JP7519615B2 - USB outlet - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates generally to USB outlets, and more particularly to USB outlets to which a USB connector of a device can be connected.

Patent document 1 describes a USB outlet having a USB socket into which a USB plug is inserted and connected. This USB outlet includes a printed wiring board on which the USB socket is mounted, and a housing that contains the printed wiring board and has a plug insertion hole through which the USB plug is inserted. The housing is fixed to the construction surface, such as a wall surface.

JP 2014-154802 A

The purpose of this disclosure is to provide a USB outlet that is easy to improve reliability.

A USB outlet according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes a connection unit, a power supply circuit, a housing, and an alarm unit. The connection unit is capable of electrically connecting a USB connector of a device. The power supply circuit supplies power to the device from the connection unit. The housing accommodates the power supply circuit. When a monitoring value exceeds a threshold, the alarm unit issues an alarm by transmitting an alarm instruction to a communication terminal via communication. The monitoring value is at least one of the magnitude of a current supplied to the device, an integrated value of a current supplied to the device, the magnitude of power supplied to the device, the amount of power supplied to the device, and the length of time for which power is supplied to the device .

The present disclosure has the advantage of being able to provide a USB outlet that is easy to improve reliability.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of use of a USB outlet according to a first embodiment. 2A and 2B are front and enlarged views of the USB outlet and its connection port, respectively; 3A and 3B are perspective views showing a structure and a state in which the USB outlet is attached to an object of attachment, respectively; FIG. 4 is a block diagram conceptually showing the USB outlet of the above embodiment. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the USB outlet. Fig. 6A is a front view of a USB outlet according to a modification of embodiment 1. Fig. 6B is a front view of a USB outlet according to another modification of embodiment 1. Fig. 6C is a front view of a USB outlet according to yet another modification of embodiment 1. FIG. 7 is a block diagram conceptually illustrating a USB outlet according to the second embodiment. FIG. 8 is a block diagram conceptually illustrating a USB outlet according to the third embodiment.

(Embodiment 1)
(1) Overview First, an overview of a USB (Universal Serial Bus) outlet 10 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 4. FIG.

The USB outlet 10 according to this embodiment is a device to which the USB connector 91 of the device 9 can be connected. The USB outlet 10 is a device that supplies power to the device 9 (such as a smartphone, for example) through the USB connector 91 when the USB connector 91 is connected. The device 9 charges, for example, a storage battery 92 (see FIG. 4) included in the device 9 with the power supplied from the USB outlet 10.

The USB outlet 10 according to this embodiment is a wiring device that is installed on an attachment object 81, such as a wall of a building. This USB outlet 10 is electrically connected to a power source (such as a system power source) at all times, similar to a general outlet device (Outlet) that outputs an AC voltage of 100V or 200V, and is basically always in a powered state. Therefore, a user can supply power to the device 9 from the USB outlet 10 via the USB connector 91 simply by connecting the device 9 to the USB outlet 10.

Here, if a general outlet device outputs an AC voltage of 100V or 200V, for example, when charging a device 9 such as a smartphone, it is necessary to use a power adapter that converts AC voltage to DC voltage in order to supply power to the device 9. In contrast, with the USB outlet 10 according to this embodiment, it is possible to supply power to the device 9 by directly connecting the USB connector 91 of the device 9 to the USB outlet 10 without using a power adapter. Therefore, with the USB outlet 10, it is possible to charge a device 9 such as a smartphone even if you do not have a power adapter, and since a power adapter is not required, the area around the USB outlet 10 is neater.

The USB outlet 10 according to this embodiment includes a connection unit 2, a power supply circuit 11, a housing 3, and an alarm unit 102. The connection unit 2 is capable of electrically connecting to a USB connector 91 of the device 9. The power supply circuit 11 supplies power to the device 9 from the connection unit 2. The housing 3 houses the power supply circuit 11. The alarm unit 102 issues an alarm when the monitoring value exceeds a threshold value. The monitoring value is at least one of the magnitude of the current supplied to the device 9, the integrated value of the current supplied to the device 9, the magnitude of the power supplied to the device 9, the amount of power supplied to the device 9, and the length of time that power is supplied to the device 9.

According to this configuration, when a monitored value such as the magnitude of the current supplied from the power supply circuit 11 to the device 9 exceeds a threshold value, the notification unit 102 issues a notification. Therefore, for example, if an excessive current or power exceeding the rated output (current or power) of the power supply circuit 11 is supplied from the USB outlet 10 to the device 9, the user can be notified of this. Therefore, it is possible to notify the user at an early stage of an abnormality in a monitored value such as the magnitude of the current supplied to the device 9, and the reliability of the USB outlet 10 can be improved. As a result, it is possible to provide a USB outlet 10 whose reliability can be easily improved.

(2) Detailed Configuration Hereinafter, a detailed configuration of the USB outlet 10 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

(2.1) Premise In this disclosure, "USB" refers to the Universal Serial Bus (USB) standard, which is one of the serial bus standards. In this disclosure, "USB" includes various generations (transfer speed standards) of USB, such as USB 1.0, USB 1.1, USB 2.0, USB 3.0, USB 3.1, USB 3.2, and USB 4. In addition, in this disclosure, the USB terminal shape (the shape of the connection port 4 and the shape of the USB connector 91) includes various shapes. The USB terminal shape includes, for example, Type-A, Type-B, and Type-C, as well as mini USB and micro USB, and further includes combinations of these. That is, examples of USB terminal shapes include a mini USB Type-A terminal and a micro USB Type-B terminal. In this embodiment, unless otherwise specified, a case where the USB terminal shape is an A terminal (USB Type-A) will be described as an example. In this disclosure, the specification of the USB terminal shape is sometimes referred to as a "USB connector standard."

The "USB connector of the device" in the present disclosure may be a connector that is integral with the device 9, or a connector that is provided at the end of a USB cable that can be connected to the device 9. In other words, the USB connector 91 of the device 9 includes a connector that is separate from the device 9 and that is attached to the device 9, such as a connector that is connected to the device 9 via a cable. Furthermore, the "connector" in the present disclosure may be a "plug" that is inserted into a receptacle , or a " receptacle " into which a plug is inserted. In this embodiment, unless otherwise specified, a case will be described in which the USB connector 91 of the device 9 is a USB plug that is provided at the end of a USB cable that can be connected to the device 9.

Similarly, the "connection portion" in the present disclosure may be any structure capable of electrically connecting the USB connector 91 of the device 9, and may be a " receptacle " into which a plug is inserted, or a "plug" inserted into a receptacle . Unless otherwise specified, in this embodiment, a case will be described in which the connection portion 2 of the USB outlet 10 is a receptacle including a connection port 4. In other words, in this embodiment, since the USB connector 91 of the device 9 is a USB plug, the connection portion 2 of the USB outlet 10 is a receptacle to which a USB plug can be connected. Therefore, the connection port 4 of the housing 3 of the USB outlet 10 is included in the connection portion 2.

In the present disclosure, the term "device" refers to an electrical device (apparatus, equipment, and system) that can be electrically connected to the USB outlet 10 and receives power from the USB outlet 10. The device 9 includes, for example, an information terminal such as a smartphone, a tablet terminal, or a wearable terminal, a mobile battery, a mobile phone, a camera, an electric fan, a flashlight, or a television receiver. The USB outlet 10 supplies DC power by applying a DC voltage to the device 9, so the device 9 is a device that supports DC input. Among this type of device 9, for example, the device 9 such as a smartphone, a tablet terminal, or a wearable terminal includes a storage battery 92 and has a function of charging the storage battery 92 using power supplied from the USB outlet 10. In the following, the device 9 that has the function of charging the storage battery 92 may be referred to as a "rechargeable device." In this embodiment, unless otherwise specified, a case will be described in which the device 9 connected to the USB outlet 10 is a rechargeable device 9.

In this embodiment, the USB outlet 10 is fixed to an attachment object 81. In this disclosure, the "attachment object" refers to a member to which the USB outlet 10 is fixed, and includes, for example, a structure such as a wall, ceiling, or floor of a building, or a fixture (including fittings) such as a desk, shelf, or counter. The USB outlet 10 is installed in, for example, a residential facility such as a detached house or an apartment building, or a non-residential facility such as an office, store, school, factory, hospital, or nursing home. In this embodiment, as an example, it is assumed that the USB outlet 10 is a recessed wiring device that is attached to the attachment object 81, which is the wall of a residential facility. In particular, it is assumed that the USB outlet 10 is an indoor wiring device used inside a building.

Hereinafter, the direction perpendicular (orthogonal) to the horizontal plane when the USB outlet 10 is fixed to the wall of the housing facility, which is the object of attachment 81, may be described as the "up-down direction" of the USB outlet 10. Also, the downward direction when the USB outlet 10 is viewed from the front may be described as the "downward direction" of the USB outlet 10. The direction perpendicular to the up-down direction and parallel to the surface (wall surface) of the object of attachment 81 may be described as the "left-right direction" of the USB outlet 10, and the right side when the USB outlet 10 is viewed from the front may be described as the "right side" of the USB outlet 10, and the left side when the USB outlet 10 is viewed from the front may be described as the "left side" of the USB outlet 10. Furthermore, the direction perpendicular to both the up-down direction and the left-right direction, that is, the direction perpendicular to the surface (wall surface) of the object of attachment 81, may be described as the "front-rear direction" of the USB outlet 10, and the back side (back of the wall) of the object of attachment 81 may be described as the "rear" of the USB outlet 10. However, these directions are not intended to limit the direction in which the USB outlet 10 can be used.

Furthermore, the front surface 31 of the housing 3 of the USB outlet 10 will basically face forward when the USB outlet 10 is fixed to the wall of the housing facility, which is the mounting object 81. However, this is not intended to limit the front surface 31 of the housing 3 to facing forward. For example, if the USB outlet 10 is installed on the ceiling, the front surface 31 of the housing 3 will face downward.

In addition, in this disclosure, when comparing two values, "greater than or equal to" includes both the cases where the two values are equal and where one of the two values exceeds the other. However, without being limited to this, "greater than or equal to" here may be synonymous with "greater than," which includes only the cases where one of the two values exceeds the other. In other words, whether or not the cases where the two values are equal can be included can be arbitrarily changed depending on the setting of the reference value, etc., so there is no technical difference between "greater than or equal to" and "greater than." Similarly, "less than" may be synonymous with "less than or equal to."

(2.2) Basic Configuration Next, the basic configuration of the USB outlet 10 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3B.

As described above, in this embodiment, as an example, the USB outlet 10 is a recessed wiring device that is attached to the mounting object 81, which is a wall of a residential facility. In other words, the USB outlet 10 is a wiring device that is fixed to the mounting object 81 and is configured to be able to connect wiring L1 (see FIG. 4) that passes through the back side of the mounting object 81. In particular, this USB outlet 10 is a recessed wiring device in which the housing 3 is fixed to the mounting object 81 with at least a portion of the housing 3 embedded in a construction hole 82 (see FIG. 3A) formed in the mounting object 81.

The USB outlet 10 also has a terminal portion 16 (see FIG. 4) for connecting the wiring L1. For example, the wiring L1 routed inside the wall (mounting object 81) is connected to the terminal portion 16, and is thereby electrically connected to a power source such as a system power source via the wiring L1. The wiring L1 may be directly connected to the power source (system power source, etc.) or indirectly connected via a distribution board, etc.

In this embodiment, as an example, the USB outlet 10 is electrically connected to a single-phase 100V, 60Hz commercial AC power source (system power source) via the wire L1 by connecting the wire L1 to the terminal portion 16. Here, the USB outlet 10 is connected to the AC power source (system power source) via a distribution board, and is always in a conducting state as long as the breakers (main breaker and branch breakers) of the distribution board are in a conducting state. Therefore, the USB outlet 10 is basically always in a state where it can supply power to the device 9.

In addition, in this embodiment, as an example, a two-outlet (two-port) type USB outlet 10 to which two USB connectors 91 can be connected is illustrated. That is, the USB outlet 10 according to this embodiment has a plurality (two in this embodiment) of connection parts 2 (including connection ports 4) for connecting the USB connectors 91, and can supply power to the device 9 from these plurality of connection parts 2. Therefore, the USB outlet 10 can simultaneously supply power to the plurality of devices 9 when the USB connectors 91 of the plurality of devices 9 are connected. In this embodiment, when distinguishing between the plurality of connection parts 2 (two in this embodiment), the individual connection parts 2 may be referred to as a first connection part 21 and a second connection part 22. Similarly, when distinguishing between the plurality of connection ports 4 (two in this embodiment), the individual connection ports 4 may be referred to as a first connection port 41 and a second connection port 42.

As shown in Figures 2A and 2B, the USB outlet 10 includes a power supply circuit 11 and a housing 3. Figure 2B is an enlarged view of the first connection port 41 and its surroundings in Figure 2A.

The power supply circuit 11 has a circuit board (printed wiring board) and various electronic components mounted on the circuit board. The power supply circuit 11 converts the AC voltage applied to the terminal portion 16 from the AC power source (system power source) into a DC voltage and outputs the DC voltage to the connection portion 2. In this way, the power supply circuit 11 supplies power to the device 9 from the connection portion 2. As will be described in detail later, the control unit 101 (see Figure 4) and the like are also mounted on the circuit board of the power supply circuit 11. The power supply circuit 11 may include only one circuit board or may include multiple circuit boards.

As described above, the housing 3 is fixed to the mounting object 81. The housing 3 houses the power supply circuit 11. Strictly speaking, the housing 3 houses not only the power supply circuit 11 but also the control unit 101 and the like by housing the circuit board of the power supply circuit 11. Furthermore, in addition to the power supply circuit 11 and the control unit 101, the housing 3 also houses internal parts such as the connection unit 2 and the terminal unit 16 as appropriate. The housing 3 is made of synthetic resin having electrical insulation properties.

In this embodiment, the housing 3 is rectangular and is formed with dimensions similar to those of a wiring device with three module dimensions. The housing 3 has a front surface 31 that is exposed forward when the housing 3 is attached to the attachment object 81. Here, the front surface 31 of the housing 3 is rectangular in shape with a larger vertical dimension than a horizontal dimension. At least one connection port 4 is arranged on the front surface 31 of the housing 3.

In this embodiment, the USB outlet 10 has two outlets (two ports), so two connection ports 4 are arranged on the front surface 31 of the housing 3. These two connection ports 4 are arranged next to each other with a fixed distance between them in the vertical direction. As shown in Figures 2A and 2B, each of the two connection ports 4 has a rectangular shape with a larger left-right dimension than the vertical dimension when viewed from the front. In other words, each connection port 4 is a long hole that is oriented horizontally (horizontally long).

A metallic shell, contacts, etc. are disposed within the connection port 4. Thus, the connection port 4, together with the shell, contacts, etc., constitutes a connection section 2 ( receptacle ) for electrically and mechanically connecting a USB connector 91 of the device 9. The USB connector 91 is connected to the connection section 2 by being inserted straight from the front into the connection section 2 thus configured. In other words, the plug-in type USB connector 91 is inserted into the connection port 4 along the front-rear direction, which is the insertion direction, so that the USB connector 91 is electrically connected to the connection section 2 and mechanically coupled thereto.

