USB outlet

Abstract

To provide a USB receptacle easy to improve the convenience.SOLUTION: A USB receptacle 10 includes: a connection part 2 connectable to a USB connector; a first communication part 13 that communicates with a first device connected to the connection part 2; a second communication part 14 that communicates with the second device; and a processing unit 15 that relays the communication between the first communication part 13 and the second communication part 14. Further, the USB receptacle 10 includes a housing 3 that has a box shape having a front face and back face, that accommodates the connection part 2, the first communication part 13, the second communication part 14, and the processing unit 15, and that is attached to an attachment object.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to USB outlets, and more particularly to USB outlets to which a USB connector of a device can be connected. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a USB outlet having a USB socket into which a USB plug is inserted. This USB outlet includes a printed wiring board on which the USB socket is mounted, and a housing that has a plug insertion hole through which the USB plug is inserted and that contains the printed wiring board. The housing is fixed to a construction surface such as a wall surface. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2014-154802 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The challenge is to provide a USB outlet that is easy to use and convenient. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] A USB outlet according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a connection unit, a first communication unit, a second communication unit, a processing unit, a power supply circuit, a housing, and a device connection unit. An operation unit;The connection unit is connectable to a USB connector. The first communication unit communicates with a first device connected to the connection unit. The second communication unit communicates with a second device. The processing unit relays communication between the first communication unit and the second communication unit. The power supply circuit supplies power to the first device from the connection unit. The housing is box-shaped having a front and a back, houses the connection unit, the first communication unit, the second communication unit, and the processing unit, and is installed on an object to which the housing is to be attached. The second device is connected to the device connection unit. The operation unit accepts an operation for setting communication between the second communication unit and the second device. The device connection unit includes a terminal unit to which a communication line is connected, and the second communication unit communicates with the second device through the communication line. The operation unit is exposed at the front surface of the housing. Effect of the Invention

[0006] According to an aspect of the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a USB outlet that can easily improve convenience. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of use of a USB outlet according to the first embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a front view of the USB outlet. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a mounting structure of the USB outlet to an object to which the outlet is to be mounted. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a state in which the USB outlet is attached to an object to which the outlet is attached. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a block diagram conceptually showing the USB outlet of the above embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a block diagram conceptually showing a modified USB outlet. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a block diagram conceptually showing a modified USB outlet. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a block diagram conceptually showing a modified USB outlet. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0008] (1) Embodiment 1 (1-1) Overview First, an overview of a Universal Serial Bus (USB) outlet 10 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1, 3 and 5. FIG.

[0009] The USB outlet 10 according to this embodiment is a device to which a USB connector 91 of a device 9 can be connected. The USB outlet 10 is a device that supplies power to the device 9 (such as a smartphone, for example) through the USB connector 91 when the USB connector 91 is connected. The device 9 charges, for example, a storage battery included in the device 9 with the power supplied from the USB outlet 10.

[0010] The USB outlet 10 according to this embodiment is a wiring device that is installed on an attachment object 81, such as a wall of a building (see FIG. 1). This USB outlet 10 is electrically connected to a power source (such as a system power source) at all times, similar to a general outlet device (Outlet) that outputs AC voltages of 100V or 200V, and is basically always in a powered state. Therefore, a user can supply power to the device 9 from the USB outlet 10 via a USB connector 91 by simply connecting the device 9 to the USB outlet 10.

[0011] Here, if a general outlet device outputs an AC voltage of 100V or 200V, for example, when charging a device 9 such as a smartphone, it is necessary to use a power adapter that converts AC voltage to DC voltage in order to supply power to the device 9. In contrast, with the USB outlet 10 according to the present embodiment, it is possible to supply power to the device 9 by directly connecting the USB connector 91 of the device 9 to the USB outlet 10 without using a power adapter. Therefore, with the USB outlet 10, it is possible to charge the device 9 such as a smartphone even if there is no power adapter, and furthermore, since a power adapter is not required, the area around the USB outlet 10 is neat and tidy.

[0012] As shown in FIG. 5, the USB outlet 10 according to this embodiment includes a connection unit 2 to which a USB connector 91 can be connected, a first communication unit 13, a second communication unit 14, and a processing unit 15. The first communication unit 13 communicates with a device (first device) 9 connected to the connection unit 2. The second communication unit 14 communicates with a device (second device). The processing unit 15 relays communication between the first communication unit 13 and the second communication unit 14. The USB outlet 10 further includes a housing 3. As shown in FIG. 3, the housing 3 is box-shaped having a front surface 31 and a back surface 32, and houses the connection unit 2, the first communication unit 13, the second communication unit 14, and the processing unit 15, and is installed on an attachment object 81.

[0013] According to this configuration, by connecting the USB connector 91 of the device 9 to the connection part of the USB outlet 10, communication between the device (first device) 9 and the second device becomes possible. Therefore, the USB outlet 10 also operates as a communication device. As a result, it is possible to provide a USB outlet 10 that can easily improve convenience.

[0014] (1-2) Details Hereinafter, a detailed configuration of the USB outlet 10 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0015] (1-2-1) Premise In the present disclosure, "USB" refers to the standard of Universal Serial Bus (USB), which is one of serial bus standards. In the present disclosure, "USB" includes various generations (standards of transfer speed) of USB, such as USB 1.0, USB 1.1, USB 2.0, USB 3.0, USB 3.1, USB 3.2, and USB4. In the present disclosure, the USB terminal shape (the shape of the connection part 2 and the shape of the USB connector 91) includes various shapes. The USB terminal shape includes, for example, an A terminal (Type-A), a B terminal (Type-B), and a C terminal (Type-C), as well as a mini USB and a micro USB, and further includes combinations of these. That is, the USB terminal shape includes, as an example, an A terminal of a mini USB (mini USB Type-A) and a B terminal of a micro USB (micro USB Type-B). In the present embodiment, unless otherwise specified, a case where the USB terminal shape is an A terminal (USB Type-A) will be described as an example. In this disclosure, the specifications for the USB terminal shape are sometimes referred to as the “USB connector standard.” Also, the standard for the USB transfer speed is sometimes referred to as the “USB transfer standard.”

[0016] The "USB connector of the device" in this disclosure may be a connector that is integral with the device 9, or a connector that is provided at the end of a USB cable that can be connected to the device 9. In other words, the USB connector 91 of the device 9 is separate from the device 9 and includes a connector that is attached to the device 9, such as a connector that is connected to the device 9 via a cable. Also, the "connector" in this disclosure is Receptacle It may be a "plug" that is inserted into the Receptacle In this embodiment, unless otherwise specified, the USB connector 91 of the device 9 is a USB plug provided at the tip of a USB cable connectable to the device 9.

[0017] Similarly, the "connection section" in this disclosure may be any structure capable of electrically connecting the USB connector 91 of the device 9, and may be any structure capable of electrically connecting the USB connector 91 of the device 9 to the " Receptacle" or Receptacle In this embodiment, unless otherwise specified, the connection part 2 of the USB outlet 10 is Receptacle In other words, in this embodiment, since the USB connector 91 of the device 9 is a USB plug, the connection part 2 of the USB outlet 10 is a USB plug that can be connected to Receptacle It is.

[0018] The "device" in the present disclosure is an electrical device (apparatus, equipment, and system) that can be electrically connected to the USB outlet 10 and receives power from the USB outlet 10. The device 9 includes, for example, an information terminal such as a smartphone, a tablet terminal, or a wearable terminal, a mobile battery, a mobile phone, a camera, an electric fan, a flashlight, or a television receiver. The USB outlet 10 supplies DC power by applying a DC voltage to the device 9, so the device 9 is a device that supports DC input. Among this type of device 9, for example, the device 9 such as a smartphone, a tablet terminal, or a wearable terminal includes a storage battery 92 and has a function of charging the storage battery 92 using power supplied from the USB outlet 10. Hereinafter, the device 9 having the function of charging the storage battery 92 may be referred to as a "rechargeable device". In this embodiment, unless otherwise specified, a case will be described in which the device 9 connected to the USB outlet 10 is a rechargeable device 9.

[0019] In this embodiment, the USB outlet 10 is fixed to an attachment object 81. The "attachment object" in this disclosure refers to a member to which the USB outlet 10 is fixed, and includes, for example, a structure such as a wall, ceiling, or floor of a building, or a fixture (including fittings) such as a desk, shelf, or counter. The USB outlet 10 is installed in, for example, a residential facility such as a detached house or an apartment building, or a non-residential facility such as an office, a store, a school, a factory, a hospital, or a nursing home. In this embodiment, as an example, it is assumed that the USB outlet 10 is a built-in wiring device that is attached to an attachment object 81 formed of a wall of a residential facility. In particular, it is assumed that the USB outlet 10 is an indoor wiring device used inside a building.

[0020] Hereinafter, the direction perpendicular (orthogonal) to the horizontal plane in a state where the USB outlet 10 is fixed to the wall of the housing facility, which is the object of attachment 81, may be described as the "up-down direction" of the USB outlet 10. Also, the downward direction when the USB outlet 10 is viewed from the front may be described as the "downward direction" of the USB outlet 10. The direction perpendicular to the up-down direction and parallel to the surface (wall surface) of the object of attachment 81 may be described as the "left-right direction" of the USB outlet 10, and the right side when the USB outlet 10 is viewed from the front may be described as the "right side" of the USB outlet 10, and the left side when the USB outlet 10 is viewed from the front may be described as the "left side" of the USB outlet 10. Furthermore, the direction perpendicular to both the up-down direction and the left-right direction, that is, the direction perpendicular to the surface (wall surface) of the object of attachment 81 may be described as the "front-rear direction" of the USB outlet 10, and the back side (back side of the wall) of the object of attachment 81 may be described as the "rear" of the USB outlet 10. However, these directions are not intended to limit the direction of the USB outlet 10 when in use.

[0021] Furthermore, the front surface 31 of the housing 3 of the USB outlet 10 basically faces forward when the USB outlet 10 is fixed to the wall of a residential facility, which is the mounting object 81. However, this is not intended to limit the front surface 31 of the housing 3 to facing forward. For example, when the USB outlet 10 is installed on a ceiling, the front surface 31 of the housing 3 faces downward.

[0022] In addition, in this disclosure, when comparing two values, "greater than or equal to" includes both the case where the two values ​​are equal and the case where one of the two values ​​exceeds the other. However, without being limited to this, "greater than or equal to" here may be synonymous with "greater than", which includes only the case where one of the two values ​​exceeds the other. In other words, whether or not the case where the two values ​​are equal can be arbitrarily changed depending on the setting of the reference value, etc., so there is no technical difference between "greater than or equal to" and "greater than". Similarly, "less than" may be synonymous with "less than or equal to".

[0023] (1-2-2) Configuration Next, the configuration of the USB outlet 10 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0024] As described above, in the present embodiment, as an example, the USB outlet 10 is a recessed wiring device that is attached to the attachment object 81, which is a wall of a residential facility. That is, the USB outlet 10 is a wiring device that is fixed to the attachment object 81 and is configured to be able to connect wiring L1 (see FIG. 5) that passes through the back side of the attachment object 81. In particular, the USB outlet 10 is a recessed wiring device in which the housing 3 is fixed to the attachment object 81 with at least a part of the housing 3 embedded in a construction hole 82 (see FIG. 3) formed in the attachment object 81.

[0025] As shown in Fig. 5, the USB outlet 10 includes a plurality of (here, two) connection units 2, a power supply circuit 11, a terminal unit 12, a first communication unit 13, a second communication unit 14, a processing unit 15, a notification unit 16, and an operation unit 17. Furthermore, as shown in Figs. 1 to 4, the USB outlet 10 includes a housing 3. The housing 3 houses the plurality of (here, two) connection units 2, the power supply circuit 11, the terminal unit 12, the first communication unit 13, the second communication unit 14, the processing unit 15, the notification unit 16, and the operation unit 17.

[0026] Each of the multiple connection parts 2 is used to electrically and mechanically connect a USB connector 91 of the device 9. Each of the multiple connection parts 2 includes a metal shell, contacts, etc. Each of the multiple connection parts 2 complies with the same USB connector standard. In this embodiment, the USB connector standard is the standard for an A-terminal USB connector. Each of the multiple connection parts 2 is a USB receptacle. The multiple connection parts 2 include a first connection part 21 and a second connection part 22.

[0027] The terminal portion 12 is used to connect the wiring L1. For example, the wiring L1 routed inside a wall (mounting object 81) is connected to the terminal portion 12, and the USB outlet 10 is electrically connected to a power source such as a system power source via the wiring L1. The wiring L1 may be directly connected to the power source (system power source, etc.) or indirectly connected via a distribution board or the like.

[0028] The terminal portion 12 is accommodated in the housing 3. Here, a terminal hole for connecting the wiring L1 is formed in the rear surface 32 of the housing 3. The terminal portion 12 is disposed in the housing 3 at a position corresponding to the terminal hole. The terminal portion 12 includes a terminal plate or the like, and when the tip portion (core wire) of the wiring L1 is inserted into the terminal hole, the terminal portion 12 mechanically holds the tip portion (core wire) of the wiring L1 and is electrically connected to the wiring L1. As an example in the present embodiment, the terminal portion 12 is a so-called quick-connect terminal of a plug-in type, to which the wiring L1 is connected simply by inserting the wiring L1 into the terminal hole.

[0029] In the present embodiment, as an example, the USB outlet 10 is electrically connected to a single-phase 100V, 60Hz commercial AC power source (system power source) via the wiring L1 by connecting the wiring L1 to the terminal unit 12. Here, the USB outlet 10 is connected to the AC power source (system power source) via a distribution board, and is always in a conducting state if the breakers (main breaker and branch breakers) of the distribution board are in a conducting state. Therefore, the USB outlet 10 is basically always in a state where it can supply power to the device 9.

[0030] The power supply circuit 11 has a circuit board (printed wiring board) and various electronic components mounted on the circuit board. The power supply circuit 11 converts an AC voltage applied to a terminal unit 12 from an AC power source (system power source) into a DC voltage, and outputs the DC voltage to the connection unit 2. In this way, the power supply circuit 11 supplies power to the device 9 from the connection unit 2. The power supply circuit 11 may include only one circuit board, or may include multiple circuit boards.

[0031] As described above, the housing 3 is fixed to the attachment object 81. The housing 3 is made of synthetic resin having electrical insulation properties. The housing 3 is a rectangular parallelepiped having a front surface 31 and a back surface 32. The housing 3 is formed to have dimensions similar to those of a wiring device having three module dimensions. The front surface 31 is exposed forward when the housing 3 is attached to the attachment object 81. Here, the front surface 31 of the housing 3 is rectangular in shape with the vertical dimension being greater than the horizontal dimension. Multiple (here, two) connection ports 4 are arranged on the front surface 31 of the housing 3.

[0032] The multiple connection ports 4 include a first connection port 41 and a second connection port 42. The first connection port 41 and the second connection port 42 are arranged side by side at regular intervals in the up-down direction. As shown in FIG. 2, each of the first connection port 41 and the second connection port 42 has a rectangular shape in which the dimension in the left-right direction is larger than the dimension in the up-down direction when viewed from the front. That is, each of the first connection port 41 and the second connection port 42 is a horizontally (horizontally long) long hole. The first connection port 41 corresponds to the first connection portion 21. More specifically, the first connection port 41 exposes the first connection portion 21. In this embodiment, the first connection portion 21 complies with the standard of the A-terminal USB connector. Therefore, the first connection port 41 is a hole of a size that allows the A-terminal USB connector to be connected to the first connection portion 21. The second connection port 42 corresponds to the second connection portion 22. More specifically, the second connection port 42 exposes the second connection portion 22. In this embodiment, the second connection portion 22 complies with the standard of the USB connector of terminal A. Therefore, the second connection port 42 is a hole of a size that allows the USB connector of terminal A to be connected to the second connection portion 22.

[0033] In this embodiment, the USB connector 91 is connected to the connection unit 2 by inserting the USB connector 91 straight into the connection port 4 from the front. That is, the plug-in type USB connector 91 is inserted into the connection port 4 along the front-rear direction, which is the insertion direction, so that the USB connector 91 is electrically connected to the connection unit 2 and mechanically coupled. When the connection unit 2 and the USB connector 91 are connected, the connection between the connection unit 2 and the USB connector 91 is released by pulling the USB connector 91 straight out of the connection unit 2. That is, when the USB connector 91 is removed from the connection port 4 along the insertion direction (front-rear direction), the electrical connection of the USB connector 91 to the connection unit 2 is released and the mechanical coupling is released. In short, the user can switch between connection / disconnection of the device 9 (USB connector 91) to the connection unit 2 by inserting and removing the USB connector 91 into and from the connection port 4 formed on the front surface 31 of the housing 3.

