Electric Plug Signal Verification for Safe Charging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electric plugs lack the ability to accurately detect and adapt to the intrinsic characteristics of socket outlets, which can lead to unsafe and inefficient charging of motor vehicle batteries, as they do not differentiate between genuine and spurious signals from the socket outlets.
Innovation Solution
The electric plug incorporates reader and verification means, such as reed switches and Hall-effect sensors, to receive and verify pilot signals from socket outlets, ensuring that only genuine signals are used to adjust the operation of connected appliances, thereby preventing damage to the socket outlets and ensuring safe charging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If electric plugs use standard connection recognition means to receive pilot signals from socket outlets, then they can adapt to the electrical characteristics of the socket outlet, but they cannot distinguish between genuine signals from the socket outlet and spurious signals from external sources
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces verification means as an intermediary component between the reader means and the appliance. This verification means checks whether the pilot signal received by the reader means genuinely originates from the socket outlet's identification means rather than from external spurious sources. The verification means acts as a mediator that validates the signal's authenticity before the appliance uses it to determine operating parameters.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the verification means continuously monitors and validates the pilot signal received from the socket outlet. This feedback loop ensures that only authenticated signals from the socket outlet's identification means are used to control appliance operation, while spurious signals are rejected. The system feedbacks the validation result to control whether the appliance adapts its operation accordingly.
2Productivity
If electric plugs forward pilot signals to appliances without verification, then the appliances can optimize their operation based on socket outlet characteristics, but unsafe operation may occur when spurious signals are present
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by implementing verification means that checks the authenticity of pilot signals before they are forwarded to control appliance operation. This preliminary verification step ensures that only genuine signals from the socket outlet's identification means are used to determine charging parameters, preventing unsafe operation from spurious signals while maintaining efficient charging when conditions are appropriate.
3Reliability
If electric plugs include verification means to detect spurious signals, then safety is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the verification means with the existing reader means and appliance control functions within a single integrated system. The verification means is combined with the reader means that receives pilot signals and the control logic that determines appliance operation. This merging approach implements signal authentication without requiring completely separate independent systems, thereby improving reliability while limiting the increase in device complexity through functional integration.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution ensures that electric appliances, like motor vehicle batteries, charge safely and efficiently by only using signals from compatible socket outlets, optimizing current usage and preventing damage to the charging infrastructure.
Implementation Method 1
reader means that are adapted to receive the pilot signal issued by said identification means
Implementation Method 2
verification means, such as reed switches and Hall-effect sensors, to receive and verify pilot signals
Data Source
AI summary
An electric plug (200) adapted to be plugged into a socket outlet (100) delivering an electrical signal having at least one characteristic adapted to vary in a determined range of values and including identification elements arranged to communicate or to co-operate with the electric plug to generate a pilot signal representative of the electrical signal delivered by the socket outlet, includes: reader elements (230) adapted to receive the pilot signal issued by the identification elements, and to supply the pilot signal to the electric plug; and verification elements (280) adapted to detect a spurious signal not issued by the identification elements (130), and to block forwarding of the pilot signal when such a spurious signal is detected, or to forward an alert signal to the electric plug when such a signal is detected. An electrical assembly including such an electric plug and a socket outlet are also described.