SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONSERVING POWER APPLIED TO AN ELECTRICAL APPARATUS

• US 20100042857A1
• Filed: 08/12/2009
• Published: 02/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Littelfuse Incorporated
• Original Assignee: IXYS Corporation (Littelfuse Incorporated)
• Inventors: ZOMMER, NATHAN
• Granted Patent: US 8,347,120 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/320
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode

Abstract

A usage pattern identifies time periods when an electrical apparatus is likely to be powered-up or not in use. Power provided to an electrical apparatus is increased during time periods that the electrical apparatus is likely to be powered-up. Similarly, the power provided to the electrical apparatus is reduced or removed during time periods that the electrical apparatus is likely to be out of use or idle. The usage pattern is continually updated and refined by collecting usage data during user interaction with the electrical apparatus.

Claims

1. A system for adjusting power applied to an electrical apparatus, the system comprising:

an input power control unit coupled to a power source;

a power supply coupled to the input power control unit; and

an electrical apparatus communicatively coupled to the power supply and the input power control unit, wherein the electrical apparatus is configured to generate a usage pattern, the usage pattern identifying time periods when the electrical apparatus is likely to consume high levels of power and low levels of power,

wherein power supplied to the electrical apparatus by the power supply is reduced by the input power control unit during a time period identified by the usage pattern when the electrical apparatus is likely to consume low levels of power, and

wherein power supplied to the electrical apparatus by the power supply is increased by the input power control unit during a time period identified by the usage pattern when the electrical apparatus is likely to consume high levels of power.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the electrical apparatus is communicatively coupled to the power supply and the AC input power control unit via a power management bus, the electrical apparatus being configured to:

generate energy management signals based on the usage pattern, and

transmit the energy management signals to the input power control unit and the power supply via the power management bus.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the electrical apparatus is configured to:

collect usage data based on user interaction with the electrical apparatus, and

generate the usage pattern based on the collected usage data.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the electrical apparatus is configured to:

collect additional usage data based on additional user interaction with the electrical apparatus, and

update the usage pattern based on the collected additional usage data.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the electrical apparatus is configured to store the collected usage data in non-volatile memory.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the usage data comprises at least one of a group consisting of:

a time that the electrical apparatus is turned on, a time that the electrical apparatus is turned off, and a time duration that a user continuously interacts with the electrical apparatus.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the electrical apparatus is a computing device.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the usage data comprises an operational state of the computing device before power was previously removed from the computing device, the usage data comprising at least one of a group consisting of:

a software program launched during a user session before power was previously removed from the computing device, a web page accessed during the user session before power was previously removed from the computing device, and a file accessed during a user session before power was previously removed from the computing device.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein, in response to increasing power supplied to the computing device during a time period of likely high power consumption, the computing device is restored to the operational state before power was previously removed from the computing device.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein no power is supplied to the electrical apparatus during the time period when the electrical apparatus is likely to consume low levels of power.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the input power control unit comprises:

a control unit communicatively coupled to the electrical apparatus;

a switch coupled to the control unit and the power source; and

a bridge rectifier coupled to the power supply, the switch and the power source,

wherein the control unit controls a duty cycle of the switch in response to an energy management signal received from the electrical apparatus, the electrical apparatus generating the energy management signal based on the usage pattern, and

wherein the switch determines the amount of power provided to the bridge rectifier based on the duty cycle of the switch.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the bridge rectifier provides power to the power supply from the power source in response to an operational state of the switch.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the switch comprises at least one of a group consisting of:

a field effect transistor, a bipolar transistor, a diode and a thyristor.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the bridge rectifier comprises at least two diodes.

15. A method for adjusting power applied to an electrical apparatus, the method comprising:

collecting usage data based on user interaction with an electrical apparatus;

generating a usage pattern based on the collected usage data, wherein the usage pattern identifies time periods when the electrical apparatus is likely to consume high levels of power and low levels of power;

transmitting a signal identifying at least one of;

a time period identified by the usage pattern when the electrical apparatus is likely to consume low levels of power and a time period identified by the usage pattern when the electrical apparatus is likely to consume high levels of power;

receiving reduced power at the electrical apparatus during the time period when the electrical apparatus is likely to consume low levels of power; and

receiving increased power at the electrical apparatus during the time period when the electrical apparatus is likely to consume high levels of power.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

collecting additional usage data based on additional user interaction with the electrical apparatus, and

updating the usage pattern based on the collected additional usage data.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the electrical apparatus is a computing device, the method further comprising:

in response to increasing power supplied to the computing device during a time period of likely high levels of power consumption, restoring the computing device to an operational state before power was previously removed from the computing device.

18. A system for adjusting power applied to computing device, the system comprising:

means for collecting usage data based on user interaction with a computing device;

means for generating a usage pattern based on the collected usage data, wherein the usage pattern identifies time periods when the computing device is likely to consume high levels of power and low levels of power;

means for transmitting a signal identifying at least one of;

a time period identified by the usage pattern when the computing device is likely to consume low levels of power and a time period identified by the usage pattern when the computing device is likely to consume high levels of power;

means for receiving reduced power at the computing device during the time period when the electrical apparatus is likely to consume low levels of power; and

means for receiving increased power at the computing device during the time period when the electrical apparatus is likely to consume high levels of power.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising:

means for restoring the computing device to an operational state before power was previously removed from the computing device, wherein the operational state of the computing device is restored in response to increasing power supplied to the computing device during a time period of likely high levels of power consumption.

20. The system of claim 18, further comprising:

means for collecting additional usage data based on additional user interaction with the electrical apparatus, and

means for updating the usage pattern based on the collected additional usage data.