When the connection unit 2 and the USB connector 91 are connected, the connection between the connection unit 2 and the USB connector 91 is released by pulling the USB connector 91 straight out from the connection unit 2. In other words, the electrical connection of the USB connector 91 to the connection unit 2 is released and the mechanical coupling is released by removing the USB connector 91 from the connection port 4 along the insertion direction (front-to-back direction). In short, the user can switch between connection/disconnection of the device 9 (USB connector 91) to the connection unit 2 by inserting and removing the USB connector 91 into and from the connection port 4 formed on the front surface 31 of the housing 3.

Here, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3A, the housing 3 is removably attached to a mounting frame 84 for fixing the housing 3 to an attachment object 81. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 3A, the outlet plate 8 is attached to the mounting frame 84. Here, in this embodiment, the mounting frame 84 and the outlet plate 8 are not included as components of the USB outlet 10. However, it is not essential that the mounting frame 84 and the outlet plate 8 are not included as components of the USB outlet 10, and at least one of the mounting frame 84 and the outlet plate 8 may be included as components of the USB outlet 10.

In this embodiment, the USB outlet 10 is a recessed wiring device as described above, and is therefore attached to the mounting object 81 (here, a wall) using a mounting member 83 such as a recessed switch box. That is, a mounting hole 82 is formed in the mounting object 81, and the USB outlet 10 is attached through the mounting hole 82 to a mounting member 83 such as a switch box that is arranged on the back side of the mounting object 81 (behind the wall).

The mounting frame 84 is, for example, a mounting frame for a large rectangular interconnect wiring device standardized by the Japanese Industrial Standards. Specifically, the mounting frame 84 is formed in a rectangular frame shape when viewed from the front. The housing 3 is attached to the mounting frame 84 so that the housing 3 is located inside the mounting frame 84.

The mounting frame 84 is made of synthetic resin, for example. The mounting frame 84 has a pair of mounting holes 841 and a pair of plate fixing holes 842 formed therein. The mounting frame 84 is attached to the mounting object 81 by fastening a pair of mounting screws 843 through the pair of mounting holes 841 to a mounting member 83 such as a switch box.

The outlet plate 8 has a decorative plate 85 and a fixed plate 86. That is, in this embodiment, the outlet plate 8 is composed of two members, the decorative plate 85 and the fixed plate 86. The outlet plate 8 (the decorative plate 85 and the fixed plate 86) are made of synthetic resin, for example.

The fixing plate 86 is fixed to the mounting frame 84. The decorative plate 85 is attached to the fixing plate 86 so as to cover the front surface of the fixing plate 86. In this way, the decorative plate 85 is indirectly fixed to the mounting frame 84 to which the housing 3 is attached via the fixing plate 86. A window hole 801 is formed in the decorative plate 85, and when the outlet plate 8 is attached to the mounting frame 84, the front surface 31 of the housing 3 is exposed from the window hole 801.

In other words, the outlet plate 8 is a frame-shaped member having a window hole 801, and is combined with the mounting frame 84 so that the front surface 31 of the housing 3 is exposed from the window hole 801. In other words, when the mounting frame 84 and the outlet plate 8 are combined, the front surface 31 of the housing 3 is located inside (within the window hole 801) of the outlet plate 8 (decorative plate 85) in a front view. As a result, as shown in FIG. 3B, when the outlet plate 8 is attached to the mounting object 81 together with the housing 3, the outlet plate 8 covers the periphery of the housing 3, and the mounting frame 84 and the construction holes 82 are not exposed, resulting in a good appearance.

More specifically, the decorative plate 85 is formed in a rectangular frame shape when viewed from the front. A window hole 801 is formed in the center of the decorative plate 85, penetrating the decorative plate 85 in the front-rear direction. The decorative plate 85 is mechanically coupled to the fixed plate 86 in a removable state by a snap-fit structure. That is, the decorative plate 85 and the fixed plate 86 are mechanically coupled by using the elasticity of at least one of the decorative plate 85 and the fixed plate 86 to hook a claw of one of the decorative plate 85 and the fixed plate 86 into a hole of the other.

The fixing plate 86 is formed in a rectangular frame shape when viewed from the front. Furthermore, a pair of through holes 861 are formed in the fixing plate 86. The fixing plate 86 is attached to the mounting frame 84 by fastening a pair of fixing screws 844 through the pair of through holes 861 into a pair of plate fixing holes 842 of the mounting frame 84.

(2.3) Specific Configuration of USB Outlet Next, a specific configuration of the USB outlet 10 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 4. FIG.

As shown in FIG. 4, the USB outlet 10 according to this embodiment further includes a terminal unit 16, a control unit 101, and an alarm unit 102 in addition to a power supply circuit 11, at least one (here, two) connection unit 2, and a housing 3. The control unit 101 includes a detection unit 12 and a setting unit 13. The alarm unit 102 includes a display unit 14 and a sound output unit 15. At least a portion of the terminal unit 16, the control unit 101, and the alarm unit 102 are housed in the housing 3 together with the power supply circuit 11.

The power supply circuit 11 includes an AC/DC conversion circuit that converts AC voltage into DC voltage. The power supply circuit 11 is inserted between the terminal unit 16 and the connection unit 2, and converts the AC voltage input from the terminal unit 16 into DC voltage and outputs it to the connection unit 2. As an example, the power supply circuit 11 converts the 100V AC voltage applied to the terminal unit 16 from the AC power source (system power source) into a 5V DC voltage. As a result, the 100V AC voltage input to the terminal unit 16 is converted into a 5V DC voltage by the power supply circuit 11, and the 5V DC voltage is supplied to the connection unit 2.

In this embodiment, multiple (here, two) connection parts 2 are connected to one power supply circuit 11. In other words, the DC voltage output from the power supply circuit 11 is applied to both the first connection part 21 and the second connection part 22. This makes it possible to output the output of the power supply circuit 11 from multiple (here, two) connection parts 2 to the USB connector 91 of the device 9.

In such a configuration, the sum of the currents (and power) output from the multiple connection parts 2 to the device 9 becomes the output current of one power supply circuit 11. Therefore, for example, the rated output (current or power) of the multiple connection parts 2 is defined as the sum of the output currents (or output powers) of the multiple connection parts 2. The "rated output" in this disclosure is the rated value of the current and/or power, and is at least one of the rated current and the rated power . In other words, the rated value of the total output (current or power) of the multiple connection parts 2 is determined by the rated output (current or power) of the power supply circuit 11. As an example, if the rated output of the power supply circuit 11 is 4A, the sum of the output currents of the multiple (here, two) connection parts 2 is rated at 4A.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2A, an allocation display unit 32 is provided on the front surface 31 of the housing 3 so that the user can easily recognize the rated output as described above. In this embodiment, as an example, the allocation display unit 32 is realized by an engraving formed on the front surface 31 of the housing 3. The allocation display unit 32 displays output information. In this disclosure, "output information" is information related to the amount of power that can be output from each of the connection parts 2. For example, the rated output (current or power) of the connection part 2, that is, the rated current and rated power of the connection part 2, are both related to the amount of power that can be output from the connection part 2, and are therefore included in the "output information". The allocation display unit 32 is not shown in FIG. 1.

2A, the allocation display unit 32 is disposed around the connection port 4 on the front surface 31 of the housing 3. In particular, in this embodiment, the allocation display unit 32 is disposed above and below the connection port 4 on the front surface 31 of the housing 3. Specifically, the output information displayed by the allocation display unit 32 indicates the rated output (rated current) for each connection unit 2, such as "2.5 A" or "1.5 A". As an example, the allocation display unit 32 corresponding to the first connection unit 21 (first connection port 41) displays the output information "2.5 A" as the rated output in a character string (text). The allocation display unit 32 corresponding to the second connection unit 22 (second connection port 42) displays the output information "1.5 A" as the rated output in a character string (text).

