Remotely controllable electrical sockets with plugged appliance detection and identification
First Claim
1. A remotely controllable electrical socket, comprising:
- an electrical conductor that receives a plug of an electrical device and that provides power to the electrical device, the plug associated with a tag that provides identifying information that corresponds to the electrical device, wherein the identifying information includes a type of appliance associated with the electrical device;
a tag reader that obtains the identifying information from the tag associated with the plug of the electrical device, the tag reader including one or more electrical contacts that electrically connect the tag to the tag reader when the electrical conductor receives the plug of the electrical device;
a sensor that detects that the plug is inserted in the socket, wherein the sensor further identifies a power state of the electrical device when the sensor detects that the plug of the electrical device is inserted in the socket, the power state identifying whether the electrical device is currently in a powered ON state or is currently in a powered OFF state;
a communications interface communicatively coupling the tag reader with the computing device, the communications interface for sending information to a computing device, the information including the identifying information, information indicating that the plug is inserted in the socket, and information indicating the power state of the electrical device; and
a switch coupling the electrical conductor to a power supply, the switch being selectively controllable from the computing device based on the information received at the computing device, wherein the computing device generates a periodic alarm based on the information received from the communications interface and user preferences, the user preferences indicating a maximum time duration that the electrical device is specified to remain in the powered ON state, wherein the periodic alarm begins to be generated when the electrical device is identified to have been in the powered ON state past the maximum time duration specified by the user preferences.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Embodiments of the present invention provide for a remotely controllable electrical socket. Such sockets may include an electrical conductor for receiving a plug of an electrical device. The plug may be associated with a tag for receiving identifying information that corresponds to the electrical device. Exemplary sockets may further include a tag reader for obtaining identifying information from the tag, a sensor for detecting if the plug is inserted in the outlet, and a communications interface for wirelessly sending information to a computing device regarding the identifying information and whether the plug is inserted in the outlet. The communications interface may also receive operational instructions from the computing device (e.g., to turn the power to the plug/electrical device ON or OFF).
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A remotely controllable electrical socket, comprising:
-
an electrical conductor that receives a plug of an electrical device and that provides power to the electrical device, the plug associated with a tag that provides identifying information that corresponds to the electrical device, wherein the identifying information includes a type of appliance associated with the electrical device; a tag reader that obtains the identifying information from the tag associated with the plug of the electrical device, the tag reader including one or more electrical contacts that electrically connect the tag to the tag reader when the electrical conductor receives the plug of the electrical device; a sensor that detects that the plug is inserted in the socket, wherein the sensor further identifies a power state of the electrical device when the sensor detects that the plug of the electrical device is inserted in the socket, the power state identifying whether the electrical device is currently in a powered ON state or is currently in a powered OFF state; a communications interface communicatively coupling the tag reader with the computing device, the communications interface for sending information to a computing device, the information including the identifying information, information indicating that the plug is inserted in the socket, and information indicating the power state of the electrical device; and a switch coupling the electrical conductor to a power supply, the switch being selectively controllable from the computing device based on the information received at the computing device, wherein the computing device generates a periodic alarm based on the information received from the communications interface and user preferences, the user preferences indicating a maximum time duration that the electrical device is specified to remain in the powered ON state, wherein the periodic alarm begins to be generated when the electrical device is identified to have been in the powered ON state past the maximum time duration specified by the user preferences. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 18)
-
-
10. A method for providing a remotely controllable electrical socket, the method comprising:
-
connecting an electrical conductor to a plug of an electrical device to provide power to the electrical device, the plug associated with a tag that provides identifying information that corresponds to the electrical device to a tag reader, wherein the identifying information includes a type of appliance associated with the electrical device, and the tag reader including one or more electrical contacts that electrically connect the tag to the tag reader when the electrical conductor receives the plug of the electrical device; obtaining the identifying information from the tag associated with the plug of the electrical device; detecting when the plug is inserted in the socket; identifying a power state of the electrical device, the power state identifying whether the electrical device is currently in a powered ON state or is currently in a powered OFF state; sending information to a computing device, the information including the identifying information, information indicating that the plug is inserted in the socket, and information indicating the power state of the electrical device; coupling the electrical conductor to a power supply via a switch, the switch being selectively controllable from the computing device based on the information received at the computing device; and generating a periodic alarm based on the information received at the computing device and user preferences, the user preferences indicating a maximum time duration that the electrical device is specified to remain in the powered ON state, wherein the periodic alarm begins to be generated when the electrical device is identified to have been in the powered ON state past the maximum time duration specified by the user preferences. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20)
-
Specification