POWER MANAGEMENT METHOD AND SYSTEM

• US 20110138198A1
• Filed: 12/07/2009
• Published: 06/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Haugh, Julianne Frances, Boss, Gregory Jensen, Sand, Anne R., Hamilton, Rick Allen II
• Granted Patent: US 8,332,666 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/310
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/60 Limiting power consumption in the network or in one section of the network, e.g. load shedding or peak shaving
• 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: Y04S 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving

Abstract

A power management method and system. The method includes retrieving and storing by a computer processor, identification data identifying power consumption devices. Each power consumption device receives an input voltage signal and consumes power. The computer processor monitors a power consumption level for each power consumption device. The computer processor disables each power consumption device from receiving and consuming power. The computer processor generates an association list associating each power consumption level with the identification data. The computer processor generates and stores a prioritization list indicating an order of priority for disabling the power consumption devices.

Claims

1. A power management method comprising:

retrieving, by a computer processor of a computing system, identification data identifying a plurality of power consumption devices at a specified location;

storing, by said computer processor, said identification data;

independently enabling, by said computer processor, each power consumption device of said plurality of power consumption devices such that each said power consumption device receives an input voltage signal and consumes power;

independently monitoring, by said computer processor in response to said independently enabling, a power consumption level for each said power consumption device;

after said independently monitoring, independently disabling by said computer processor, each said power consumption device such that each said power consumption device does not receive said input voltage signal and consume power;

after said independently disabling, generating by said computer processor, an association list, wherein said generating said association list comprises associating each said power consumption level with said identification data such that each said power consumption level is associated with a different power consumption device of said plurality of power consumption devices;

generating, by said computer processor from said association list and based on each said power consumption level and user input, a prioritization list indicating an order of priority for disabling said plurality of power consumption devices; and

storing, by said computer processor, said prioritization list.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

after said storing said prioritization list, enabling by said computer processor, a group of power consumption devices of said plurality of power consumption devices such that each power consumption device of said group receives said input voltage signal and consumes power;

detecting, by said computer processor, a frequency signal associated with said input voltage signal;

monitoring, by said computer processor, said frequency signal;

first comparing, by said computer processor during a first specified time period, said frequency signal to a predetermined frequency value;

determining, by said computer processor based on said first comparing, that said frequency signal comprises a first value that is not equal to said predetermined frequency value;

calculating, by said computer processor, a difference value between said first value and said predetermined frequency value;

second comparing, by said computer processor, said difference value to a threshold value; and

enabling, by said computer processor based on results of said second comparing and said prioritization list, a load adjustment modification process associated with said group of said plurality of power consumption devices at said specified location.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said results of said first comparing indicate that said predetermined frequency value exceeds said first value of said frequency signal, and wherein said load adjustment modification process comprises:

first disabling, by said computer processor in response to said results of said first comparing and in accordance with said prioritization list, a first input voltage signal connection associated with a first power consumption device of said group of said plurality of power consumption devices, wherein said first disabling said first input voltage signal connection disables said first power consumption device from receiving said input voltage signal;

second monitoring, by said computer processor in response to said first disabling, said frequency signal associated with said input voltage signal at said first specified location;

third comparing, by said computer processor during a second specified time period, said frequency signal to said predetermined frequency value; and

determining, by said computer processor based on said first comparing, that said frequency signal comprises a second value that is about equal to said predetermined frequency value.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said results of said first comparing and results of said second comparing indicate that said predetermined value exceeds said first value by more than said threshold value, and wherein said load adjustment modification process comprises:

first disabling, by said computer processor in response to said results of said first comparing and said results of said second comparing, a first input voltage signal connection associated with a first power consumption device of said group of said plurality of power consumption devices, wherein said first disabling said first input voltage signal connection disables said first power consumption device from receiving said input voltage signal, and wherein said first power consumption device comprises a power consumption rate that exceeds a power consumption rate for any other power consumption device of said group of said plurality of power consumption devices;

second monitoring, by said computer processor in response to said first disabling, said frequency signal associated with said input voltage signal at said first specified location;

third comparing, by said computer processor during a second specified time period, said frequency signal to said predetermined frequency value; and

determining, by said computer processor based on said first comparing, that said frequency signal comprises a second value that is about equal to said predetermined frequency value.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein said results of said first comparing and results of said second comparing indicate that said predetermined value exceeds said first value by less than said threshold value, and wherein said load adjustment modification process comprises:

first disabling, by said computer processor in response to said results of said first comparing and said results of said second comparing, a first input voltage signal connection associated with a first power consumption device of said group of said plurality of power consumption devices, wherein said first disabling said first input voltage signal connection disables said first power consumption device from receiving said input voltage signal, and wherein said prioritization list indicates that said first power consumption device comprises a least critical power consumption device as compared to each other power consumption device of said group of said plurality of power consumption devices;

second monitoring, by said computer processor in response to said first disabling, said frequency signal associated with said input voltage signal at said first specified location;

third comparing, by said computer processor during a second specified time period, said frequency signal to said predetermined frequency value; and