Furthermore, the output information displayed by the allocation display unit 32 includes priority information, such as "1" or "2", which indicates the priority of each connection unit 2. The "priority information" referred to here is not limited to numbers such as "1" or "2" as long as it indicates the order in which the connection units 2 are recommended to be used preferentially, and may be information indicating, for example, a primary or secondary relationship. As an example, the allocation display unit 32 corresponding to the first connection unit 21 (first connection port 41) displays the priority of "1" as a character string (text) as priority information. The allocation display unit 32 corresponding to the second connection unit 22 (second connection port 42) displays the priority of "2" as a character string (text) as priority information. In this example, it is recommended that the first connection unit 2 be used preferentially over the second connection unit 2.

By displaying such output information on the allocation display unit 32, the user is recommended to use the first connection unit 2, which has a higher priority. Therefore, when using only one of the multiple (here, two) connection units 2, the user will basically use the first connection unit 2. If the rated output of the power supply circuit 11 is 4A, when only the first connection unit 2 is used, if the first connection unit 2 is used within the rated current (2.5A), the total output current of the two connection units 2 will naturally be within 4A. Also, when both the first connection unit 2 and the second connection unit 2 are used, if the first connection unit 2 is used within the rated current (2.5A) and the second connection unit 2 is used within the rated current (1.5A), the total output current of the two connection units 2 will be within 4A.

That is, in this embodiment, a plurality of connection parts 2 are provided. An allocation display unit 32 is provided on the front surface 31 of the housing 3, which displays output information related to the amount of power that can be output for each of the plurality of connection parts 2. Furthermore, the output information includes priority information that indicates the priority order of the plurality of connection parts 2. When there are a plurality of connection parts 2, such output information (including priority information) is displayed on the allocation display unit 32, making it difficult for the user to be confused about which of the plurality of connection parts 2 to use.

The terminal portion 16 is housed in the housing 3. Here, a terminal hole for connecting the wiring L1 is formed on the rear surface of the housing 3. The terminal portion 16 is disposed in a position in the housing 3 corresponding to the terminal hole. The terminal portion 16 includes a terminal plate or the like, and when the tip end (core wire) of the wiring L1 is inserted into the terminal hole, the terminal portion 16 mechanically holds the tip end (core wire) of the wiring L1 and electrically connects to the wiring L1. As an example in this embodiment, the terminal portion 16 is a so-called quick-connect terminal of a plug-in type, in which the wiring L1 is connected simply by inserting the wiring L1 into the terminal hole.

The control unit 101 mainly comprises, for example, a microcontroller having one or more processors and one or more memories. The microcontroller realizes the function of the control unit 101 by executing a program recorded in one or more memories with one or more processors. The program may be recorded in the memory in advance, or may be provided recorded on a non-transitory recording medium such as a memory card, or provided through a telecommunications line. In other words, the above program is a program for causing one or more processors to function as the control unit 101.

The control unit 101 controls at least the power supply circuit 11. As described above, in this embodiment, the control unit 101 is mounted on the circuit board of the power supply circuit 11 and is housed in the housing 3 together with the power supply circuit 11. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 4, the control unit 101 has functions as a detection unit 12 and a setting unit 13. The detection unit 12 compares the monitoring value with a threshold value and detects that the monitoring value exceeds the threshold value. As described above, the monitoring value is at least one of the magnitude of the current supplied to the device 9, the integrated value of the current supplied to the device 9, the magnitude of the power supplied to the device 9, the amount of power supplied to the device 9, and the length of time that power is supplied to the device 9. The setting unit 13 performs various settings related to the operation of the detection unit 12, for example. The functions of the detection unit 12 and the setting unit 13 will be described in detail in the section "(2.4) Notification function".

The notification unit 102 notifies the detection result of the detection unit 12. In this embodiment, the notification unit 102 has a display unit 14 and a sound output unit 15. The display unit 14 is provided on the front surface of the housing 3, and notifies the detection result of the detection unit 12 by its display mode. In this embodiment, the display unit 14 has a light-emitting element 141 and an optical member 142, as shown in FIG. 2B. The display mode of this type of display unit 14 includes, for example, on/off, light emission color or lighting pattern (blinking cycle, etc.), or a combination of these. In short, in this embodiment, the notification unit 102 has a display unit 14 provided on the front surface 31 of the housing 3. The notification unit 102 notifies (the detection result of the detection unit 12) by the display mode of the display unit 14.

Here, as shown in Figures 2A and 2B, the display unit 14 is arranged around the connection port 4 on the front surface 31 of the housing 3. In particular, in this embodiment, the display unit 14 is arranged on the front surface 31 of the housing 3 so as to surround the entire circumference of the connection port 4. Therefore, the display unit 14 emits light all around the connection port 4. In other words, the connection port 4 is located in an area on the front surface 31 of the housing 3 that is surrounded by the annular display unit 14.

Specifically, the light-emitting element 141 emits light when it receives power from the control unit 101, for example. The light-emitting element 141 is, for example, an LED (Light Emitting Diode). The optical member 142 is, for example, a molded product of a transparent resin such as an acrylic resin, and is a member that takes in the output light of the light-emitting element 141 and guides the light to the surface (front surface) of the optical member 142 through the inside of the optical member 142, that is, guides the light. The optical member 142 is formed in a rectangular frame shape when viewed from the front, and the inside of the rectangular frame forms the connection port 4. In the display unit 14 configured in this way, the light-emitting element 141 emits light, causing the surface (front surface) of the optical member 142 to emit light. In other words, the surface (front surface) of the optical member 142 surrounding the connection port 4 forms the light-emitting surface.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the display unit 14 is configured to be visible from the front even when the USB connector 91 of the device 9 is connected to the connection portion 2 (connection port 4). Specifically, the display unit 14 is configured so that at least a portion of the display unit 14 extends around the USB connector 91 when viewed from the front. In other words, while the display unit 14 is provided around the connection port 4, it is not completely hidden by the USB connector 91 inserted into the connection port 4. As a result, the display state of the display unit 14 is visible even when the USB connector 91 of the device 9 is connected to the USB outlet 10.

The sound output unit 15 is realized, for example, by a speaker or a buzzer. The sound output unit 15 outputs, for example, a beep sound, and notifies the detection result of the detection unit 12 by the form of the beep sound that is the output sound. Examples of the form of the beep sound include "beep", "beep beep" and "beep beep". However, the sound output unit 15 is not limited to a beep sound, and may output a voice or melody together with or instead of a beep sound.

In addition, in this embodiment, as described above, a plurality of connection parts 2 are provided. Therefore, the notification unit 102 is configured to notify the detection result for each of the plurality of connection parts 2 individually. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B, at least the display unit 14 is provided for each connection port 4. In other words, a plurality of display units 14 are provided corresponding to the plurality of connection ports 4. These plurality of display units 14 are arranged around the first connection port 41 and the second connection port 42, respectively. Although FIG. 4 shows one display unit 14, in reality, a plurality of display units 14 (two in this case) are provided. The function of the notification unit 102 will be described in detail in the "(2.4) Notification function" section.

(2.4) Notification Function Next, a description will be given of the notification function of the USB outlet 10 according to this embodiment. The notification function is mainly realized by the detection unit 12 and the setting unit 13 included in the control unit 101, and the notification unit 102.

