System and method for automatically interrupting power to a secondary device upon the extinguishing of power to a primary device

A system for automatically interrupting power to at least one peripheral device, the system comprising:

• a primary device adapted to receive electrical energy from an external electrical energy source, the primary device at least partially controlling operation of the at least one peripheral device;
• a power strip having at least one switched outlet adapted to receive an electrical power cord plug from the at least one peripheral device;
• a voltage sensing device that selectively detects an operating voltage used by the primary device during operation of the primary device, the operating voltage being less than a voltage associated with power supplied by the external electrical energy source;
• and
• a switch, coupled to the voltage sensing device, that supplies electrical energy from the external electrical energy source to the at least one switched outlet in the event that the voltage sensing device detects the operating voltage of the primary device and deprives the at least one switched outlet from receiving electrical energy from the external electrical energy source in the event that the voltage sensing device does not detect the operating voltage of the primary device.

An automatic power interruption system comprising:

• a first device adapted to receive electrical energy from an external electrical energy source, the first device at least partially controlling operation of a second device;
• a power strip having at least one switched outlet adapted to receive an electrical power cord plug from the second device;
• a voltage sensing device that selectively detects an operating voltage used by the first device during operation of the first device, the operating voltage being less than a voltage associated with power supplied by the external electrical energy source;
• and
• a switch, coupled to the voltage sensing device, that supplies electrical energy from the external electrical energy source to the at least one switched outlet in the event that the voltage sensing device detects the operating voltage of the first device and deprives the at least one switched outlet from receiving electrical energy from the external electrical energy source in the event that the voltage sensing device does not detect the operating voltage of the first device.

A method for automatically causing at least one secondary device to become energized and de-energized by an external electrical energy source substantially simultaneously with a primary device through the use of an electrical power strip of the type having at least one switched outlet adapted to receive an electrical power cord plug, a voltage sensing device for selectively detecting an operating voltage used by the primary device during operation of the primary device, the operating voltage being less than a voltage associated with power supplied by the external electrical energy source, and a switch coupled to the voltage sensing device for selectively supplying or depriving electrical energy from the external electrical energy source to the at least one switched outlet, the method comprising:

• connecting a power cord of the at least one secondary device to the at least one switched outlet;
• and
• coupling the voltage sensing device to the primary device such that when the primary device is de-energized and the voltage sensing device is not supplying any voltage to the switch, the switch will be open to prevent current from passing to the at least one secondary device, and when the primary device is energized and producing an operating voltage and the voltage sensing device is supplying the operating voltage to the switch, the switch will close so as to permit power to pass through the at least one switched outlet to the at least one secondary device.

A method for automatically causing a second device to become energized and de-energized by an external electrical energy source substantially simultaneously with a first device, the method comprising:

• selectively detecting the presence of an operating voltage of the first device, the operating voltage being less than a voltage associated with power supplied by the external electrical energy source;
• supplying electrical energy from the external electrical energy source to a switched outlet of a power strip to which a power cord of the second device is connected in the event that the operating voltage of the first device is detected;
• and
• depriving the switched outlet from receiving electrical energy from the external electrical energy source in the event that the operating voltage of the first device is not detected.