[0034] The power supply circuit 11 includes an AC / DC conversion circuit that converts an AC voltage into a DC voltage. The power supply circuit 11 is inserted between the terminal unit 12 and the connection unit 2, and converts the AC voltage input from the terminal unit 12 into a DC voltage and outputs it to the connection unit 2. As an example, the power supply circuit 11 converts an AC voltage of 100V applied to the terminal unit 12 from an AC power source (system power source) into a DC voltage of 5V. As a result, the AC voltage of 100V input to the terminal unit 12 is converted into a DC voltage of 5V by the power supply circuit 11, and the DC voltage of 5V is supplied to the connection unit 2.

[0035] In this embodiment, a plurality of (here, two) connection parts 2 (first connection part 21 and second connection part 22) are connected to one power supply circuit 11. That is, the DC voltage output from the power supply circuit 11 is applied to both the first connection part 21 and the second connection part 22. This makes it possible to output the output of the power supply circuit 11 from a plurality of (here, two) connection parts 2 to the USB connector 91 of the device 9. Therefore, the USB outlet 10 can simultaneously supply power to a plurality of devices 9 when the USB connectors 91 of the devices 9 are connected to the USB outlet 10.

[0036] In such a configuration, the sum of the currents (and power) output from the multiple connection parts 2 to the device 9 becomes the output current of one power supply circuit 11. Therefore, for example, the rated output (current or power) of the multiple connection parts 2 is specified by the sum of the output currents (or output power) of the multiple connection parts 2. In this disclosure, the "rated output" is the rated value of the current and / or power, and includes the rated current and rated electric power That is, the rated value of the total output (current or power) of the multiple connection parts 2 is determined by the rated output (current or power) of the power supply circuit 11. As an example, if the rated output of the power supply circuit 11 is 4A, the total output current of the multiple (here, two) connection parts 2 is rated at 4A.

[0037] The first communication unit 13 is configured to communicate with a device (first device) 9 connected to the connection unit 2. The first communication unit 13 is a communication interface. The first communication unit 13 is connectable to the connection unit 2 and has a function of communicating through the connection unit 2. In this embodiment, the first communication unit 13 is connected to both the first connection unit 21 and the second connection unit 22. The connection unit 2 complies with the USB connector standard. Therefore, the first communication unit 13 communicates in accordance with the USB communication standard (USB transfer standard).

[0038] The second communication unit 14 is configured to communicate with a device (second device). In this embodiment, the second communication unit 14 communicates with the second device by wireless communication. The second communication unit 14 is a communication interface. The second communication unit 14 is connectable to a communication network and has a function of communicating through the communication network. The second communication unit 14 complies with a predetermined communication protocol. The predetermined communication protocol may be selected from various well-known wireless communication standards. In this embodiment, as an example, the second communication unit 14 employs wireless communication using radio waves as a communication medium, which complies with standards such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark), Bluetooth (registered trademark), ZigBee (registered trademark), or low-power radio (specific low-power radio) that does not require a license.

[0039] The notification unit 16 notifies the first communication state between the first device and the first communication unit 13 and the second communication state between the second device and the second communication unit 14. In particular, the notification unit 16 includes a display unit 161. The display unit 161 is exposed on the front surface 31 of the housing 3 and visually notifies the first communication state and the second communication state. More specifically, the display unit 161 is exposed on the front surface 31 of the housing 3 and notifies the first communication state and the second communication state by its display mode. The display mode includes, for example, on / off, a light emission color or a light emission pattern (blinking cycle, etc.), or a combination thereof. The display unit 161 includes a first display unit 1611, a second display unit 1612, and a third display unit 1613. The first display unit 1611 and the second display unit 1612 are used to notify the first communication state. In particular, the first display unit 1611 is used to notify the first communication state between the first device connected to the first connection unit 21 and the first communication unit 13. The second display unit 1612 is used to notify the first communication state between the first device connected to the second connection unit 22 and the first communication unit 13. Here, as shown in FIG. 2, the first display unit 1611 is arranged around the first connection port 41 on the front surface 31 of the housing 3. In particular, in this embodiment, the first display unit 1611 is arranged so as to surround the entire circumference of the first connection port 41 on the front surface 31 of the housing 3. Therefore, the first display unit 1611 emits light over the entire circumference of the first connection port 41. In other words, the first connection port 41 is located in an area surrounded by the annular first display unit 1611 on the front surface 31 of the housing 3. The second display unit 1612 is arranged around the second connection port 42 on the front surface 31 of the housing 3. Particularly, in this embodiment, the second display unit 1612 is disposed on the front surface 31 of the housing 3 so as to surround the entire circumference of the second connection port 42. Therefore, the second display unit 1612 emits light over the entire circumference of the second connection port 42. In other words, the second connection port 42 is located in an area surrounded by the annular second display unit 1612 on the front surface 31 of the housing 3. The third display unit 1613 is used to notify the second communication state. The third display unit 1613 is disposed on the front surface 31 of the housing 3. In particular, the third display unit 1613 is located above the first connection port 41 in the vertical direction of the housing 3. The first to third display units 1611 to 1613 may be configured using light-emitting elements and optical members.

[0040] The notification unit 16 also includes a sound output unit 162. The sound output unit 162 is realized, for example, by a speaker or a buzzer. The sound output unit 162 outputs, for example, a beep sound, and notifies the first communication state between the first device and the first communication unit 13 and the second communication state between the second device and the second communication unit 14 by the manner of the beep sound that is the output sound. The manner of the beep sound includes, for example, "beep", "beep beep" or "beep beep". However, the sound output unit 162 is not limited to the beep sound, and may output a voice or a melody together with or instead of the beep sound.

[0041] The operation unit 17 is used for setting up communication between the second communication unit 14 and the second device. The operation unit 17 is exposed on the front surface 31 of the housing 3. In particular, as shown in FIG. 2, the operation unit 17 is disposed on the front surface 31 of the housing 3. In this embodiment, the operation unit 17 is a push button. In this embodiment, the operation unit 17 and the third display unit 1613 are aligned in the left-right direction of the housing 3. This makes it easy to check whether the communication setting between the second communication unit 14 and the second device using the operation unit 17 has been successful.

[0042] The processing unit 15 is a control circuit that controls the operation of the USB outlet 10. The processing unit 15 can be realized, for example, by a computer system including one or more processors (microprocessors) and one or more memories. That is, the one or more processors execute one or more programs stored in one or more memories to function as the processing unit 15. Note that, although the programs are pre-recorded in the memory of the processing unit 15 here, they may be provided via a telecommunications line such as the Internet, or recorded on a non-transitory recording medium such as a memory card.

[0043] In this embodiment, the processing unit 15 is configured to relay communication between the first communication unit 13 and the second communication unit 14. More specifically, the processing unit 15 is configured to convert a communication signal received by the first communication unit 13 into a communication signal of a communication standard (communication protocol) corresponding to the second communication unit 14 by the second communication unit 14 and output the communication signal. In addition, the processing unit 15 is configured to convert a communication signal received by the second communication unit 14 into a communication signal of a communication standard corresponding to the first communication unit 13 by the first communication unit 13 and output the communication signal.

[0044] The processing unit 15 performs a notification by the notification unit 16. As an example, the processing unit 15 turns on the first display unit 1611 of the notification unit 16 when the first communication state is a communication possible state for the first connection unit 21. Also, the processing unit 15 turns off the first display unit 1611 of the notification unit 16 when the first communication state is a communication impossible state for the first connection unit 21. Also, the processing unit 15 turns on the second display unit 1612 of the notification unit 16 when the first communication state is a communication possible state for the second connection unit 22. Also, the processing unit 15 turns off the second display unit 1612 of the notification unit 16 when the first communication state is a communication impossible state for the second connection unit 22. The processing unit 15 turns on the third display unit 1613 of the notification unit 16 when the second communication state is a communication possible state. Furthermore, when the second communication state is a communication-disabled state, the processing unit 15 turns off the third display unit 1613 of the notification unit 16. Furthermore, the processing unit 15 may cause the sound output unit 162 to output a sound when the first communication state or the second communication state changes.

[0045] When the operation unit 17 is operated, the processing unit 15 starts a process of registering a communication partner of the second communication unit 14. This process may be the same as a registration operation for a conventionally known wireless device, and therefore a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0046] In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 3, the housing 3 is removably attached to a mounting frame 84 for fixing the housing 3 to an attachment object 81. Furthermore, as shown in Fig. 3, an outlet plate 8 is attached to the mounting frame 84. Here, in this embodiment, the mounting frame 84 and the outlet plate 8 are not included as components of the USB outlet 10. However, it is not essential that the mounting frame 84 and the outlet plate 8 are not included as components of the USB outlet 10, and at least one of the mounting frame 84 and the outlet plate 8 may be included as components of the USB outlet 10.

[0047] In this embodiment, the USB outlet 10 is a recessed wiring device as described above, and is therefore attached to an attachment object 81 (here, a wall) using an attachment member 83 such as a recessed switch box. That is, an installation hole 82 is formed in the attachment object 81, and the USB outlet 10 is attached through the installation hole 82 to an attachment member 83 such as a switch box arranged on the back side of the attachment object 81 (behind the wall).

[0048] The mounting frame 84 is, for example, a mounting frame for a large rectangular interconnection wiring device standardized by the Japanese Industrial Standards. Specifically, the mounting frame 84 is formed in a rectangular frame shape when viewed from the front. The housing 3 is attached to the mounting frame 84 so that the housing 3 is located inside the mounting frame 84.

[0049] The mounting frame 84 is made of synthetic resin, for example. The mounting frame 84 is formed with a pair of mounting holes 841 and a pair of plate fixing holes 842. The mounting frame 84 is attached to the mounting object 81 by fastening a pair of mounting screws 843 through the pair of mounting holes 841 to a mounting member 83 such as a switch box.

[0050] The outlet plate 8 has a decorative plate 85 and a fixed plate 86. That is, in this embodiment, the outlet plate 8 is composed of two members, the decorative plate 85 and the fixed plate 86. The outlet plate 8 (the decorative plate 85 and the fixed plate 86) is made of a synthetic resin, for example.

[0051] The fixing plate 86 is fixed to the mounting frame 84. The decorative plate 85 is attached to the fixing plate 86 so as to cover the front surface of the fixing plate 86. In this manner, the decorative plate 85 is indirectly fixed to the mounting frame 84 to which the housing 3 is attached via the fixing plate 86. A window hole 801 is formed in the decorative plate 85, and when the outlet plate 8 is attached to the mounting frame 84, the front surface 31 of the housing 3 is exposed from the window hole 801.

[0052] That is, the outlet plate 8 is a frame-shaped member having a window hole 801, and is combined with the mounting frame 84 so that the front surface 31 of the housing 3 is exposed from the window hole 801. In other words, when the mounting frame 84 and the outlet plate 8 are combined, difference In this state, the front surface 31 of the housing 3 is located inside (within the window hole 801) of the outlet plate 8 (decorative plate 85) when viewed from the front. As a result, when the outlet plate 8 is attached to the mounting object 81 together with the housing 3 as shown in Fig. 4, the outlet plate 8 covers the periphery of the housing 3, and the mounting frame 84, the construction holes 82, etc. are not exposed, resulting in a good appearance.

