Patent Abstract:
An outlet switch socket device includes a plug, at least one socket, at least one switch, a power converter, a communication module, a microprocessor and an infrared module. Moreover, the plug is used to receive an alternating current. Each switch is respectively coupled between each corresponding socket and the plug. The power converter is coupled to the plug and converts the alternating current into a direct current, thereby supplying the direct current to the microprocessor. Moreover, the microprocessor receives the direct current from the power converter and receives a control signal from a remote control via the communication module. Furthermore, the microprocessor is used to control those switches according to the control signal and transmits the control signal to the infrared module. The infrared module is used to output an infrared signal to control an infrared device.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to an outlet switch socket device; in particular, to an outlet switch socket device allowing both electronic device power control and electronic device function control features. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    Currently available remote controls for controlling the functions of various types of audio-video switch socket device mostly use Infra-Red (IR) technology to perform wireless remote control. However, due to poor penetration of IR beam and directional limit, the emitter in the IR remote control needs to be substantially aimed at the IR receiver installed in the audio-video switch socket device so as to achieve the purpose of IR remote control. Therefore, in case that it is needed to remotely control a distant IR audio-video switch socket device, the IR technology may not be able to successfully meet such a requirement. Besides, there at present also exists a type of Radio Frequency (RF) remote control, which presents better radio penetration feature without undesirable directional limits, thus very suitable for the use as the remote control function. 
         [0005]    In general, a common remote controlled outlet switch socket device comprises a receiver, which receives a control signal emitted from some remote device. Then, the socket on the remote controlled outlet switch socket device is under the control of the control signal to be set as conducting or not; thereby, the remote controlled outlet switch socket device may control whether to supply power to the electronic device plugged to the socket, further operating the power ON/OFF of such a plugged device. However, the aforementioned remote controlled outlet switch socket device can only control whether to supply power to the electronic device, but is still unable to control operations of other functions of the electronic device. 
         [0006]    Accordingly, it is desirable for the industry to provide an outlet switch socket device allowing both electronic device power control and electronic device function control. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    The present invention provides an outlet switch socket, which receives the Radio Frequency (RF) wireless remote control and further controls peripheral Infra-Red (IR) electronic devices based on the RF wireless remote control and by using IR technology. As such, the outlet switch socket device according to the present invention is allowed to control not only whether to supply power to the IR electronic device but, meanwhile, various functions thereof. 
         [0008]    The outlet switch socket device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is controlled by a control signal, comprising: a plug, at least one socket, at least one switch, a power converter, a communication module, a microprocessor and an IR module. Herein the plug is used to receive an alternative current (AC) power. Each of the at least one switch is respectively connected in series between each corresponding socket and the plug. The power converter is coupled to the plug and used to convert the AC power into a direct current (DC) power. The communication module is used to receive a control signal. The microprocessor is coupled to the communication module, the power converter and the at least one switch to use the DC power, controlling the enable or disable of such switches based on the control signal and transferring the control signal to the IR module. The IR module is coupled to the microprocessor and emits an IR signal to an IR electronic device based on the control signal. 
         [0009]    In summary, the outlet switch socket device according to the present invention combines the technologies of RF wireless remote control and IR control to remotely control an IR electronic device at a distance, thus providing both the control over power supply to the IR electronic device as well as the control over various functions of the IR electronic device. In this way, the present invention is allowed to effectively eliminate the drawback that conventional remote controlled outlet switch socket device can only control the power supply to the electronic device, but is unable to control other features thereof. 
         [0010]    The summary introduced hereinbefore and detailed descriptions illustrated hereinafter are simply exemplary and addressed to further facilitate understanding in depth for the claimed scope of the present invention. Other objectives and advantages of the present invention will be thoroughly construed in the following descriptions and drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a circuit block diagram for the outlet switch socket device of a first preferred embodiment according to the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is an application diagram for the outlet switch socket device of the first preferred embodiment according to the present invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a circuit block diagram for the outlet switch socket device of a second preferred embodiment according to the present invention; and 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is an application diagram for the outlet switch socket device of the second preferred embodiment according to the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0015]    Refer now to  FIG. 1 , wherein a circuit block diagram for the outlet switch socket device of a first preferred embodiment according to the present invention is shown. Herein the outlet switch socket device  1  comprises a plug  10 , at least one socket  142 , at least one switch SW 1 ˜SWn, a power converter  19 , a communication module  13 , a microprocessor  11  and an IR module  15 . Herein the plug  10  is used to receive an AC power, and each of the at least one switch SW 1 ˜SWn is respectively connected in series between each corresponding socket  142  and the plug  10 . 
