Selective electrical coupling based on environmental conditions

Abstract

An environmental monitoring device that includes a switching mechanism is described. During operation of the environmental monitoring device, the switching mechanism (such as a switch) selectively electrically couples a first electrical-connection node and a second electrical-connection node. For example, using the switching mechanism, an electronic device that is electrically coupled to the first electrical-connection node may be selectively electrically coupled to a second electronic device that is electrically coupled to the second electrical-connection node. The selective electrical coupling may be based on one or more measurements of an environmental condition in an external environment that includes the environmental monitoring device. Moreover, a sensor mechanism in the environmental monitoring device may provide sensor data based on the one or more measurements. Alternatively, an antenna and an interface circuit in the environmental monitoring device may receive the sensor data from a third electronic device.

1 . An environmental monitoring device, comprising:
 a first electrical-connection node configured to electrically couple to an electronic device;   a second electrical-connection node configured to electrically couple to a second electronic device;   a switching mechanism, electrically coupled to the first electrical-connection node and the second electrical-connection node, which, during operation, selectively electrically couples the first electrical-connection node and the second electrical-connection node;   an antenna;   an interface circuit, electrically coupled to the antenna, which, during operation, communicates with a third electronic device that is separate from the environmental monitoring device, wherein the communication includes sensor data based on one or more measurements, provided by the third electronic device, of an environmental condition in an external environment that includes the environmental monitoring device, and wherein the sensor data is associated with a sensor mechanism in the third electronic device; and   wherein the communication includes an identifier of a fourth electronic device that is separate from the environmental monitoring device; and   a control mechanism, electrically coupled to the switching mechanism and the interface circuit, which, during operation, determines predefined information associated with one of the electronic device and the second electronic device based on the one or more measurements of the environmental condition, and provides a control signal to the switching mechanism to selectively electrically couple the first electrical-connection node and the second electrical-connection node based on the one or more measurements of the environmental condition and a predefined preference of an individual associated with the identifier when the individual is one of: in the external environment, and expected to be in the external environment.   
     
     
         2 . The environmental monitoring device of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor data includes one of: temperature, humidity, acoustic information, fire-detection information, load-monitoring information, and motion information. 
     
     
         3 . The environmental monitoring device of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor data includes acoustic information and the environmental condition includes a sound in the external environment;
 wherein the sound is associated with a telephone call; and   wherein, during operation, the control mechanism selectively electrically decouples the first electrical-connection node and the second electrical-connection node when the sound exceeds a threshold value and to selectively electrically couple the first electrical-connection node and the second electrical-connection node when the sound is less than the threshold value.   
     
     
         4 . The environmental monitoring device of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor data includes fire-detection information and the environmental condition includes presence of fire; and
 wherein the control mechanism is configured to selectively electrically decouple the first electrical-connection node from the second electrical-connection node when the presence of fire is detected.   
     
     
         5 . The environmental monitoring device of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor mechanism includes load-monitoring information and the environmental condition includes an electrical characteristic associated with one of: the electronic device, and the second electronic device; and
 wherein the control mechanism is configured to selectively electrically decouple the first electrical-connection node from the second electrical-connection node when the electrical characteristic indicates a standby operating mode for the one of: the electronic device, and the second electronic device.   
     
     
         6 . The environmental monitoring device of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor mechanism includes load-monitoring information and the environmental condition includes an electrical characteristic associated with one of: the electronic device, and the second electronic device; and
 wherein the control mechanism is configured to selectively electrically decouple the first electrical-connection node from the second electrical-connection node when the electrical characteristic indicates a safety concern.   
     
     
         7 . The environmental monitoring device of  claim 1 , wherein the selective electrical coupling includes current-limited coupling between the first electrical-connection node and the second electrical-connection node. 
     
     
         8 . The environmental monitoring device of  claim 1 , wherein the selective electrical coupling includes selectively switching between a closed state of the switching mechanism and an open state of the switching mechanism. 
     
     
         9 . The environmental monitoring device of  claim 1 , wherein the selective electrical coupling includes an impedance value between the impedance values when the electrical coupling corresponds to an open state of the switching mechanism and when the electrical coupling corresponds to a closed state of the switching mechanism; and
 wherein the control signal corresponds to a grey-scale value associated with the impedance value.   
     
     
         10 . The environmental monitoring device of  claim 1 , wherein the first electrical-connection node corresponds to a first electrical standard having a first root-mean-square voltage and the second electrical-connection node corresponds to a second electrical standard having a second root-mean-square voltage. 
     
     
         11 . The environmental monitoring device of  claim 1 , wherein the environmental monitoring device further comprises a third electrical-connection node electrically coupled to the switching mechanism; and
 wherein the control signal further selectively electrically couples the first electrical-connection node and the third electrical-connection node based on the one or more measurements of the environmental condition.   
     
