DISTRIBUTING POWER TO NETWORKED DEVICES

• US 20100114389A1
• Filed: 10/31/2008
• Published: 05/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Jacobs, Morrill William, Shaffer, Shmuel, Chatterton, Deon J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,315,744 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/291
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3231 Monitoring the presence, absence or movement of users
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/005 using a power saving mode for copiers G03G15/5004
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/10 Current supply arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/12 Arrangements for remote connection or disconnection of substations or of equipment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2827 Reporting to a device within the home network; wherein the reception of the information reported automatically triggers the execution of a home appliance functionality
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A method and an apparatus to distribute power to a networked apparatus are provided. The apparatus may comprise a communication module to receive sensor data via a communication network connected to a plurality of sensors operatively located within a building. The plurality of sensors may be to provide sensor data identifying a presence of one or more persons in the building. The apparatus includes a policy engine including a plurality of rules, each rule associated with at least one powered device located within the building. A power control module is configured to adjust power supplied to the at least one powered device based on the rule. Power to the powered devices may be provided over a power over Ethernet network.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a communication module to receive sensor data via a communication network connected to a plurality of sensors operatively located within a building, the plurality of sensors being to provide sensor data identifying the presence of one or more persons in a building;

a policy engine including a plurality of rules, each rule associated with at least one powered device located within the building; and

a power control module configured to adjust power supplied to the at least one powered device based on the rule.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors comprise an access card sensor, a motion sensor, a video surveillance camera, a temperature sensor, a power consumption sensor, or a motion sensor.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor data identifies power consumed by a load connected to the communication network.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one powered device comprise a telephone, a local area network (LAN) endpoint, a network camera, a network switch, or a network router.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the policy engine comprises at least one high priority rule associated with a high priority event, wherein when the high priority event is active, supply of power to the at least on powered device associated with a high priority rule is favored.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the policy engine is configured to identify a distribution of a plurality of persons within the building, and implement a rule associated with the distribution.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the rule specifies the provision of power to at least areas of the building where persons are identified.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the power control module is configured to at least reduce power supplied to the at least one powered device based on the rule associated with the at least one powered device.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the policy engine comprises at least one rule associated with a zone within the building, the rule associated with the zone specifying that all powered devices within the zone be powered when a person associated with the zone is sensed.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the communication module is configured to provide power over Ethernet (PoE) and transmit data to a plurality of powered devices, the power control module being configured to adjust power supplied via the PoE network.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the power control module is configured to at least reduce power supplied to the at least one powered device based via a building power reticulation network.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a database to store historical data identifying past power consumption of a plurality of powered devices associated with the at least one rule; and

a prediction engine to predict future power consumption by the plurality of powered devices.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, comprising a reporting module to report the predicted future power consumption and a power utility provider.

14. A system comprising:

a plurality of powered devices located within a building;

a plurality of sensors to provide sensor data identifying a presence of one or more persons in the building;

a communication network connected to the plurality of sensors; and

a power management module connected to the communication network, the power management module being configured receive the sensor data and to adjust power provided to the plurality of powered devices based on at least one rule associated with the sensor data.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the communication network is a PoE network configured to provide electrical power and transmit data to a plurality of powered devices.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the power management module is configured to at least reduce power supplied to the at least one powered device based the associated rule.

17. A method comprising:

receiving sensor data via a communication network connected to a plurality of sensors located within a building, the plurality of sensors being to provide sensor data identifying the presence of one or more persons in the building;

accessing a policy engine to identify at least one of a plurality of rules associated with the sensor data, each rule of the plurality of rules being associated with at least one powered device located within the building; and

adjusting power supplied to the at least one powered device based on the identified rule.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the communication network is a PoE network configured to provide electrical power and transmit data to a plurality of powered devices.

19. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

memory to store instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, perform the operations of;

receiving sensor data via a communication network connected to a plurality of sensors located within a building, the plurality of sensors being to provide sensor data identifying a presence of one or more persons in the building;

accessing a policy engine to identify at least one of a plurality of rules associated with the sensor data, each rule of the plurality of rules being associated with at least one powered device located within the building; and

adjusting power supplied to the at least one powered device based on the at least one rule.

20. An apparatus comprising:

a communication module for receiving sensor data via a communication network connected to a plurality of sensors located within a building, the plurality of sensors being to provide sensor data identifying a presence of one or more persons in the building;

means for accessing a policy engine to identify at least one of a plurality of rules associated with the sensor data, each rule of the plurality of rules being associated with at least one powered device located within the building; and

means for adjusting power supplied to the at least one powered device based on the at least one rule.