US 12,744,395 B2 · Method and apparatus to supply DC power with variable voltage

Abstract

The smart DC outlet and plug system described in this patent aims to revolutionize power distribution by improving efficiency and safety compared to traditional AC outlets. By supporting variable DC voltage, integrating safety features, enabling demand control, and utilizing Power Line Communication for connectivity, the system offers a more advanced solution for powering devices. The smart outlet employs plug identification to determine the priority level and required voltage of the plugged-in device and then sets it to that level. Since DC electricity is produced by solar and used in batteries, by transitioning the in-home power distribution to DC, power is not lost converting from DC to AC and back to DC. Additionally, the outlet includes safety features not found in AC outlets. A power meter box or other central controller can deactivate less critical devices, enabling fine-grain demand control as a better alternative to rolling blackouts.

Claims8

Dependent claims

A power receptacle providing variable DC voltage comprising:

a. a configurable voltage regulator able to generate a plurality of output voltages from a fixed input DC voltage from a home main wire;
b. four electrical connections including a positive, information, neutral, and ground electrical contacts arranged across a power receptacle connecting surface;
c. four magnets arranged across the power receptacle connecting surface, a pair of two with south polarity on either side of the information electrical contact and a pair of two with north polarity on either side of the ground electrical contact to secure an electrical plug to the power receptacle and align the respective conductive electrical contacts;
d. a digital compute device which stores a minimum priority level and is configured to read a plug identification module stored information to determine a required DC voltage and a priority level;
e. supplying the required DC voltage through the positive and neutral electrical connections if the priority level not less than the minimum priority level and supplying zero volts otherwise.

2 more elements

A system of grid-level power demand control using a power receptacle, an electrical plug, and a central controller, the system comprising:

a. the power receptacle having a power receptacle connecting surface including a positive, information, neutral, and ground electrical contacts;
b. the electrical plug having an electrical plug connecting surface including a positive, information, neutral, and ground electrical contacts;
c. the power receptacle having four magnets arranged across the power receptacle connecting surface, a pair of two with south polarity on either side of the information electrical contact and a pair of two with north polarity on either side of the ground electrical contact to secure the electrical plug to the power receptacle and align the respective conductive electrical contacts;
d. the electrical plug having four magnets arranged across the electrical plug connecting surface, a pair of two with north polarity on either side of the information electrical contact and a pair of two with south polarity on either side of the ground electrical contact;
e. the power receptacle having a configurable voltage regulator able to generate a plurality of output voltages from a fixed DC voltage from a home main wire;
f. the electrical plug having a plug identification module stored information;
and the power receptacle having a stored minimum priority level;
g. the power receptacle being configured to read the plug identification module stored information from a connected electrical plug and to determine a priority associated with the electrical plug based on the plug identification module stored information;
h. the central controller configured to transmit an updated minimum priority level to the power receptacle through the home main wiring;
i. the power receptacle having a communications module configured to receive the updated minimum priority level from the central controller through the home main wiring and to update the stored minimum priority level;
j. the power receptacle which compares the priority associated with the electrical plug to the stored minimum priority level and supplies zero volts if the priority associated level is less than the minimum priority level.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and apparatus to supply DC power with variable voltage

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus to supply DC power with variable voltage

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims8