# US 9,665,073 B2 · Sensor > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,665,073 B2 - Document ID: US9665073B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/205,928 - Filed: 2014-03-12 - Published: 2015-05-21 - Granted: 2017-05-30 - Earliest claimed: 2013-11-21 - Assignees: TrickleStar Ltd - Applicants: Tricklestar Limited - Inventors: Bernard Christopher Emby - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9665073B2 ## CPC - G05B 11/01: electric - G06F 1/3215: Monitoring of peripheral devices - G06F 1/3228: Monitoring task completion, e.g. by use of idle timers, stop commands or wait commands - G06F 1/3231: Monitoring the presence, absence or movement of users - H02J 9/005: {using a power saving mode (for copiers G03G15/5004)} - H04N 5/63: Generation or supply of power specially adapted for television receivers - Y02B 70/30: Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level - Y02D 10/00: Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management - 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 - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - Y02B: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS - Y02D: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES [ICT], I.E. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES AIMING AT THE REDUCTION OF THEIR OWN ENERGY USE ## Abstract The present invention generally pertains to a sensor (101), more particularly the present invention pertains to sensors for saving energy, wherein the sensor (101) comprising at least one input (11) for receiving signal, at least one output (12) for transmitting signal, and at least a sensing module (14) for sequentially sensing at least one activity of a user and determining power supply to at least one appliance by tracking a sequential predetermined period of time and detecting at least one activity. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A sensor (101) for determining power supply to at least one appliance by sensing a first activity of a user and sequentially sensing a second activity of a user in an event the first activity is undetected, wherein the sensor (101) terminates the power supply in an event the second activity is undetected within a predetermined period of time, wherein the first activity is any one of infra-red activity from an infra-red enabled remote control, radio frequency activity, or movement of the user within a predetermined vicinity and the second activity is any one of infra-red activity from the infra-red enabled remote control, radio frequency activity, or movement of the user within the predetermined vicinity, and wherein the first activity and the second activity are different from one another such that: a) when the first activity is infra-red activity from the infra-red enabled remote control, the second activity is one of radio frequency activity or movement of the user within the predetermined vicinity; b) when the first activity is radio frequency activity, the second activity is one of infra-red activity from the infra-red enabled remote control or movement of the user within the predetermined vicinity; and c) when the first activity is movement of the user within the predetermined vicinity, the second activity is one of infra-red activity from the infra-red enabled remote control or radio frequency activity. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The sensor (101) according to claim 1 comprising: at least one input (11) for a receiving signal; at least one output (12) for a transmitting signal; and at least one sensing module (14) configured to sense at least an activity for determining power supply to at least one appliance. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The sensor (101) according to claim 2, wherein said at least one sensing module (14) comprises a logic module (31) configured to sequentially sense said at least one activity. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The sensor (101) according to claim 3, wherein the logic module (31) regulates a timer (21) to track a first predetermined period of time for detecting a first activity. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The sensor (101) according to claim 4, wherein the logic module (31) triggers the timer (21) to track a subsequent predetermined period of time for detecting a second activity in an event that the first activity is undetected. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The sensor (101) according to claim 5, wherein the logic module (31) triggers an alert via an alerting means to user by the end of the subsequent predetermined period of time prior to termination of the power supply in an event that the second activity is undetected. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The sensor (101) according to claim 6, wherein the alerting means comprises an audio alert. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The sensor (101) according to claim 6, wherein the alerting means comprises a visual alert. ### Claim 9 (depends on 2) The sensor (101) according to claim 2, wherein said at least one sensing module (14) comprises a logic module (31) configured to trigger an action by an end of a sequential predetermined period of time. ### Claim 10 (depends on 2) The sensor (101) according to claim 2, wherein the sensor (101) is configured to be connected to a power strip. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The sensor (101) according to claim 10, wherein the power strip comprises a master and slave configuration. ### Claim 12 (depends on 2) The sensor (101) according to claim 2, wherein the sensor (101) is configured to be incorporated with a power strip. ### Claim 13 (depends on 2) The sensor (101) according to claim 2, wherein the sensor (101) is configured with high definition multimedia interface capabilities. ### Claim 14 (depends on 2) The sensor (101) according to claim 2, wherein the sensor (101) comprises a controller for controlling operation of a power strip or a high definition multimedia interface. ### Claim 15 (depends on 2) The sensor (101) according to claim 2, wherein the sensor (101) is any one or in combination of infra-red sensor, passive infra-red sensor, motion sensor, and radio frequency sensor. ### Claim 16 (depends on 2) The sensor (101) according to claim 2, wherein the sensor (101) is configured with a resettable timer function. ### Claim 17 (depends on 2) A sensing method of the sensor (101) in claim 2 comprising the steps of: detecting a first activity for a first predetermined period of time; detecting a second activity for a subsequent predetermined period of time if the first activity is undetected within the first predetermined period of time; triggering an alert by the end of the subsequent predetermined period of time if the second activity is undetected; and terminating power supply if the second activity is undetected by the end of the subsequent predetermined period; wherein the first activity and the second activity are different from one another. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method according to claim 17, wherein said at least one subsequent predetermined period is triggered in an event that the first activity is undetected within said at least one first predetermined period. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method according to claim 17, wherein the alert is triggered via an alerting means. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method according to claim 19, wherein the alerting means comprises an audio alert. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) The method according to claim 19, wherein the alerting means comprises a visual alert. ### Claim 22 (depends on 2) The sensor (101) according to claim 2, wherein said at least one sensing module (14) is configured to track a sequential predetermined period of time. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The sensor (101) according to claim 22, wherein said at least one sensing module (14) comprises a timer (21) configured to track the sequential predetermined period of time.