[0053] More specifically, the decorative plate 85 is formed in a rectangular frame shape when viewed from the front. A window hole 801 penetrating the decorative plate 85 in the front-rear direction is formed in the center of the decorative plate 85. The decorative plate 85 is mechanically coupled to the fixed plate 86 in a removable state by a snap-fit ​​structure. That is, the decorative plate 85 and the fixed plate 86 are mechanically coupled by using the elasticity of at least one of the decorative plate 85 and the fixed plate 86 to hook a claw of one of the decorative plate 85 and the fixed plate 86 into a hole of the other.

[0054] Moreover, the fixing plate 86 is formed in a rectangular frame shape when viewed from the front. Furthermore, a pair of through holes 861 are formed in the fixing plate 86. The fixing plate 86 is attached to the mounting frame 84 by fastening a pair of fixing screws 844 through the pair of through holes 861 into a pair of plate fixing holes 842 of the mounting frame 84.

[0055] (1-3) Usage example FIG. 1 shows an example of use of a USB outlet 10. In FIG. 1, two USB outlets 10 (101, 102) are used. In particular, the two USB outlets 101, 102 are installed in different rooms 200 (201, 202). The USB outlet 101 is attached to an attachment object 81 in the room 201, and the USB outlet 102 is attached to an attachment object 81 in the room 202. A USB connector 91 of a device 9 (901) is connected to the second connection part 22 of the USB outlet 101, and a USB connector 91 of a device 9 (902) is connected to the second connection part 22 of the USB outlet 102. In this case, the USB outlets 101, 102 are connected to each other so as to be able to communicate with each other via their respective second communication parts 14. In this case, in the USB outlet 101, the first device is the device 901, and the second device is the USB outlet 102. On the other hand, in the USB outlet 102, the first device is the device 902, and the second device is the USB outlet 101. In the example of FIG. 1, a communication signal from the device 901 connected to the second connection unit 22 of the USB outlet 101 is received by the first communication unit 13 of the USB outlet 101. The communication signal received by the first communication unit 13 of the USB outlet 101 is output from the second communication unit 14 of the USB outlet 101 by the processing unit 15 of the USB outlet 101. The communication signal output from the second communication unit 14 of the USB outlet 101 is received by the second communication unit 14 of the USB outlet 102. The communication signal received by the second communication unit 14 of the USB outlet 102 is output from the first communication unit 13 of the USB outlet 102 by the processing unit 15 of the USB outlet 102. The communication signal output from the first communication unit 13 of the USB outlet 102 is received by the device 902 connected to the second connection unit 22 of the USB outlet 102. In this way, a communication signal output from device 901 is also received by device 902 via USB outlets 101 and 102. Similarly, a communication signal output from device 902 is also received by device 901 via USB outlets 102 and 101. In this way, by installing USB outlets 101 and 102 in different rooms 201 and 202, communication between devices 901 and 902 located in different rooms 201 and 202 becomes possible.

[0056] (2) Variations The above embodiment is merely one of various embodiments of the present disclosure. The above embodiment can be modified in various ways depending on the design, etc., as long as the object of the present disclosure can be achieved. Each figure described in this disclosure is a schematic diagram, and the ratio of the size and thickness of each component in each figure does not necessarily reflect the actual dimensional ratio. In addition, the function equivalent to the USB outlet 10 according to the above embodiment may be embodied by a method, a (computer) program, or a non-transitory recording medium on which a program is recorded, etc.

[0057] Modifications of the above embodiment are listed below. The modifications described below can be applied in appropriate combination.

[0058] In the above embodiment, the second communication unit 14 communicates with the second device through wireless communication. However, the second communication unit 14 may communicate with the second device through wired communication.

[0059] FIG. 6 shows a USB outlet 10A of one modified example. The USB outlet 10A differs from the USB outlet 10 in that the USB outlet 10A includes an equipment connection unit 18 to which a second equipment is connected. The equipment connection unit 18 includes a terminal unit 181 to which a communication line L2 is connected. Here, the terminal unit 181 complies with the USB connector standard. The terminal unit 181 is exposed to the rear surface 32 of the housing 3. Here, the second communication unit 14 communicates with the second equipment connected to the equipment connection unit 18 by wired communication. In particular, the second communication unit 14 communicates with the second equipment through the communication line L2. Here, since the terminal unit 181 complies with the USB connector standard, the second communication unit 14 communicates with the second equipment in accordance with the USB transfer standard. Note that the terminal unit 181 may be compatible with a connector standard other than the USB connector standard, for example, Ethernet (Ethernet (registered trademark)), and may also be compatible with the Power over Ethernet (PoE) standard. In this case, the second communication unit 14 may communicate with the second device via the communication line L2 in compliance with the Power over Ethernet (PoE) standard. Also, the terminal unit 181 may be exposed on the front surface 31 of the housing 3 instead of the rear surface 32.

[0060] FIG. 7 shows a USB outlet 10B of a modified example. The USB outlet 10B differs from the USB outlet 10 in that the USB outlet 10B includes an equipment connection unit 19 to which a second equipment is connected instead of the terminal unit 12. The equipment connection unit 19 includes a terminal unit 191 to which a power line L3 is connected. Here, the power line L3 is a wire connected to a power system or the like. The terminal unit 191 is exposed to the rear surface 32 of the housing 3. Here, the second communication unit 14 communicates with the second equipment connected to the equipment connection unit 19 by wired communication. In particular, the second communication unit 14 communicates with the second equipment through the power line L3. Here, the terminal unit 191 can be connected to a wire connected to a power system or the like, so the second communication unit 14 communicates with the second equipment by power line communication. Note that the terminal unit 191 may be compliant with various connector standards, and the second communication unit 14 may be compliant with a communication standard other than PLC. Furthermore, the terminal portion 191 may be exposed on the front surface 31 of the housing 3 instead of on the rear surface 32 thereof.

