The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 12, 2000
Filed:
May. 26, 1999
Joe W Peterson, Austin, TX (US);
Al Hartmann, Round Rock, TX (US);
Advanced Micro Devices, Inc., Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Abstract
An electrical receptacle that provides dual-mode electric power through two separate sockets. The electrical receptacle includes a first socket configured to supply AC electric current at a high voltage (such as 120V or 240V AC) and a second socket configured to supply DC current at a low voltage current (such as 4V, 6V, or 12V DC). In one embodiment, the receptacle receives the high-voltage AC from electrical wiring in a building and generates the low-voltage DC. This embodiment of the receptacle has input terminals for receiving AC, mounting hardware, an AC-to-DC converter, and one or more DC output sockets. The receptacle may also have a standard AC output socket. The receptacle may be used to provide direct current at several different voltage levels. The different voltages may be accessed simultaneously through several different DC sockets. Alternatively or in combination, one or more switches may be used to select the voltage level delivered by individual sockets or groups of sockets. In another embodiment, the electrical receptacle receives the DC from an external source, such as 12 V DC supply lines installed in a building. In this embodiment, the electrical receptacle includes input terminals for the high-voltage AC, input terminals for the low-voltage DC, mounting hardware, at least one output socket for the AC, and at least one output socket for the DC. Additional switched or unstitched sockets may also be used. Also described is an electrical adapter that plugs into a standard electrical socket and generates low-voltage direct current.