Systems and methods for remotely controlling a wall socket

• US 9,356,472 B2
• Filed: 09/02/2015
• Issued: 05/31/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: e5 Global Innovations, Inc.
• Original Assignee: e5 Global Innovations, Inc.
• Inventors: Hartmann, James J., Fritsch, Darren, Wittman, Brian Albert, McIntyre, James Edward, Kirchhoff, Austin, Seese, Jeff
• Primary Examiner(s): CAVALLARI, DANIEL J
• Application Number:
  US14/842,989
• Publication Number:
  US 20160065004A1
• Time in Patent Office: 272 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/22 by varying the duration of individual pulses
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2300/032 using RFID technology in switching devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/54 Circuit arrangements not adapted to a particular application of the switching device and for which no provision exists elsewhere
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/00 Management or operation of end-user stationary applications or the last stages of power distribution; Controlling, monitoring or operating thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/14 Protecting elements, switches, relays or circuit breakers
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/20 End-user application control systems

Abstract

A system permits wirelessly controlling the duty cycle of alternating current at a wall electrical outlet (152) remote from a wall electrical outlet (144) which is controlled by a wall switch (142).

Claims

1. A system useful for remotely controlling an alternating current across at least two electrical terminals, the system comprising:

a transmitting unit including

an alternating current detector configured to be electrically connected to a source of alternating current, the alternating current detector including a signal output;

a controller having

an external interrupt in communication with the signal output of the alternating current detector, and

a data output,

wherein the controller is configured to determine a duty cycle of a signal from said signal output of the alternating current detector and generate a signal representative thereof to said data output, and

an RF transmitter in communication with the controller data output, the RF transmitter being configured to wirelessly transmit data representative of the signal representative of the duty cycle; and

a receiving unit including

an electrical connector inlet configured to be connected to a wall outlet of alternating current,

an alternating current control in electrical communication with said electrical connector inlet and including a signal inlet and at least one pole of a controlled alternating current outlet,

a controller having a control signal output in signal communication with the alternating current control signal inlet, the controller including a data inlet;

an RF receiver having an outlet in signal communication with the controller data inlet, the RF receiver configured to receive data from the RF transmitter representative of duty cycle,

wherein the controller is configured to generate a signal representative of duty cycle data received from the RF receiver, and to output said signal to said controller control signal output, and

wherein the alternating current control is configured to change the duty cycle of alternating current across said electrical connector outlet based on the signal at said signal inlet from said controller.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein:

the receiving unit further comprises

a manually-operable wireless remote;

an RF transmitter in signal communication with the manually-operable wireless remote, the receiving unit RF transmitter being configured to wirelessly transmit data when said manually-operable wireless remote has been actuated; and

the transmitting unit further comprises

an RF receiver in signal communication with the receiving unit RF transmitter, the transmitting unit RF receiver being configured to communicate with said controller upon receipt of data representative that said manually-operable wireless remote has been actuated.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein the transmitting unit and the receiving unit together include a proximity sensing system configured and arranged to determine when the receiving unit is immediately adjacent to the transmitting unit.

4. A system according to claim 3, wherein the proximity sensing system comprises:

a pushbutton recessed in the transmitting unit; and

a finger that extends from the receiving unit, sized to extend into the transmitting unit and into contact with the pushbutton.

5. A system according to claim 3, wherein the proximity sensing system comprises:

a hall sensor in the transmitter unit; and

a magnet in the receiver unit.

6. A system according to claim 3, wherein the proximity sensing system comprises:

an infrared sensor and an infrared-transparent portion in the transmitter unit; and

an infrared emitter in the receiver unit.

7. A system according to claim 3, wherein the proximity sensing system is in signal communication with the controller.

8. A system according to claim 7, wherein the transmitter unit controller is further configured to generate a pairing data signal at said data output when said proximity sensing system indicates that said receiver unit is in close proximity to said transmitter unit.

9. A system according to claim 8, wherein:

the transmitter unit RF transmitter is configured to wirelessly transmit data representative of pairing data when said transmitter unit controller generates a pairing data signal;

the receiver unit RF receiver is configured to wirelessly receive said data representative of pairing data from said transmitter unit RF transmitter, and generate a pairing data signal; and

the receiver unit controller is further configured to receive and register said pairing data signal from the receiver unit RF receiver.

10. A system according to claim 9, wherein the receiver unit controller is further configured to control the alternating current control only when said transmitter unit transmits a pairing data signal the same as a registered pairing data signal.