Patent ID: 7193335

Claim:
A power distribution apparatus comprising: a master electrical outlet configured for coupling to a master device; at least one slave electrical outlet, the master electrical outlet being electrically independent to the at least one slave electrical outlet; and a power circuit to supply electrical power to the master electrical outlet and to the at least one slave electrical outlet comprising a sensing component operable to sense a master device power consumption level drawn from the master electrical outlet when the master device is coupled to the master electrical outlet, a switching component operable to selective supply electrical power or interrupt electrical power to the at least one slave electrical output in response to a switch command input, and a controller coupled to the sensing component and the switching component and being operable to generate the switch command input to supply or interrupt electrical power to the at least one slave electrical outlet by: (i) deriving an operating state power consumption level for the master device comprising the master device power consumption level sensed by the sensing component after a set time delay from when the master device is placed in an operating state, (ii) comparing the operating state power consumption level to an initial pre-set power threshold, (iii) if the operating state power consumption level exceeds the initial pre-set power threshold, adjusting the initial pre-set power threshold to an operating state power threshold comprising a predetermined percentage of the operating state power consumption level, and (iv) generating the switch command input in response to detection by the sensing component of a prescribed change in the master device power consumption level relative to the operating state power threshold.