determining, by said computer processor based on said first comparing, that said frequency signal comprises a second value that is about equal to said predetermined frequency value.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein said results of said first comparing indicate that said first value of said frequency signal exceeds said predetermined frequency value, and wherein said load adjustment modification process comprises:

first enabling, by said computer processor in response to said results of said first comparing and in accordance with said prioritization list, a first input voltage signal connection associated with a first power consumption device of said plurality of power consumption devices, wherein said first enabling said first input voltage signal connection enables said first power consumption device to receive said input voltage signal;

second monitoring, by said computer processor in response to said first enabling, said frequency signal associated with said input voltage signal at said first specified location;

third comparing, by said computer processor during a second specified time period, said frequency signal to said predetermined frequency value; and

determining, by said computer processor based on said first comparing, that said frequency signal comprises a second value that is about equal to said predetermined frequency value.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein said results of said first comparing and results of said second comparing indicate that said first value of said frequency signal exceeds said predetermined frequency value by more than said threshold value, and wherein said load adjustment modification process comprises:

first enabling, by said computer processor in response to said results of said first comparing and said results of said second comparing, a first input voltage signal connection associated with a first power consumption device of said group of said plurality of power consumption devices, wherein said first enabling said first input voltage signal connection enables said first power consumption device to receive said input voltage signal, and wherein said first power consumption device comprises a power consumption rate that exceeds a power consumption rate for any other power consumption device of said plurality of power consumption devices;

second monitoring, by said computer processor in response to said first enabling, said frequency signal associated with said input voltage signal at said first specified location;

third comparing, by said computer processor during a second specified time period, said frequency signal to said predetermined frequency value; and

determining, by said computer processor based on said first comparing, that said frequency signal comprises a second value that is about equal to said predetermined frequency value.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein said results of said first comparing and results of said second comparing indicate that said first value of said frequency signal exceeds said predetermined frequency value by less than said threshold value, and wherein said load adjustment modification process comprises:

first enabling, by said computer processor in response to said results of said first comparing and said results of said second comparing, a first input voltage signal connection associated with a first power consumption device of said group of said plurality of power consumption devices, wherein said first enabling said first input voltage signal connection enables said first power consumption device to receives said input voltage signal, and wherein said prioritization list indicates that said first power consumption device comprises a power consumption device that consumes a least amount of power as compared to each other power consumption device of said plurality of power consumption devices;

second monitoring, by said computer processor in response to said first enabling, said frequency signal associated with said input voltage signal at said first specified location;

third comparing, by said computer processor during a second specified time period, said frequency signal to said predetermined frequency value; and

determining, by said computer processor based on said first comparing, that said frequency signal comprises a second value that is about equal to said predetermined frequency value.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said group of power consumption devices comprises all power consumption devices of said plurality of power consumption devices.

10. A computer program product, comprising a computer storage medium comprising a computer readable program code embodied therein, said computer readable program code configured to perform the method of claim 1 upon being enabled by said computer processor of said computing system.

11. A process for supporting computer infrastructure, said process comprising providing at least one support service for at least one of creating, integrating, hosting, maintaining, and deploying computer-readable code in said computer processor, wherein the code in combination with the computer processor is capable of performing the method of claim 1.

12. A computing system comprising said processor coupled to a computer-readable memory unit, said memory unit comprising a computer readable code configured to be enabled by the processor to perform the method of claim 1.

13. A power management method comprising:

retrieving, by a computer processor of a computing system, identification data identifying groups of power consumption devices at multiple locations, wherein each group of said groups of said power consumption devices is associated with a different location of said multiple locations, and wherein said computing system is located external to said multiple locations;

storing, by said computer processor, said identification data;

retrieving, by said computer processor from said multiple locations, power consumption level data comprising power consumption levels for each power consumption device of said groups of said power consumption devices;

generating by said computer processor, an association list, wherein said generating said association list comprises associating said power consumption levels with said identification data such that each power consumption level of said power consumption levels is associated with a different power consumption device of said power consumption devices;

generating, by said computer processor from said association list and based on each said power consumption level and user input, a prioritization list indicating an order of priority for disabling each said power consumption device; and

storing, by said computer processor, said prioritization list.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

after said storing said prioritization list, enabling by said computer processor, each said group of power consumption devices such that each said group receives an input voltage signal from a power transmission grid and consumes power;

detecting, by said computer processor, a frequency signal associated with said input voltage signal;

monitoring, by said computer processor, said frequency signal;

first comparing, by said computer processor during a first specified time period, said frequency signal to a predetermined frequency value;

determining, by said computer processor based on said first comparing, that said frequency signal comprises a first value that is not equal to said predetermined frequency value;

calculating, by said computer processor, a difference value between said first value and said predetermined frequency value;

second comparing, by said computer processor, said difference value to a threshold value; and

enabling, by said computer processor based on results of said second comparing and said prioritization list, a load adjustment modification process associated with said groups of power consumption devices at said multiple locations.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said results of said first comparing indicate that said predetermined frequency value exceeds said first value of said frequency signal, and wherein said load adjustment modification process comprises:

first disabling, by said computer processor in response to said results of said first comparing and in accordance with said prioritization list, a first input voltage signal connection associated with a first power consumption device of a first group of said power consumption devices associated with a first location of said multiple locations, wherein said first disabling said first input voltage signal connection disables said first power consumption device from receiving said input voltage signal;

