# US 2018/0024583 A1 · Power tap with adjustable configuration > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0024583 A1 - Document ID: US20180024583A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/217,357 - Filed: 2016-07-22 - Published: 2018-01-25 - Earliest claimed: 2016-07-22 - Assignees: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc. - Applicants: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc. - Inventors: Steven T. Haensgen; John P. Caspers; Yutao T. Wang; Jeffrey A. Kilburn; Darryl E. Whitley - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180024583A1 ## CPC - G05F 1/66: Regulating electric power - G05B 19/0426: {Programming the control sequence} - G06F 1/26: Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof (for memories G11C) - G06F 1/3203: Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode - G06F 1/3209: Monitoring remote activity, e.g. over telephone lines or network connections - G05B 19/058: {Safety, monitoring} - G05B 23/02: Electric testing or monitoring - G05B 2219/15097: Power supply - H02J 3/14: by switching loads on to, or off from, the networks, e.g. progressively balanced loading - H02J 2105/12: supplying households or buildings - Y02B 70/3225: Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving - Y04S 20/222: Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving - G05F: SYSTEMS FOR REGULATING ELECTRIC OR MAGNETIC VARIABLES - G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY - Y02B: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS - Y04S: SYSTEMS INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO POWER NETWORK OPERATION, COMMUNICATION OR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES FOR IMPROVING THE ELECTRICAL POWER GENERATION, TRANSMISSION, DISTRIBUTION, MANAGEMENT OR USAGE, i.e. SMART GRIDS ## Abstract Systems and methods are provided for a power tap with adjustable configuration. The power tap includes a circuit board that acts on the adjustable configuration to define the function of the power tap in the system. The power tap may include a microcontroller or a set of discrete logic disposed on a circuit board connected to an adjustable configuration mechanism, which defines the intelligent power tap's function in the network system. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An intelligent power tap in a network system, comprising: a circuit board; a microcontroller disposed on the circuit board, wherein the microcontroller is configured to report the geographical location of the intelligent power tap; a physical layer network interface connected to the microcontroller and the network system; and an adjustable configuration mechanism connected to the microcontroller, with the adjustable configuration mechanism defining the intelligent power tap's function in the network system. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The intelligent power tap of claim 1, wherein the function comprises one of the following: a first power tap, a network power tap, a switched power tap, and a tap injecting both network power and switched power. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The intelligent power tap of claim 1, further comprising: one or more directional inject switches controlled by the microcontroller to selectively inject a network power from an incoming power supply cable to an outgoing network cable connected to the intelligent power tap. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The intelligent power tap of claim 1, further comprising: one or more directional inject switches controlled by the microcontroller to selectively inject a switched power from an incoming power supply cable to an outgoing network cable connected to the intelligent power tap. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The intelligent power tap of claim 1, further comprising: one or more bypass switches controlled by the microcontroller to selectively bypass a network power or a switched power from an incoming side of a network cable to an outgoing side of the network cable through the intelligent power tap. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The intelligent power tap of claim 1, further comprising: one or more directional inject switches controlled by the microcontroller, based upon the adjustable configuration mechanism or a configuration message from the communication network, to selectively inject a network power from an incoming power supply cable to an outgoing network cable connected to the intelligent power tap. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The intelligent power tap of claim 1, further comprising: one or more directional inject switches controlled by the microcontroller, based upon the adjustable configuration mechanism or a configuration message from the communication network, to selectively inject a switched power from an incoming power supply cable to an outgoing network cable connected to the intelligent power tap. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The intelligent power tap of claim 1, further comprising: one or more bypass switches controlled by the microcontroller, based upon the adjustable configuration mechanism or a configuration message from the communication network, to selectively bypass a network power or a switched power from an incoming side of a network cable to an outgoing side of a network cable through the intelligent power tap. ### Claim 9 A power tap in a network system, comprising: a circuit board; and an adjustable configuration mechanism that independently defines the power tap's function in the network system. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The power tap of claim 9, wherein the function comprises one of the following: a first power tap, a network power tap, a switched power tap, and a tap providing both network power and switched power. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The power tap of claim 9, further comprising: one or more directional inject switches configured to selectively inject network power from an incoming power supply cable to an outgoing network cable connected to the power tap. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The power tap of claim 9, further comprising: one or more directional inject switches configured to selectively inject switched power from an incoming power supply cable to an outgoing network cable connected to the power tap. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The power tap of claim 9, further comprising: one or more bypass switches configured to selectively bypass a network power or a switched power from an incoming side of a network cable to an outgoing side of a network cable through the power tap. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The power tap of claim 9, wherein the adjustable configuration mechanism comprises at least one of the following: a rotary switch, a dip switch, a rotary knob, a switch knob, and a touch screen. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The power tap of claim 9, wherein the one or more directional inject switches and the one or more bypass switches are controlled by discrete logic according to the function defined by the adjustable configuration mechanism. ### Claim 16 A power tap in a network system, comprising: a circuit board; a non-communication enabled microcontroller disposed on the circuit board; and an adjustable configuration monitored by the non-communication enabled microcontroller to define the power tap's function in the network system according to the configuration instruction. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The power tap of claim 16, wherein the function comprises one of the following: a first power tap, a network power tap, a switched power tap, and a tap providing both network power and switched power. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The power tap of claim 16, further comprising: one or more directional inject switches controlled by the non-communication enabled microcontroller to selectively inject a network power from an incoming power supply cable to an outgoing network cable connected to the power tap. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The power tap of claim 16, further comprising: one or more directional inject switches controlled by the non-communication enabled microcontroller to selectively inject a switched power from an incoming power supply cable to an outgoing network cable connected to the power tap. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The power tap of claim 16, further comprising: one or more bypass switches controlled by the non-communication enabled microcontroller to selectively bypass a network power or a switched power from an incoming side of a network cable to an outgoing side of a network cable through the power tap.