This invention relates in general to controlling power to electronic devices and, in particular, to synchronizing power states of multiple electronic devices.
Electronic systems often include multiple interconnected devices that may each independently turn on and off. Home entertainment systems commonly include such interconnected devices. In addition to manual toggle switches, devices of such systems are often operable to receive remote transmissions toggling respective on/off power states. Some programmable remote controls, or universal remotes, may provide remote transmissions to a variety of different devices from a variety of manufacturers. However, efficiently synchronizing the on/off power states of the interconnected devices, which may each have independently controlled on/off toggle functionality, is limited for a variety of reasons.
In a method embodiment, a method for controlling power includes receiving a user input to control the on/off state of one or more electronic devices plugged into a plurality of respective power sockets in a power strip. The method further includes determining, by the power strip, an electrical characteristic of respective ones of the plurality of power sockets. Additionally, the method includes toggling the on/off state of the one or more of the plugged in electronic devices based on the determination.
In one embodiment, a power control system includes a power strip having a plurality of power sockets, a plurality of sensors, a receiver, a transmitter, and one or more processors. Each sensor is responsive to an electrical characteristic of respective ones of the plurality of power sockets. The receiver is operable to receive a remote input. The one or more processors are in communication with the receiver and one or more of the one or more sensors. In addition, each processor is operable to receive the remote input from the receiver and, in response, interpret one or more of the electrical characteristics and communicate the interpretation to a transmitter.
Technical advantages of some embodiments of the disclosure may include an enhanced intelligent synchronization of the on/off power states for the devices of an electrical system. In some embodiments, a universal remote control in communication with a universal power strip at least partially effects the intelligent synchronization. Various embodiments may further include communication having authentication keys that guarantee the use of specific brands of electronics.
It will be understood that the various embodiments of the disclosure may include some, all, or none of the enumerated technical advantages. In addition other technical advantages of the disclosure may be readily apparent to one skilled in the art from the figures, description, and claims included herein.
For a more complete understanding of the disclosure and features and advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
In accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure, a power control system and a method for the same are provided. By utilizing a programmable remote control operable to communicate with a power strip and a plurality of interconnected devices plugged into the power strip, particular embodiments of the present disclosure may intelligently synchronize the power states of the devices in accordance with a user request.
Particular examples and dimensions specified throughout this document are intended for example purposes only, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. In particular, this document is not intended to be limited to an electronic system, such as, an Audio/Visual system.
In the example embodiment, power strip 102 generally couples devices 106 to a power source 112 and facilitates the control of power states for devices 106. Power strip 102 includes an array of power sockets or outlet receptacles 108, each electrically coupled to power source 112 and each operable to receive a plug. One or more sensors 110 generally detect an electrical characteristic of a respective power socket 108. In this particular embodiment, sensors 110 are each a current-sensing resistor disposed in series to a respective power socket 108; however, other types of sensors and configurations may be used to detect any of a variety of electrical characteristics. In the example embodiment, each sensor 110 couples to control circuitry (not explicitly shown) for determining the amount of current drawn by devices 106 through respective power sockets 108 and for communicating the determination to a processor 114.
In the example embodiment, processor 114 in power strip 102 is generally operable to interpret whether the current quantification, provided by sensors 110 and associated control circuitry, indicate an on state or an off state for each plugged in device 106. As explained further with reference to
The communication between power strip 102 and controller 104 may be effected by any of a variety of processes. In the example embodiment, power strip 102 includes a transmitter/receiver 118 in communication with processor 114 and operable to communicate with a transmitter/receiver 122 of controller 104. The communication between transmitters/receivers 118 and 122 may be effected, for example, by wireless technology such as Bluetooth, infrared, or radio waves. The data communicated between transmitters/receivers 118 and 122 may include the on/off states of devices 106, as interpreted by processor 114, and requests for such information by controller 104. In some embodiments, a repeater 120 may facilitate the communication between the transmitters/receivers 118 and 122. Although the example embodiment uses wireless communication, other embodiments may alternatively use hardwired communication between power strip 102 and controller 104.
Controller 104 is generally operable to receive user input, receive communication from power strip 102 regarding the power states of devices 106, and send signals to the devices 106 that already comply with the user input. The signals of controller 104 may toggle the power states of the noncompliant devices 106. In the example embodiment, controller 104 generally includes a processor 124 coupled to transmitter/receiver 122, a user interface 126, and memory 128. As explained further below, user interface 126 is operable to receive user input, including programming instructions that may be stored in memory 128. Processor 124 is generally operable to interpret user input and control transmitter/receiver 122 accordingly.
In the example embodiment, transmitter/receiver 122 is further operable to communicate with the receivers 130 of devices 106; however, in various other embodiments controller 104 may include a separate transmitter or transmitter/receiver dedicated to communication with devices 106. As illustrated in
Devices 106 generally refer to any electronic device operable to receive communication from controller 104 and electrically couple to a respective power socket 108 of power strip 102. In the example embodiment, the devices 106 are interconnected audio/visual equipment. For example, electronic system 100 may include a Digital Video Disc (DVD) player 106b in communication with a stereo system 106c and a television 106a.
Conventional audio/visual devices typically use one control function for power, which toggles power between on and off states. Each control function typically is initiated by a manual button press on the audio/visual device or by receipt of a remote transmission. Although conventional universal remote controls typically are operable to send the appropriate remote transmissions, most universal remote controls have no way of ascertaining the present power state of each audio/visual device. Thus, most universal remote controls cannot positively execute a macro to turn on several audio/visual devices because a toggle instruction sent to a device that is already on will incorrectly turn off the device.
Accordingly, some particular embodiments of the present invention may intelligently synchronize the power states of audio/visual devices 106 of an electronic system 100. In some embodiments, the synchronization may be effected by using a universal remote control 104 that first determines the current power state of devices 106, and then sends on/off toggle transmissions only to those devices 106 with current power states noncompliant with a user inputted macro. In some embodiments, use of a power strip 102 in determining the current power states may improve the universality of the power state synchronization. The electronic system 100 of various embodiments may further include authentication communication to guarantee the use of specific brands of power strips 102, remote controls 104, and devices 106. In such embodiments, the authentication communication between components 102, 104, and 106 may include the exchange of authentication keys via, for example, radio waves, infrared, Bluetooth, wire, and/or power line encoding. Processes associated with these generalized example embodiments are illustrated in
Processor 114 stores in memory 116 an association between the device 106 and the particular power socket 108 in block 210. In block 212, processor 114 writes to memory 116 an electrical characteristic threshold associated with the power states of the device 106. The threshold is at least partially based on the electrical characteristic delta sensed by the sensor resulting from the toggle of block 206. The threshold is set in block 212 such that the quantified electrical characteristics of the on and off power states of the device 106 are on opposite sides of the threshold. For example, sensing a high to low current change may indicate an on to off transition resulting from the toggle of block 206. In such a case, the threshold set in block 212 may be, for example, a current value midway between the high and low currents sensed by sensors 110 as a result of the toggle of block 206. In block 214, a decision is made regarding whether all the devices 106 have been mapped with set thresholds. If not, process 200 loops back to block 206 and continues with the next device 106. Otherwise, process 200 terminates in block 216.
In block 306, the present on/off power states of devices 106 are compared to the respective power states of the requested synchronization. As described previously with reference to
Although the present invention has been described in several embodiments, a myriad of changes, variations, alterations, transformations, and modifications may be suggested to one skilled in the art, and it is intended that the present invention encompass such changes, variations, alterations, transformations, and modifications as falling within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.