Selective electrical coupling based on environmental conditions

• US 9,116,137 B1
• Filed: 07/17/2014
• Issued: 08/25/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Leeo, Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Leeo, Incorporated
• Inventors: Gettings, Adam M., Stevens, Andrew G., Hovland, Bjorn H., Zheng, Yi, Joshi, Nina S., Ivers, Lucas
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Hezron E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Eyassu, Marrit
• Application Number:
  US14/334,550
• Time in Patent Office: 404 Days
• Field of Search: 738/658, 307/31, 307/39, 307/112, 340/540, 340/501, 340/572.1, 340/628, 340/632, 340/3.1, 340/500, 340/506, 340/539.22, 702/188, 324/71.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/00 Investigating or analysing materials by specific methods not covered by groups G01N1/00 - G01N31/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0069 Charging or discharging for charge maintenance, battery initiation or rejuvenation

Abstract

An environmental monitoring device that includes a switching mechanism is described. During operation of the environmental monitoring device, the switching mechanism (such as a switch) selectively electrically couples a first electrical-connection node and a second electrical-connection node. For example, using the switching mechanism, an electronic device that is electrically coupled to the first electrical-connection node may be selectively electrically coupled to a second electronic device that is electrically coupled to the second electrical-connection node. The selective electrical coupling may be based on one or more measurements of an environmental condition in an external environment that includes the environmental monitoring device. Moreover, a sensor mechanism in the environmental monitoring device may provide sensor data based on the one or more measurements. Alternatively, an antenna and an interface circuit in the environmental monitoring device may receive the sensor data from a third electronic device.

Claims

1. An environmental monitoring device, comprising:

a first electrical-connection node configured to electrically couple to an electronic device that includes a power source;

a second electrical-connection node configured to electrically couple to a second electronic device that includes a rechargeable battery;

a switching mechanism, electrically coupled to the first electrical-connection node and the second electrical-connection node, configured to selectively electrically couple the first electrical-connection node and the second electrical-connection node;

a sensor mechanism that provides sensor data based on the one or more measurements of an environmental condition in an external environment that includes the environmental monitoring device, wherein the environmental condition is associated with charging of the rechargeable battery; and

a control mechanism, electrically coupled to the switching mechanism and the sensor mechanism, configured to;

provide a control signal to the switching mechanism to selectively electrically couple the first electrical-connection node and the second electrical-connection node based on the one or more measurements of the environmental condition;

select a charging mode of the rechargeable battery based on the one or more measurements of the environmental condition; and

predict failure of at least a component in one of the electronic device and the second electronic device based on the one or more measurements of the environmental condition as a function of time.

2. The environmental monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the charging mode includes one of:

a charging profile as a function of time that increases life of the rechargeable battery, a charging profile as a function of time that reduces a charging, time of the rechargeable battery, a charging profile as a function of time that reduces power consumption while charging the rechargeable battery.

3. The environmental monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the control mechanism is configured determine information associated with one of the electronic device and the second electronic device based on the one or more measurements of the environmental condition during operation of the one of the electronic device and the second electronic device;

and

wherein the predicted failure is based on the determined information.

4. The environmental monitoring device of claim 3, wherein the environmental condition is associated with a power-up transient signal of one of:

the electronic device, and the second electronic device.

5. The environmental monitoring device of claim 3, wherein the information includes one of:

a type of electronic device, a model of electronic device, a brand of electronic device, and a unique identifier of the one of the electronic device and the second electronic device.

6. The environmental monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the control mechanism is configured determine information associated with one of the electronic device and the second electronic device based on the one or more measurements environmental condition during operation of the one of the electronic device and the second electronic device.

7. The environmental monitoring device of claim 6, wherein the control mechanism is configured to associate a user with the determined information based a predefined list of electronic devices of the user.

8. The environmental monitoring device of claim 7, wherein the selective electrical coupling of the first electrical-connection node and the second electrical-connection node is based on a predefined preference of the user.

9. The environmental monitoring device of claim 6, wherein the environmental condition is associated with a power-up transient signal of one of:

the electronic, device, and the second electronic device.

10. The environmental monitoring device of claim 6, wherein the information includes one of:

a type of electronic device, a model of electronic device, a brand of electronic device, and a unique identifier of the one of the electronic device and the second electronic device.

11. The environmental monitoring device of claim 10, wherein the determining is based on a predefined device profile.

12. The environmental monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the sensor mechanism includes a load-monitoring sensor and the environmental condition includes an electrical characteristic associated with one of the electronic device, and the second electronic device.

13. The environmental monitoring device of claim 12, wherein the electrical characteristic includes one of a current, a voltage, a phase relative to at least a reference signal, a quality factor, a harmonic of a fundamental frequency, a resonance frequency, a time constant, noise, and power consumption.

14. The environmental monitoring device of claim 12, wherein the control mechanism is configured to selectively electrically decouple the first electrical-connection node from the second electrical-connection node when the electrical characteristic indicates a standby operating mode for the one of the electronic device, and the second electronic device.

