"If you do regularly charge your devices in a public location for free, Sony may be about to ruin your day. It has developed a new power outlet that can identify who is connecting to it, and therefore allows for an individual to be charged for use.
The key to the intelligent outlet is the inclusion of an integrated circuit which communicates over the power line connection. It can check the identity of the device, and therefore the owner of that device before deciding what to do.
The main purpose seems to be controlling who can gain access to power. So it’s not surprising that Sony sees the tech being deployed in airports, restaurants, and anywhere a public power outlet exists. That’s not to say it can’t be used to help conserve energy too e.g. limiting power to certain types of device at different times of the day within a building."
http://www.geek.com/articles/mobile/...tlet-20120214/