As described above, the detection unit 12 compares the monitoring value with a threshold value and detects that the monitoring value exceeds the threshold value (also referred to as "monitoring value abnormality"). In this disclosure, the "monitoring value" is at least one of the magnitude of the current supplied to the device 9, the integrated value of the current supplied to the device 9, the magnitude of the power supplied to the device 9, the amount of power supplied to the device 9, and the length of time that power is supplied to the device 9. Here, the length of time that power is supplied to the device 9 means the length of time that has elapsed since the start of power supply when power supply from the USB outlet 10 (power supply circuit 11) to the device 9 continues. In other words, the detection unit 12 compares the monitoring value with the threshold value, using the magnitude of the current supplied to the device 9 from the USB outlet 10 (power supply circuit 11) as the monitoring value. The threshold value is set for each type of monitoring value, and there are, for example, a threshold value for the magnitude of the current and a threshold value for the integrated value of the current.

The magnitude of the current or power supplied to the device 9 can be detected, for example, from the magnitude of the current or power output from the power supply circuit 11. Thus, the detection unit 12, for example, monitors (measures) the current or power output from the power supply circuit 11, and detects that the monitored value exceeds a threshold, i.e., an abnormality in the monitored value, based on the magnitude of this current or power. The current output from the power supply circuit 11 can be measured using an appropriate current sensor such as a current transformer or shunt resistor. The integrated value of the current supplied to the device 9, the amount of power supplied to the device 9, and the length of time that power is supplied to the device 9 can all be found from the magnitude of the current or power output from the power supply circuit 11.

The monitoring value to be compared with the threshold value is at least one of the magnitude of the current supplied to the device 9, the integrated value of the current supplied to the device 9, the magnitude of the power supplied to the device 9, the amount of power supplied to the device 9, and the length of time that power is supplied to the device 9. That is, the monitoring value may be, for example, the magnitude of the current supplied to the device 9, the length of time that power is supplied to the device 9, or a combination of these. In this embodiment, as an example, it is assumed that the monitoring value is the magnitude of the current supplied to the device 9 from the USB outlet 10 (power supply circuit 11). That is, the detection unit 12 compares the monitoring value with the threshold value, using the magnitude of the current supplied to the device 9 from the USB outlet 10 (power supply circuit 11) as the monitoring value.

The setting unit 13 performs various settings related to the operation of the detection unit 12. The setting unit 13 sets, for example, which of the magnitude of the current supplied to the device 9, the integrated value of the current supplied to the device 9, and the magnitude of the power supplied to the device 9 is to be used as the monitoring value. The setting unit 13 also sets threshold values to be compared with the monitoring value. Furthermore, it is preferable that the setting unit 13 also performs various settings related to the operation of the notification unit 102. As an example in this embodiment, the setting contents of the setting unit 13 are determined according to a person's operation of an operation unit such as a dip switch or a semi-fixed resistor provided in the housing 3.

The detection result of the detection unit 12 is then notified by the notification unit 102. In this embodiment, as described above, the notification unit 102 has the display unit 14 and the sound output unit 15, and therefore notifies the detection result of the detection unit 12 in the display mode of the display unit 14 or the mode of the sound output from the sound output unit 15. For example, when the monitoring value is the magnitude of the current supplied to the device 9 from the USB outlet 10 (power supply circuit 11), the notification unit 102 issues a different notification depending on whether the magnitude of the current (monitoring value) is equal to or less than the threshold value or greater than the threshold value.

As an example, if the monitoring value (here, the magnitude of the current) is equal to or less than the threshold, the notification unit 102 lights the display unit 14 in green. On the other hand, if the monitoring value (here, the magnitude of the current) is greater than the threshold, that is, if the monitoring value exceeds the threshold, the notification unit 102 lights the display unit 14 in red. As a result, if there is no abnormality in the monitoring value, the display unit 14 lights up in green, and if there is an abnormality in the monitoring value, the display unit 14 lights up in red. Furthermore, in a state where the USB connector 91 of the device 9 is not connected to the connection unit 2, the notification unit 102 may turn off the display unit 14. Also, if the monitoring value (here, the magnitude of the current) is greater than the threshold, the notification unit 102 outputs, for example, a beep sound from the sound output unit 15. It is preferable that the beep sound is output continuously while the monitoring value exceeds the threshold.

In this embodiment, as described above, a plurality of connection parts 2 are provided. Therefore, the detection unit 12 detects an abnormality in the monitoring value (the monitoring value exceeds a threshold value) for each of the plurality of connection parts 2 individually. For example, when the monitoring value is the magnitude of the current supplied from the USB outlet 10 (power supply circuit 11) to the device 9, the detection unit 12 detects the magnitude of the current (monitoring value) exceeding the threshold value for each of the first connection part 21 and the second connection part 22 as an abnormality in the monitoring value. Therefore, the detection unit 12 detects a state in which the monitoring values of both the first connection part 21 and the second connection part 22 are abnormal, a state in which both monitoring values are not abnormal, a state in which the monitoring value of only the first connection part 21 is abnormal, or a state in which the monitoring value of only the second connection part 22 is abnormal. In this way, in order to detect an abnormality in the monitoring value for each of the plurality of connection parts 2 individually, the detection unit 12 monitors (measures) by distinguishing, for example, the current output from the power supply circuit 11 to the first connection part 21 and the current output from the power supply circuit 11 to the second connection part 22.

In this embodiment, the notification unit 102 also notifies the abnormality of the monitoring value (detection result of the detection unit 12) for each of the multiple connections 2 individually. For example, when the monitoring value is the magnitude of the current supplied from the USB outlet 10 (power supply circuit 11) to the device 9, the notification unit 102 notifies the abnormality of the monitoring value for each of the first connection unit 21 and the second connection unit 22 that the magnitude of the current (monitoring value) exceeds the threshold. As an example, if the monitoring value of only the first connection unit 21 is abnormal, the notification unit 102 lights up the display unit 14 corresponding to the first connection unit 21 in red and lights up the display unit 14 corresponding to the second connection unit 22 in green. The notification unit 102 distinguishes between a state in which the monitoring values of both the first connection unit 21 and the second connection unit 22 are abnormal, a state in which both monitoring values are not abnormal, a state in which the monitoring value of only the first connection unit 21 is abnormal, and a state in which the monitoring value of only the second connection unit 22 is abnormal.

(3) Operation Next, the operation of the USB outlet 10 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the USB outlet 10 when the monitored value is the magnitude of the current supplied from the USB outlet 10 (power supply circuit 11) to the device 9.

After starting up, the USB outlet 10 first notifies that the monitored value is normal (no abnormality in the monitored value) (S1). At this time, the notification unit 102, for example, lights up the display unit 14 in green. The USB outlet 10 then uses the detection unit 12 to detect whether the monitored value (here, the magnitude of the current) exceeds the threshold value (S2). If the detection unit 12 does not detect an abnormality in the monitored value, i.e., the monitored value exceeds the threshold value (S2: No), the USB outlet 10 continues to notify that the monitored value is normal (S1).

When the detection unit 12 detects an abnormality in the monitoring value, i.e., the monitoring value exceeds the threshold value (S2: Yes), the USB outlet 10 notifies the notification unit 102 that the monitoring value is abnormal (S3). At this time, the notification unit 102, for example, lights up the display unit 14 in red. The USB outlet 10 then detects with the detection unit 12 whether the monitoring value (here, the magnitude of the current) is equal to or less than the threshold value (S4). If the detection unit 12 does not detect that the monitoring value is normal, i.e., that the monitoring value is equal to or less than the threshold value (S4: No), the USB outlet 10 continues to notify the user that the monitoring value is abnormal (S3).

When the detection unit 12 detects that the monitoring value is normal, i.e., the monitoring value is below the threshold value (S4: Yes), the USB outlet 10 notifies the notification unit 102 that the monitoring value is normal (no abnormality in the monitoring value) (S1).

