POWER DISTRIBUTION, MANAGEMENT, AND MONITORING SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20090234512A1
• Filed: 12/26/2008
• Published: 09/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Legrand DPC LLC (Legrand SA)
• Original Assignee: Server Technology Incorporated (Legrand SA)
• Inventors: Eisenberg, Marc, Szeto, Andy, Cleveland, Andrew J., Auclair, Brian P., Maskaly, James P., McGlumphy, Dennis W., Ewing, Carrel W., Nicholson, Calvin
• Granted Patent: US 8,494,661 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/295
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/66 Regulating electric power
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/189 Power distribution
• 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 1/28 Supervision thereof, e.g. detecting power-supply failure by out of limits supervision
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 4/00 Circuit arrangements for mains or distribution networks not specified as ac or dc
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/10 Current supply arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/344 Out-of-band transfers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0876 Network utilisation, e.g. volume of load or congestion level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/20 End-user application control systems
• 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

Abstract

Managing electrical power usage in a power distribution system. Power usage data indicative of electrical current flow through electrical outlets in the system are collected and displayed for a user. The user may select an outlet and issue a command to control current flow through that outlet. Environmental data may also be collected and displayed. Outlets in different Cabinet Power Distribution Units (CDUs) in different locations may be clustered for reporting and control. A database structure provides a “system” table for data descriptive of the system, a “tower” table for data descriptive of outlets and other elements in the system, an “infeed” table for data descriptive of input electrical power, and an “outlet” table for data descriptive of electrical power flowing through the outlets.

Claims

1. A power management system, comprising:

a communications interface that sends/receives communications to/from one or more cabinet distribution units (CDUs), the communications received from the CDU(s) including power usage data for each of one or more electrical outlets within each CDU;

a memory that stores information related to electrical components that receive power from one or more of the electrical outlets;

a controller interconnected to the communications interface and memory that receives the power usage data from the CDU(s), determines power that is consumed by one or more of the electrical components, outlets information related to power that is consumed by one or more of the electrical components, and communicates with the CDUs through the communications interface to control current flow through one or more selected outlets.

2. A power management system as in claim 1, wherein the communications interface sends/receives communications to/from the CDUs through TCP/IP with a unique IP address for each CDU.

3. A power management system as in claim 1, wherein the memory comprises information related to at least a first electrical component that receives power from at least a first and a second electrical outlet, the first outlet located at a first CDU and the second outlet located at a second CDU.

4. A power management system as in claim 3, wherein the communications interface communicates with the first and second CDUs through different IP addresses.

5. A power management system as in claim 3, wherein the controller determines power that is consumed by the first electrical component by combining power usage data for the first and second outlets of the first and second CDUs.

6. A power management system as in claim 1, wherein the memory comprises information related to at least a first application that runs on a plurality of electrical components that receive power from a plurality of different CDUs.

7. A power management system as in claim 6, wherein the communications interface communicates with the plurality of CDUs through different IP addresses.

8. A power management system as in claim 6, wherein the controller determines power that is consumed by the plurality of electrical components that are running the first application by combining power usage data for the power outlets of the plurality of electrical components.

9. A power management system as in claim 1, wherein the memory comprises:

a system table structured for data descriptive of a power distribution system;

a tower table structured for data descriptive of outlets, CDUs and other elements in the power distribution system;

an infeed table structured for data descriptive of electrical power provided to the CDUs; and

an outlet table structured for data descriptive of electrical power flowing through various outlets.

10. A power management system as in claim 9, wherein the communications interface receives communications related to one or more environmental sensors located in one or more CDUs, and the memory further comprises an environmental table structured for data descriptive of environmental parameters associated with the environmental sensors.

11. A power management system as in claim 9, wherein the memory further comprises a clusters table structured for data descriptive of outlet clusters that include outlets located in two or more different CDUs.

12. A power management system as in claim 9, wherein the memory further comprises a clusters table structured for data descriptive of outlet clusters that include outlets located in two or more different CDUs that provide power to one electrical component or one application.

13. A power management system as in claim 11, wherein the clusters table comprises a table structured for cluster identifiers, and a table structured for data correlating outlets with clusters.

