GB2327819A - Power controller for a computer peripheral - Google Patents

Power controller for a computer peripheral Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2327819A
GB2327819A GB9716096A GB9716096A GB2327819A GB 2327819 A GB2327819 A GB 2327819A GB 9716096 A GB9716096 A GB 9716096A GB 9716096 A GB9716096 A GB 9716096A GB 2327819 A GB2327819 A GB 2327819A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
power
computer
peripheral
power controller
computer peripheral
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
GB9716096A
Other versions
GB9716096D0 (en
Inventor
Tony Pollard
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
NEUTRAL Ltd
Original Assignee
NEUTRAL Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by NEUTRAL Ltd filed Critical NEUTRAL Ltd
Priority to GB9716096A priority Critical patent/GB2327819A/en
Publication of GB9716096D0 publication Critical patent/GB9716096D0/en
Publication of GB2327819A publication Critical patent/GB2327819A/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • GPHYSICS
    • G06COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06FELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F1/00Details not covered by groups G06F3/00 - G06F13/00 and G06F21/00
    • G06F1/26Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof
    • G06F1/266Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H01ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01RELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R13/00Details of coupling devices of the kinds covered by groups H01R12/70 or H01R24/00 - H01R33/00
    • H01R13/66Structural association with built-in electrical component
    • H01R13/6608Structural association with built-in electrical component with built-in single component
    • H01R13/6625Structural association with built-in electrical component with built-in single component with capacitive component
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H01ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01RELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R13/00Details of coupling devices of the kinds covered by groups H01R12/70 or H01R24/00 - H01R33/00
    • H01R13/66Structural association with built-in electrical component
    • H01R13/6608Structural association with built-in electrical component with built-in single component
    • H01R13/6641Structural association with built-in electrical component with built-in single component with diode
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H01ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01RELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R13/00Details of coupling devices of the kinds covered by groups H01R12/70 or H01R24/00 - H01R33/00
    • H01R13/66Structural association with built-in electrical component
    • H01R13/68Structural association with built-in electrical component with built-in fuse
    • GPHYSICS
    • G06COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06FELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F2200/00Indexing scheme relating to G06F1/04 - G06F1/32
    • G06F2200/26Indexing scheme relating to G06F1/26
    • G06F2200/261PC controlled powerstrip

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
  • Computer Hardware Design (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Power Sources (AREA)

Abstract

A power control arrangement ensures that a computer peripheral is automatically turned on or off whenever the computer is turned on or off respectively. An AC power supply and control device has a socket 11 for the computer and sockets 12 for the peripherals. An AC power input lead 10 is coupled directly to the socket 11, and via a relay switch (21, Fig.2) to the sockets 12. The relay switch (21) is closed when the computer is on, the relay being operated by the 5 volt supply available at the keyboard port, or another port, on the computer. The 5 volt supply is coupled to the relay (21) via a cable 14 and connectors 13, 15.