The USB outlet 10 repeatedly executes the above steps S1 to S4. The flowchart in FIG. 5 is merely one example of the operation of the USB outlet 10, and steps may be omitted or added as appropriate, and the order of steps may be changed as appropriate.

In this way, in the USB outlet 10 according to this embodiment, when a monitoring value such as the magnitude of the current supplied from the power supply circuit 11 to the device 9 exceeds a threshold value, the notification unit 102 issues a notification. Therefore, for example, when an excessive current or power exceeding the rated output (current or power) of the power supply circuit 11 is supplied from the USB outlet 10 to the device 9, the user can be notified of this. In particular, unlike a general outlet device that outputs an AC voltage of 100V or 200V, the USB outlet 10 may not immediately shut off the breaker of the distribution board even if an overcurrent flows to the device 9, so it is useful to perform such a notification. Therefore, it is possible to notify an abnormality in a monitoring value such as the magnitude of the current supplied to the device 9 at an early stage, and the reliability of the USB outlet 10 can be improved. As a result, a USB outlet 10 that is easy to improve in reliability can be provided.

Furthermore, since overcurrent and the like are notified by the device 9 being charged, but by the charging side, that is, the USB outlet 10 that supplies the power for charging, there is no need to use the power of the device 9 being charged to notify of overcurrent and the like. In short, in the device 9 being charged, the power stored in the storage battery 92 or that should be stored in the storage battery 92 can be used for its original purpose of charging, rather than being used to notify of overcurrent and the like. Therefore, the USB outlet 10 according to this embodiment has the advantage that the device 9 can be charged efficiently.

(4) Modifications The first embodiment is merely one of various embodiments of the present disclosure. Various modifications of the first embodiment are possible depending on the design, etc., as long as the object of the present disclosure can be achieved. Each figure described in this disclosure is a schematic diagram, and the ratio of the size and thickness of each component in each figure does not necessarily reflect the actual dimensional ratio. In addition, the function equivalent to the USB outlet 10 according to the first embodiment may be embodied by a method, a (computer) program, or a non-transitory recording medium on which a program is recorded, etc.

Below, we will list some modified examples of the first embodiment. The modified examples described below can be combined as appropriate. Below, common reference symbols will be used for configurations similar to those of the first embodiment, and descriptions will be omitted as appropriate.

The basic configuration of the USB outlet 10 is not limited to the configuration described in the first embodiment, and various types of USB outlets 10A to 10C, such as those shown in Figures 6A to 6C, can be realized.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6A, the USB outlet 10A differs from the first embodiment in that the display unit 14 is arranged in one location around the corresponding connection port 4, rather than surrounding the corresponding connection port 4. Specifically, in the example of FIG. 6A, the display unit 14 is a point light source arranged above the corresponding connection port 4.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6B, the USB outlet 10B has a housing 3 formed to have dimensions similar to those of a wiring device having two module dimensions. This USB outlet 10B is attached to an attachment object 81 (see FIG. 3A) by a mounting frame 84 (see FIG. 3A) together with an outlet device 51 that outputs an AC voltage of, for example, 100V.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6C, the USB outlet 10C is a single-outlet (one-port) type USB outlet in which the housing 3 is approximately the same size as a wiring device with two module dimensions and one USB connector 91 can be connected. In the example of FIG. 6C, the connection port 4 is rectangular in shape with a vertical dimension greater than a horizontal dimension when viewed from the front. In other words, the connection port 4 is arranged vertically (vertically long). Furthermore, this USB outlet 10C is attached to the attachment object 81 (see FIG. 3A) by a mounting frame 84 (see FIG. 3A) together with a sensor device 52 such as a human presence sensor. The sensor device 52 is not limited to a human presence sensor, and may be, for example, a brightness sensor, a vibration sensor, a proximity sensor, or a sound sensor, or a combination of these. The USB outlet 10C may operate based on the output of the sensor device 52. For example, if the sensor device 52 is a human presence sensor, the USB outlet 10C turns off the power supply to the connection portion 2 if there is no person in the vicinity.

Also, in a USB outlet, the number of connection parts 2 (connection ports 4) may be one or three or more.

The multiple connection parts 2 may also include two or more connection parts 2 with different generations (transfer speed standards) and/or USB terminal shapes. For example, the USB outlet 10 may include a connection part 2 with an A terminal (USB Type-A) and a connection part 2 with a C terminal (USB Type-C).

The USB outlet 10 in the present disclosure includes a computer system in the control unit 101, etc. The computer system is mainly composed of a processor and a memory as hardware. The function of the USB outlet 10 in the present disclosure is realized by the processor executing a program recorded in the memory of the computer system. The program may be pre-recorded in the memory of the computer system, may be provided through an electric communication line, or may be recorded and provided in a non-transitory recording medium such as a memory card, an optical disk, or a hard disk drive that can be read by the computer system. The processor of the computer system is composed of one or more electronic circuits including a semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) or a large-scale integrated circuit (LSI). The integrated circuits such as IC or LSI referred to here are called different names depending on the degree of integration, and include integrated circuits called system LSI, VLSI (Very Large Scale Integration), or ULSI (Ultra Large Scale Integration). Furthermore, a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) that is programmed after the manufacture of the LSI, or a logic device that can reconfigure the connection relationship inside the LSI or reconfigure the circuit partition inside the LSI, can also be used as a processor. The multiple electronic circuits may be integrated into one chip, or may be distributed across multiple chips. The multiple chips may be integrated into one device, or may be distributed across multiple devices. The computer system referred to here includes a microcontroller having one or more processors and one or more memories. Therefore, the microcontroller is also composed of one or more electronic circuits including a semiconductor integrated circuit or a large-scale integrated circuit.

In addition, it is not essential for the USB outlet 10 that at least some of the functions of the USB outlet 10 are concentrated in one housing 3, and the components of the USB outlet 10 may be distributed across multiple housings. For example, some of the functions of the control unit 101 may be provided in a housing separate from the connection unit 2 (connection port 4). In addition, at least some of the functions of the control unit 101, etc. may be realized, for example, by a server or a cloud (cloud computing), etc.

The USB outlet 10 may be for indoor use or outdoor use. For outdoor use, a rainproof (drip-proof) structure is appropriately adopted.

In addition, in the first embodiment, the device 9 connected to the USB outlet 10 is a rechargeable device 9, but this is not the only example, and it is also possible to connect a non-rechargeable device 9 (a device 9 other than a rechargeable device 9) to the USB outlet 10.

The USB outlet 10 may also have a function of determining whether the device 9 connected to the USB outlet 10 is rechargeable or not. As an example, such a determination function is realized by the USB outlet 10 communicating with the device 9 by wired communication through the USB connector 91 or by wireless communication. With such a determination function, the USB outlet 10 can detect, by the detection unit 12, that the monitored value exceeds the threshold value (an abnormality in the monitored value), only when a rechargeable device 9 is connected, for example.

The USB outlet 10 is not limited to a recessed wiring device. That is, the USB outlet 10 may be an "exposed" wiring device that is arranged so that the entirety of the USB outlet 10 is exposed from the surface of the mounting object 81, such as a wall. In this case, the USB outlet 10 is attached to the mounting object 81 using an exposed switch box instead of a recessed one. The USB outlet 10 may also be attached to the mounting object 81 using a mounting member other than a switch box, such as a clamping bracket.

Moreover, it is not essential for the USB outlet 10 that the housing 3 is attached to the mounting frame 84, and for example, the housing 3 may be integrated with the mounting frame 84. Furthermore, it is not essential for the USB outlet 10 that the outlet plate 8 is attached to the mounting frame 84, and the outlet plate 8 may be omitted as appropriate.

The USB outlet 10 may be provided, for example, in a device such as a personal computer.

