REMOTE POWER CONTROL SYSTEM WITH TICKLE CAPABILITY

• US 20070245012A1
• Filed: 04/20/2007
• Published: 10/18/2007
• 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, Cleveland, Andrew
• Application Number:
  US11/738,417
• Publication Number:
  US 20070245012A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/66 Regulating electric power
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• 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: H02J 13/00004 characterised by the power network being locally controlled
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00016 using a wired telecommunication network or a data transmission bus
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/12 The local stationary network supplying a household or a building
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/14 by switching loads on to, or off from, network, e.g. progressively balanced loading
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/50 Testing arrangements
• 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: Y04S 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/00 Systems for electrical power generation, transmission, distribution or end-user application management characterised by the use of communication or information technologies, or communication or information technology specific aspects supporting them
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/124 using wired telecommunication networks or data transmission busses

Abstract

An SNMP network comprises a power manager with an SNMP agent in TCP/IP communication over a network with an SNMP network manager. The power manager is connected to control several intelligent power modules each able to independently control the power on/off status of several network appliances. Power-on and load sensors within each intelligent power module are able to report the power status of each network appliance to the SNMP network manager with MIB variables in response to GET commands. Each intelligent power module is equipped with an output that is connected to cause an interrupt signal to the network appliance being controlled. The SNMP network manager is able to test which network appliance is actually responding before any cycling of the power to the corresponding appliance is tried

Claims

1. A remotely manageable power distribution unit comprising in combination:

A. a power strip housing;

B. a power input disposed in the power strip housing;

C. a first plurality of power outputs disposed in the power strip housing, each among the first plurality of power outputs being connectable to one or more electrical loads external to the power strip housing and connected to a first power input among the plurality of power inputs;

D. a power control section disposed with the power strip housing in network communication with a remote power control system and in power controlling communication with one or more of the power outputs among the first plurality of power outputs; and

E. a tickle issuance circuit disposed with the power strip housing in communication with the remote power control system and communicatable with at least one external equipment unit.

2. The remotely manageable power distribution unit of claim 1, wherein the tickle issuance circuit is an external appliance identity testing circuit.

3. The remotely manageable power distribution unit of claim 1, wherein the power control section comprises one of a power-on sensing circuit, a load sensing circuit, and a power off circuit.

4. The remotely manageable power distribution unit of claim 2, wherein the power control section comprises one of a power-on sensing circuit, a load sensing circuit, and a power off circuit.

5. The remotely manageable power distribution unit of claim 1, wherein the power control section comprises two of a power-on sensing circuit, a load sensing circuit, and a power off circuit.

6. The remotely manageable power distribution unit of claim 2, wherein the power control section comprises two of a power-on sensing circuit, a load sensing circuit, and a power off circuit.

7. The remotely manageable power distribution unit of claim 1, wherein the power control section comprises a power-on sensing circuit, a load sensing circuit, and a power off circuit.

8. The remotely manageable power distribution unit of claim 2, wherein the power control section comprises a power-on sensing circuit, a load sensing circuit, and a power off circuit.

9. The remotely manageable power distribution unit of claim 1, wherein the tickle issuance circuit is operable to issue an appliance identity testing signal to any of a plurality of external equipment units, wherein at least one of the plurality of external equipment units is mounted in an electrical equipment rack.

10. The remotely manageable power distribution unit of claim 2, wherein at least one external equipment unit is mounted in an electrical equipment rack.

11. The remotely manageable power distribution unit of claim 10, wherein the power strip housing is mounted in an electrical equipment rack.

12. A method of remotely managing power distribution unit, the method comprising in combination:

A. providing a power distribution unit;

B. providing power through the power distribution unit to external electrical appliances;

C. remotely monitoring the power distribution unit and power information provided by the power distribution unit; and

D. issuing a tickle inquiry signal from the power distribution unit to one or more among the external electrical appliances.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the tickle inquiry signal is an external appliance identity testing signal.

14. The method of claim 12 also comprising, with the power distribution unit, sensing power information status of at least one of the external electrical appliances, wherein the power information status comprises at least one of a power-on status and a load status.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising communicating the power information status to a remote network manager through an IP connection.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising, in response to issuing the tickle inquiry signal, sending an identity report to a network monitor, the identity report comprising information identifying the one or more among the external electrical appliances.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising, in response to issuing the external appliance identity testing signal, sending an identity report to a network monitor, the identity report comprising information identifying the one or more among the external electrical appliances.

18. The method of claim 12 also comprising, with the power distribution unit, controlling the supply of power to the one or more among the external electrical appliances.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising, upon receiving an external appliance identity response to the tickle inquiry signal, issuing a power-related command with respect to one of the one or more among the external appliances, wherein the power-related command comprises one of a power on command, a power off command, and a power cycle command.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of issuing a power-related command comprises issuing the power-related command to an intelligent power module, wherein the intelligent power module is in operating power communication with one of the one or more among the external electrical appliances.

21. The method of claim 13, further comprising, upon receiving an external appliance identity response to the external appliance identity testing signal, issuing a power-related command with respect to one of the one or more among the external appliances, wherein the power-related command comprises one of a power on command, a power off command, and a power cycle command.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the step of issuing a power-related command comprises issuing the power-related command to an intelligent power module, wherein the intelligent power module is in operating power communication with one of the one or more among the external electrical appliances.

23. The method of claim 12, further comprising, in response to issuing the tickle inquiry signal, sending a message corresponding to one of the one or more among the external electrical appliances to a network monitor and a system administrator.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the message identifies the one of the one or more among the external electrical appliances as having been tickled.

25. The method of claim 13, further comprising, in response to issuing the external appliance identity testing signal, sending a message corresponding to one of the one or more among the external electrical appliances to a network monitor and a system administrator.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the message identifies the one of the one or more among the external electrical appliances as having been tickled.