Power monitoring and management with remote access
First Claim
1. An apparatus comprising:
- at least one power monitor comprising;
a set of input terminals at which to receive input power and a set of output terminals at which to provide output power;
a switch circuit electrically interposed between the input and output terminals and compelled into a conductive state and a non-conductive state in accordance with corresponding signal levels of a signal provided thereto; and
a control circuit to transition between a plurality of controller states responsive to respective measured values of a process variable that includes an input voltage associated with the input power and to provide the signal to the switch circuit in accordance with levels of the input voltage assigned to the respective controller states to;
control the switch circuit into the conductive state in response to the input voltage being within a nominal operating range set between a first over voltage threshold (OVrs) and a first under voltage restore threshold (UVrs) while the switch circuit is in the non-conductive state;
control the switch circuit to remain in the conductive state in response to the input voltage exceeding a second over voltage threshold (OVrc) that is higher than the first over voltage threshold (OVrs) or the input voltage exceeding a second under voltage threshold (UVrc) that is lower than the first under voltage threshold (UVrs) while the switch circuit is in the conductive state; and
control the switch circuit into the non-conductive state in response to the input voltage exceeding a third over voltage threshold (OVsh) that is higher than the second over voltage threshold (OVrc) or the input voltage exceeding a third under voltage threshold (UVsh) that is lower than the second under voltage threshold (UVrc) while the switch circuit is in the conductive state;
a database configured to store a record containing identification data selected by a user to identify the power monitor;
an access device remote from the power monitor and configured to obtain the identification data of the power monitor from the database, the access device including a user interface to accept action criteria data that define state transition boundaries on the process variable at which the control circuit transitions from one of the controller states to another of the controller states in accordance with the value of the process variable, the user interface further including a registration control by which the user associates the identification data with the power monitor in the record of the database to register the power monitor therein; and
a communication module in the power monitor and a communication module in the access device between which a communication channel is formed over which the action criteria data are transmitted, the communication channel being formed using the identification data of the power monitor obtained from the database.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A supply voltage monitor includes a switch circuit that enables coupling of an AC power supply to a load. A control circuit switches the switch circuit from a non-conductive state to a conductive state, and vice-versa, based upon a state of a state machine implemented by the control circuit, and further reports anomalies in process variables, such as voltage and current levels, temperature, etc., based on the state of the state machine. The transition criteria that is met to compel a transition in state is selectable by a user by way of a user interface. The transition criteria may correspond to different power levels that define a range over which the power is considered nominal and a range over which the power is considered to be an anomaly. The transition criteria additionally define what type of anomalies are reported without a change in the conductivity of the switch circuit.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
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at least one power monitor comprising; a set of input terminals at which to receive input power and a set of output terminals at which to provide output power; a switch circuit electrically interposed between the input and output terminals and compelled into a conductive state and a non-conductive state in accordance with corresponding signal levels of a signal provided thereto; and a control circuit to transition between a plurality of controller states responsive to respective measured values of a process variable that includes an input voltage associated with the input power and to provide the signal to the switch circuit in accordance with levels of the input voltage assigned to the respective controller states to; control the switch circuit into the conductive state in response to the input voltage being within a nominal operating range set between a first over voltage threshold (OVrs) and a first under voltage restore threshold (UVrs) while the switch circuit is in the non-conductive state; control the switch circuit to remain in the conductive state in response to the input voltage exceeding a second over voltage threshold (OVrc) that is higher than the first over voltage threshold (OVrs) or the input voltage exceeding a second under voltage threshold (UVrc) that is lower than the first under voltage threshold (UVrs) while the switch circuit is in the conductive state; and control the switch circuit into the non-conductive state in response to the input voltage exceeding a third over voltage threshold (OVsh) that is higher than the second over voltage threshold (OVrc) or the input voltage exceeding a third under voltage threshold (UVsh) that is lower than the second under voltage threshold (UVrc) while the switch circuit is in the conductive state; a database configured to store a record containing identification data selected by a user to identify the power monitor; an access device remote from the power monitor and configured to obtain the identification data of the power monitor from the database, the access device including a user interface to accept action criteria data that define state transition boundaries on the process variable at which the control circuit transitions from one of the controller states to another of the controller states in accordance with the value of the process variable, the user interface further including a registration control by which the user associates the identification data with the power monitor in the record of the database to register the power monitor therein; and a communication module in the power monitor and a communication module in the access device between which a communication channel is formed over which the action criteria data are transmitted, the communication channel being formed using the identification data of the power monitor obtained from the database. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An apparatus comprising:
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a plurality of power monitors, each comprising; a set of input terminals at which to receive input power and a set of output terminals at which to provide output power; a switch circuit electrically interposed between the input and output terminals and compelled into a conductive state and a non-conductive state in accordance with corresponding signal levels of a voltage signal provided thereto; and a processor to provide the signal to the switch circuit in accordance with a state of a state machine executed thereon, the state machine transitioning between a plurality of the states responsive to a user-specified power anomaly in the input power wherein the state machine is configured to; control the switch circuit into the conductive state in response to the signal being within a nominal operating range set between a first over voltage threshold (OVrs) and a first under voltage restore threshold (UVrs) while the switch circuit is in the non-conductive state; control the switch circuit to remain in the conductive state in response to the signal exceeding a second over voltage threshold (OVrc) that is higher than the first over voltage threshold (OVrs) or the signal exceeding a second under voltage threshold (UVrc) that is lower than the first under voltage threshold (UVrs) while the switch circuit is in the conductive state; and control the switch circuit into the non-conductive state in response to the signal exceeding a third over voltage threshold (OVsh) that is higher than the second over voltage threshold (OVrc) or the signal exceeding a third under voltage threshold (UVsh) that is lower than the second under voltage threshold (UVrc) while the switch circuit is in the conductive state; a database configured to store records containing identification data selected by a user to respectively identify the power monitors; an access device remote from the power monitor and configured to obtain the identification data from the database, the access device including a user interface to accept action criteria data from a user from which boundaries defining the power anomalies are established, the user interface further including a registration control by which the user associates the identification data with the power monitor in the record of the database to register the power monitor therein; and a communication module at the access device and at each of the power monitors through which a communication channel is constructed between the access device and at least one of the power monitors, the communication channel being constructed using the identification data obtained from the database. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method comprising:
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registering a power monitor with a database through a registration control on a user interface of a remote access device, the registration storing a record in the database containing identification data selected by a user to identify a respective plurality of power monitors; selecting the power monitor from the plurality of power monitors through the user interface of the remote access device; retrieving the identification data identifying the selected power monitor from the database; receiving action criteria data accepted from a user through the user interface of the remote access device by the power monitor through a communication channel formed using the retrieved identification data; configuring a state machine on the selected power monitor from the action criteria data, wherein the state machine is configured to; control the switch circuit into the conductive state in response to an input voltage being within a nominal operating range set between a first over voltage threshold (OVrs) and a first under voltage restore threshold (UVrs) while the switch circuit is in the non-conductive state; control the switch circuit to remain in the conductive state in response to the input voltage exceeding a second over voltage threshold (OVrc) that is higher than the first over voltage threshold (OVrs) or the input voltage exceeding a second under voltage threshold (UVrc) that is lower than the first under voltage threshold (UVrs) while the switch circuit is in the conductive state; and control the switch circuit into the non-conductive state in response to the input voltage exceeding a third over voltage threshold (OVsh) that is higher than the second over voltage threshold (OVrc) or the input voltage exceeding a third under voltage threshold (UVsh) that is lower than the second under voltage threshold (UVrc) while the switch circuit is in the conductive state; compelling a state transition in the state machine when the input voltage, associated with the input power of the selected power monitor, is outside the nominal operating range; and selectively providing the input power to a load connected to the selected power monitor in accordance with the state of the state machine. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
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Specification