[0061] FIG. 8 shows a USB outlet 10C of a modified example. In the USB outlet 10C, the multiple connection units 2 include a connection unit 2 to which a second device 9 is connected. The second communication unit 14 communicates with the second device 9 connected to the connection unit 2. More specifically, the multiple connection units 2 include a connection unit 2 (second connection unit 22) to which a device (first device) 9 is connected, and a connection unit 2 (first connection unit 21) to which a device (second device) 9 is connected. The first communication unit 13 is configured to communicate with the device (first device) 9 connected to the connection unit 2 (second connection unit 22). The second communication unit 14 is configured to communicate with the device (second device) 9 connected to the connection unit 2 (first connection unit 21). Both the first communication unit 13 and the second communication unit 14 are communication interfaces. The first communication unit 13 is connectable to the second connection unit 22 and has a function of communicating through the second connection unit 22. The second communication unit 14 is connectable to the first connection unit 21 and has a function of communicating through the first connection unit 21. The first connection unit 21 and the second connection unit 22 are compliant with the USB connector standard. Therefore, the first communication unit 13 and the second communication unit 14 communicate in accordance with the USB communication standard (USB transfer standard). Note that in the USB outlet 10C, the first communication unit 13 and the second communication unit 14 do not need to be separate communication interfaces, and the same communication interface may function as the first communication unit 13 and the second communication unit 14.

[0062] In the above embodiment, the second device is another USB outlet 10, but the second device is not limited to the USB outlet 10. The second device may be a smartphone or the like, similar to the first device.

[0063] In the above embodiment, all of the multiple connection units 2 correspond to the standard of the A-terminal USB connector. In one modified example, all of the multiple connection units 2 may correspond to the standard of the C-terminal USB connector, or may correspond to multiple USB connector standards. The multiple USB connector standards may be appropriately selected from, for example, A-terminal (Type-A), B-terminal (Type-B), and C-terminal (Type-C), as well as mini USB and micro USB.

[0064] In the above embodiment, all of the multiple connection parts 2 are receptacles. However, all of the multiple connection parts 2 may be plugs. Also, each of the multiple connection parts 2 may be selected from a plug and a receptacle.

[0065] In the above embodiment, the number of connection parts 2 is not limited to two. The USB outlet 10 only needs to have at least one connection part 2.

[0066] In the above embodiment, the housing 3 has a size similar to that of a wiring device with three modules, but may have a size similar to that of a wiring device with two modules or one module. In addition, in the housing 3, the connection port 4 may have a rectangular shape in which the vertical dimension is larger than the horizontal dimension when viewed from the front. In other words, the connection port 4 may be disposed vertically (vertically long). In other words, the orientation of the connection port 4 is not particularly limited.

[0067] Furthermore, the USB outlet 10 may be attached to the attachment object 81 together with an additional device by a mounting frame 84, as long as the housing 3 has a size similar to that of a wiring device having a two-module size or a single-module size. Examples of the additional device include an outlet device and a sensor device. The outlet device may be an outlet device that outputs an AC voltage of, for example, 100V. Examples of the sensor device include a human sensor, a brightness sensor, a vibration sensor, a proximity sensor, a sound sensor, or a combination of these. The USB outlet may operate based on the output of the sensor device. For example, if the sensor device is a human sensor, the USB outlet 10 turns off the power supply to the connection unit 2 if no person is present in the vicinity.

[0068] In one embodiment, the USB outlet 10 may be for indoor use or for outdoor use. For outdoor USB outlets, a rainproof (waterproof) structure or the like is appropriately adopted.

[0069] In the above embodiment, the device 9 is described as a rechargeable device, but this is not the only example. It is also possible to connect a non-rechargeable device (a device other than a rechargeable device) to the USB outlet 10.

[0070] In one embodiment, the USB outlet 10 is not limited to a recessed wiring device. That is, the USB outlet 10 may be an "exposed" wiring device that is arranged so that the entirety of the USB outlet 10 is exposed from the surface of the mounting object 81 such as a wall. In this case, the USB outlet 10 is attached to the mounting object 81 using an exposed switch box instead of a recessed one. The USB outlet 10 may also be attached to the mounting object 81 using a mounting member other than a switch box, such as a clamp.

[0071] In the above embodiment, mounting the housing 3 to the mounting frame 84 is not an essential component of the USB outlet, and for example, the housing 3 may be integrated with the mounting frame 84. Furthermore, mounting the outlet plate 8 to the mounting frame 84 is not an essential component of the USB outlet 10, and the outlet plate 8 may be omitted as appropriate.

[0072] In the above embodiment, multiple connection parts 2 are connected to one power supply circuit 11, but this configuration is not essential for the USB outlet 10, and an individual power supply circuit 11 may be provided for each of the multiple connection parts 2. In other words, the USB outlet 10 may include multiple connection parts 2 and multiple power supply circuits 11 that correspond one-to-one to the multiple connection parts 2. In this case, power is supplied to each of the multiple connection parts 2 from an individual power supply circuit 11, and therefore the rated output (current or power) is also specified for each connection part 2 individually.

[0073] In the above embodiment, the notification unit 16 is not essential. Also, in the above embodiment, the operation unit 17 is not essential.

[0074] (3) Description A first aspect is a USB outlet (10; 10A; 10B; 10C) including a connection unit (2; 21; 22), a first communication unit (13), a second communication unit (14), a processing unit (15), and a housing (3). A USB connector (91) can be connected to the connection unit (2, 21, 22). The first communication unit (13) communicates with a first device (9, 901, 902) connected to the connection unit (2, 21, 22). The second communication unit communicates with a second device. The processing unit (15) relays communication between the first communication unit (13) and the second communication unit (14). The housing (3) is box-shaped with a front surface (31) and a back surface (32), houses the connection portion (2, 21, 22), the first communication portion (13), the second communication portion (14), and the processing portion (15), and is installed on an object (81) to which the housing is to be attached. According to this embodiment, it is possible to provide a USB outlet (10; 10A; 10B; 10C) that is easy to improve convenience.

