Power Strip Socket Sensing to Prevent False Energization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing power strips either energize all sockets upon connection, risking electric shock from false contacts, or require manual operation, which can lead to forgotten settings causing further false energizations.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of independently powered sensors to detect plug insertions in each socket, ensuring power is only supplied when a plug is detected, eliminating the need for manual operation and reducing false energizations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Use of energy by moving object

If all sockets are energized upon connection, then power availability is improved, but safety risk increases due to electric shock from false contacts

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower availabilityVSAvoidelectric shock risk
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The sensor performs preliminary detection of plug presence before the socket is energized. The control unit checks the sensor signal indicating plug insertion, and only then activates power supply to that socket, preventing electric shock from false contacts while ensuring power is available when needed

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Object-affected harmful factors

If manual operation is required to energize sockets, then safety is improved by preventing false energization, but ease of operation deteriorates due to user intervention requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefalse energization preventionVSAvoiduser intervention requirement
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The power strip performs self-service by automatically detecting plug insertion through sensors and autonomously controlling power supply to each socket. The control unit receives sensor signals and automatically activates or deactivates power without requiring any user operation, eliminating manual intervention while maintaining safety

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Measurement precision

If sensors are independently powered to detect plug insertion, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveplug presence detection accuracyVSAvoidsensor power system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary detection using independently powered sensors before energizing sockets. The control unit receives detection signals from these sensors and only activates power supply when plug presence is confirmed, ensuring accurate measurement while managing system complexity through controlled sensor deployment

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3324498B1Energization method and apparatus for power strip, computer program and recording medium
Publication Date: 2023.09.20 BEIJING XIAOMI MOBILE SOFTWARE CO LTD
  • EP3324498B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3324498B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3324498B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

The present invention relates to an energization method and apparatus for a power strip, a computer program and a recording medium. The method comprises: de-energizing respective sockets of the power strip; detecting use states of the respective sockets of the power strip using independently powered sensors; and when the use state of a first socket of the power strip is having a plug inserted therein, controlling the first socket to be energized. The present technical solution can reduce the risk of occurrence of electric shock due to false contact, and does not require a user's manual operation to energize the sockets, thereby reducing the user's operations.