15. The environmental monitoring device of claim 12, wherein the control mechanism is configured to selectively electrically decouple the first electrical-connection node from the second electrical-connection node when the electrical characteristic indicates a safety concern.

16. The environmental monitoring device of claim 15, wherein the safety concern includes one of:

a risk of electric shock, a short circuit, and a fire hazard.

17. A computer-program product for use in conjunction with an environmental monitoring device, the computer-program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium and a computer-program mechanism embedded therein to selectively electrically couple a first electrical-connection node and a second electrical-connection node, the computer-program mechanism including:

instructions for receiving sensor data based on one or more measurements of an environmental condition from a sensor mechanism in the environmental monitoring device, wherein the environmental condition is associated with charging of a rechargeable battery;

instructions for providing a control signal to a switching mechanism in the environmental monitoring device to selectively electrically couple the first electrical-connection node and the second electrical-connection node based on the one or more measurements of the environmental condition;

instructions for selecting a charging mode of the rechargeable battery based on the one or more measurements of the environmental condition; and

instructions for predicting failure of at least a component in one of the electronic device and the second electronic device based on the one or more measurements of the environmental condition as a function of time.

18. The computer-program product of claim 17, wherein charging mode includes one of:

a charging profile as a function of time that increases life of the rechargeable battery, a charging profile as a function of time that reduces a charging time of the rechargeable battery, a charging profile as a function of time that reduces power consumption while charging the rechargeable battery.

19. A control-mechanism-implemented method for selectively electrically coupling, a first electrical-connection node and a second electrical-connection node in an environmental monitoring device, wherein the method comprises:

receiving sensor data based on one or more measurements of an environmental condition from a sensor mechanism in the environmental monitoring device, wherein the environmental condition is associated with charging of a rechargeable battery;

using the control mechanism in the environmental monitoring device, providing a control signal to a switching mechanism in the environmental monitoring device to selectively electrically couple the first electrical-connection node and the second electrical-connection node based on the one or more measurements of the environmental condition;

selecting a charging mode of the rechargeable battery based on the one or more measurements of the environmental condition; and

predicting, failure of at least a component in one of the electronic device and the second electronic device based on the one or more measurements of the environmental condition as a function of time.

20. An environmental monitoring device, comprising:

a first electrical-connection node configured to electrically couple to an electronic device that includes a power source;

a second electrical-connection node configured to electrically couple a second electronic device that includes a rechargeable battery;

a switching mechanism, electrically coupled to the first electrical-connection node and the second electrical-connection node, configured to selectively electrically couple the first electrical-connection node and the second electrical-connection node;

a sensor mechanism that provides sensor data based on the one or more measurements of an environmental condition in an external environment that includes the environmental monitoring device, wherein the environmental condition is associated with charging of the rechargeable battery; and

a control mechanism, electrically coupled to the switching mechanism and the sensor mechanism, configured to;

provide a control signal to the switching mechanism to selectively electrically couple the first electrical-connection node and the second electrical-connection node based on the one or more measurements of the environmental condition;

select a charging mode of the rechargeable battery based on the one or more measurements of the environmental condition;

determine information associated with one of the electronic device and the second electronic device based on the one or more measurements environmental condition during operation of the one of the electronic device and the second electronic device; and

associate a user with the determined information based a predefined list of electronic devices of the user.

21. A computer-program product for use in conjunction with an environmental monitoring device, the computer-program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium and a computer-program mechanism embedded therein to selectively electrically couple a first electrical-connection node and a second electrical-connection node, the computer-program mechanism including:

instructions for receiving sensor data based on one or more measurements of an environmental condition from a sensor mechanism in the environmental monitoring device, wherein the environmental condition is associated with charging of a rechargeable battery;

instructions for providing a control signal to a switching mechanism in the environmental monitoring device to selectively electrically couple the first electrical-connection node and the second electrical-connection node based on the one or more measurements of the environmental condition;

instructions for selecting a charging mode of the rechargeable battery based on the one or more measurements of the environmental condition;

instructions for determining information associated with one of the electronic device and the second electronic device based on the one or more measurements environmental condition during operation of the one of the electronic device and the second electronic device; and

instructions for associating a user with the determined information based a predefined list of electronic devices of the user.

22. A control-mechanism-implemented method for selectively electrically coupling a first electrical-connection node and a second electrical-connection node in an environmental monitoring device, wherein the method comprises:

receiving sensor data based on one or more measurements of an environmental condition from a sensor mechanism in the environmental monitoring device, wherein the environmental condition is associated with charging of a rechargeable battery;

using the control mechanism in the environmental monitoring device, providing a control signal to a switching mechanism in the environmental monitoring device to selectively electrically couple the first electrical-connection node and the second electrical connection node based on the one or more measurements of the environmental condition;

selecting a charging mode of the rechargeable battery based on the one or more measurements of the environmental condition;

determining information associated with one of the electronic device and the second electronic device based on the one or more measurements environmental condition during operation of the one of the electronic device and the second electronic device; and

associating a user with the determined information based a predefined list of electronic devices of the user.