Method and system for managing power delivery for power over ethernet systems

• US 20060149978A1
• Filed: 01/04/2005
• Published: 07/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Neal, Rachel C., Marshall, Robert A., Randall, Anthony L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,509,505 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3215 Monitoring of peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/325 Power saving in peripheral device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3287 by switching off individual functional units in the computer system
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A method for managing the delivery of power for a plurality of devices includes allocating a power limit for each of the plurality of devices and providing power to at least one of the plurality of devices. The method also includes, in response to the providing of power, measuring the amount of power utilized by each of at least one of the at least one of the plurality of devices and determining that the amount of power exceeds the power limit for the device.

Claims

1. A method for providing power for a plurality of devices comprising:

allocating a power limit for each of the plurality of devices;

providing power to at least one of the plurality of devices; and

in response to the providing of power, determining the amount of power utilized by each of at least one of the at least one of the plurality of devices and determining that the amount of power exceeds the power limit for the device.

2. The method of claim 1 and further comprising, in response to determining that the power limit for the device is exceeded, increasing the power limit for the device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein increasing the power limit for the device comprises:

determining the amount of power being utilized by the plurality of devices; and

increasing the power limit for the device in response to determining that the amount of power being utilized by the plurality of devices does not exceed an overall limit for the amount of power utilized by the plurality of devices.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein providing power to a plurality of devices comprises providing power to a plurality of Ethernet devices.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of Ethernet devices comprises one or more devices selected from the group consisting of an internet protocol phone, a wireless access point, a video camera, and a badge reader.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein allocating a power limit for each of the plurality of devices comprises allocating a power limit that is a limit other than 15.4 watts, 7.5 watts, and 4.0 watts.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein providing power comprises providing power by a single power supply.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein increasing the power limit of the device comprises increasing the power limit to a value other than 15.4 watts, 7.5 watts, and 4.0 watts.

9. A system for providing power to a plurality of devices comprising:

a power supply;

a power measurement system operable to determine the amount of power being utilized by each of the plurality of devices;

a power limit system operable to store a power limit associated with respective ones of the plurality of devices; and

a control system associated with the power supply and operable to adjust the power limit of each of the respect ones of the plurality of devices.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the control system comprises software.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the control system comprises hardware.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the control system is further operable to adjust the power limit of each of the respective ones of the plurality of devices in response to a determination of a power usage by the respective one of the plurality of devices that the respective one is exceeding its respective power limit.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the control system is further operable to adjust the power limit of each of the respective ones of the plurality of devices in response to a determination of a power usage by the respective one of the plurality of devices that the respective one is exceeding its respective power limit and a determination that an overall limit for the amount of power utilized by the plurality of devices is not exceeded.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the control system is formed as part of an integrated system including the power supply and the power measurement system.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the control system is formed separate from an integrated system including the power supply and the power measurement system.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the power limit system is formed as part of the power measurement system.

17. The system of claim 9, wherein the power limit system is formed as part of the power supply.

18. The system of claim 9, wherein the power limit system is formed as part of the control system.

19. The system of claim 9, wherein the power supply is operable to provide power to a plurality of Ethernet devices.

20. The system of claim 9, wherein the control system is further operable to adjust the power limit of each of the plurality of devices to a value other than 15.4 watts, 7.5 watts, and 4.0 watts.

21. The system of claim 9, wherein the power management system comprises a plurality of power monitors, each power monitor associated with a respective one of the plurality of devices.

22. The system of claim 9, wherein the power supply is formed as a single power supply.

23. The system of claim 9, wherein the power supply is formed as a plurality of power supplies.

24. A system for providing power to a plurality of devices comprising:

a power supply; and

means for receiving an indication of the amount of power being supplied to a respective one of the plurality of devices, determining that a power limit for the respective one of the plurality of devices is exceeded, and increasing the power limit in response to the determination.

25. A method for providing power to a plurality of Ethernet devices comprising:

allocating a power limit for each of the plurality of Ethernet devices, an allocated power limit for at least one of the plurality of Ethernet devices being other than 15.4 watts, 7.5 watts, and 4.0 watts;

providing power to one or more of the plurality of Ethernet devices;

determining the amount of power collectively utilized by the plurality of devices and determining that the amount of power exceeds a collective power limit for the plurality of Ethernet devices; and

in response to determining that the collective power limit is exceeded, terminating power to at least one, but not all, of the plurality of Ethernet devices.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the particular one of the plurality of devices is a device that is determined to cause the collective power limit to be exceeded.

27. The method of claim 26, and further comprising determining the identity of the particular one of the plurality of devices that cause the collective power limit to be exceeded.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein determining the identity comprises:

terminating power to one of the plurality of Ethernet devices; and

measuring the amount of power collectively used by the plurality of Ethernet devices with power temporarily terminated to the one of the plurality of Ethernet devices.

29. A system for providing power to a plurality of Ethernet devices comprising:

a power supply operable to provide power to the plurality of Ethernet devices;

a power monitor operable to determine the amount of power collectively utilized by the plurality of Ethernet devices;

a power limit system operable to store a power limit associated with the respective ones of the plurality of Ethernet devices; and

a control system operable to terminate power to each of the plurality of Ethernet devices in response to a determination that the amount of power collectively used by the plurality of Ethernet devices exceeds a limit for the collective power usage and further operable to determine the identity of a particular one of the plurality of devices that causes the collective power limit to be exceeded.

30. The system of 29, wherein the control system is further operable to determine the identity of a particular one of the plurality of devices that cause the collective power limit to be exceeded and terminate power to the particular one of the plurality of devices.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the control system is further operable to determine the identity of the particular one of the plurality of devices by:

terminating power to the particular one of the plurality of Ethernet devices; and

measuring the amount of power collectively used by the plurality of Ethernet devices with power temporarily terminated to the particular one of the plurality of Ethernet devices.