     
         12 . The environmental monitoring device of  claim 11 , wherein the selective electrical coupling of the first electrical-connection node and the second electrical-connection node and the selective electrical coupling of the first electrical-connection node and the third electrical-connection node are independent of each other. 
     
     
         13 . The environmental monitoring device of  claim 11 , wherein the selective electrical coupling of the first electrical-connection node and the second electrical-connection node and the selective electrical coupling of the first electrical-connection node and the third electrical-connection node depend on each other. 
     
     
         14 . The environmental monitoring device of  claim 11 , wherein the communication includes an identifier of the third electronic device; and
 wherein the control mechanism is configured to selectively electrically couple the first electrical-connection node and the second electrical-connection node based on the identifier.   
     
     
         15 . The environmental monitoring device of  claim 14 , wherein control mechanism is configured to selectively electrically couple the first electrical-connection node and the second electrical-connection node based on a predefined preference of an individual associated with the identifier. 
     
     
         16 . The environmental monitoring device of  claim 11 , wherein the communication includes a preference of an individual; and
 wherein the control mechanism is configured to selectively electrically couple the first electrical-connection node and the second electrical-connection node based on the preference.   
     
     
         17 . A computer-program product for use in conjunction with an environmental monitoring device, the computer-program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium and a computer-program mechanism embedded therein to selectively electrically couple a first electrical-connection node and a second electrical-connection node, the computer-program mechanism including:
 instructions for receiving, from another electronic device that is separate from the environmental monitoring device, sensor data based on one or more measurements of an environmental condition in an external environment that includes the environmental monitoring device;   instructions for receiving, from a third electronic device that is separate from the environmental monitoring device, an identifier of the third electronic device;   instructions for determining predefined information associated with one of the electronic device coupled to the first electrical-connection node and the second electronic device coupled to the second electrical-connection node based on the one or more measurements of the environmental condition; and   instructions for providing a control signal to a switching mechanism in the environmental monitoring device to selectively electrically couple the first electrical-connection node and the second electrical-connection node based on the one or more measurements of the environmental condition and a predefined preference of an individual associated with the identifier when the individual is one of: in the external environment, and expected to be in the external environment.   
     
     
         18 . The computer-program product of  claim 17 , wherein the sensor data includes one of: temperature, humidity, acoustic information, fire-detection information, load-monitoring information, and motion information. 
     
     
         19 . The computer-program product of  claim 17 , wherein the sensor data includes acoustic information and the environmental condition includes a sound in the external environment;
 wherein the sound is associated with a telephone call; and   wherein the computer-program mechanism further includes instructions for selectively electrically decoupling the first electrical-connection node and the second electrical-connection node when the sound exceeds a threshold value and to selectively electrically couple the first electrical-connection node and the second electrical-connection node when the sound is less than the threshold value.   
     
     
         20 . A control-mechanism-implemented method for selectively electrically coupling a first electrical-connection node and a second electrical-connection node in an environmental monitoring device, wherein the method comprises:
 receiving, from another electronic device, sensor data based on one or more measurements of an environmental condition in an external environment that includes the environmental monitoring device;   receiving, from a third electronic device that is separate from the environmental monitoring device, an identifier of the third electronic device; and   using the control mechanism in the environmental monitoring device:
 determining predefined information associated with one of the electronic device coupled to the first electrical-connection node and the second electronic device coupled to the second electrical-connection node based on the one or more measurements of the environmental condition; and 
 providing a control signal to a switching mechanism in the environmental monitoring device to selectively electrically couple the first electrical-connection node and the second electrical-connection node based on the one or more measurements of the environmental condition and a predefined preference of an individual associated with the identifier when the individual is one of: in the external environment, and expected to be in the external environment. 
   
     
     
         21 . The environmental monitoring device of  claim 1 , wherein the predefined information includes one of: a type of electronic device, a model of electronic device, a brand of electronic device, and/or a unique identifier of the one of the electronic device and the second electronic device. 
     
     
         22 . The environmental monitoring device of  claim 1 , wherein, during operation, the control mechanism obtaining a predefined device profile that includes additional information about the one of the electronic device and the second electronic device based on the determined predefined information. 
     
     
         23 . The computer-program product of  claim 17 , wherein the predefined information includes one of: a type of electronic device a model of electronic device, a brand of electronic device, and/or a unique identifier of the one of the electronic device and the second electronic device. 
     
     
         24 . The computer-program product of  claim 17 , wherein the computer-program mechanism includes instructions for obtaining a predefined device profile that includes additional information about the one of the electronic device and the second electronic device based on the determined predefined information. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the predefined information includes one of: a type of electronic device, a model of electronic device, a brand of electronic device, and/or a unique identifier of the one of the electronic device and the second electronic device. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the method further comprises obtaining a predefined device profile that includes additional information about the one of the electronic device and the second electronic device based on the determined predefined information.