Control of power distribution system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9728977-B2
Application number	US-201414271614-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 7, 2014
Priority date	May 7, 2014
Publication date	Aug 8, 2017
Grant date	Aug 8, 2017

Abstract

A method of controlling a plurality of outlets and a first and a second non-transitory medium for use in connection with in a power distribution. The power distribution system includes a handheld device, a power distribution device, and the plurality of outlets. The handheld device includes a first controller. The power distribution device includes a second controller and is coupled to the plurality of outlets to provide electrical power thereto. The power distribution device is physically separated from the plurality of outlets and is located not in close proximity to an outlet of the plurality of outlets. Each outlet of the plurality of outlets includes a socket and indicia located proximate to the socket. The first non-transitory medium includes instructions that when executed by the first controller cause the first controller to scan indicia of a first outlet and receive a set of input data. The first non-transitory medium also includes instructions that when executed by the first controller cause the first controller to determine and transmit a target setting of the first outlet based on the first set of input data and the scanned indicia. The second non-transitory medium includes instructions that when executed by the second controller cause the second controller to receive the target setting, and provide electrical power to the first outlet based on the target setting.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A first and a second non-transitory medium for use in connection with a power distribution system comprising a handheld device, a power distribution device, and a plurality of outlets, the handheld device including a first controller, the power distribution device including a second controller, the power distribution device is located in a first room and is physically separated from the plurality of outlets, a first outlet of the plurality of outlets is located in a second room, each outlet of the plurality of outlets including a socket and indicia located proximate to the socket,
the first non-transitory medium comprising instructions that when executed by the first controller cause the first controller to:
scan indicia of the first outlet,
determine an identifier of the first outlet based on the scanned indicia,
receive a set of input data via a user interface,
determine a target setting of the first outlet based on the set of input data and the scanned indicia, and
transmit the target setting,

the second non-transitory medium comprising instructions that when executed by the second controller cause the second controller to:
receive the target setting, and
provide electrical power to the first outlet based on the target setting.

2. The first and the second non-transitory medium of claim 1 , wherein the handheld device further includes at least one selected from a group consisting of a camera, a barcode scanner, and a barcode reader.

3. The first and the second non-transitory medium of claim 1 , wherein the indicia includes at least one selected from a group consisting of a linear barcode and a matrix barcode.

4. The first and the second non-transitory medium of claim 1 , wherein the first non-transitory medium further includes instructions that when executed by the first controller cause the first controller to display information of the first outlet with the user interface.

5. The first and the second non-transitory medium of claim 4 , wherein the information includes at least one selected from a group consisting of the identifier, a power configuration, a power level, and a text message.

6. The first and the second non-transitory medium of claim 1 , wherein the target setting includes at least one selected from a group consisting of a power configuration and a power level.

7. The first and the second non-transitory medium of claim 1 , wherein the target setting includes a power configuration, the power configuration having one selected from a group consisting of dimmer, relay, on, and off.

8. The first and the second non-transitory medium of claim 1 , wherein the second non-transitory medium further includes instructions that when executed by the second controller cause the second controller to prohibit the first outlet from receiving electrical power based on the target setting.

9. A method of controlling a plurality of outlets in a power distribution system comprising a handheld device, a power distribution device, and the plurality of outlets, the handheld device including a first controller and a first communication module coupled to the first controller, the power distribution device including a second controller and a second communication module coupled to the second controller, the power distribution device being coupled to the plurality of outlets to provide electrical power thereto, the power distribution device being physically separated from the plurality of outlets, each outlet of the plurality of outlets including a socket and indicia located proximate to the socket, the method comprising:
scanning, with the handheld device, indicia of a first outlet;
receiving, with the first controller, a set of input data via a user interface;
determining, with the first controller, a target setting of the first outlet based on the set of input data and the scanned indicia;
determining, with the first controller, an identifier of the first outlet based on the scanned indicia;
transmitting, with the first communication module, the target setting;
receiving, with the second communication module, the target setting; and
providing, with the second controller, electrical power to the first outlet based on the target setting,
wherein the power distribution device is located in a first room and the first outlet is located in a second room.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising
determining, with the second controller, a present setting of the first outlet;
transmitting, with the second communication module, the present setting;
receiving, with the first communication module, the present setting; and
displaying, with a user interface coupled to the first controller, the present setting.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the present setting is different from the target setting.

12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising transmitting, with the first communication module, the identifier; and receiving, with the second communication module, the identifier.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising determining, with the second controller, a present setting of the first outlet based on the identifier.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the target setting includes at least one selected from a group consisting of a power configuration and a power level.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the target setting includes a power configuration, the power configuration having one selected from a group consisting of dimmer, relay, on, and off.

16. The method of claim 9 , wherein the indicia includes at least one selected from a group consisting of a linear barcode, a matrix barcode, a human readable number.

17. The method of claim 9 , further comprising prohibiting, with the second controller, the first outlet from receiving electrical power based on the target setting.

Assignees

• Electronic Theatre Controls Inc

Inventors

• Lichter Michael
• Steer Tom
• North David
• Dunnum Jake

Classifications

• H02J2105/42

  Home appliances · CPC title

• H02J13/12

  Monitoring network conditions, e.g. electrical magnitudes or operational status · CPC title

• H02J13/10

  characterised by displaying of information or by user interaction, e.g. supervisory control and data acquisition [SCADA] systems · CPC title

• H02J13/14 Primary

  the power network being locally controlled, e.g. home energy management systems [HEMS] · CPC title

• Y04S20/222

  Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving · CPC title