Approach for managing power consumption of network devices

• US 20060173582A1
• Filed: 03/14/2006
• Published: 08/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tetsuro Motoyama
• Original Assignee: Tetsuro Motoyama
• Inventors: Motoyama, Tetsuro
• Granted Patent: US 7,209,805 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/295
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/325 Power saving in peripheral device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3284 Power saving in printer
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/005 using a power saving mode for copiers G03G15/5004
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

An approach for managing power consumption of network devices includes determining whether one or more state change criteria for a network device are satisfied. Examples of state change criteria include, without limitation, whether the network device needs to be operating in a different operational state to perform a specified function and whether a specified function has been completed. If the one or more state change criteria for the network device are satisfied, then the network device is signaled over a communications network to cause the network device to change operational states. According to one embodiment of the invention, the signaling causes the network device to change from a first operational state to a second operational state where the network device consumes a different amount of power when operating in the second operational state relative to when the network device is operating in the first operational state.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for managing power consumption of a network device, the method comprising:

at a remote manager that is separate from the network device, determining whether one or more state change criteria for the network device are satisfied;

if the one or more state change criteria for the network device are satisfied, then the remote manager signaling the network device over a communications network to cause the network device to change from a first operational state in a plurality of operational states to a second operational state in the plurality of operational states, wherein the network device consumes a different amount of power when operating in the second operational state relative to when the network device is operating in the first operational state;

at the remote manager that is separate from the network device, determining whether one or more other state change criteria for the network device are satisfied;

if the one or more other state change criteria for the network device are satisfied, then the remote manager signaling the network device over a communications network to cause the network device to change from the second operational state to a third operational state in the plurality of operational states, wherein the network device consumes a different amount of power when operating in the third operational state relative to when the network device is operating in the second operational state; and

wherein;

in the first operational state, power is provided to an electronic controller in the network device but power is not provided to a mechanical module in the network device,

in the second operational state, power is provided to both the electronic controller and the mechanical module to allow the mechanical module to operate at a first level of operation, and

in the third operational state, power is provided to both the electronic controller and the mechanical module to allow the mechanical module to operate at a second level of operation, wherein the mechanical module consumes relatively more power when operating at the second level of operation relative to when the mechanical module is operating at the first level of operation.