         [0016]    Referring again to  FIG. 1 , the power converter  19  in the outlet switch socket device  1  is coupled to the plug  10 , used to convert the alternative current (AC) power into a direct current (DC) power for the use by the microprocessor  11 . The communication module  13  is a radio transceiver module which receives a control signal S 1  from a remote control (not shown) in a RF wireless fashion, and transfers the received control signal S 1  to the microprocessor  11 . The microprocessor  11  is coupled to the communication module  13 , the power converter  19  and the switches SW 1 ˜SWn, in which the microprocessor  11  receives the DC power, decodes the received control signal S 1 , and then controls the enable or disable of such switches SW 1 ˜SWn based on the decoded control signal S 1 , further controlling whether to supply power to the load. The aforementioned switches SW 1 ˜SWn each may be a relay or a TRIodes AC (TRIAC) switch. 
         [0017]    Referring once again to  FIG. 1 , additionally, after decoding the control signal SI by the microprocessor  11 , it is further transferred to the IR module  15 . The IR module  15  emits an IR signal S 2  to an IR electronic device (not shown) based on the decoded control signal S 1  to control the IR electronic device to perform functional operations. Meanwhile, the microprocessor  11  in the outlet switch socket device  1  may also acquire the operation status of the IR electronic device through the IR module  15 , and send the acquired operation status to a distant remote control (not shown) via the communication module  13 . Thereby, the user may observe the operation status in the IR electronic device through the display (not shown) installed on the remote control. Referring yet once again to  FIG. 1 , in order to prevent the problems of surge and electromagnetic interference, the outlet switch socket device  1  is further installed with a surge protection circuit  16 , the surge protection circuit  16  being connected in series between the plug  10  and such switches SW 1 ˜SWn. At the same time, the outlet switch socket device  1  in the second (first?) preferred embodiment is also further installed with an electromagnetic interference protection circuit  17 , the electromagnetic interference protection circuit  17  being connected in series between the plug  10  and such switches SW 1 ˜SWn. 
         [0018]    In conjunction with  FIG. 1 , refer now to  FIG. 2 , wherein an application diagram for the outlet switch socket device of the first preferred embodiment according to the present invention is shown. In  FIG. 2 , the outlet switch socket device  1  according to the present invention is illustrated in a form of an extension line. Similarly, the outlet switch socket device  1  according to the present invention may also be implemented in a form of wall-tap typed socket. As such,  FIG. 2  simply illustrates the application examples of the first preferred embodiment according to the present invention which is irrelevant to the definition regarding to the scope of the present invention. 
         [0019]    Referring again to  FIG. 2 , the outlet switch socket device  1  comprises a plug  10 , an extension line  12  and a body  14 ; herein, on the body  14  there install multiple sockets  142  and a switch  144 . All sockets  142  on the body  14  can be controlled by the switch  144 , and once the switch  144  is turned on, the AC power is conduced to the plug  10  and sent to each socket  142  thereon through the extension line  12  and the conducted switch  144  to allow the use by various loads. 
         [0020]    Meanwhile, in the outlet switch socket device  1 , there also includes a communication module  13 , a microprocessor  11  and an IR module  15 ; herein the communication module  13  builds wireless communications with a distant remote control  2  in a RF wireless fashion. Besides, the microprocessor  11  in the outlet switch socket device  1  is coupled to the communication module  13  and the IR module  15 , wherein the microprocessor  11  acquires through the communication module  13  the control signal S 1  emitted from the remote control  2 , decodes the acquired control signal S 1 , and then transfers the decoded control signal S 1  to the IR module  15 . Next, the IR module  15  sends an IR signal S 2  to an IR electronic device  3  by way of an IR cable  152 . At the same time, the microprocessor  11  decodes the control signal S 1 , and uses the decoded control signal S 1  to control such sockets  142  whether to power the load. 
         [0021]    In this way, the user is allowed to perform functional operations on the IR electronic device by using the remote control  2  through the outlet switch socket device  1  according to the present invention. Meanwhile, by means of bi-directional wireless communication with the communication module  13 , the remote control  2  is allowed to acquire the operation status in the IR electronic device  3  through the outlet switch socket device  1  according to the present invention. Additionally, the multiple sockets  142  installed on the outlet switch socket device  1  according to the present invention can be controlled by the control signal S 1  emitted by the remote control  2  as well, thus enabling further control over power supply for the use by the load. 
