Managing Electric Energy Distribution To Multiple Loads Using Selective Capping

• US 20120283892A1
• Filed: 01/29/2010
• Published: 11/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Inventors: Humphrey, Daniel, Bemat, Mohamed Amin
• Granted Patent: US 9,229,514 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/297
• 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 1/28 Supervision thereof, e.g. detecting power-supply failure by out of limits supervision
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3206 Monitoring of events, devices or parameters that trigger a change in power modality

Abstract

An electric energy distribution system may include plural loads configured to receive electric energy from a common feed or branch. Each of the loads may be configured to operate in at least first and second modes such that it may consume current, VA or power up to a first cap when running in its first mode and up to a second cap when running in its second mode. The first cap may be higher than the second cap. A sensor component may monitor a parameter that corresponds to an aggregate amount of electric energy being consumed by all of the plural loads from the common feed or branch. A manager component may be configured, when the parameter meets or exceeds the threshold, to select one of the loads currently running in its first mode and to cause the selected load to run in its second mode.

Claims

1. A method for managing electric energy distribution to a plurality of loads, comprising:

configuring at least first and second management settings for each of the loads such that a given load may consume current, VA or power up to a first cap when running at its first setting and up to a second cap when running at its second setting;

wherein the first cap is higher than the second cap;

supplying electric energy to all of the loads from a common source and running each of the loads at their respective first settings;

A) sensing a parameter that is proportional to an aggregate amount of electric energy being consumed by all of the loads from the common source;

B) determining that the parameter has reached or exceeded a threshold;

C) responsive to the determining step, selecting one, of the loads currently running at its first setting and causing the selected load to run at its second setting; and

D) resuming at step A.

2. The method of claim 1:

further comprising establishing a priority order among the loads; and

wherein the selecting step comprises selecting a lowest priority one of the loads currently running at its first setting.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the parameter is an electric current flowing through a circuit branch that supplies all of the loads.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein:

the threshold corresponds to a trip level of a circuit breaker for the circuit branch.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the parameter is a temperature inside an enclosure that houses all of the loads.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the parameter is a value determined at least in part responsive to a current and a voltage measured on a circuit branch that supplies all of the loads.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein configuring the first and second settings comprises:

configuring the first settings such that if all of the loads were to consume electric energy at their first caps simultaneously, the parameter would exceed the threshold; and

configuring the second settings such that if all of the loads were to consume electric energy at their second caps simultaneously, the parameter would not exceed the threshold.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first caps are the same for each of the loads; and

the second caps are the same for each of the loads.

9. An electric energy distribution system, comprising:

a plurality of loads configured to receive electric energy from a common feed or branch thereof, each of the loads configured to operate in at least first and second modes such that it may consume current, VA or power up to a first cap when running in its first mode and up to a second cap when running in its second mode, wherein the first cap is higher than the second cap;

a sensor component configured to monitor a parameter that corresponds to an aggregate amount of electric energy being consumed by all of the plural loads from the common feed or branch; and

a manager component coupled to the sensor component and configured, when the parameter meets or exceeds the threshold, to select one of the loads currently running in its first mode and to cause the selected load to run in its second mode.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein:

the manager component is configured to associate a priority with each of the loads and, when the parameter meets or exceeds the threshold, to select a lowest priority one of the loads currently running in its first mode and to cause the selected load to run in its second mode.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein:

the first and second modes are defined such that, if all of the loads were to consume electric energy at their respective first caps simultaneously, the parameter would exceed the threshold, and if all of the loads were to consume electric energy at their respective second caps simultaneously, the parameter would not exceed the threshold.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein

the parameter corresponds to a trip level of a circuit breaker on the common feed or branch.

13. The system of claim 9:

wherein each of the loads is a server computing device;

further comprising a rack housing all of the loads; and

wherein the sensor and manager components are housed within a power distribution unit mounted inside the rack.

14. An electric energy distribution system, comprising:

plural computing devices, each configured to cap its current draw alternatively below at least a first level and a second level less than the first;

sensor means for sensing an aggregate amount of current drawn by the plural computing devices; and

manager means for selecting, responsive to a determination that the aggregate amount of current equals or exceeds a threshold, one of the plural computing devices that is capping its current draw at the first level and causing the selected computing device to cap its current draw at the second level.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein:

the manager means selects the one computing device responsive to a priority order among the plural computing devices.