Using A Smart Plug based on Consumer Electronics to Support Low Power Smart Home

In this paper, a design of modular plug that serves as an end-device within smart home environment is proposed. The plug is comprised of several components, namely: communication module, relay sensors, driver, power converter, and microcontroller. The components are packed into a compact and lightweight form that fulfills consumer electronics standards. To monitor and control the plug, a companion Android application is also developed to serve as wireless switch. The plug's functional test shows the device is able to operate using 49.9 mA current in idle mode and 123.7 mA in active mode for 5 VDC input, thus making it suitable for smart home infrastructure aimed for energy conservation purposes.