Patent ID: 7642670

Claim:
Apparatus for supplying electrical power to a plurality of vehicles from a central power supply through a plurality of electrical outlet receptacles to which the vehicles are brought and at which they remain stationary for a period during which the power is supplied through an electrical connection cable connected from the vehicle to a respective one of the electrical outlet receptacles, the apparatus comprising: an outlet control unit for mounting in a respective one of the electrical outlet receptacles; and a vehicle control unit for mounting in a respective one of the vehicles; the outlet control unit comprising: at least one electrical outlet; a microprocessor; and a switch operable by the microprocessor for selectively supplying power from the central power supply to said at least one electrical outlet; the vehicle control unit comprising: an input cable for connection to the electrical outlet; a power supply connection for supplying power from the outlet to one or more loads in the vehicle; a microprocessor; and a load connected by a switch so as to apply the load across the power supply from the outlet control unit; the microprocessor of the vehicle control unit being arranged to operate the switch so as to communicate data along the cable to the outlet control unit.