Description

COMPUTER PERIPHERAL POWER CONTROLLER This invention relates to computer peripheral power control.
Computer systems often have peripherals attached which have separate connections to power outlets. Many computer peripherals have AC to DC adaptors which use power even when the peripheral itself is turned off. It is convenient and energy efficient to automatically turn on or off all the peripherals on a computer whenever the computer itself is turned on or off.
There are well known devices which can automatically turn on or off all the peripherals on a computer. These devices are based on either monitoring the current drawn from a master power outlet (which the computer is plugged into), or using a microcontroller to communicate with the computer. The slave power outlets are then powered accordingly. These are relatively expensive.
Moreover the master/slave technique may not work with computers that still draw a small current when turned off.
According to the present invention there is provided a computer peripheral power controller for a computer system having at least one peripheral with an AC power plug, an apparatus for powering the peripherals in synchronization with the computer, comprising an input port for receiving input power from the computer, a means for using said input power to activate said peripheral, a power receptacle or receptacles for receiving said AC power plug, a connection circuit responsive to said input power for coupling said AC power receptacle to an AC power source thereby providing AC power to said peripheral, and a connection circuit responsive to the absence of said input power for decoupling said AC power receptacle from an AC power source thereby disconnecting AC power from said peripheral.
A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows in perspective the apparatus; Figure 2 shows the circuit diagram.
Referring to the drawing the apparatus comprises AC power lead 10, computer power outlet 11, peripheral power outlets 12, input socket 13, computer port cable 14 and the circuit of figure 2.
Whenever a computer is on it supplies 5 volts power from it's keyboard port connectors. Using the two-way cable adaptor 15 this five volt line is taken out by cable 14 to the input socket 13 where it is used by the circuit in figure 2, (connection 25) to close the contacts of power relay 21. This relay then connects mains power to a number of power outlets 12 which the computer peripherals may be plugged into. Turning off the computer causes the relay 21 to open and turn off the peripherals.
The diode 22 is to protect the computer from back-EMF from the relay. The capacitor 23 ensures that electrical noise on the computer port cable 14 doesn't accidentally trigger the relay 21. The fuse 24 is a solid-state autoreset type that protects the computer from a fault on the relay 21. The extemal mains power is connected from the AC power lead 10 to point 26, and from point 27 to the peripheral power outlets 12.
The computer power outlet 11 is continuously powered since it is connected directly to AC power lead 10.
In order to provide additional protection to the computer the apparatus may include well-known surge suppression and/or filtering circuits. Also, instead of drawing power from the keyboard port the apparatus may draw power from another port on the computer using an appropriate connector for adaptor 15. There may be more than one un-controlled outlet (as in computer power outlet 11).

Claims (6)

  1. In a computer system having at least one peripheral having an AC power plug, a computer peripheral power controller for controlling AC power provision to said peripheral or peripherals, comprising, an input port for receiving input power from the computer, a circuit for using said input power to activate said peripheral, a power receptacle or receptacles for receiving said AC power plug, a connection circuit responsive to said input power for coupling said AC power receptacle to an AC power source, thereby providing AC power to said peripheral, a connection circuit responsive to the absence of said input power for decoupling said AC power receptacle from an AC power source, thereby disconnecting AC power from said peripheral.
  2. 2 A computer peripheral power controller as claimed in claim 1 wherein protection means are provided for protecting the computer from over voltage and faults.
  3. 3 A computer peripheral power controller as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein circuit means are included for avoiding inadvertent activation of said peripheral through electrical noise.
  4. 4 A computer peripheral power controller as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein protection means are provided for suppressing surges or noise from the AC power source.
  5. 5 A computer peripheral power controller as claimed in claim 1, 2, 3 or 4 wherein means are provided for AC power receptacle or receptacles which are not subject to control.
  6. 6 A computer peripheral power controller substantially as described herein with reference to figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawing.
GB9716096A 1997-07-31 1997-07-31 Power controller for a computer peripheral Withdrawn GB2327819A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9716096A GB2327819A (en) 1997-07-31 1997-07-31 Power controller for a computer peripheral

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9716096A GB2327819A (en) 1997-07-31 1997-07-31 Power controller for a computer peripheral

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB9716096D0 GB9716096D0 (en) 1997-10-01
GB2327819A true GB2327819A (en) 1999-02-03

Family

ID=10816704

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB9716096A Withdrawn GB2327819A (en) 1997-07-31 1997-07-31 Power controller for a computer peripheral

Country Status (1)

Country Link
GB (1) GB2327819A (en)

