electrical power and data distribution apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data input/output port is a universal serial bus (USB) port implementing the USB standards.

5. The electrical power and data distribution apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data input/output port is a RJ-45 jack implementing the Ethernet network communication standards.

6. The electrical power and data distribution apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a wireless communication module disposed within the enclosure and operatively connected to the controller system for sending and receiving data signals therebetween.

7. An electrical power and data distribution apparatus comprising:

an enclosure configured for installation in a wall of a building, the enclosure including a front surface and a rear surface;

a rear electrical power connector mounted on the rear surface of the enclosure and configured to electrically connect to electrical wall outlet power source;

a front power/data connector mounted on the front surface of the enclosure and configured to electrically connect to a second hybrid external cable including both electrical power conductors and network data conductors;

at least one electrical power outlet mounted on the front surface of the enclosure and configured to electrically connect to a standard wall outlet power plug;

at least one data input/output connector mounted on the front surface of the enclosure and configured to connect to an external device having a predetermined connection configuration;

a power hub disposed inside the enclosure and operatively connected to the rear electrical power connector to receive electrical power therefrom and operatively connected to the front power/data connector and the at least one electrical power outlet to supply electrical power thereto;

a wireless communication module disposed within the enclosure for sending and receiving data communications to/from an external wireless network;

a controller system disposed inside the enclosure including a processor, a memory, a network interface and an input/output section; and

wherein the network data conductors of the front power/data jack are operatively connected to the network interface of the controller system for sending and receiving network data therebetween in accordance with a first communication protocol, the wireless communication module is operatively connected to the controller system for sending and receiving network communications with an external wireless network, and the at least one data input/output connector is operatively connected to the input/output section of the controller system for sending and receiving data therebetween in accordance with a second communication protocol.

8. The electrical power and data distribution apparatus of claim 7, wherein the power hub is connected to the controller system for receiving control signals therefrom and adapted to selectively control the flow of electrical power to the at least one electrical power outlet or to the front power/data connector in response to the control signals received from the controller system.