POWER MANAGEMENT OF NETWORKED DEVICES

• US 20090274070A1
• Filed: 05/02/2008
• Published: 11/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dhaani Systems Co.
• Original Assignee: Dhaani Systems Co.
• Inventors: Mukherjee, Shankar, Walrand, Jean, Bambos, Nicholas
• Granted Patent: US 8,488,500 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/257
• 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 1/3234 Power saving characterised by the action undertaken
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3287 by switching off individual functional units in the computer system
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/02 Power saving arrangements in wired systems H04L12/12; signaling of mobile application services, e.g. low battery notifications H04W4/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0209 in terminal devices terminal devices per se H04W88/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0212 managed by the network, e.g. network or access point is master and terminal is slave
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0254 detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0258 controlling an operation mode according to history or models of usage information, e.g. activity schedule or time of day
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A network-centric, power management system and method is disclosed for monitoring and controlling device nodes attached to a network. The monitoring and controlling includes collecting and processing information available on the network about the device nodes and using the collected information to manage power on the device nodes.

Claims

1. A system for managing power consumption of a device node attached to a communication node of a communication network, the system comprising:

an interface configurable for coupling to the communication node; and

a controller coupled to the interface and operable for learning an activity pattern at the device node, generating a command based on the learned activity pattern, and sending the command to the device node for setting the device node into an operational mode associated with power consumption.

2. The system of claim 1, where the operational mode includes turning the device node on or off.

3. The system of claim 1, where learning an activity pattern includes learning a usage pattern associated with the device node and a user.

4. The system of claim 1, where learning an activity pattern includes learning a user location pattern associated with the device node and a user.

5. The system of claim 1, where the controller is responsive to information other than detected activity.

6. The system of claim 1, where the information includes control rules.

7. The system of claim 1, where learning an activity includes monitoring one or more of:

user calendar information residing at the device node, user location relative to the device node, user login history associated with the device node, user usage history associated with the device node and user input entered at the device node.

8. The system of claim 1, where the learning activity is based on one or more of:

a user response to a system request or communication and a sensed user activity in a device node environment.

9. The system of claim 1, where the controller estimates a probability of a user being proximate to the device node.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a repository for storing power usage profiles for monitored device nodes; and

a display for presenting a power usage profile selected by a system operator.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

a processing facility operable for using the repository and display for extracting or building power usage profiles of monitored device nodes which are selected by the system operator.

12. The system of claim 11, where the processing facility initiates an alarm at a monitored device node based on evaluation of power usage associated with the monitored device node or the communication network.

13. A method of managing power consumption of a device node attached to a communication node of a communication network, comprising:

learning an activity pattern at the device node;

generating a command associated with the learned activity pattern; and

sending the command to the device node, the command for setting the device node into an operational mode associated with power consumption.

14. The method of claim 13, where the operational mode includes turning the device node on or off.

15. The method of claim 13, where learning an activity pattern includes learning a usage pattern associated with the device node and a user.

16. The method of claim 13, where learning an activity pattern includes learning a user location pattern associated with the device node and a user.

17. The method of claim 13, where the information includes control rules.

18. The method of claim 13, where learning an activity includes monitoring one or more of:

user calendar information residing at the device node, user location relative to the device node, user login history associated with the device node, user usage history associated with the device node and user input entered at the device node.

19. The method of claim 13, where the learning activity is based on one or more of:

a user response to a system request or communication and a sensed user activity in a device node environment.

20. The method of claim 13, further comprising estimating a probability of a user being proximate to the device node.