# US 7,608,945 B2 · Apparatus for controlling power supply to electronic devices > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,608,945 B2 - Document ID: US7608945B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/309,792 - Filed: 2006-09-28 - Published: 2007-06-21 - Granted: 2009-10-27 - Earliest claimed: 2005-12-02 - Assignees: HONG FU JIN PRECISION INDUSTRY (ShenZhen) CO., LTD.; Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Ke Sun - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7608945B2 ## CPC - G06F 1/26: Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof (for memories G11C) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract An apparatus for controlling a power supply includes a plug, a plurality of electrical outlets, a communication interface, an encoder, and a selecting circuit. The selecting circuit is electrically coupled between the electrical outlets and the plug. The encoder receives a control signal via the communication interface and outputs a selecting signal to the selecting circuit. The selecting circuit controls connections between the electrical outlets and the plug via the selecting signal. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus for controlling a power supply, comprising: a plug adapted to be connected to a power source; a plurality of electrical outlets; a communication interface; a programmable device configured for outputting a control signal; an encoder receiving the control signal via the communication interface and converting the control signal to a selecting signal, and then outputting the selecting signal; and a selecting circuit electrically coupled between the electrical outlets and the plug, the selecting circuit receiving the selecting signal to control the plug to selectively connect to one or more electrical outlets to be needed; wherein the selecting circuit includes a power supply source, a plurality of switches, a plurality of transistors, and a plurality of relays, bases of the transistors are correspondingly coupled to output pins of the encoder, emitters of the transistors are grounded, collectors of the transistors are connected to the power supply source, the collector of each of the transistors is connected to an end of a corresponding one of the relays, another end of each of the relays is grounded, each of the electrical outlets is electrically connected to the plug via a corresponding one of the switches, and each of the relays controls a corresponding one of the switches. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the selecting circuit further includes a plurality of first resistors, each of the first resistors is connected between the base of a corresponding one of the transistors and the power supply source. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the selecting circuit further includes a plurality of second resistors, each of the second resistors is connected between the collector of a corresponding one of the transistors and the power supply source. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the selecting circuit further includes a plurality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs), each of the LEDs is connected between the collector of a corresponding one of the transistors and the power supply source. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the selecting circuit further includes a plurality of diodes, each of the diodes is reverse biased and connected to a corresponding one of the relays in parallel. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further including a plurality of indicators, each of the indicators is connected to a corresponding one of the electrical outlets in parallel. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the communication interface is a serial interface. ### Claim 8 An apparatus for controlling power supply to electronic devices, comprising: a plug adapted to be connected to a power source; a plurality of electrical outlets configured for coupling to the electronic devices respectively; a communication interface electrically coupled between a programmable device and an encoder; and a selecting circuit electrically coupled between the plug and the electrical outlets, the encoder receiving a control signal from the programmable device via the communication interface, and according to the control signal outputting a selecting signal to the selecting circuit, the selecting circuit selecting one or any combination of electrical outlets to be electrically connected to the plug according to the selecting signal; wherein the selecting circuit includes a power supply source, a plurality of switches, a plurality of transistors, and a plurality of relays, bases of the transistors are correspondingly coupled to output pins of the communication interface, emitters of the transistors are grounded, collectors of the transistors are connected to the power supply source, the collector of each of the transistors is connected to an end of a corresponding one of the relays, another end of each of the relays is grounded, each of the electrical outlets is electrically connected to the plug via a corresponding one of the switches, and each of the relays controls a corresponding one of the switches. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the selecting circuit further includes a plurality of first resistors, each of the first resistors is connected between the base of a corresponding one of the transistors and the power supply source. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the selecting circuit further includes a plurality of diodes, each of the diodes is reverse biased and connected to a corresponding one of the relays in parallel.