Methods, devices and computer program products for controlling power supplied to devices coupled to an uninterruptible power supply (UPS)

• US 20060041767A1
• Filed: 08/20/2004
• Published: 02/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Powerware Corporation (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Original Assignee: Powerware Corporation (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Cummins, Dennis, Maxwell, Marcus A.
• Application Number:
  US10/922,775
• Publication Number:
  US 20060041767A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/323
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3209 Monitoring remote activity, e.g. over telephone lines or network connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/10 Current supply arrangements

Abstract

Methods, devices, systems and computer program products for operating a networked device coupled to an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) are provided. One or more networked devices are programmed with priority information. The one or more networked devices are further programmed to enter a reduced power state based on the priority information following receipt of a power interruption indication signal from the UPS. The power interruption indication signal indicates that power from a primary source of power has been interrupted.

Claims

1. A method of operating a networked device coupled to a uninterruptible power supply (UPS), comprising programming at least one networked device with priority information and to enter a reduced power state based on the priority information following receipt of a power interruption indication signal from the UPS indicating that power from a primary source of power has been interrupted.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the power interruption indication signal at the at least one programmed networked device; and

entering the reduced power state at the at least one programmed networked device based on the priority information responsive to the received power interruption indication signal.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising setting a timer at the at least one programmed networked device based on the priority information responsive to the received power interruption indication signal, wherein entering the reduced power state comprises entering the reduced power state at the at least one programmed networked device upon expiration of the timer.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising sounding an alert signal at the at least one programmed networked device responsive to the received power interruption indication signal so as to provide notification that the at least one programmed networked device will enter a reduced power state.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving a power restoration indication signal from the UPS at the at least one programmed networked device indicating that power from the primary source of power has been restored; and

initiating a power up process at the at least one programmed networked device based on the priority information responsive to the power restoration indication signal.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising setting a timer at the at least one programmed networked device based on the priority information responsive to the received power restoration indication signal, wherein initiating a power up process further comprises initiating a power up process at the at least one programmed networked device upon expiration of the timer.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising sounding an alert signal at the at least one programmed networked device responsive to the received power restoration indication signal so as to provide notification that the at least one programmed networked device will be powered up.

8. A method of operating devices in a system, comprising:

pre-configuring a first device, having a first associated importance level and being coupled to a backup power source through a power distribution device, to enter a reduced power state at a first time following receipt of a power interruption indication signal;

pre-configuring a second device, having a second associated importance level, greater than the first importance level and being coupled to the backup power source through the power distribution device, to enter the reduced power state at a second time, greater than the first time, following receipt of the power interruption indication signal;

transmitting the power interruption indication signal from the power distribution device indicating that power from a primary source of power has been interrupted;

receiving the power interruption indication signal from the power distribution device at the first and second devices; and

entering the reduced power state at the first device at the first time and at the second device at the second time responsive to the received power interruption indication signal.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein entering a reduced power state is preceded by:

setting a first timer at the first device to the first time and a second timer at the second device to the second time responsive to the received power interruption indication signal, wherein entering the reduced power state at the first device comprises entering the reduced power state at the first device upon expiration of the first timer and wherein entering the reduced power state at the second device comprises entering the reduced power state at the second device upon expiration of the second timer.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein pre-configuring the first device comprises pre-configuring a first group of devices having the first importance level and wherein pre-configuring the second device comprises pre-configuring a second group of devices having the second importance level and wherein entering the reduced power state is preceded by:

setting a first timer at the first group of devices to the first time and a second timer at the second group of devices to the second time responsive to the received power interruption indication signal, wherein entering the reduced power state at the first group of devices comprises entering the reduced power state at the first group of devices upon expiration of the first timer and wherein entering the reduced power state at the second group of devices comprises entering the reduced power state at the second group of devices upon expiration of the second timer.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein entering the reduced power state is preceded by sounding an alert signal at the first and/or second devices responsive to the received power interruption indication signal so as to provide notification that power at the first and/or second devices will be reduced.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

transmitting a power restoration indication signal to the first and/or second devices indicating that power from a primary source of power has been restored;

receiving the power restoration indication signal at the first and/or second devices; and

initiating a power up process at the first and/or second devices responsive to the received power restoration indication signal.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein initiating a power up process is preceded by:

setting a first timer at the first device to a third time and a second timer at the second device to a fourth time responsive to the received power restoration indication signal, wherein initiating the power up process at the first device comprises initiating the power up process at the first device upon expiration of the first timer and wherein initiating the power up process at the second device comprises initiating the power up process at the second device upon expiration of the second timer.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising sounding an alert signal at the first device and/or the second device responsive to the received power restoration indication signal so as to provide notification that the first and/or second devices will be powered up.

15. A networked device coupled to a uninterruptible power supply (UPS), comprising:

a pre-configuration circuit configured to be programmed with priority information and to pre-configure the device to enter a reduced power state based on the priority information following receipt of a power interruption indication signal from the UPS indicating that power from a primary source of power has been interrupted.

16. The network device of claim 15, further comprising:

a receiver configured to receive the power interruption indication signal at the programmed networked device; and

a power module configured to enter the reduced power state at the programmed networked device based on the priority information responsive to the received power interruption indication signal.

17. The network device of claim 16, further comprising a timer circuit configured to set a timer at the programmed networked device based on the priority information responsive to the received power interruption indication signal, wherein the power module is further configured to enter the reduced power state at the programmed networked device upon expiration of the timer.

