Interface module with on-board power-consumption monitoring

• US 20060248366A1
• Filed: 04/29/2005
• Published: 11/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Martinez, Idis Ramona, Schumacher, Derek Steven
• Granted Patent: US 7,523,332 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/323
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/28 Supervision thereof, e.g. detecting power-supply failure by out of limits supervision

Abstract

An interface module for interfacing an external device with a host computer is physically and electrically connected to the host computer. The module monitors its own power consumption and reports its power consumption to the host computer. This information can be used to determine the total power consumed by multiple modules, to indicate a problem with the interface module, or to detect a leakage current associated with the external device when main power is off.

Claims

1. An interface module comprising:

a host-computer connector for physically and electrically connecting to a host computer;

an external-device connector for electrical communication with an external device;

interface circuitry to manage communications between said host computer and said external device via said connectors;

a power sensor for providing digital data indicating power consumed by said interface module; and

a power tracker for time stamping and storing said digital data.

3. An interface module as recited in claim 1 wherein said host-computer connector provides main power, standby power, and ground to said interface module.

4. An interface module as recited in claim 3 wherein said power sensor provides said digital data while said standby power is provided even when said main power is not provided.

5. An interface module as recited in claim 4 wherein said power sensor detects power consumption due to leakage current associated with a load associated with said external device when said main power is not provided.

11. An interface module as recited in claim 1 wherein:

said host-computer connector provides main power and standby power to said interface module; and

said power sensor provides digital data to said interface circuitry indicating power consumed by said interface module, said digital data representing said main power consumed by said interface module while said main power is supplied via said host-computer connector, and representing leakage current associated with said external device when said standby power but not said main power is provided to said interface module.

12. An interface module as recited in claim 11 further comprising a power tracker for time stamping and storing said digital data.

2. (canceled)

6. A method comprising:

generating digital data representing power consumption by an interface module for interfacing an external device with a host computer;

time-stamping said digital data to yield time-stamped data; and

transferring said time-stamped data to said host computer.

7. A method as recited in claim 6 wherein said power consumption includes power associated with a main power, said generating occurring even when said main power is off.

8. A method as recited in claim 7 wherein said data represents power consumption associated with leakage associated with said external device while said main power is off.

10. A method as recited in claim 6 further comprising storing said time-stamped data before transferring it to said host computer.

13. A method as recited in claim 6 comprising:

generating digital data representing power consumption by an interface module for interfacing an external device with a host computer via a host-computer connector of said interface module, said digital data representing consumption of power from a main power source while said main power source is coupled to said interface module via said host-computer connector, said digital data representing leakage current associated with an external device coupled to said interface module via an external-device connector of said interface module while said main power source is uncoupled from said interface module and a standby source is coupled to said interface module; and

transferring said digital data to said host computer.

9. (canceled)

14. (canceled)

15. A method comprising:

supplying main power to an interface module of a computer;

monitoring power consumption by said interface module after said main power is withheld from said interface module to determine whether or not a leakage current is present;

in the event said leakage current is not detected, performing a hot swap of said interface module; and

in the event said leakage current is detected, performing a cold swap of said interface module.

16. A method as recited in claim 15 wherein said monitoring step involves using a power sensor located on said interface module.

17. A method as recited in claim 16 wherein said power sensor is powered by standby power while said main power is withheld.