POWER DISTRIBUTION APPARATUS WITH INPUT AND OUTPUT POWER SENSING AND METHOD OF USE

• US 20100328849A1
• Filed: 06/25/2010
• Published: 12/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Server Technology Incorporated (Legrand SA)
• Original Assignee: Server Technology Incorporated (Legrand SA)
• Inventors: Hunt, Paul, Cleveland, Andrew J., Auclair, Brian P., Ewing, Brandon W., Maskaly, James P., McGlumphy, Dennis W., Ewing, Carrel W., Massey, David, Nicholson, Calvin
• Granted Patent: US 8,305,737 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/622
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 3/00 Non-retroactive systems for regulating electric variables by using an uncontrolled element, or an uncontrolled combination of elements, such element or such combination having self-regulating properties current generators specially designed for use in phase-locked loops H03L7/0891
• 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 11/3058 Monitoring arrangements for monitoring environmental properties or parameters of the computing system or of the computing system component, e.g. monitoring of power, currents, temperature, humidity, position, vibrations thermal management in cooling arrangements of a computing system G06F1/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3062 where the monitored property is the power consumption power management in a computing system G06F1/3203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3089 Monitoring arrangements determined by the means or processing involved in sensing the monitored data, e.g. interfaces, connectors, sensors, probes, agents software debugging using additional hardware using a specific debug interface G06F11/3656; performance evaluation by tracing or monitoring G06F11/3466
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/12 The local stationary network supplying a household or a building
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/16 The load or loads being an Information and Communication Technology [ICT] facility
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/14 by switching loads on to, or off from, network, e.g. progressively balanced loading
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/3225 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 80/10 Efficient use of energy, e.g. using compressed air or pressurized fluid as energy carrier
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/00 Management or operation of end-user stationary applications or the last stages of power distribution; Controlling, monitoring or operating thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving

Abstract

Power distribution apparatus with input and output power sensing and a method of use. A power distribution unit includes a sensor that senses power parameters of power outputs and a power input, a processor, and a communication circuit. A power management system includes a power manager, a user interface, and a plurality of power distribution units that may be located in one or more equipment cabinets and data centers. The system may compute apparent power, RMS power, power factor, energy usage over time, power usage history, or environmental history for any or all of the power distribution units. The system may identify an under-utilized server connected to one of the power distribution units and initiate a shut-down of that server.

Claims

1. A power distribution unit comprising:

a housing;

a power input;

a plurality of power outputs;

a sensor connected to sense a power parameter of the power input and each of the power outputs;

a processor in electrical communication with the sensor; and

a communication circuit connected to receive a computed power value from the processor.

2. A power distribution unit as in claim 1 wherein the computed power value comprises at least one of apparent power, RMS power, and power factor.

3. A power distribution unit as in claim 1 wherein the power input comprises a three-phase power input circuit.

4. A power distribution unit as in claim 1 wherein the housing is adapted for vertical mounting in an equipment rack.

5. A power distribution unit as in claim 1 wherein the sensor comprises a power line frequency sensor.

6. A power distribution unit as in claim 1 wherein the sensor comprises a voltage sensor and a current sensor.

7. A power distribution unit as in claim 1 and further comprising at least one of a temperature sensor and a humidity sensor in electrical communication with the processor.

8. A power distribution unit as in claim 1 and further comprising power control switches in communication with the processor and in power-control communication with the power outputs.

9. A power management system comprising:

a plurality of power distribution units each having

a housing;

a power input;

a plurality of power outputs;

a sensor connected to sense a power parameter of the power input and each of the power outputs;

power control switches in power-control communication with the power outputs; and

a communication circuit in communication with the sensor and the power-control switches; and

a power manager in communication with the power distribution units to receive sensed power parameters; and

a user interface in communication with the power manager to receive a computed power value.

10. A power management system as in claim 9 wherein the user interface comprises a browser-based visual display.

11. A power management system as in claim 9 wherein the sensor comprises at least one of:

a power line frequency sensor, a voltage sensor, a current sensor, temperature sensor, and a humidity sensor.

12. A power management system as in claim 9 wherein the power manager comprises a processor and a data storage unit in communication with the processor.

13. A power management system as in claim 12 wherein the processor comprises at least one microprocessor disposed in one of the power distribution units.

14. A power management system as in claim 12 wherein the processor comprises at least one computation unit remotely located from the power distribution units.

15. A power management system as in claim 12 and further comprising instructions in the data storage unit operative to cause the processor to compute at least one of apparent power, RMS power, and power factor for each of the power distribution units.

16. A power management system as in claim 12 and further comprising instructions in the data storage unit operative to cause the processor to compute energy consumption over time.

17. A power management system as in claim 12 and further comprising instructions in the data storage unit operative to cause the processor to identify a load that comprises an under-utilized server.

18. A power management system as in claim 17 and further comprising instructions in the data storage unit operative to cause the processor to initiate a shut-down of under-utilized servers.

19. A power management system as in claim 12 and further comprising instructions in the data storage unit operative to cause the processor to compute over time, for power distribution units located in one data center, at least one of a power usage history and an environmental history.

20. A power management system as in claim 9 wherein the communication circuit of each power distribution unit is assigned a unique communication address.