Systems and methods for remotely controlling a wall socket

• US 9,729,009 B2
• Filed: 03/08/2016
• Issued: 08/08/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: e5 Global Innovations, Inc.
• Original Assignee: e5 Global Innovations, Inc.
• Inventors: Wittman, Brian Albert, Fritsch, Darren, McIntyre, James Edward, Kirchhoff, Austin, Hartmann, James J., Seese, Jeff
• Primary Examiner(s): CAVALLARI, DANIEL J
• Application Number:
  US15/063,608
• Publication Number:
  US 20160226307A1
• Time in Patent Office: 518 Days
• 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:

transmitting means including

alternating current detecting means for electrical connection to a source of alternating current, the alternating current detecting means including a signal output;

controller means having

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

a data output,

wherein the controller means is further for determining a duty cycle of a signal from said signal output of the alternating current detecting means and generating a signal representative thereof to said data output, and

RF transmitting means in communication with the controller means data output, the RF transmitting means for wirelessly transmitting data representative of the signal representative of the duty cycle; and

receiving means including

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

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

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

RF receiving means having an outlet in signal communication with the controller means data inlet, the RF receiving means for receiving data from the RF transmitting means representative of duty cycle,

wherein the controller means is further for generating a signal representative of duty cycle data received from the RF receiving means, and to output said signal to said controller means control signal output, and

wherein the alternating current control means is further for changing the duty cycle of alternating current across said electrical connector outlet based on the signal at said signal inlet from said controller means.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein:

the receiving means further comprises

manually-operable wireless remote means;

RF transmitting means in signal communication with the manually-operable wireless remote means, the receiving means RF transmitting means being further for wirelessly transmitting data when said manually-operable wireless remote means has been actuated; and

the transmitting means further comprises

RF receiving means in signal communication with the receiving means RF transmitting means, the transmitting means RF receiving means being further for communicating with said controller means upon receipt of data representative that said manually-operable wireless remote means has been actuated.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein the transmitting means and the receiving means together include proximity sensing means for determining when the receiving means is immediately adjacent to the transmitting means.

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

pushbutton means recessed in the transmitting means; and

finger means that extends from the receiving means, for extending into the transmitting means and into contact with the pushbutton means.

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

hall sensor means in the transmitting means; and

magnet means in the receiving means.

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

infrared sensing means and an infrared-transparent portion in the transmitting means; and

infrared emitting means in the receiving means.

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

8. A system according to claim 7, wherein the controller means of the transmitting means is further for generating a pairing data signal at said data output when said proximity sensing means indicates that said receiving means is in close proximity to said transmitting means.

9. A system according to claim 8, wherein:

the RF transmitting means of the transmitting means is further for wirelessly transmitting data representative of pairing data when said controller means of the transmitting means generates a pairing data signal;

the RF receiving means of the receiving means is further for wirelessly receiving said data representative of pairing data from said RF transmitting means of the transmitting means, and generating a pairing data signal; and

the controller means of the receiving means is further for receiving and registering said pairing data signal from the RF receiving means of the receiving means.

10. A system according to claim 9, wherein the controller means of the receiving means is further for controlling the alternating current control means only when said transmitting means transmits a pairing data signal the same as a registered pairing data signal.