Cited By (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2371423A (en) * 2001-01-23 2002-07-24 Brian Arthur Markin Socket outlet for computer peripherals with power control
GB2386004A (en) * 2001-12-07 2003-09-03 Peter Steven Robertson Socket assembly
GB2401494A (en) * 2003-05-09 2004-11-10 Stephen Keith Nelson Peripheral power supply control device
GB2460450A (en) * 2008-05-30 2009-12-02 Cmd Ltd Power control device having communication with primary device
CN101826687A (en) * 2010-05-21 2010-09-08 深圳市和宏实业有限公司 Automatic power-cut and internet-cut socket
US9665073B2 (en) 2013-11-21 2017-05-30 Tricklestar Ltd Sensor
US10372192B2 (en) 2015-11-23 2019-08-06 Tricklestar Ltd System and an apparatus for controlling electric power supply and methods therefor
US10444816B2 (en) 2015-11-23 2019-10-15 Tricklestar Ltd System and an apparatus for controlling electric power supply and methods therefor

Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0467778A2 (en) * 1990-07-16 1992-01-22 Fujitsu Limited A power supply device
DE4135493C1 (en) * 1991-10-28 1993-02-04 Rene 8390 Passau De Haimerl Automatic power supply for computer peripheral units - operates relay accommodated in housing of multicompartment socket strip supplying power to peripherals when main computer is on
WO1994006072A1 (en) * 1992-09-01 1994-03-17 Rho, Gab, Seon An apparatus for controlling power supply to a computer monitor
EP0676688A2 (en) * 1994-04-08 1995-10-11 Sun Microsystems, Inc. Apparatus and methods for saving power in computing machinery
US5465366A (en) * 1993-09-03 1995-11-07 Energy Concepts, Inc. Power control module for computer monitors
US5579252A (en) * 1994-09-20 1996-11-26 Huang; Jen S. Computer monitor power-saving device
JPH09185435A (en) * 1995-12-05 1997-07-15 Samsung Electron Co Ltd Device and method for controlling power source for computer peripheral equipment

Patent Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0467778A2 (en) * 1990-07-16 1992-01-22 Fujitsu Limited A power supply device
DE4135493C1 (en) * 1991-10-28 1993-02-04 Rene 8390 Passau De Haimerl Automatic power supply for computer peripheral units - operates relay accommodated in housing of multicompartment socket strip supplying power to peripherals when main computer is on
WO1994006072A1 (en) * 1992-09-01 1994-03-17 Rho, Gab, Seon An apparatus for controlling power supply to a computer monitor
US5465366A (en) * 1993-09-03 1995-11-07 Energy Concepts, Inc. Power control module for computer monitors
EP0676688A2 (en) * 1994-04-08 1995-10-11 Sun Microsystems, Inc. Apparatus and methods for saving power in computing machinery
US5579252A (en) * 1994-09-20 1996-11-26 Huang; Jen S. Computer monitor power-saving device
JPH09185435A (en) * 1995-12-05 1997-07-15 Samsung Electron Co Ltd Device and method for controlling power source for computer peripheral equipment

Cited By (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2371423A (en) * 2001-01-23 2002-07-24 Brian Arthur Markin Socket outlet for computer peripherals with power control
GB2386004A (en) * 2001-12-07 2003-09-03 Peter Steven Robertson Socket assembly
GB2386004B (en) * 2001-12-07 2005-08-24 Peter Steven Robertson Socket assembly
US7193335B2 (en) 2001-12-07 2007-03-20 One Click (Ip) Limited Sensing socket assembly
GB2401494A (en) * 2003-05-09 2004-11-10 Stephen Keith Nelson Peripheral power supply control device
GB2460450A (en) * 2008-05-30 2009-12-02 Cmd Ltd Power control device having communication with primary device
CN101826687A (en) * 2010-05-21 2010-09-08 深圳市和宏实业有限公司 Automatic power-cut and internet-cut socket
US9665073B2 (en) 2013-11-21 2017-05-30 Tricklestar Ltd Sensor
US10372192B2 (en) 2015-11-23 2019-08-06 Tricklestar Ltd System and an apparatus for controlling electric power supply and methods therefor
US10444816B2 (en) 2015-11-23 2019-10-15 Tricklestar Ltd System and an apparatus for controlling electric power supply and methods therefor

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB9716096D0 (en) 1997-10-01

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
WAP Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1)