         [0022]    In conjunction with  FIG. 1 , refer now to  FIG. 3 , wherein a circuit block diagram for the outlet switch socket device of a second preferred embodiment according to the present invention is shown. The same components shown in both the second preferred embodiment and the first preferred embodiment are designated with the identical reference numbers. The second preferred embodiment and the first preferred embodiment can effectively equivalent, the major differences lie in that: the outlet switch socket device  1 ′ in the second preferred embodiment further comprises a communication interface  18 , in which the communication interface  18  is coupled to the communication module  13  and exemplified as a RJ-45 communication interface. 
         [0023]    In conjunction with  FIG. 3 , refer next to  FIG. 4 , wherein an application diagram for the outlet switch socket device of the second preferred embodiment according to the present invention is shown. In  FIG. 4 , the outlet switch socket device  1 ′ according to the present invention is in a form of extension line as an example. Similarly, the outlet switch socket device  1 ′ according to the present invention may also take a form of wall-tap type. As such,  FIG. 4  simply illustrates the application examples of the second preferred embodiment according to the present invention which is irrelevant to the definition regarding to the scope of the present invention. 
         [0024]    In  FIG. 4 , the communication module  13  of the outlet switch socket device  1 ′ is coupled to the RJ-45 communication interface  18 , the RJ-45 communication interface  18  being connected to a computer device  4  via Internet  5 . The computer device  4  transfers the control signal S 1  to the communication module  13  through Internet  5  and the RJ-45 communication interface  18 . Then, the microprocessor  11  acquires the control signal S 1  from the communication module  13 , decodes the acquired control signal S 1  and transfers to the IR module  15 . Subsequently, the IR module  15  transfers an IR signal S 2  to the IR electronic device  3  through an IR cable  152 . Besides, the microprocessor  11  at the same time decodes the control signal S 1  and controls such sockets  142  whether to supply power to the load based on the decoded control signal S 1 . 
         [0025]    In the way, the user is allowed to perform functional operations on the IR electronic device  3  by using the computer device  4  through the outlet switch socket device  1 ′ according to the present invention. Meanwhile, the computer device  4  is also allowed to acquire the operation status in the IR electronic device  3  by means of the outlet switch socket device  1 ′ according to the present invention. Also, the multiple sockets installed on the outlet switch socket device  1 ′ according to the present invention are controlled by the control signal S 1  from the computer device  4 , thus enabling further control over power supply for the use by the load. 
         [0026]    In summary, the outlet switch socket device according to the present invention uses wireless remote control transceiving features, in combination with surge protection circuit, to provide an IR electronic device plugged in the outlet switch socket device with a stable and surge-protected power source. 
         [0027]    Furthermore, the outlet switch socket device according to the present invention uses the built-in wireless communication module to receive the control signal outputted by a distant remote control, which control signal being decoded and transferred to the IR module, and therein the IR module emitting an IR signal based on the decoded control signal to control the IR electronic device. 
         [0028]    Also, in addition to use of radio distant remote control, it is also possible to internally install a RJ-45 communication interface in the outlet switch socket device according to the present invention, allowing to link with a remote computer device via Internet. In this way, as the computer device is connected to the network, it is possible to use dedicated software executed on the computer device to issue control signals to the outlet switch socket device according to the present invention through Internet. Then the outlet switch socket device according to the present invention controls the IR electronic device via the IR module. 
         [0029]    Thus, the outlet switch socket device according to the present invention combines the function of radio transmission/reception and provides IR connection to the IR electronic device required to be controlled remotely. In addition to provision of power supply that the IR electronic device needs, it is also possible to provide radio transmission/reception feature and ability of network remote control through the RJ-45 communication interface. The outlet switch socket device according to the present invention is not limited in terms of perspective or form thereof, but, based on the actual application environment, can be implemented in accordance with various shapes or forms, e.g. Strip, Wall-Tap, Rack-Mount and the like. 
         [0030]    The aforementioned descriptions simply illustrate the preferred embodiments of the present invention, but the characteristics of the present invention are by no means limited thereto. All changes or modifications that skilled ones in the art can conveniently consider in the field of the present invention are deemed to be encompassed by the scope of the present invention delineated by the following claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 7