POWER CONTROL SYSTEM

A power control system includes an electronic device including a relay connected to a mains supply, a control circuit connected to the relay, and a receptive circuit connected to the control circuit, and a remote control device including a transmission circuit for transmitting a triggering signal to the receptive circuit. Upon receipt of the triggering signal from the receptive circuit, the control circuit generates, based on the triggering signal, a driving voltage sufficient for switching the relay from an off state to an on state to permit supply of electricity from the mains supply to the electronic device for driving operation thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Before the present invention is described in greater detail, it should be noted herein that like elements are denoted by the same reference numerals throughout the disclosure.

Referring toFIG. 2, a power control system100according to the first preferred embodiment of this invention includes an electronic device1and a remote control device2.

The electronic device1in this embodiment is exemplified as a flat panel television, and includes a power board10for performing A/D (alternating current/direct current) conversion, and a main board20for controlling operation of the electronic device1. The power board10is provided with a relay11, which is exemplified as a photo relay in this embodiment and is adapted to be electrically connected to a mains supply3for receiving AC electricity therefrom. The mains supply3in this embodiment has a voltage ranging from 100 Volts to 204 Volts. It is noted that the relay11may also be an electromagnetic relay, a sensory relay, an electromechanical relay, an electronic relay, a thermal relay, or any switch capable of controlling a large current conduction with a small current. Moreover, the electronic device1may as well be a computer monitor, a tablet computer, etc.

The main board20is provided with a control circuit21, a receptive circuit22and a storing circuit23. The control circuit21is a microcontroller unit (MCU) and is electrically connected to the relay11, and is capable of switching the relay11between on and off states. The receptive circuit22is electrically connected to the control circuit21. The storing circuit23is electrically connected to the control circuit21, and records a current state of the relay11. The storing circuit23is exemplarily implemented by a flag register for storing a flag that presents the current state (on or off) of the relay11, or may otherwise be a memory.

The remote control device2is exemplified as a television remote controller and includes a transmission circuit30that is capable of establishing a connection with the receptive circuit22of the electronic device1. The transmission circuit30establishes the connection with the receptive circuit22using for example, Radio frequency identification (RFID), Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) or Bluetooth. In this embodiment, the transmission circuit30and the receptive circuit22are respectively is an RFID transmitter and an RFID receptor, but are not limited thereto.

When a user presses a control key (not shown) on the remote control device2, the remote control device2operates to transmit via the transmission circuit30a triggering signal (an electrical signal) to the receptive circuit22. The control circuit21generates a driving voltage upon receipt of the triggering signal via the receptive circuit22. The control circuit21generates the driving voltage based on the triggering signal (e.g., through conversion) and with reference to the current state of the relay11as recorded in the storing circuit23. If the current state of the relay11is off, the control circuit21generates the driving voltage that is sufficient for switching the relay11from the off state to the on state, so that the relay11permits supply of electricity from the mains supply3to the electronic device1for driving operation thereof. If the current state of the relay11is on, the control circuit21generates the driving voltage that is sufficient for switching the relay11from the on state to the off state, such that the relay11prevents supply of the electricity from the mains supply3to the electronic device1for ceasing operation thereof. As the relay11switches between the on and off states, the electronic device1switches between an operation mode and a power interruption mode. Under the operation mode, the electronic device1receives electricity from the mains supply3through the relay11. Under the power interruption mode, the electronic device1is electrically isolated by the relay11and consumes no electricity from the mains supply3, thereby not only making power consumption of the electronic device1under 1 Watt/hr in conformance with international regulation, but also making the power consumption as minimal as possible.

Moreover, when transmitting the driving voltage to switch the on/off state of the relay11, the control circuit21simultaneously and correspondingly updates a value of the flag recorded in the storing circuit23. A value of 0 is assigned to the flag to indicate the off state of the relay11, and a value of 1 is assigned to the flag to indicate the on state of the relay11.

The electronic device1further includes a power board10and a main board20. The power board10is provided with the relay11for processing (AC/DC) (alternating current/direct current) conversion.

Referring toFIG. 3, a power control system according to the second preferred embodiment of this invention is similar to that of the first preferred embodiment except that in addition to the relay11, the control circuit21, the receptive circuit22and the storing circuit23are all provided on the power board10. Through this arrangement, the same effects as mentioned above in the first preferred embodiment are also achieved.

Referring toFIG. 4, a power control system according to the third preferred embodiment of this invention is similar to that of the first preferred embodiment except that, rather than on the electronic device1, the storing circuit23is provided on the remote control device2.

When triggered, the transmission circuit30transmits the triggering signal along with the value of the flag, or the current state of the relay11as recorded in the storing circuit23, to the receptive circuit22of the electronic device1so that the control circuit21can directly determine the current state of the relay11based on the flag and generate the driving voltage accordingly. Similarly, the same effects as mentioned above in the first preferred embodiment are also achieved through this arrangement.

To sum up, the electronic device1operating under a power interruption mode, is isolated from the mains supply3so as not to consume any power. In addition, the control circuit21of the electronic device1is capable of generating, when the electronic device1is in the power interruption mode, the driving voltage from an electrical signal, which is transmitted by the remote control device2, sufficient to switch the relay11on, in order to switch the electronic device1to an operation mode.