System for identifying electrical devices

1 . A system to identify and control an electrical device connected to an electrical outlet of a plurality of electrical outlets, wherein each electrical outlet comprises a sensor configured to measure an electrical signal associated with an electricity supply to an electrical device connected to the electrical outlet, the system further comprising:

a processor configured to:

receive a measured electrical signal of the electrical device connected to the electrical outlet of the plurality of electrical outlets; and

determine an electrical signature of the electrical device based on one or more features extracted from a frequency domain spectrum of the electrical signal using a speech coding algorithm; and

a processor configured to compare the electrical signature against a signature database to identify the electrical device; and

a processor configured to generate a control signal for controlling the electrical outlet to which the identified electrical device is connected;

wherein each electrical outlet further comprises a switch configured to control the supply of electricity to an electrical device connected to the electrical outlet, wherein the control signal operates the switch of the electrical outlet to which the identified electrical device is connected to control the supply of electricity to the identified electrical device based on the control signal;

wherein the speech coding algorithm comprises one or more of: a Linear Predictive Coding (LPC) Coefficient, and a Linear Predictive Cepstral Coefficient (LPCC).

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the control signal is generated based on a policy for controlling the identified electrical device or for controlling a class of electrical devices to which the identified electrical device belongs.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the policy comprises at least one of: whether operation of the identified electrical device is allowed or disallowed; a length of time for which operation of the identified electrical device is allowed; and a time of day and/or day of the week during which operation of the identified electrical device is allowed.

4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein:

in the event that the policy indicates that operation of the identified electrical device is allowed, the control signal is configured to enable the switch of the electrical outlet to supply electricity to the electrical device; or

in the event that the policy indicates that operation of the identified electrical device is disallowed, the control signal is configured to disable the switch of the electrical outlet to prevent the supply of electricity to the electrical device.

5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the policy prevents an identified electrical device deemed unsafe from being operated.

6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein information about an electrical device deemed unsafe is based on recall information provided by a manufacturer of the electrical device.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein an electrical device is connected to an electrical outlet of the plurality of electrical outlets, wherein the electrical outlet to which the electrical device is connected is further configured to send, to a server, electrical outlet identification information which identifies the particular electrical outlet to the server; and

a communications interface in the server is further configured to send the control signal to the identified electrical outlet to control the identified electrical device.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein in the event an electrical signature corresponding to the electrical device is not found in a signature database, a request is sent to a user of the electrical device to identify the electrical device and the identity of the electrical device provided by the user is stored in the signature database.

9 . An electrical outlet configured to control the supply of electrical power to an electrical device connected to the electrical outlet, the electrical outlet comprising:

a sensor configured to measure an electrical signal associated with an electricity supply to the electrical device;

a processor configured to determine an electrical signature of the electrical device based on one or more features extracted from a frequency domain spectrum of the electrical signal using a speech coding algorithm;

a communications interface configured to transmit the electrical signature to a server for identifying the electrical device based on the electrical signature and receive a control signal from the server; and

a switch configured to control the supply of electricity to the electrical device connected to the electrical outlet based on the control signal;

wherein the speech coding algorithm comprises one or more of: a Linear Predictive Coding (LPC) Coefficient, and a Linear Predictive Cepstral Coefficient (LPCC).

10 . The electrical outlet according to claim 9 , wherein the electrical signal is the electrical current consumed by the electrical device and wherein the sensor is a hall effect sensor.

11 . The electrical outlet according to claim 9 , wherein the electrical outlet comprises electrical outlet identification information and the communications interface is configured to transmit the electrical outlet identification information to the server with the electrical signature.

12 . A server for controlling electrical devices connected to an electrical outlet, the server comprising:

a communications interface and a processor, wherein the communications interface is configured to receive either:

an electrical signature of an electrical device connected to an electrical outlet, wherein the electrical signature is based on one or more features of a frequency domain spectrum extracted from the electrical signal using a speech coding algorithm; or

a measured electrical signal associated with an electricity supply to an electrical device connected to the electrical outlet and the processor is configured to determine an electrical signature of the electrical device based on one or more features of a portion of the frequency domain spectrum extracted from the electrical signature using a speech coding algorithm; and

the processor is configured to compare the electrical signature against a signature database to identify the electrical device and generate a control signal for an electrical outlet based on the identity of the electrical device, wherein the control signal operates a switch of the electrical outlet to which the identified electrical device is connected in order to control the supply of electricity to the electrical device connected to the electrical outlet;

wherein the speech coding algorithm comprises one or more of: a Linear Predictive Coding (LPC) Coefficient, and a Linear Predictive Cepstral Coefficient (LPCC).