In addition, in the first embodiment, multiple connection parts 2 are connected to one power supply circuit 11, but this configuration is not essential for the USB outlet 10, and an individual power supply circuit 11 may be provided for each of the multiple connection parts 2. In other words, the USB outlet 10 may have multiple connection parts 2 and multiple power supply circuits 11 that correspond one-to-one to the multiple connection parts 2. In this case, since power is supplied to each of the multiple connection parts 2 from an individual power supply circuit 11, the rated output (current or power) is also specified individually for each connection part 2.

The allocation display unit 32 is not limited to an engraving formed on the front surface 31 of the housing 3, and may be realized, for example, by printing, a sticker, an indicator light (light-emitting element), a display, or the like. When the allocation display unit 32 is realized by an indicator light or a display, the display content of the allocation display unit 32 can be changed as appropriate.

Furthermore, the allocation display unit 32 is not a required component of the USB outlet 10, and the allocation display unit 32 may be omitted as appropriate.

The means by which the detection unit 12 detects that the monitored value exceeds the threshold (abnormality of the monitored value) is not limited to monitoring (measuring) the current output from the power supply circuit 11, but may, for example, monitor (measure) the power output from the power supply circuit 11. Furthermore, the detection unit 12 may detect that the monitored value exceeds the threshold (abnormality of the monitored value) by means other than monitoring (measuring) the output (current or power) of the power supply circuit 11. For example, the detection unit 12 may communicate with the device 9 connected to the connection unit 2 by wired communication via the USB connector 91 or wireless communication. In this case, the detection unit 12 can detect that the monitored value exceeds the threshold (abnormality of the monitored value) by communicating with the device 9.

Furthermore, it is not a required configuration for the USB outlet 10 for the detection unit 12 to detect that the monitoring value exceeds the threshold value (an abnormality in the monitoring value) for each of the multiple connection units 2 individually. In other words, the detection unit 12 may detect that the monitoring value exceeds the threshold value (an abnormality in the monitoring value) for the multiple connection units 2 collectively. Similarly, it is not a required configuration for the USB outlet 10 for the notification unit 102 to notify that the monitoring value exceeds the threshold value (an abnormality in the monitoring value) for each of the multiple connection units 2 individually. In other words, the notification unit 102 may notify that the monitoring value exceeds the threshold value (an abnormality in the monitoring value) for the multiple connection units 2 collectively.

Furthermore, it is sufficient for the notification unit 102 to issue a notification when the monitoring value exceeds the threshold value, and the inclusion of the detection unit 12 is not a required component of the USB outlet 10. In other words, the notification unit 102, instead of the detection unit 12, compares the monitoring value with the threshold value and detects that the monitoring value exceeds the threshold value, so that the detection unit 12 can be omitted as appropriate.

Furthermore, the notification unit 102 may notify (notify) the monitoring value itself (e.g., the magnitude of the current). For example, when the monitoring value exceeds a threshold, the notification unit 102 may display the monitoring value itself or notify by audio output. Even if the monitoring value does not exceed the threshold, the notification unit 102 may display the monitoring value itself or notify by audio output at any timing (e.g., periodically).

Furthermore, it is not essential for the USB outlet 10 that the notification unit 102 has a display unit 14 and a sound output unit 15, and the notification unit 102 does not have to have either the display unit 14 or the sound output unit 15.

Furthermore, it is not essential for the USB outlet 10 that the display unit 14 has the light-emitting element 141 and the optical member 142. The display unit 14 may be realized by an image display device such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL (Electro Luminescence) display.

(Embodiment 2)
7, the USB outlet 10D according to this embodiment differs from the USB outlet 10 according to the first embodiment in that it has a communication function with a communication terminal 62. Hereinafter, the same components as those in the first embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted as appropriate.

That is, the USB outlet 10D according to this embodiment has a communication unit 61. The communication unit 61 is configured to be capable of communicating with a communication terminal 62. In this disclosure, "capable of communication" means that information can be exchanged directly or indirectly via a network or a repeater, etc., by an appropriate communication method such as wired communication or wireless communication. In this embodiment, the communication unit 61 is capable of two-way communication with the communication terminal 62, for example, via a network. In this embodiment, as an example, the communication unit 61 employs wireless communication that uses radio waves as a communication medium and complies with standards such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark), Bluetooth (registered trademark), ZigBee (registered trademark), or unlicensed low-power wireless (specific low-power wireless).

The communication terminal 62 is a terminal that has at least a communication function with the communication unit 61, and is, for example, a mobile terminal such as a smartphone, a tablet terminal, or a wearable terminal, or a personal computer. This type of communication terminal 62 has a user interface with a display function, a sound output function, and the like. In the example of FIG. 7, the communication terminal 62 is a tablet terminal separate from the device 9 connected to the USB outlet 10D. However, the communication terminal 62 may also be the device 9 connected to the USB outlet 10D.

The notification unit 102 has a function of transmitting the detection result of the detection unit 12 to the communication terminal 62 using the communication unit 61. That is, the detection result of the detection unit 12 is transferred from the communication unit 61 to the communication terminal 62. Specifically, when the monitoring value exceeds the threshold, the notification unit 102 transmits the detection result of the detection unit 12 indicating that the monitoring value has exceeded the threshold as a notification instruction from the communication unit 61 to the communication terminal 62. The communication terminal 62 that receives the detection result of the detection unit 12 may immediately display the detection result of the detection unit 12, or may only send a push notification and display the detection result of the detection unit 12 only after a specific operation (operation of a specific object) is performed by the user.

In this manner, in this embodiment, when the monitoring value exceeds the threshold value, the notification unit 102 notifies the user by transmitting a notification instruction to the communication terminal 62 via communication. This makes it easier for the user to check the detection result of the detection unit 12 via the communication terminal 62, even if, for example, the USB outlet 10D is in the user's blind spot or is located far away from the user.

Also, in the case where two-way communication is possible between the communication unit 61 and the communication terminal 62 as in this embodiment, the notification unit 102 may transmit the detection result of the detection unit 12 to the communication terminal 62 in response to a call signal from the communication terminal 62. In other words, when the communication unit 61 receives a call signal from the communication terminal 62, the notification unit 102 transmits the detection result of the detection unit 12 to the communication terminal 62 by communication. This makes it possible for the user to check the state of the monitoring value on the communication terminal 62 when he or she wishes to check the state of the monitoring value (whether or not the monitoring value exceeds the threshold value).

Furthermore, in the USB outlet 10D according to this embodiment, the communication with the communication terminal 62 is wireless communication or power line carrier communication. That is, the communication unit 61 communicates with the communication terminal 62 by wireless communication using radio waves as a medium or power line carrier communication using a power line as a medium. In this case, it is not necessary to connect a dedicated communication line to the USB outlet 10D. That is, it is not necessary to connect a dedicated communication line to the USB outlet 10D not only in the case of wireless communication but also in the case of power line carrier communication. That is, since the wiring L1 connected to the terminal 16 is a power line, the communication unit 61 can perform power line carrier communication with the communication terminal 62 by using this wiring L1 as a transmission path. Also, the communication unit 61 may communicate with the communication terminal 62 using both wireless communication and power line carrier communication.

The configuration (including modified examples) described in embodiment 2 can be adopted in appropriate combination with the various configurations (including modified examples) described in embodiment 1.

(Embodiment 3)
8, the USB outlet 10E according to this embodiment differs from the USB outlet 10 according to the first embodiment in that it includes a limiting circuit 17. Hereinafter, components similar to those in the first embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals and descriptions thereof will be omitted as appropriate.

