| 摘要 |
An electrical switch comprises an electrical inlet 1 for supplying electrical energy to an electrical outlet 5 and a controller 13 including means 3 for measuring the energy consumption of an appliance attached to the outlet over a pre-set period of time; a light level sensor 12; and an electrical switch 4 to connect or disconnect the electrical outlet from the inlet. The controller can connect or disconnect the electrical outlet according to the operating mode of the attached appliance, determined by detecting a change in the measured level of energy consumed by the appliance relative to one or more thresholds, and according to the measured light level and the operating mode. The controller may also use measured light levels to determine working days or nights and, in conjunction with the determined operating modes of the appliance, determine regular or extended periods of time where an attached appliance is not used; predict forthcoming periods of likely inactivity such as weekends and bank-holidays; and operate the switch to disconnect the appliance for the duration of the likely period of inactivity. There may be plural outlets 6 that are individually connected or disconnected and in different combinations. The controller may detect patterns of use including regular or extended periods of an appliance being in a standby mode such as week-ends and holidays, predict likely such inactivity periods and connect/disconnect an appliance accordingly.
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