PLUG DEVICE

• US 20100148591A1
• Filed: 06/24/2008
• Published: 06/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seong-Kyu Lim
• Original Assignee: Seong-Kyu Lim
• Inventors: Lim, Seong-Kyu
• Granted Patent: US 8,531,061 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/125
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/655 with earth brace
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6683 with built-in sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/70 with built-in switch
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2103/00 Two poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/30 with additional earth or shield contacts

Abstract

The present invention relates to a plug device, which can control the power source of an electrical product using a plug of the electrical product. The plug device includes a plug control circuit unit embedded in a plug main body of an electrical product, which is inserted in a power source outlet. The plug control circuit unit includes a switching unit coupled to internal p source lines of the plug control circuit unit, a current detection unit for detecting a current flowing from the internal power source lines to the electrical product, a wireless unit for receiving an external plug control wireless signal, and a controller for checking a current value corresponding to a non-operation of the electrical product and controlling the switching unit to switch on or off according to the checking result.

Claims

1. A plug device in which a plug control circuit unit is embedded in a plug main body of an electrical product, which is inserted in a power source outlet, wherein the plug control circuit unit senses a current corresponding to a power on/off state of the electrical product and selectively supplies a commercial AC power source to the electrical product or or blocks the supply of the AC power source according to a time interval during which the sensed current is sustained and an external power-on request, and internal power source lines coupled to terminals of the plug main body are connected to power source supply lines of the electrical product, wherein the plug control circuit unit comprises:

a switching unit connected to the internal power source lines;

a current detection unit for detecting a current flowing from the internal power source lines to the electrical product;

a wireless unit for receiving an external plug control wireless signal; and

a controller for, when a current value corresponding to a non-operation of the electrical product, which is being operated, is detected by the current detection unit, checking the non-operation state while monitoring the current detection unit during a first time interval and, when the non-operation state continues even after a Stand-by time interval while monitoring the current detection unit during a second time interval for verifying validity of the non-operation, controlling the switching unit to be switched off, wherein the controller controls the switching unit in response to the plug control wireless signal received through the wireless unit.

2. The plug device of claim 1, wherein if a current value corresponding to a non-operation state of the electrical product is detected in the state where the commercial AC power source is supplied to the electrical product through the plug main body according to a plug power-on request, the controller monitors the current detection unit during a third interval, and if the non-operation state is maintained, the controller controls the switching unit to be switched off.

3. The plug device of claim 1, wherein the plug main body includes at least one of a buzzer and an operating lamp that are operated under the control of the controller.

4. The plug device of claim 1, further comprising a remote control device having a keypad, a wireless unit, and a remote controller, wherein the remote control device controls the plug main body to be powered on through the wireless unit according to a plug power-on request using the keypad.

5. The plug device of claim 1, further comprising a remote control device having a keypad, a first wireless unit, a second wireless unit, and a remote controller, wherein the remote controller controls the switching unit to be powered on according to a power-on request for the electrical product using the keypad through the first wireless unit, and then controls the electrical product to be powered on through the second wireless unit.

9. The plug device of claim 2, wherein the plug main body includes at least one of a buzzer and an operating lamp that are operated under the control of the controller.

10. The plug device of claim 2, further comprising a remote control device having a keypad, a wireless unit, and a remote controller, wherein the remote control device controls the plug main body to be powered on through the wireless unit according to a plug power-on request using the keypad.

11. The plug device of claim 2, further comprising a remote control device having a keypad, a first wireless unit, a second wireless unit, and a remote controller, wherein the remote controller controls the switching unit to be powered on according to a power-on request for the electrical product using the keypad through the first wireless unit, and then controls the electrical product to be powered on through the second wireless unit.

6. A plug device comprising:

a plug control circuit unit embedded in a plug main body of an electrical product, which is inserted in a power source outlet, wherein the plug control circuit unit senses a current corresponding to a power on/off state of the electrical product, checks a time interval during which the sensed current is sustained, selectively supplies a commercial AC power source to the electrical product or or blocks the supply of the AC power source according to the time interval, and selectively supplies or blocks the commercial AC power source to the electrical product according to an external power-on request; and

a remote control device including a Jog/shuttle dial and keypads having a power source control key and configured to transmit a plug remote control wireless signal to a plug main body of a corresponding electrical product when the power source control key is pressed after the Jog/shuttle dial is turned through the keypad, wherein marks corresponding to a plurality of electrical appliances to be controlled remotely are formed on a surface of the Jog/shuttle dial.

7. The plug device of claim 6, wherein the plug control circuit unit comprises:

a switching unit connected to the internal power source lines;

a current detection unit for detecting a current flowing from the internal power source lines to the electrical product;

a wireless unit for receiving an external plug control wireless signal; and

a controller for, when a current value corresponding to a non-operation of the electrical product, which is being operated, is detected by the current detection unit, checking the non-operation state while monitoring the current detection unit during a first time interval and, when the non-operation state continues even after a Stand-by time interval while monitoring the current detection unit during a second time interval for verifying validity of the non-operation, controlling the switching unit to be switched off, wherein the controller controls the switching unit in response to the plug control wireless signal received through the wireless unit.

8. The plug device of claim 7, wherein if a current value corresponding to a non-operation state of the electrical product is detected in the state where the commercial AC power source is supplied to the electrical product through the plug main body according to a plug power-on request, the controller monitors the current detection unit during a third interval, and if the non-operation state is maintained, the controller controls the switching unit to be switched off.