When the monitoring value exceeds the first threshold or the second threshold, the limiting circuit 17 limits the power supplied from the USB outlet 10E (power supply circuit 11) to the device 9. The "first threshold" here is a threshold used by the notification unit 102 to determine whether to notify. The "second threshold" here is a threshold different from the first threshold. The second threshold may be a value greater than the first threshold, or may be a value smaller than the first threshold. As an example in this embodiment, the second threshold is a value greater than the first threshold, and the limiting circuit 17 limits the power supplied from the power supply circuit 11 to the device 9 when the monitoring value exceeds the second threshold.

That is, in the USB outlet 10E according to this embodiment, when the monitoring value exceeds the first threshold, the notification unit 102 issues a notification. Also, in the USB outlet 10E, when the monitoring value exceeds the second threshold (>first threshold), the limiting circuit 17 limits the power supplied from the power supply circuit 11 to the device 9. In this disclosure, "limiting the power" includes reducing the power and cutting off the power (stopping the power supply). In this embodiment, the limiting circuit 17 limits the power by reducing the power supplied from the power supply circuit 11 to the device 9.

The limiting circuit 17, for example, controls a switching element included in the power supply circuit 11 to reduce the output current of the power supply circuit 11 and reduce the power output from the power supply circuit 11 to the device 9. The limiting circuit 17 may also, for example, reduce the output current from the power supply circuit 11 to the connection part 2 by drawing out a portion of the current output from the power supply circuit 11, thereby reducing the power output from the power supply circuit 11 to the device 9. For example, when the monitoring value (here, the magnitude of the current) exceeds a second threshold, the limiting circuit 17 reduces the current supplied from the power supply circuit 11 to the device 9 to below the first threshold.

Thus, the USB outlet 10E according to this embodiment includes a limiting circuit 17 that limits the power supplied to the device 9 when the monitoring value exceeds the threshold value or the second threshold value that is different from the first threshold value. This makes it possible to reduce stress on the power supply circuit 11 and the device 9 caused by, for example, an overcurrent being supplied from the power supply circuit 11 to the device 9. The limiting circuit 17 is not limited to a configuration that limits the power when the monitoring value exceeds the second threshold value as described above, but may also limit the power when the monitoring value exceeds the first threshold value (threshold value).

As a variation of the second embodiment, the second threshold value may be smaller than the first threshold value.

The configuration (including modified examples) described in embodiment 3 can be adopted in appropriate combination with the various configurations (including modified examples) described in embodiment 1 or embodiment 2.

(summary)
A USB outlet (10, 10A to 10E) according to a first aspect includes a connection unit (2), a power supply circuit (11), a housing (3), and an alarm unit (102). The connection unit (2) is capable of electrically connecting a USB connector (91) of a device (9). The power supply circuit (11) supplies power to the device (9) from the connection unit (2). The housing (3) accommodates the power supply circuit (11). The alarm unit (102) issues an alarm when a monitoring value exceeds a threshold value. The monitoring value is at least one of the magnitude of the current supplied to the device (9), the integrated value of the current supplied to the device (9), the magnitude of the power supplied to the device (9), the amount of power supplied to the device (9), and the length of time that power is supplied to the device (9).

According to this aspect, when a monitored value such as the magnitude of the current supplied from the power supply circuit (11) to the device (9) exceeds a threshold, a notification is issued by the notification unit (102). Therefore, for example, when an excessive current or power exceeding the rated output (current or power) of the power supply circuit (11) is supplied from the USB outlet (10, 10A-10E) to the device (9), the user can be notified of this. Therefore, it is possible to notify an abnormality in a monitored value such as the magnitude of the current supplied to the device (9) at an early stage, and the reliability of the USB outlet (10, 10A-10E) can be improved. As a result, it is possible to provide a USB outlet (10, 10A-10E) whose reliability can be easily improved.

The USB outlet (10, 10A to 10E) according to the second aspect is the same as the first aspect, but further includes a detection unit (12). The detection unit (12) compares the monitoring value with a threshold value and detects when the monitoring value exceeds the threshold value. The notification unit (102) notifies the detection result of the detection unit (12).

According to this embodiment, the notification unit (102) only notifies the detection result of the detection unit (12), so the configuration of the notification unit (102) can be simplified.

The USB outlet (10, 10A to 10E) according to the third aspect further includes a limiting circuit (17) in the first or second aspect. The limiting circuit (17) limits the power supplied to the device (9) when the monitored value exceeds a threshold value or a second threshold value different from the first threshold value.

According to this aspect, for example, it is possible to reduce stress on the power supply circuit (11) and the equipment (9) caused by an overcurrent being supplied from the power supply circuit (11) to the equipment (9).

In the USB outlet (10, 10A to 10E) according to the fourth aspect, in any of the first to third aspects, the notification unit (102) has a display unit (14) provided on the front surface of the housing (3). The notification unit (102) notifies by the display mode of the display unit (14).

According to this aspect, abnormalities in the monitored values are notified by the display mode of the display unit (14), making it easier for the user to understand the abnormality in the monitored values.

In the USB outlet (10, 10A to 10E) according to the fifth aspect, in any of the first to fourth aspects, the notification unit (102) notifies the communication terminal (62) by sending a notification instruction via communication when the monitoring value exceeds the threshold value.

According to this embodiment, abnormalities in the monitored values are reported via the communication terminal (62), making it easier for the user to understand the abnormality in the monitored values.

In the USB outlet (10, 10A to 10E) according to the sixth aspect, in the fifth aspect, the communication between the USB outlet (10, 10A to 10E) and the communication terminal (62) is wireless communication or power line carrier communication.

This aspect makes it easier to realize communication between the USB outlet (10, 10A to 10E) and the communication terminal (62).

In the seventh aspect of the USB outlet (10, 10A to 10E), in any one of the first to sixth aspects, a plurality of connection parts (2) are provided. An allocation display part (32) is provided on the front surface of the housing (3) to display output information related to the amount of power that can be output for each of the plurality of connection parts (2).

According to this aspect, when there are multiple connection parts (2), such output information is displayed on the allocation display unit (32), making it difficult for the user to be confused about which of the multiple connection parts (2) to use.

In the USB outlet (10, 10A to 10E) according to the eighth aspect, in the seventh aspect, the output information includes priority information indicating the priority order of the multiple connection parts (2).

According to this aspect, when there are multiple connection parts (2), such output information is displayed on the allocation display unit (32), making it less confusing for the user as to which of the multiple connection parts (2) to use.

The configurations according to the second to eighth aspects are not essential for the USB outlets (10, 10A to 10E) and may be omitted as appropriate.

2 Connection section 3 Housing 9 Device 10, 10A to 10E USB outlet 11 Power supply circuit 12 Detection section 14 Display section 32 Allocation display section 62 Communication terminal 91 USB connector 102 Notification section

Claims (5)

A connection portion capable of electrically connecting to a USB connector of a device;
a power supply circuit for supplying power to the device from the connection portion;
a housing that houses the power supply circuit;
and a notification unit that notifies, when a monitoring value consisting of at least one of the magnitude of the current supplied to the device, the integrated value of the current supplied to the device, the magnitude of the power supplied to the device, the amount of power supplied to the device, and the length of time during which power is supplied to the device, exceeds a threshold , by transmitting a notification instruction to a communication terminal via communication .
USB outlet. The communication with the communication terminal is wireless communication or power line communication.
2. The USB outlet of claim 1. a detection unit that compares the monitoring value with the threshold and detects when the monitoring value exceeds the threshold,
The notification unit notifies a detection result of the detection unit.
3. A USB outlet according to claim 1 or 2. a limiting circuit that limits power supplied to the device when the monitored value exceeds the threshold or a second threshold different from the first threshold,
4. A USB outlet according to any one of claims 1 to 3. The notification unit is
A display unit is provided on a front surface of the housing,
The notification is given by a display mode of the display unit.
5. A USB outlet according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

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