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

• US 20070136453A1
• Filed: 10/10/2006
• Published: 06/14/2007
• 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, Maskaly, James, Bigler, Mark, Cleveland, Andrew, Auclair, Brian, Mcglumphy, Dennis
• Application Number:
  US11/548,175
• Publication Number:
  US 20070136453A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• 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 2310/66 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 mountable 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 remote power manager application connectable to be in communication with the intelligent power section through the communications network, wherein the remote power manager application has an adjustable alarm threshold parameter, and wherein the power manager is in alarm threshold communication with the intelligent power section.

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

F. an intelligent power section associated with the electrical power distribution plugstrip housing in power controlling communication with at least one of the plurality of power outputs and connectable to a communications network external to the electrical power distribution plugstrip housing.

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

F. 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 the communications network.

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

G. 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 the power input and in independent power controlling communication with one or more corresponding power outputs among the plurality of power outputs.

5. The electrical power distribution plugstrip of claim 4, wherein at least one of the plurality of power control relays associated with the electrical power distribution plugstrip housing is disposed in the intelligent power section.

6. 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 a corresponding power output for such one of the plurality of power control relays.

7. The electrical power distribution plugstrip of claim 1, 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 1, wherein the alarm threshold parameter is user-adjustable.

9. The electrical power distribution system of claim 1, wherein the remote power manager application is connectable to a remote site through the communications network.

10. The electrical power distribution system of claim 9, wherein alarm information can be transmitted from the remote power manager application to the remote site through the communications network.

11. The electrical power distribution system of claim 1 further comprising a voltage sensor in communication with the remote power manager application.

12. The electrical power distribution system of claim 1, further comprising a current sensor in communication with the remote power manager application.

13. The electrical power distribution system of claim 1, further comprising a temperature sensor in communication with the remote power manager application.