Network power administration system

• US 20050203987A1
• Filed: 05/09/2005
• Published: 09/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Server Technology Incorporated (Legrand SA)
• Original Assignee: Server Technology Incorporated (Legrand SA)
• Inventors: Cleveland, Andrew J., Auclair, Brian P., Maskaly, James P., McGlumphy, Dennis W., Ewing, Carrel W., Bigler, Mark J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,489,667 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/200
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/266 Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3209 Monitoring remote activity, e.g. over telephone lines or network connections
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3246 by software initiated power-off
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3287 by switching off individual functional units in the computer system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/364 using independent requests or grants, e.g. using separated request and grant lines
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4282 on a serial bus, e.g. I2C bus, SPI bus on daisy chain buses G06F13/4247
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/261 PC controlled powerstrip
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 47/00 Circuit arrangements not adapted to a particular application of the relay and designed to obtain desired operating characteristics or to provide energising current
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 25/003 the coupling part being secured only to wires or cables
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00016 using a wired telecommunication network or a data transmission bus
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/0005 the elements or equipment being or involving power plugs or sockets
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/60 Limiting power consumption in the network or in one section of the network, e.g. load shedding or peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/66 one of the loads acting as master and the other or others acting as slaves
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/14 by switching loads on to, or off from, network, e.g. progressively balanced loading
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/3225 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/00 Management or operation of end-user stationary applications or the last stages of power distribution; Controlling, monitoring or operating thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/14 Protecting elements, switches, relays or circuit breakers
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 : Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/124 : using wired telecommunication networks or data transmission busses

Abstract

A vertical-mount network remote power management outlet strip embodiment of the present invention comprises a long, thin outlet strip body with several independently controllable power outlet sockets distributed along its length. A power input cord is provided at one end, and this supplies AC-operating power to relays associated with each of the power outlet sockets. The relays are each addressably controlled by a microprocessor connected to an internal I2C-bus serial communications channel. The power-on status of each relay output to the power outlet sockets is sensed and communicated back on the internal I2C-bus. A device-networking communications processor with an embedded operating system translates messages, status, and controls between the internal I2C-bus and an Ethernet port, and other external networks.

Claims

1. A remotely manageable power distribution system comprising in combination:

A. at least one remotely manageable power distribution unit having;

i. a power distribution unit housing;

ii. at least one power input disposed in the power distribution unit housing;

iii. a plurality of power outputs disposed in the power distribution unit housing, each said power output being connectable to an electrical load external to the power distribution unit housing;

iv. at least one intelligent power system disposed in the power distribution unit housing in controllable communication with at least one power output among the plurality of power outputs;

v. a network communications system (i) having a network interface application system, (ii) being disposed in the power distribution unit housing in communication with the intelligent power section, and (iii) being communicatingly connectable to a communications network external of the remotely manageable power distribution unit; and

B. a power manager comprising a power outlet grouping and control administration system.

2. The remotely manageable power distribution unit of claim 1 wherein the network communications system comprises a communications module removably disposed in the power distribution unit housing.

3. The remotely manageable power distribution system of claim 1 wherein the at least one power distribution unit also has:

vi. a power information display disposed in the power distribution unit in power determining communication with at least one among the plurality of power outputs.

4. The remotely manageable power distribution system of claim 1 wherein the power manager application provides a power output power-on sequencing system associated with the at least one power distribution unit.

5. The remotely manageable power distribution system of claim 1 wherein the power distribution unit also has:

vi. at least one additional power input disposed in the power distribution unit housing.

6. The remotely manageable power distribution system of claim 1 wherein the network interface application system supports transfer-control-protocol/Internet Protocol communications and provides a web browser interface.

7. The remotely manageable power distribution system of claim 1 wherein the network communications system is communicatingly connectable to at least an additional communications system in a separate remotely manageable power distribution unit.

8. The remotely manageable power distribution system of claim 1 wherein the remotely manageable power distribution unit also has a master-slave compatible communications port mounted in the power distribution unit housing and wherein the network communications system comprises a master power distribution unit system or a slave power distribution unit system.

9. The remotely manageable power distribution system of claim 1 wherein the remotely manageable power distribution unit also has a master-slave compatible communications port and wherein the network communications module comprises a master power distribution unit system or plural slave power distribution system.

10. The remotely manageable power distribution system of claim 1 wherein the power distribution housing comprises a relatively long, thin outlet strip vertically mountable in an electrical equipment rack.

11. A method of remotely managing a power distribution system comprising in combination:

A. with a power manager system running at least in part on a power manager computing system communicatingly connected to a communications network, monitoring at least one remotely located power distribution unit having;

i. a power distribution unit housing;

ii. at least one power input disposed in the power distribution unit housing;

iii. a first plurality of power outputs disposed in the power distribution unit housing, at least one power output being connected to a first electrical load external to the power distribution unit housing and a second power output being connected to a second electrical load external to the power distribution unit housing;

iv. power output control apparatus disposed in the power distribution unit housing and being controllably connected to at least said one power output and a second power output among said first plurality of power outputs;

v. a network communications system (i) supporting a transfer-control-protocol/Internet Protocol and (ii) communicatingly connected to the communications network; and

B. with the power manager system, administratively restricting the level of access by another user to one or more pre-determined subsets of said power outputs.

12. The method of remotely managing a power distribution system of claim 11:

(i) also including;

C. with the power manager system, monitoring at least a second power distribution unit comprising at least a second plurality of power outputs; and

(ii) wherein, in step B, said power inputs include at least one or more among the second plurality of power outputs.

13. The method of remotely managing a power distribution system of claim 11 also including:

C. with the power manager system, establishing a power on sequence for predetermined power outputs among the first plurality of outputs.

14. The method of remotely managing a power distribution system of claim 12 also including:

D. with the power manager system, establishing a power on sequence for predetermined outputs among said power outputs.

15. The method of remotely managing a power distribution system of claim 13 also including:

D. with the power manager system, establishing a power on sequence for a plurality of predetermined power outputs among the first plurality of power outputs and second plurality of power outputs.

16. The method of remotely managing a power distribution system of claim 11 also including:

C. with the power manager system, administratively power control grouping one or more pre-determined subsets of said power outputs.

17. The method of remotely managing a power distribution system of claim 12 also including:

C. with the power manager system, administratively power control grouping one or more pre-determined subsets of said power outputs.

18. The method of remotely managing a power distribution system of claim 13 also including:

C. with the power manager system, administratively power control grouping one or more pre-determined subsets of said power outputs.

19. The method of remotely managing a power distribution system of claim 14 also including:

C. with the power manager system, administratively power control grouping one or more pre-determined subsets of said power outputs.