Power distribution unit and alarm method applied in the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10175282-B2
Application number	US-201715581024-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 28, 2017
Priority date	Jun 24, 2014
Publication date	Jan 8, 2019
Grant date	Jan 8, 2019

Abstract

A power distribution unit including a base, at least one socket, and at least one detecting unit is provided. The socket is disposed at the base and has a power end and a ground end. The detecting unit is disposed at the base and comprises at least two switches in communication with an AND gate. Communication between a plug and the socket is detected utilizing the AND gate. A voltage signal is output responsive to the detected communication. More specifically, a first voltage signal is output responsive to detection of receipt of both the power end and the ground end by the socket and/or receipt of the ground end by the socket and absence of the power end. A second voltage signal is output responsive to receipt of the power end by the socket and absence of the ground end.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
a first socket configured to receive a first plug having a first power end and a first ground end, the first socket disposed at a base; and
a first detecting unit in communication with the first socket, the first detecting unit disposed at the base, the first detecting unit comprising:
a first switch and a second switch, the first switch configured to detect receipt of the first power end by the first socket and the second switch configured to detect receipt of the first ground end by the first socket;
a first AND gate having a first input in communication with the first switch and a second input in communication with the second switch, the first AND gate configured to output a first voltage signal responsive to one of receipt of both the first power end and the first ground end and receipt of the first ground end and absence of the first power end; and
the first AND gate to output a second voltage signal responsive to receipt of the first power end and absence of the first ground end.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
each switch having a first switch end connected to a ground, and each switch having a second switch end connected to a preset power, the second switch end of the second switch connected to the second input of the first AND gate; and
an inverter having a first inverter end connected to the second switch end of the first switch, the inverter having a second inverter end connected to the first input of the first AND gate.

3. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first body configured to electrically communicate with the first power end, the first body in communication with the first switch and configured to electrically connect the first and second switch ends of the first switch responsive to receipt of the first power end by the first socket, wherein the first body has an elastic and electrically-conductive property.

4. The system of claim 3 , further comprising:
a second body configured to electrically communicate with the first ground end, the second body in communication with the second switch and configured to electrically connect the first and second switch ends of the second switch responsive to receipt of the first ground end by the first socket, wherein the second body has an elastic and electrically-conductive property.

5. The system of claim 4 , further comprising:
a first insulating elastomer in communication with the first switch and the first body, the first insulating elastomer configured to facilitate communication between the first switch and the first body.

6. The system of claim 5 , further comprising:
a second insulating elastomer in communication with the second switch and the second body, the second insulating elastomer configured to facilitate communication between the second switch and the second body.

7. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a management unit in electrical communication with a first output end of the first AND gate, the management unit to perform a predetermined operation responsive to the second voltage signal.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the predetermined operation is selected from the group consisting of: a visual alarm and an auditory alarm.

9. The system of claim 7 , further comprising:
a second socket configured to receive a second plug having a second power end and a second ground end, the second socket disposed at the base; and
a second detecting unit in communication with the second socket, the second detecting unit disposed at the base, the second detecting unit comprising:
a third switch and a fourth switch, the third switch configured to detect receipt of the second power end by the second socket and the fourth switch configured to detect receipt of the second ground end by the second socket;
a second AND gate having a third input in communication with the third switch and a fourth input in communication with the fourth switch, the second AND gate configured to output the first voltage signal responsive to one of receipt of both the second power end and the second ground end and receipt of the second ground end and absence of the second power end; and
the second AND gate to output a second voltage signal responsive to receipt of the second power end and absence of the second ground end; and

an OR gate in communication with the first output end of the first AND gate and a second output end of the second AND gate, the OR gate configured to output the second voltage to the management unit responsive to receipt of the second voltage signal from at least one of the first AND gate and the second AND gate.

10. A computer program product for employing a voltage signal responsive to detected communication between a socket and a plug, the computer program product comprising a computer readable hardware storage device having program code embodied therewith, the program code executable by a processing unit to:
configure a first socket to receive a first plug having a first power end and a first ground end, the first socket disposed at a base; and
configure a first detecting unit in communication with the first socket, the first detecting unit disposed at the base, the first detecting unit comprising:
a first switch and a second switch, the first switch configured to detect receipt of the first power end by the first socket and the second switch configured to detect receipt of the first ground end by the first socket; and
a first AND gate having a first input in communication with the first switch and a second input in communication with the second switch;

detect, utilizing the first AND gate, communication between the first plug and the first socket; and
output a voltage signal responsive to the detection including output a first voltage signal responsive to detection of one of receipt of both the first power end and the first ground end and receipt of the first ground end and absence of the first power end, and outputting a second voltage signal responsive to receipt of the first power end and absence of the first ground end.

11. The computer program product of claim 10 , further comprising program code to:
configure a management unit in electrical communication with an first output end of the first AND gate; and
perform a predetermined operation responsive to receipt of the second voltage signal by the management unit.

12. The computer program product of claim 11 , wherein the predetermined operation is selected from the group consisting of: a visual alarm and an auditory alarm.

13. A computer program product of claim 12 , further comprising program code to:
configure a second socket to receive a second plug having a second power end and a second ground end, the second socket disposed at the base; and
configure a second detecting unit in communication with the second socket, the second detecting unit disposed at the base, the second detecting unit comprising;
a third switch and a fourth switch, the third switch configured to detect receipt of the second power end by the second socket and the second switch configured to detect receipt of the second ground end by the second socket; and
a second AND gate having a first input in communication with the third switch and a second input in communication with the fourth switch;

detecting, utilizing the second AND gate, receipt of the second plug by the second socket;
output the voltage signal responsive to the detection including output the first voltage signal responsive to detection of one of receipt of both the second power end and the second ground end and receipt of the second ground end and absence of the second power end, and outpu

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Chen Wei T
• Darmanto Yulianti
• Lin Cheng-Hao
• Liu Y K
• Tsai Claire H W

Classifications

• G01R31/52

  Testing for short-circuits, leakage current or ground faults · CPC title

• G01R31/69

  of terminals at the end of a cable or a wire harness; of plugs; of sockets, e.g. wall sockets or power sockets in appliances · CPC title

• G08B21/185

  Electrical failure alarms · CPC title

• G01R31/50 Primary

  Testing of electric apparatus, lines, cables or components for short-circuits, continuity, leakage current or incorrect line connections (testing of sparking plugs H01T13/58) · CPC title

• G01R31/024 Primary

  Physics · mapped topic