ELECTRICAL POWER DISTRIBUTION PLUGSTRIP WITH CURRENT INFORMATION DISPLAY AND METHOD OF USE

• US 20070130243A1
• Filed: 10/10/2006
• Published: 06/07/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/1996
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Server Technology Incorporated (Legrand SA)
• Original Assignee: Server Technology Incorporated (Legrand SA)
• Inventors: Ewing, Carrel, McGlumphy, Dennis, Maskaly, James, Bigler, Mark, Cleveland, Andrew, Auclair, Brian
• Application Number:
  US11/548,187
• Publication Number:
  US 20070130243A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/200
• 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 power management device can include a power management device housing, a power input associated with the power management device housing, and a plurality of power outputs associated with the power management device housing. At least certain power outputs can be connectable to one or more electrical loads external to the power management device housing and to the power input. In some embodiments, a communications bus can be associated with the power management device housing and one or more power control sections can also be associated with the power management device housing. In some embodiments, one ore more power control sections can communicate with the communications bus and with one or more corresponding power outputs among the plurality of power outputs. In some embodiments, a power information display can communicate with the communications bus. If desired, a power information determining section can be associated with the power management device housing and in communication with the communications bus. The power information determining section may communicate power-related information to the power information display.

Claims

1. An electrical power distribution plugstrip connectable to one or more electrical loads in an electrical equipment rack, the electrical power distribution plugstrip comprising in combination:

A. an electrical power distribution plugstrip housing configured to be mounted in the electrical equipment rack;

B. a plurality of power inputs in operating power providing communication with the electrical power distribution plugstrip housing;

C. a plurality of power outputs disposed along a side of the electrical power distribution plugstrip housing, wherein each of the plurality of power outputs is connectable to a corresponding one of the one or more electrical loads, and wherein each of the plurality of power inputs is in operating power providing communication with a corresponding sub-plurality of the plurality of outputs;

D. a current-related information display associated with the electrical power distribution plugstrip housing in current-related information determining communication with at least one among the plurality of power inputs and the plurality of power outputs; and

E. a current-related information reporting system coupled with the electrical power distribution plugstrip housing and being (i) in current-related information determining communication with at least one among the plurality of power inputs and the plurality of power outputs, and (ii) connectable in current-related information transfer communication with a separate communications network distal from the electrical power distribution plugstrip housing.

2. The electrical power distribution plugstrip of claim 1 further comprising:

F. a plurality of power control relays associated with the electrical power distribution plugstrip housing, each of the plurality of power control relays being connected to at least one of the plurality of power inputs and in power controlling communication with one or more corresponding power outputs among the plurality of power outputs.

3. The electrical power distribution plugstrip of claim 2 further comprising:

G. at least one intelligent power section associated with the electrical power distribution plugstrip housing and in which is disposed at least one of the plurality of power control relays.

4. The electrical power distribution plugstrip of claim 3 further comprising:

H. an external power manager application external to the electrical power distribution plugstrip housing connectable in network communication with the intelligent power section associated with the electrical power distribution plugstrip housing, whereby a user of the external power manager may control power provided to selectable ones of the plurality of power outputs.

5. The electrical power distribution plugstrip of claim 2 further comprising:

F. a plurality of intelligent power sections associated with the electrical power distribution plugstrip housing, each of the plurality of intelligent power sections being in communication with at least a corresponding one or more among the plurality of power outputs.

6. The electrical power distribution plugstrip of claim 5 further comprising:

G. an external power manager application external to the electrical power distribution plugstrip housing and connectable in network communication with the plurality of intelligent power sections associated with the electrical power distribution plugstrip housing, whereby a user of the external power manager may control power provided to selectable ones of the plurality of power outputs.

7. The electrical power distribution plugstrip of claim 3 wherein the current-related information display is in current determining communication with all among the plurality of power outputs through at least one current sensing device.

8. The electrical power distribution plugstrip of claim 5 wherein the current-related information display is in current determining communication with all among the plurality of power outputs through at least one current sensing device.

9. The electrical power distribution plugstrip of claim 3 wherein the at least one intelligent power section comprises an intelligent power module having at least one of the plurality of power control relays and the corresponding power output for such one power control relay.

10. The electrical power distribution plugstrip of claim 4 wherein the intelligent power section comprises an intelligent power module having at least one of the plurality of power control relays and the corresponding power output for such one power control relay.

