ELECTRICAL TAGGING DEVICE

• US 20110153112A1
• Filed: 08/08/2008
• Published: 06/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intacept Pty Limited
• Original Assignee: Inta Holdings Pty., Limited
• Inventors: Knagge, Geoffrey Scott, Lynn, Mark Geoffrey, Vander Hout, Jan Huibert
• Granted Patent: US 8,620,485 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/297
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 3/00 Registering or indicating the condition or the working of machines or other apparatus, other than vehicles

Abstract

An electronic tag (8) displays and monitors a maintenance state of an associated electrically-powered device. The tag includes data storage (2) for storing data indicative of the maintenance state, the data comprising information defining an expiry date for the maintenance state. A data processing unit (3) monitors a remaining duration to the expiry date and a display (4) displays information indicative of the maintenance state. A cut-out unit (7) controllably enables transmission of electrical power to the associated electrically powered device dependent on the remaining duration.

Claims

1. An electronic tag for displaying a maintenance state of an associated electrically-powered device, the tag comprising:

data storage for storing data indicative of the maintenance state, the data comprising information defining an expiry date for the maintenance state;

a data processing unit that, in use, monitors a remaining duration to the expiry date;

a display that displays information indicative of the maintenance state; and

a cut-out unit that controllably enables transmission of electrical power to the associated electrically powered device dependent on the remaining duration.

2. An electronic tag according to claim 1 wherein the maintenance state indicates that the associated device has been tested and the expiry date represents a date by which further testing of the device is due.

3. An electronic tag according to claim 1 wherein the cut-out unit enables transmission of electrical power if the remaining duration exceeds a specified threshold and the cut-out unit disables transmission of electrical power to the associated device if the remaining duration is less than the specified threshold.

4. An electronic tag according to claim 1 wherein the cut-out unit comprises at least one relay.

5. An electronic tag according to claim 1 wherein the cutout unit has a fail-safe operation in which transmission of electrical power to the associated device is disabled in the absence of an activating signal from the data processing unit to the cut-out unit.

6. An electronic tag according to claim 1 further comprising by-pass switching that, if activated, by-passes the cut-out unit and enables transmission of electrical power to the associated device.

7. An electronic tag according to claim 1, further comprising an audio output for emitting an audible signal if the remaining duration is less than a specified threshold.

8. An electronic tag according to claim 7 wherein the audio output selectively emits at least two different audible signals, the data processing unit selecting one of the audible signals dependent on the remaining duration.

9. An electronic tag according to claim 1 wherein said data storage has sufficient capacity to store test data obtained from scheduled testing of the associated electrically-powered device.

10. An electronic tag according to claim 1 wherein the display displays the expiry date of the maintenance state.

11. An electronic tag according to claim 1 further comprising a power source.

12. An electronic tag according to claim 1, wherein the tag comprises one or more modules, and the data storage, the data processing unit, and the display are distributed between different modules.

13. An electronic tag according to claim 12, wherein the data storage means is located in a tag unit, and the data processing means is located in a tag controller.

14. An electronic tag according to claim 13 wherein a plurality of tag units communicate with the tag controller.

15. An electronic tag according to claim 13, wherein the tag controller is incorporated into a power board configured for insertion into an electrical outlet.

16. A plug configured for insertion into an electrical outlet, the plug comprising an electronic tag according to claim 1.

17. A plug according to claim 16, further comprising sockets, wherein pressing pins of a testing unit into the sockets bypasses the electronic tag.

19. An electrical lead comprising:

an electronic tag according to claim 1 operable to store and display the maintenance state of the electrical lead.

22. An electrical appliance comprising an electronic tag according to claim 1 operable to store and display the maintenance state of the electrical appliance.

18. A plug configured for insertion into an electrical outlet, the plug comprising

an electronic tag for displaying a maintenance state of the plug, wherein the electronic tag comprises:

data storage for storing data indicative of the maintenance state, the data comprising information defining an expiry date for the maintenance state;

a data processing unit that, in use, monitors a remaining duration to the expiry date;

a display that displays information indicative of the maintenance state.

20. An electrical lead according to claim 18 comprising means for resetting the maintenance state if the electronic tag is separated from the lead.

21. An electrical lead comprising an electronic tag for displaying a maintenance state of the electrical lead, wherein the electronic tag comprises:

data storage for storing data indicative of the maintenance state, the data comprising information defining an expiry date for the maintenance state;

a data processing unit that, in use, monitors a remaining duration to the expiry date;

a display that displays information indicative of the maintenance state.

23. A method of monitoring a maintenance state of an electrically-powered device on an electronic tag associated with the device, the method comprising:

storing data on the electronic tag indicating that the electrically-powered device has been successfully tested and defining an expiry date for the maintenance state;

monitoring a remaining duration to the expiry date;

displaying information indicative of the maintenance state;

enabling transmission of electrical power to the device if the remaining duration exceeds a specified value; and

disabling transmission of electrical power to the device if the remaining duration is less than the specified value.

24. A method according to claim 23 comprising emitting a control signal if the remaining duration is in a specified range, wherein the control signal activates an output to indicate that the expiry date is approaching.

25. A method according to claim 24 comprising altering at least one characteristic of the output dependent on the remaining duration.

27. A computer program product having program code recorded thereon operable to effect the method of claim 23.

26. (canceled)

28. (canceled)

29. (canceled)