[0075] The second aspect is a USB outlet (10; 10A; 10B; 10C) based on the first aspect. In the second aspect, the connection parts (2, 21, 22) are exposed on the front surface (31) of the housing (3). According to this aspect, it is possible to provide a USB outlet (10; 10A; 10B; 10C) that is easy to improve convenience.

[0076] A third aspect is a USB outlet 10 based on the first or second aspect. In the third aspect, the second communication unit 14 communicates with the second device by wireless communication. According to this aspect, it is possible to provide a USB outlet 10 that is easy to improve in convenience.

[0077] A fourth aspect is a USB outlet (10A; 10B) based on the first aspect. In the fourth aspect, the USB outlet (10A; 10B) further includes a device connection unit (18; 19) to which the second device is connected. The second communication unit (14) communicates with the second device connected to the device connection unit (18; 19) by wired communication. According to this aspect, it is possible to provide a USB outlet (10A; 10B) that can easily improve convenience.

[0078] A fifth aspect is a USB outlet (10B) based on the fourth aspect. In the fifth aspect, the device connection unit (19) includes a terminal unit (191) to which a power line (L3) is connected. The second communication unit (14) communicates with the second device through the power line (L3). According to this aspect, it is possible to provide a USB outlet (10B) that is easy to improve convenience.

[0079] A sixth aspect is a USB outlet (10A) based on the fourth aspect. In the sixth aspect, the device connection unit (18) includes a terminal unit (181) to which a communication line (L2) is connected. The second communication unit (14) communicates with the second device through the communication line (L2). According to this aspect, it is possible to provide a USB outlet (10A) that can easily improve convenience.

[0080] A seventh aspect is a USB outlet (10A) based on the fourth aspect. In the seventh aspect, the device connection unit (18) includes a terminal unit (181) that complies with the USB connector standard. The second communication unit (14) communicates with the second device in accordance with the USB transfer standard. According to this aspect, it is possible to provide a USB outlet (10A) that is easy to improve in convenience.

[0081] An eighth aspect is a USB outlet (10A; 10B) based on any one of the fourth to seventh aspects. In the eighth aspect, the device connection part (18; 19) is exposed on at least one of the front surface (31) and the rear surface (32) of the housing (3). According to this aspect, it becomes easy to connect a second device to the device connection part (18; 19).

[0082] A ninth aspect is a USB outlet (10; 10A; 10B; 10C) based on any one of the first to eighth aspects. In the ninth aspect, the USB outlet (10; 10A; 10B; 10C) further includes an operation unit (17) for setting communication between the second communication unit (14) and the second device. The operation unit (17) is exposed on the front surface (31) of the housing (3). This aspect makes it easy to set communication for the second communication unit (14).

[0083] A tenth aspect is a USB outlet (10; 10A; 10B; 10C) based on any one of the first to ninth aspects. In the tenth aspect, the USB outlet (10; 10A; 10B; 10C) further includes an alarm unit (16) that alarms at least one of a first communication state between the first device and the first communication unit (13) and a second communication state between the second device and the second communication unit (14). According to this aspect, it becomes easy to grasp the communication state of the USB outlet (10; 10A; 10B; 10C).

[0084] An eleventh aspect is a USB outlet (10; 10A; 10B; 10C) based on the tenth aspect. In the eleventh aspect, the notification unit (16) has a display unit (161) exposed on the front surface (31) of the housing (3) and visually notifying at least one of the first communication state and the second communication state. According to this aspect, it becomes easier to grasp the communication state of the USB outlet (10; 10A; 10B; 10C).

[0085] The configurations according to the second to eleventh aspects are not essential for the USB outlet (10; 10A; 10B; 10C) and may be omitted as appropriate. [Explanation of symbols]

[0086] 10, 10A, 10B, 10C USB outlets 13 First Communications Department 14 2nd Communications Department 15 Processing section 16. Notification Department 161 Display section 17 Control section 18 Equipment connection 181 Terminal section 19 Equipment connection 191 Terminal section 2,21,22 Connection 3. Chassis 31 Front 32 Back 81 Mounting object 9,901,902 equipment (1st equipment) 91 USB connector L2 communication line L3 power line

Claims

1. a connection portion to which a USB connector can be connected; a first communication unit that communicates with a first device connected to the connection unit; A second communication unit that communicates with the second device; A processing unit that relays communication between the first communication unit and the second communication unit; a power supply circuit for supplying power from the connection portion to the first device; a box-like housing having a front surface and a back surface, the housing housing the connection unit, the first communication unit, the second communication unit, and the processing unit, and the housing is installed on an object to be attached; a device connection section to which the second device is connected; an operation unit that receives an operation for setting communication between the second communication unit and the second device; Equipped with the device connection portion includes a terminal portion to which a communication line is connected, The second communication unit communicates with the second device through the communication line; The operation unit is exposed on the front surface of the housing. USB outlet.

2. The connection portion is exposed to a front surface of the housing.

2. The USB outlet of claim 1.

3. The device connection portion is exposed to at least one of the front surface and the rear surface of the housing.

3. The USB outlet of claim 1 or 2.

4. Further comprising an alarm unit that notifies at least one of a first communication state between the first device and the first communication unit and a second communication state between the second device and the second communication unit.

4. The USB outlet according to claim 1.

5. The notification unit has a display unit exposed on a front surface of the housing and visually notifying at least one of the first communication state and the second communication state.

5. The USB outlet of claim 4.

Images