11. The electrical power distribution plugstrip of claim 5 wherein each of the plurality of intelligent power sections comprises an intelligent power module having at least one of the plurality of power control relays and the corresponding one or more power outputs for such one power control relay.

12. The electrical power distribution plugstrip of claim 6 wherein each of the plurality of intelligent power sections comprises an intelligent power module having at least one of the plurality of power control relays and the corresponding one or more power outputs for such one power control relay.

13. The electrical power distribution plugstrip of claim 7 wherein the at least one intelligent power section comprises an intelligent power module having at least one of the plurality of power control relays and the corresponding one or more power outputs for such one power control relay.

14. The electrical power distribution plugstrip of claim 8 wherein each of the plurality of intelligent power sections comprises an intelligent power module having at least one of the plurality of power control relays and the corresponding one or more power outputs for such one power control relay.

15. An electrical power distribution plugstrip connectable to one or more electrical loads in an electrical equipment rack, the electrical power distribution plugstrip comprising in combination:

A. an electrical equipment rack-mountable electrical power distribution plugstrip housing;

B. a plurality of power inputs penetrating the electrical equipment rack-mountable electrical power distribution plugstrip housing;

C. a plurality of power outputs disposed along an area on a face of the electrical equipment rack-mountable electrical power distribution plugstrip housing, each among the plurality of power outputs being removably connectable to a corresponding one of the one or more electrical loads;

D. a digital current information display associated with another area of the electrical equipment rack-mountable electrical power distribution plugstrip housing in current determining communication with at least one among the plurality of power inputs and the plurality of power outputs; and

E. a plugstrip current reporting system (i) associated with the electrical equipment rack-mountable electrical power distribution plugstrip housing (ii) in power information determining communication with at least one among the plurality power inputs and the plurality of power outputs, and (iii) communicatingly connectable with a distal current reporting system through a communications network external to the electrical equipment rack-mountable electrical power distribution plugstrip housing.

16. The electrical power distribution plugstrip of claim 15 further comprising:

D. a plurality of power control relays associated with the electrical equipment rack-mountable electrical power distribution plugstrip housing, each of the plurality of power control relays being connected to at least one of the plurality of power inputs and to one or more corresponding power outputs among the plurality of power outputs.

17. The electrical power distribution plugstrip of claim 16 further comprising:

E. at least one intelligent power section associated with the electrical equipment rack-mountable electrical power distribution plugstrip housing and in which is disposed at least one of the plurality of power control relays.

18. The electrical power distribution plugstrip of claim 17 further comprising:

F. an external power manager application external to the electrical equipment rack-mountable electrical power distribution plugstrip housing connectable in network communication with the at least one intelligent power section associated with the electrical equipment rack-mountable electrical power distribution plugstrip housing, whereby a user of the external power manager may control power provided to selectable ones of the plurality of power outputs.

19. The electrical power distribution plugstrip of claim 16 further comprising:

E. a plurality of intelligent power sections associated with the electrical equipment rack-mountable electrical power distribution plugstrip housing, each of the plurality of intelligent power sections being in communication with at least a corresponding one or more of the plurality of power outputs.

20. The electrical power distribution plugstrip of claim 19 further comprising:

F. an external power manager application external to the electrical equipment rack-mountable electrical power distribution plugstrip housing and connectable through the communications network with the plurality of intelligent power sections associated with the electrical equipment rack-mountable electrical power distribution plugstrip housing, whereby a user of the external power manager may control power provided to selectable ones of the plurality of power outputs.

21. The electrical power distribution plugstrip of claim 17 wherein the at least one intelligent power section comprises an intelligent power module having at least one of the plurality of power control relays and the corresponding power output for such one of the plurality of power control relays.

22. The electrical power distribution plugstrip of claim 18 wherein the at least one intelligent power section comprises an intelligent power module having at least one of the plurality of power control relays and the corresponding power output for such one power control relay.

23. The electrical power distribution plugstrip of claim 19 wherein each of the plurality of intelligent power sections comprises an intelligent power module having at least one of the plurality of power control relays and the corresponding one or more power outputs for such one power control relay.

24. The electrical power distribution plugstrip of claim 20 wherein each of the plurality of intelligent power sections comprises an intelligent power module having at least one of the plurality of power control relays and the corresponding one or more power outputs for such one power control relay.