Patents
US 11894638 B2: Solid state protective smart plug device
- Granted
- 2024-02-06
- Filed
- 2021-07-27 application 17386051
- Type
- Utility · 23 claims
- Elsewhere
- Google Patents ↗ · USPTO patent document ↗ · USPTO Patent Center record ↗
Abstract
A wireless-controlled smart plug device and methods of use and operation, using a solid state switch to provide electrical power from an outlet to a load, and provide protection against overload, short circuit, ground, arc, or voltage surge faults. The switch includes a bidirectional semiconductor switch with two back-to-back connected transistors, such as silicon power MOSFETs, silicon insulated-gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs), silicon carbide (SiC) transistors, or gallium nitride (GaN) transistors, each configured to control the current flow from the electrical receptacle to the external electrical load.
Source: PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 (ipg240206.xml).
Assignees
| Assignee | Type | Place | Also on furp.org | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois Institute of Technology 82 patents | US company or organization | Chicago, IL | Illinois Institute of Technology College or university EXACT high confidence: identical full name and state ILLINOIS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY Federal lobbying client EXACT high confidence: identical full name and state ILLINOIS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY Nonprofit EXACT high confidence: identical full name and state | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 |
Inventors
| Inventor | Place | Patents | Person page | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zheng Shen | Chicago, IL | 14 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 | |
| Zhixi Deng | Chicago, IL | 3 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 | |
| Yuanfeng Zhou | Chicago, IL | 5 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 |
CPC categories
| Subclass | Category | First group | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| H01R | Electrically-conductive connections; structural associations of a plurality of mutually-insulated electrical connecting elements; coupling devices; current collectors | H01R13/6683 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 |
| H02J | Electric power networks; circuit arrangements or systems for supplying or distributing electric power; systems for storing electric energy | H02J13/0005 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 |
| H02H | Emergency protective circuit arrangements | H02H3/10 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 |
| Y02B | Climate change mitigation technologies related to buildings, e.g. housing, house appliances or related end-user applications | Y02B90/20 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 |
| Y04S | Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation, communication or information technologies for improving the electrical power generation, transmission, distribution, management or usage, i.e. smart grids | Y04S20/00 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 |
Cooperative Patent Classification, as currently assigned (one row per subclass).
Assignments and security interests
| Recorded | What | From | To | Reel/frame | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-02-15 | Government interest Confirmatory license | ILLINOIS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY signed 2022-01-13 | US DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON, DC | 66611/158 | ECORSEXC, file of 2026-09-25 |
| 2021-07-28 | Assignment Assignment of assignor's interest | SHEN, ZHENG signed 2021-07-26 ZHOU, YUANFENG signed 2021-07-26 DENG, ZHIXI signed 2021-07-27 | ILLINOIS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY CHICAGO, IL | 57012/793 | ECORSEXC, file of 2026-09-25 |
Documents recorded with the USPTO Assignment Recordation Branch that list this patent. A security interest is a lender’s claim on the patent as collateral; a release ends it.
USPTO bulk data: PatentsView granted patents, disambiguated (PVGPATDIS) for patents, assignees, inventors, places and CPC categories; the USPTO Patent Assignment Dataset (ECORSEXC) for assignments and security interests. Patents filed in the last 20 years. No claims or full text. Links to other records are by name (and state): EXACT means the identical full name and state; FUZZY means a looser name match, with the confidence shown.