18. The network device of claim 17, further comprising an alert circuit configured to sound an alert signal at the programmed networked device responsive to the received power interruption indication signal so as to provide notification that the at least one programmed networked device will enter the reduced power state.

19. The network device of claim 17, wherein the receiver is further configured to receive a power restoration indication signal from the UPS at the at least one programmed networked device indicating that power from the primary source of power has been restored and wherein the power module is further configured to initiate a power up process at the programmed networked device based on the priority information responsive to the power restoration indication signal.

20. The network device of claim 19, further comprising a timer circuit configured to set a timer at the programmed networked device based on the priority information responsive to the received power restoration indication signal, wherein the power module is further configured to initiate a power up process at the programmed networked device upon expiration of the timer.

21. The network device of claim 19, further comprising an alert circuit configured to sound an alert signal at the programmed networked device responsive to the received power restoration indication signal so as to provide notification that the programmed networked device will be powered up.

22. A system for operating devices, comprising:

a first pre-configured device, having a first associated importance level and coupled to a backup power source, configured to enter a reduced power state at a first time following receipt of a power interruption indication signal;

a second pre-configured device, having a second associated importance level, greater than the first importance level, and coupled to the backup power source, configured to enter the reduced power state at a second time, greater than the first time, following receipt of the power interruption indication signal; and

a power distribution device configured to couple the first and second devices to the backup power source and transmit a power interruption indication signal from the power distribution device indicating that power from a primary source of power has been interrupted, wherein the first and second devices are configured to receive the power interruption indication signal from the power distribution device and enter the reduced power state at the first device at the first time and at the second device at the second time responsive to the received power interruption indication signal.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the first device is configured to set a first timer at the first device to the first time responsive to the received power interruption indication signal and enter the reduced power state at the first device upon expiration of the first timer and wherein the second device is configured to set a second timer at the second device to the second time responsive to the received power interruption indication signal and enter the reduced power state at the second device upon expiration of the second timer.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the first device comprises a first group of devices having the first importance level, wherein the second device comprises a second group of devices having the second importance level, wherein the first group of devices are configured to set a first timer at the first group of devices to the first time responsive to the power interruption indication signal and enter the reduced power state at the first group of devices upon expiration of the first timer and wherein the second group of devices are configured to set a second timer at the second group of devices to the second time responsive to the received power interruption indication signal and enter the reduced power state at the second group of devices upon expiration of the second timer.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein the first and second devices are further configured to sound an alert signal at the first and second devices responsive to the received power interruption indication signal so as to provide notification that power at the first and second devices will be reduced.

26. The system of claim 22, wherein the power distribution device is further configured to transmit a power restoration indication signal to the first and/or second devices indicating that power from a primary source of power has been restored, wherein the first and second devices are configured to receive the power restoration indication signal and initiate a power up process at the first and/or second devices responsive to the received power restoration indication signal.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the first device is configured to set a first timer at the first device to a third time and initiate the power up process at the first device upon expiration of the first timer and wherein the second device is further configured to set a second timer at the second device to a fourth time responsive to the received power restoration indication signal and initiate the power up process at the second device upon expiration of the second timer.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein the first and second devices are further configured to sound an alert signal at the first device and the second device responsive to the received power restoration indication signal so as to provide notification that the first and second devices will be powered up.

29. A computer program product for operating a networked device coupled to a uninterruptible power supply (UPS), the computer program product comprising:

a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied in said medium, said computer readable program code comprising;

computer readable program code configured to program at least one networked device with priority information and to enter a reduced power state based on the priority information following receipt of a power interruption indication signal from the UPS indicating that power from a primary source of power has been interrupted.

30. The computer program product of claim 29, further comprising:

computer readable program code configured to receive the power interruption indication signal at the at least one programmed networked device; and

computer readable program code configured to enter the reduced power state at the at least one programmed networked device based on the priority information responsive to the received power interruption indication signal.

31. The computer program product of claim 30, further comprising computer readable program code configured to set a timer at the at least one programmed networked device based on the priority information responsive to the received power interruption indication signal, wherein the computer readable program code configured to enter the reduced power state comprises computer readable program code configured to enter the reduced power state at the at least one programmed networked device upon expiration of the timer.

32. The computer program product of claim 31, further comprising computer readable program code configured to sound an alert signal at the at least one programmed networked device responsive to the received power interruption indication signal so as to provide notification that the at least one programmed networked device will enter the reduced power state.

33. The computer program product of claim 31, further comprising:

computer readable program code configured to receive a power restoration indication signal from the UPS at the at least one programmed networked device indicating that power from the primary source of power has been restored; and

computer readable program code configured to initiate a power up process at the at least one programmed networked device based on the priority information responsive to the power restoration indication signal.

34. The computer program product of claim 33, further comprising computer readable program code configured to set a timer at the at least one programmed networked device based on the priority information responsive to the received power restoration indication signal, wherein the computer readable program code configured to initiate a power up process further comprises computer readable program code configured to initiate a power up process at the at least one programmed networked device upon expiration of the timer.

35. The computer program product of claim 33, further comprising computer readable program code configured to sound an alert signal at the at least one programmed networked device responsive to the received power restoration indication signal so as to provide notification that the at least one programmed networked device will be powered up.