POWER MANAGEMENT DEVICE WITH COMMUNICATIONS CAPABILITY AND METHOD OF USE
First Claim
1. A power management device comprising in combination:
- A a power management device housing;
B. a plurality of power inputs disposed in the power management device housing;
C. a first plurality of power outputs disposed in the power management device housing, each among the first plurality of power outputs being connectable to one or more electrical loads external to the power management device housing and connected to a first power input among the plurality of power inputs;
D. a second plurality of power outputs disposed in the power management device housing, each among the second plurality of power outputs being connectable to one or more electrical loads external to the power management device housing and connected to a second power input among the plurality of power inputs;
E. a communications bus associated with the power management device housing;
F. a plurality of power control sections associated with the power management device housing, each among the plurality of power control sections being in communication with the communications bus and thereby in power controlling communication with one or more corresponding power outputs among the first or second plurality of power outputs;
G. a communications system associated with the power management device housing, being in communication with said communications bus, and having a communications processor system in communication with (i) said communications bus;
(ii) at least one among said plurality of power control sections through the communications bus; and
(iii) a communications port connectable to an external communications link external to the power management device housing;
H. a power information display associated with the power management device housing in communication with the communications bus; and
I. a power information determining section associated with the power management device housing in communication with the communications bus, whereby the power information determining section may communicate power-related information to the power information display.
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Accused Products
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.
127 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A power management device comprising in combination:
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A a power management device housing;
B. a plurality of power inputs disposed in the power management device housing;
C. a first plurality of power outputs disposed in the power management device housing, each among the first plurality of power outputs being connectable to one or more electrical loads external to the power management device housing and connected to a first power input among the plurality of power inputs;
D. a second plurality of power outputs disposed in the power management device housing, each among the second plurality of power outputs being connectable to one or more electrical loads external to the power management device housing and connected to a second power input among the plurality of power inputs;
E. a communications bus associated with the power management device housing;
F. a plurality of power control sections associated with the power management device housing, each among the plurality of power control sections being in communication with the communications bus and thereby in power controlling communication with one or more corresponding power outputs among the first or second plurality of power outputs;
G. a communications system associated with the power management device housing, being in communication with said communications bus, and having a communications processor system in communication with (i) said communications bus;
(ii) at least one among said plurality of power control sections through the communications bus; and
(iii) a communications port connectable to an external communications link external to the power management device housing;
H. a power information display associated with the power management device housing in communication with the communications bus; and
I. a power information determining section associated with the power management device housing in communication with the communications bus, whereby the power information determining section may communicate power-related information to the power information display. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A power management device of the type useable to remotely control, or assess information relating to, power provided to external electrical loads from a manager location distal from the external electrical loads, the power management device comprising in combination:
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A. a power management device housing;
B. a power input disposed in the power management device housing;
C. a plurality of power outputs disposed in the power management device housing, each said power output being connectable to an electrical load external to the power management device housing;
D. at least one intelligent power section disposed in the power management device housing in power controlling communication with at least one corresponding power output among said plurality of power outputs;
E. a network communications module (i) having memory and a transfer-control-protocol/Internet Protocol network interface application system residing in the memory and providing a web page interface, and (ii) being associated with the power management device housing in communication with the intelligent power sections and in communication with at least a first external network communications port; and
F. a current display mounted in association with the power management device housing in current-determining communication with at least one among the plurality of power outputs;
whereby an external power manager and the network communications module may exchange, through the first external network communications port and an external network link, information relating to the intelligent power sections in the power management device housing. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification