Controllable electrical outlet with a controlled wired output

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10923911-B2
Application number	US-201916512700-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 16, 2019
Priority date	Feb 28, 2014
Publication date	Feb 16, 2021
Grant date	Feb 16, 2021

Abstract

A controllable electrical outlet may be used to control one or more standard electrical outlets. The controllable electrical outlet may include a first connection configured to be electrically coupled to a hot connection, a second connection configured to be electrically coupled to a standard electrical outlet, and a third connection configured to be electrically coupled to a neutral connection. The controllable electrical outlet may also include a load control circuit, a communication circuit, and a control circuit. The load control circuit may be electrically coupled in series between the first and second screw terminals to control power delivered to the standard electrical outlet, and the control circuit may be coupled to the load control circuit and the communication circuit. The control circuit may be configured to control power delivered to the standard electrical outlet in response to a wireless signal received via the communication circuit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A controllable electrical outlet comprising:
a first connection configured to be coupled to a power source to receive a hot voltage;
a second connection configured to be coupled to a downstream electrical outlet for providing power to the downstream electrical outlet;
an electrical receptacle configured to receive a plug of a plug-in electrical load and provide power via the hot voltage at the first connection to the plug;
a switch coupled between the first and second connections to control power to the second connection;
a communication circuit; and
a control circuit coupled to the switch, and the communication circuit, the control circuit configured to:
receive a message via the communication circuit;
determine that the at least one message comprises an indication to disconnect power;
based at least in part on determining that the at least one message comprises the indication to disconnect power, determine whether one or more plug-in electrical loads plugged into the downstream electrical outlet are off or in a standby mode;
based on determining that the one or more plug-in electrical loads plugged into the downstream electrical outlet are off or in a standby mode,
control the switch to disconnect power from the second connection in response to the received message; and
based on determining that the one or more plug-in electrical loads plugged into the downstream electrical outlet are on or not in a standby mode, the control circuit is configured not to disconnect power from the second connection in response to the indication to disconnect power.

2. The controllable electrical outlet of claim 1 , wherein based at least in part on determining that the at least one message comprises the indication to disconnect power, the control circuit is further configured to determine whether one or more plug-in electrical loads plugged into the downstream electrical outlet are not charging a rechargeable load, and
based on the determination, control the switch to disconnect power from the second connection in response to the received message.

3. The controllable electrical outlet of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is configured to determine that the at least one message comprises an indication to disconnect power when the at least one message comprises an indication of a vacancy condition from a sensor.

4. The controllable electrical outlet of claim 3 , further wherein the control circuit is configured to store a type of input device comprising the sensor in response to receiving the at least one message from the sensor; and
transmit, to a system controller, a message comprising the type of input device.

5. The controllable electrical outlet of claim 1 , further comprising:
a sense circuit coupled to the switch and the control circuit to measure a magnitude of a current conducted through the second connection.

6. The controllable electrical outlet of claim 5 , where in response to receiving the message via the communication circuit, the control circuit is configured to determine whether the one or more plug-in electrical loads plugged into the downstream electrical outlet are off or in a standby mode by:
comparing the magnitude of the current conducted through the second connection, as measured by the sense circuit, to a threshold; and
wherein when the magnitude of the current conducted through the second connection is below the threshold, the control circuit is configured to determine that the one or more plug-in electrical loads are off or in a standby mode; and
wherein when the magnitude of the load current conducted through the second connection is above the threshold, the control circuit is configured to determine that the one or more plug-in electrical loads are on or not in a standby mode.

7. The controllable electrical outlet of claim 1 , wherein the controllable electrical outlet is further configured to control power delivered to the electrical receptacle.

8. The controllable electrical outlet of claim 6 , wherein the electrical outlet is configured to be mounted in an electrical wallbox.

9. The controllable electrical outlet of claim 7 , wherein the first and second connections comprise screw terminals, and wherein the power source comprises an alternating current (AC) mains voltage.

10. The controllable electrical outlet of claim 1 , further comprising:
an enclosure having a rear surface;
wherein the first and second connections comprise first and second plugs arranged on the rear surface of the enclosure.

11. The controllable electrical outlet of claim 10 , wherein the electrical receptacle is provided on a front surface or a side surface of the enclosure.

12. The controllable electrical outlet of claim 1 , further comprising at least one actuator coupled to the control circuit;
wherein in response to receiving an actuation of the actuator, the control circuit is further configured to:
associate the controllable electrical outlet with a device such that the electrical outlet is responsive to messages transmitted by the device; and
wherein the received message is transmitted by the device.

13. The controllable electrical outlet of claim 12 , wherein the controllable electrical outlet is configured to be mounted in an electrical wallbox; and
wherein the at least one actuator is located on an outer surface of the controllable electrical outlet such that the at least one actuator is accessible to a user when the controllable electrical outlet is mounted in the electrical wallbox.

14. The controllable electrical outlet of claim 1 , wherein the communication circuit comprises an RF receiver configured to receive RF signals.

15. The controllable electrical outlet of claim 14 , wherein the message comprises RF signals in accordance with one of the following protocols: Clear Connect, WiFi, Bluetooth, ZIGBEE, Z-Wave, Wireless M Bus, KNX-RF, and EnOcean Radio.

16. The controllable electrical outlet of claim 1 , wherein the switch comprises a relay.

Assignees

• Lutron Tech Co Llc

Inventors

• Raneri Daniel C
• Guellnitz Joseph C
• Spira Joel S

Classifications

• H01R13/6683 Primary

  with built-in sensor · CPC title

• H02J3/00

  Circuit arrangements for AC mains or AC distribution networks · CPC title

• H01R25/006

  the coupling part being secured to apparatus or structure, e.g. duplex wall receptacle · CPC title

• H01R31/065

  with built-in electric apparatus · CPC title

• H01R24/78

  with additional earth or shield contacts · CPC title