CONTROLLING AND MINIMIZING ELECTRICAL POWER CONSUMED BY ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS CONNECTED TO A NETWORKED COMPUTING ENVIRONMENT

• US 20120246497A1
• Filed: 03/21/2011
• Published: 09/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Generac Power Systems Incorporated (Generac Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Amadeu, Ariane Hernandes
• Granted Patent: US 8,738,943 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/310
• 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 1/3209 Monitoring remote activity, e.g. over telephone lines or network connections

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide an approach for controlling and minimizing electrical power consumption of a plurality of lights and electronic devices connected to a networked computing environment, wherein asset and space management software can be utilized to monitor and remotely turn off the electronic devices that are determined as not being utilized, based on observed indicators of inactivity associated with the electronic devices. Specifically, the location of the electronic devices are determined and then registered and stored in a database, wherein the electronic devices include desktop computers, laptops, phones, and heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems that are connected to the networked computing environment.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for controlling and minimizing electrical power consumption of electrical components connected to a networked computing environment, the method comprising the steps of:

determining location information of the electrical components connected to the networked computing environment;

monitoring the electrical components to identify indicators of inactivity;

generating information on the indicators of inactivity for the electrical components connected to the networked computing environment;

storing the location information and information on indicators of inactivity on an electronic storage device;

determining whether the electrical components are not being utilized based on the indicators of inactivity; and

turning on or off the electrical components based on the indicators of inactivity.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the electrical components comprise lights, laptops, desktops, phones, printers, and heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, which are connected to a networked computing environment, and wherein the electrical components are connected to the computing network environment through a wire access point connection or a wireless access point connection.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 2, wherein:

the step of determining location information for electrical components connected to the computing networked environment through a wireless access point connection further comprises utilizing trilateration or triangulation; and

the step of determining location information for electrical components connected to the computing networked environment through a wired access point connection further comprises retrieving the internet protocol (IP) address, subnet mask, and media access control (MAC) address.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the step of monitoring is performed by utilizing computer program code, which generates the information on indicators of inactivity for the electrical components connected to the networked computing environment.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein:

the indicators of inactivity includes computer state information (i.e., locked mode, standby mode, sleep mode), computer mouse information, keyboard input information, computer microphone information, webcam input information, phone usage information, printer request information, schedule information, and custom option information; and

the step of generating information on the indicators of inactivity further comprises recording timestamp information on the last occurrence of computer related events, which include mouse movement, keyboard input (i.e., keyboard strokes), computer microphone usage, webcam usage, phone usage, and printer usage.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 5, wherein schedule information includes employee work schedules, and computer system maintenance schedules, wherein the schedule information is manually created on the electronic storage device or imported from enterprise applications, where enterprise applications include human resource system applications and facilities management applications, and wherein enterprise applications have their own associated electronic storage devices.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein step of determining whether the electrical components are not being utilized further comprises executing computer program code to determine whether one or more of the electrical components connected to the networked computing environment are not being utilized.

8. A system for controlling and minimizing electrical power consumption of electrical components connected to a networked computing environment, the system comprising:

a bus;

a processor coupled to the bus;

a memory medium coupled to the bus, the memory medium comprising instructions to;

determine location information of the electrical components connected to the networked computing environment;

monitor the electrical components to identify indicators of inactivity;

generate information on the indicators of inactivity for the electrical components connected to the networked computing environment;

store the location information and information on indicators of inactivity on an electronic storage device;

determine whether the electrical components are not being utilized based on the indicators of inactivity; and

turn on or off the electrical components based on the indicators of inactivity.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the electrical components comprise lights, laptops, desktops, phones, printers, and heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, which are connected to a networked computing environment, and wherein the electrical components are connected to the computing network environment through a wire access point connection or a wireless access point connection.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein:

the step of determining location information for electrical components connected to the computing networked environment through a wireless access point connection further comprises utilizing trilateration or triangulation; and

the step of determining location information for electrical components connected to the computing networked environment through a wired access point connection further comprises retrieving the internet protocol (IP) address, subnet mask, and media access control (MAC) address.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the step of monitoring is performed by utilizing computer program code, which generates the information on indicators of inactivity for the electrical components connected to the networked computing environment.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein:

the indicators of inactivity includes computer state information (i.e., locked mode, standby mode, sleep mode), computer mouse information, keyboard input information, computer microphone information, webcam input information, phone usage information, printer request information, schedule information, and custom option information; and

the step of generating information on the indicators of inactivity further comprises recording timestamp information on the last occurrence of computer related events, which include mouse movement, keyboard input (i.e., keyboard strokes), computer microphone usage, webcam usage, phone usage, and printer usage.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein schedule information includes employee work schedules, and computer system maintenance schedules, wherein the schedule information is manually created on the electronic storage device or imported from enterprise applications, where enterprise applications include human resource system applications and facilities management applications, and wherein enterprise applications have their own associated electronic storage devices.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein step of determining whether the electrical components are not being utilized further comprises executing computer program code to determine whether one or more of the electrical components connected to the networked computing environment are not being utilized.

15. A computer program product for controlling and minimizing electrical power consumption of electrical components connected to a networked computing environment, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage media, and program instructions stored on the computer readable storage media, to:

determine location information of the electrical components connected to the networked computing environment;

monitor the electrical components to identify indicators of inactivity;

generate information on the indicators of inactivity for the electrical components connected to the networked computing environment;

store the location information and information on indicators of inactivity on an electronic storage device;

determine whether the electrical components are not being utilized based on the indicators of inactivity; and

turn on or off the electrical components based on the indicators of inactivity.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the electrical components comprise lights, laptops, desktops, phones, printers, and heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, which are connected to a networked computing environment, and wherein the electrical components are connected to the computing network environment through a wire access point connection or a wireless access point connection.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein:

the step of determining location information for electrical components connected to the computing networked environment through a wireless access point connection further comprises utilizing trilateration or triangulation; and

the step of determining location information for electrical components connected to the computing networked environment through a wired access point connection further comprises retrieving the internet protocol (IP) address, subnet mask, and media access control (MAC) address.

18. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the step of monitoring is performed by utilizing computer program code, which generates the information on indicators of inactivity for the electrical components connected to the networked computing environment.

19. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein:

the indicators of inactivity includes computer state information (i.e., locked mode, standby mode, sleep mode), computer mouse information, keyboard input information, computer microphone information, webcam input information, phone usage information, printer request information, schedule information, and custom option information; and

the step of generating information on the indicators of inactivity further comprises recording timestamp information on the last occurrence of computer related events, which include mouse movement, keyboard input (i.e., keyboard strokes), computer microphone usage, webcam usage, phone usage, and printer usage.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein schedule information includes employee work schedules, and computer system maintenance schedules, wherein the schedule information is manually created on the electronic storage device or imported from enterprise applications, where enterprise applications include human resource system applications and facilities management applications, and wherein enterprise applications have their own associated electronic storage devices.

21. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein step of determining whether the electrical components are not being utilized further comprises executing computer program code to determine whether one or more of the electrical components connected to the networked computing environment are not being utilized.