US 2,002,135,474 · Filed 2001-03-21

The Auto-Off Patent That Stops Devices From Draining Power When You're Gone

Imagine a device that watches for you leaving the room using motion and heat sensors, then automatically shuts itself down so it doesn't waste electricity. This patent describes exactly that—a smart power-saving system that turns things off when nobody's using them, with a countdown timer and warning beep first.

Curated and verified by the IsItPatented Editorial team

The plain-English version

What it protects

The claim covers a method and device that combines motion detection and heat sensing to automatically power down an electronic device. What's protected here is the specific approach of monitoring motion levels and temperature in a room, comparing those readings against user-set thresholds, and triggering automatic shutdown when activity drops below those thresholds. It also covers the variant where a timer countdown begins once sensors detect low motion or heat, with an optional warning signal before the device powers off.

Why it matters

This patent tackles a universal problem: devices left running unnecessarily waste energy and cost money. In an era of increasing energy costs and environmental awareness, automatic power management based on occupancy has become standard practice in everything from office equipment to smart home devices. The combination of multiple sensor types—motion and heat—makes this approach more reliable than single-sensor systems, since heat can indicate active use even without movement, and motion alone might trigger false positives.

Real-world use

You'd encounter this every day in smart power strips, office printers that go to sleep when nobody's nearby, or smart TVs that shut down after detecting no movement or heat signature in the room for a set time.

Original USPTO abstract

A method and device thereof for automatically turning an electronic device off. A motion sensor detects a level of motion in a predetermined area containing the electronic device. A heat sensor detects a level of heat within the same area. In one embodiment, upon the level of motion falling below a user-defined minimum threshold, the electronic device automatically turns off. In another embodiment, upon the level of heat falling below a user-defined minimum threshold, the electronic device automatically turns off. In another embodiment, once the level of motion or level of heat falls below a user-defined threshold, a timer is activated. Upon the passing of a first predetermined time period, the electronic device automatically turns off. In another embodiment, a warning signal is issued at a second predetermined time for notifying a user that upon the passing of the first predetermined time the electronic device will automatically shut off. Thus, the present invention automatically turns off an electronic device when it is not in use.

Patent details

Publication number: US 2,002,135,474
Filing date: 2001-03-21
Grant date: Application — not yet granted
Assignee: Sylliassen Douglas G.
Inventor(s): SYLLIASSEN DOUGLAS G.
CPC class: G06F1/3231

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