14. A method of managing electrical power usage in a power distribution system that includes a plurality of electrical outlets, the method comprising:

collecting power usage data indicative of electrical current flow through each of a plurality of the electrical outlets in the system;

correlating the power usage data with electrical components that receive power from each of the plurality of electrical outlets

outputting power usage data for each of the electrical components;

receiving a command to control current flow through a selected outlet; and

controlling current flow through the selected outlet responsive to the command.

15. A method as in claim 14 wherein controlling current flow through an outlet is accomplished by turning the outlet on or off.

16. A method as in claim 14, further comprising:

receiving a user-initiated command to reboot control circuitry associated with an electrical component that receives power from one or more of the outlets; and

rebooting the control circuitry responsive to the command.

17. A method as in claim 14, further comprising:

collecting environmental data indicative of environmental conditions of the electrical outlets, and

outputting the environmental data.

18. A method as in claim 17 wherein environmental data comprises temperature and humidity.

19. A method as in claim 14, further comprising generating a report descriptive of a power usage trend.

20. A method as in claim 14, further comprising:

assigning each outlet in any one location to a cabinet distribution unit (CDU) in that location; and

associating at least one unique IP address with each location having one or more CDUs; and

collecting power usage data respecting an outlet by communicating via the Internet with the IP address associated with the CDU containing that outlet.

21. A method as in claim 20, further comprising displaying a status of a CDU.

22. A method as in claim 21, further comprising displaying a graphical representation of locations of CDUs in the power distribution system.

23. A method as in claim 21, further comprising displaying an amount of electrical power available to a CDU.

24. A method as in claim 21, further comprising:

assigning a plurality of outlets in a CDU having one IP address and a plurality of outlets in a CDU having another IP address to a cluster;

displaying a status of the cluster;

receiving a user-initiated command to control current flow through all outlets in a cluster selected by the user; and

controlling current flow through all outlets in the user-selected cluster responsive to the command.

25. A method as in claim 21, further comprising automatically transmitting a message if a predefined event occurs.

26. A method as in claim 25 wherein a predefined event comprises sensing of any of a predetermined temperature, a predetermined humidity, a predetermined amount of electrical power usage at a location in the system, a predetermined amount of electrical power usage by a CDU, and a predetermined amount of electrical power usage by an outlet.

27. A power distribution and monitoring system, comprising:

a first cabinet distribution unit (CDU);

a second CDU, each of said first and second CDUs mountable in an electrical equipment rack and comprising;

(i) an electrical input,

(ii) one or more electrical outlets,

(iii) a current monitor associated with at least one of the electrical outlets,

(iv) a voltage monitor associated with the electrical input,

(v) a power usage metering circuit interconnected to the current monitor and voltage monitor; and

(vi) a communications interface in electrical communication with the current monitor, the metering circuit and an electrical communication network;

a power management server in electrical communication with the electrical communication network; and

a memory in electrical communication with the power management server.

28. A power distribution and monitoring system as in claim 27, wherein said communications interface sends/receives communications to/from a network, the communications sent to said network including power usage data related to the at least one electrical outlet.

29. A power distribution and monitoring system as in claim 27, wherein said memory stores information related to electrical components that receive power from one or more of the electrical outlets at each of said first and second CDUs, and wherein said power management server comprises:

(i) a communications interface that sends/receives communications to/from said first and second CDUs over said network, the communications received from the CDU(s) including power usage data for each of one or more electrical outlets within each CDU; and

(ii) a controller interconnected to the communications interface and memory that receives the power usage data from the CDUs, determines power that is consumed by one or more of the electrical components, and outputs information related to power that is consumed by one or more of the electrical components.

30. A power distribution and monitoring system as in claim 29, wherein said controller determines power that is consumed by the first electrical component by combining power usage data for said first and second outlets of said first and second CDUs.

31. A power distribution and monitoring system as in claim 27, wherein the memory comprises information related to a first electrical component that receives power from at least a first and a second electrical outlet, said first outlet located at said first CDU and said second outlet located at said second CDU.

32. A power distribution and monitoring system as in claim 27, wherein said first and second CDUs each have a different IP address for network communications.

33. A power distribution and monitoring system as in claim 27, wherein said memory comprises information related to at least a first application that runs on a plurality of electrical components that receive power from a plurality of different CDUs.

34. A power distribution and monitoring system as in claim 33, wherein said power management server determines power that is consumed by the plurality of electrical components that are running the first application by combining power usage data for the power outlets of the plurality of electrical components.