Network power management system

• US 20050223090A1
• Filed: 05/09/2005
• Published: 10/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/1996
• Status: Abandoned Application

• 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.
• Application Number:
  US11/125,963
• Publication Number:
  US 20050223090A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• 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 unit of the type useable to remotely control power provided to external electrical loads from a remote power manager location distal from the external electrical loads, the remotely manageable power distribution unit comprising in combination:

A. a power distribution unit housing;

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

C. 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;

D. a communications bus disposed in the power distribution unit housing;

E. at least one intelligent power module disposed in the power distribution unit housing in communication with the communications bus and controllably connected to at least one power output among the plurality of power outputs;

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

2. The remotely manageable power distribution unit of claim 1 wherein the network communications module is removably disposed in the power distribution unit housing in removable communication with the communications bus.

3. The remotely manageable power distribution unit of claim 1 also having:

H. 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 unit of claim 1 also having:

H. a power output power-on sequencing system associated with the remotely manageable power distribution unit.

5. The remotely manageable power distribution unit of claim 1 also having at least one additional power input disposed in the power distribution unit housing.

6. The remotely manageable power distribution unit of claim 1 wherein the network interface application system supports transfer-control-protocol/internet-protocol data communications and includes web browser interface application.

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

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

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