Time Integrated Guard Band

• US 20100030392A1
• Filed: 06/23/2009
• Published: 02/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsemi Corp. - Analog Mixed Signal Group, Ltd. (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Microsemi Corp. - Analog Mixed Signal Group, Ltd. (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Inventors: FERENTZ, Alon, BLAUT, Roni
• Granted Patent: US 8,160,753 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/295
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/10 Current supply arrangements

Abstract

An automated method of controlling a power managed system, such as a power over Ethernet system. The method is constituted of: establishing a power consumption budget for a plurality of loads; defining an overbudget limit and an associated time window; monitoring power consumption of the plurality of loads; determining, at a plurality of time intervals over the associated time window, an indication of excess power consumption for each of the plurality of time intervals, the indication of excess power consumption being a function of the monitored power consumption and the defined power consumption budget; and in the event that an integral over the associated time window of a function of the determined indications of excess power consumption exceeds the overbudget limit, disabling at least one load from consuming power.

Claims

1. An automated method of controlling a power managed system, the method comprising:

establishing a power consumption budget for a plurality of loads;

defining an overbudget limit and an associated time window;

monitoring power consumption of said plurality of loads;

determining, at a plurality of time intervals over said associated time window, an indication of excess power consumption for each of said plurality of time intervals, said indication of excess power consumption being a function of said monitored power consumption and said defined power consumption budget; and

in the event that an integral over said associated time window of a function of said determined indications of excess power consumption exceeds said overbudget limit, disabling at least one load from consuming power.

2. An automated method according to claim 1, wherein said function of said determined indications comprises limiting values of said determined indications of excess power consumption to a predetermined range.

3. An automated method according to claim 1, further comprising:

defining a disconnect limit, said disconnect limit greater than said overbudget limit; and

disabling, in the event that said determined indication of excess power consumption for any of said plurality of time intervals exceeds said disconnect limit, at least one load from consuming power.

4. An automated method according to claim 3, wherein said function of said determined indications comprises limiting values of said determined indications of excess power consumption to a predetermined range.

5. An automated method according to claim 4, wherein said predetermined range is a function of said disconnect limit.

6. An automated method according to claim 1, further comprising:

confirming, prior to enabling any of said plurality of loads to consume power, that said determined indication of excess power consumption is less than zero.

7. A power controller arranged to supply power to a plurality of loads, said power controller comprising:

a power consumption budget storage functionality, operative to store a power consumption budget for the plurality of loads;

a time window storage functionality, operative to store a time window;

an overbudget limit defining functionality, operative to define an overbudget limit;

a power consumption monitoring functionality operative to monitor a total power consumption of the plurality of loads;

an excess power consumption determining functionality, in communication with said power consumption budget storage functionality, said power consumption monitoring functionality and said time window storage functionality, said excess power consumption determining functionality operative at a plurality of time intervals over said associated time window of said time window storage functionality to determine an indication of excess power consumption of the plurality of loads for each of said plurality of time intervals, said indication of excess power consumption determined as a function of said monitored power consumption and said defined power consumption budget; and

a power enabling/disabling functionality operative, in the event that an integral over said associated time window of a function of said determined indications of excess power consumption exceeds said overbudget limit, to disable at least one of the plurality of loads from consuming power.

8. A power controller according to claim 7, wherein said function of said determined indications comprises a limitation of the values of said determined indications of excess power consumption to a predetermined range.

9. A power controller according to claim 7, further comprising:

a disconnect limit defining functionality, operative to define a disconnect limit greater than said overbudget limit,

wherein said power enabling/disabling functionality is further operative, in the event that said determined indication of excess power consumption for any of said plurality of time intervals exceeds said disconnect limit, to disable at least one of the plurality of loads from consuming power.

10. A power controller according to claim 9, wherein said function of said determined indications comprises a limitation of the values of said determined indications of excess power consumption to a predetermined range.

11. A power controller according to claim 10, wherein said predetermined range is a function of said disconnect limit.

12. A power controller according to claim 7, wherein said excess power consumption determining functionality is further operative to confirm, prior to enabling any of said plurality of loads to consume power, that said determined indication of excess power consumption is less than zero.

13. A power control system arranged to supply power to a plurality of loads, said power control system comprising:

a management module; and

a plurality of power controllers in communication with said management module,

said management module operative to transmit to each of said power controllers a power consumption budget;

each of said plurality of power controllers arranged to supply power to a plurality of connected loads, and operative to;

define an overbudget limit and an associated time window;

monitor power consumption of said plurality of loads;

determine, at a plurality of time intervals over said associated time window, an indication of excess power consumption for each of said plurality of time intervals, said indication of excess power consumption being a function of said monitored power consumption and said defined power consumption budget; and

in the event that an integral over said associated time window of a function of said determined indications of excess power consumption exceeds said overbudget limit, disable at least one load from consuming power.

14. A power control system according to claim 13, wherein said function of said determined indications comprises a limitation of values of said determined indications of excess power consumption to a predetermined range.

15. A power control system according to claim 13, wherein each of said plurality of power controllers are further operative to:

define a disconnect limit, said disconnect limit greater than said overbudget limit; and

disable, in the event that said determined indication of excess power consumption for any of said plurality of time intervals exceeds said disconnect limit, at least one load from consuming power.

16. A power control system according to claim 15, wherein said function of said determined indications comprises a limitation of values of said determined indications of excess power consumption to a predetermined range.

17. A power control system according to claim 16, wherein said predetermined range is a function of said disconnect limit.

18. A power control system according to claim 13, wherein each of said plurality of power controllers is further operative to confirm, prior to enabling any of said plurality of loads to consume power, that said determined indication of excess power consumption is less than zero.

19. A power control system according to claim 13, wherein said overbudget limit and said associate time window are received from said management module.

20. A power control system according to claim 13, wherein at least one of said plurality of loads is a powered device receiving power over Ethernet from one of said power controllers.