second monitoring, by said computer processor in response to said first disabling, said frequency signal associated with said input voltage signal;

third comparing, by said computer processor during a second specified time period, said frequency signal to said predetermined frequency value;

determining, by said computer processor based on results of said third comparing, that said frequency signal comprises a second value that is less than said predetermined frequency value;

second disabling, by said computer processor in response to said results of said third comparing and in accordance with said prioritization list, a second input voltage signal connection associated with a second power consumption device of a second group of said power consumption devices associated with a second location of said multiple locations, wherein said second disabling said second input voltage signal connection disables said second power consumption device from receiving said input voltage signal;

third monitoring, by said computer processor in response to said second disabling, said frequency signal associated with said input voltage signal;

fourth comparing, by said computer processor during a third specified time period, said frequency signal to said predetermined frequency value; and

determining, by said computer processor based on results of said fourth comparing, that said frequency signal comprises a third value that is about equal to said predetermined frequency value.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said results of said first comparing and results of said second comparing indicate that said predetermined value exceeds said first value by more than said threshold value, and wherein said load adjustment modification process comprises:

first disabling, by said computer processor in response to said results of said first comparing and in accordance with said prioritization list, a first input voltage signal connection associated with a first power consumption device of a first group of said power consumption devices associated with a first location of said multiple locations, wherein said first disabling said first input voltage signal connection disables said first power consumption device from receiving said input voltage signal, and wherein said first power consumption device comprises a power consumption rate that exceeds a power consumption rate for any other power consumption device of said first group of said power consumption devices;

second monitoring, by said computer processor in response to said first disabling, said frequency signal associated with said input voltage signal;

third comparing, by said computer processor during a second specified time period, said frequency signal to said predetermined frequency value;

determining, by said computer processor based on results of said third comparing, that said frequency signal comprises a second value that is less than said predetermined frequency value;

second disabling, by said computer processor in response to said results of said third comparing and in accordance with said prioritization list, a second input voltage signal connection associated with a second power consumption device of a second group of said power consumption devices associated with a second location of said multiple locations, wherein said second disabling said second input voltage signal connection disables said second power consumption device from receiving said input voltage signal, and wherein said second power consumption device comprises a power consumption rate that exceeds a power consumption rate for any other power consumption device of said second group of said power consumption devices;

third monitoring, by said computer processor in response to said second disabling, said frequency signal associated with said input voltage signal;

fourth comparing, by said computer processor during a third specified time period, said frequency signal to said predetermined frequency value; and

determining, by said computer processor based on results of said fourth comparing, that said frequency signal comprises a third value that is about equal to said predetermined frequency value.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein said results of said first comparing and results of said second comparing indicate that said predetermined value exceeds said first value by less than said threshold value, and wherein said load adjustment modification process comprises:

first disabling, by said computer processor in response to said results of said first comparing and in accordance with said prioritization list, a first input voltage signal connection associated with a first power consumption device of a first group of said power consumption devices associated with a first location of said multiple locations, wherein said first disabling said first input voltage signal connection disables said first power consumption device from receiving said input voltage signal, and wherein said first power consumption device comprises a power consumption rate that exceeds a power consumption rate for any other power consumption device of said first group of said power consumption devices, and wherein said prioritization list indicates that said first power consumption device comprises a least critical power consumption device as compared to each other power consumption device of said first group of said power consumption devices;

second monitoring, by said computer processor in response to said first disabling, said frequency signal associated with said input voltage signal;

third comparing, by said computer processor during a second specified time period, said frequency signal to said predetermined frequency value;

determining, by said computer processor based on results of said third comparing, that said frequency signal comprises a second value that is less than said predetermined frequency value;

second disabling, by said computer processor in response to said results of said third comparing and in accordance with said prioritization list, a second input voltage signal connection associated with a second power consumption device of a second group of said power consumption devices associated with a second location of said multiple locations, wherein said second disabling said second input voltage signal connection disables said second power consumption device from receiving said input voltage signal, and wherein said prioritization list indicates that said second power consumption device comprises a least critical power consumption device as compared to each other power consumption device of said second group of said power consumption devices;

third monitoring, by said computer processor in response to said second disabling, said frequency signal associated with said input voltage signal;

fourth comparing, by said computer processor during a third specified time period, said frequency signal to said predetermined frequency value; and

determining, by said computer processor based on results of said fourth comparing, that said frequency signal comprises a third value that is about equal to said predetermined frequency value.

18. A computer program product, comprising a computer storage medium comprising a computer readable program code embodied therein, said computer readable program code configured to perform the method of claim 13 upon being enabled by said computer processor of said computing system.

19. A process for supporting computer infrastructure, said process comprising providing at least one support service for at least one of creating, integrating, hosting, maintaining, and deploying computer-readable code in said computer processor, wherein the code in combination with the computer processor is capable of performing the method of claim 13.

20. A computing system comprising said processor coupled to a computer-readable memory unit, said memory unit comprising a computer readable code configured to be enabled by the processor to perform the method of claim 13.