DATA CENTER EQUIPMENT LOCATION AND MONITORING SYSTEM

• US 20130027204A1
• Filed: 08/10/2012
• Published: 01/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Attend Systems LLC
• Original Assignee: Attend Systems LLC
• Inventors: Groth, Noah, Warhuus, Jan P., Bovadijiev, Krassimir Anastassov
• Granted Patent: US 8,779,922 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/182 Level alarms, e.g. alarms responsive to variables exceeding a threshold
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/1083 Pager locating systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/36 using visible light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/12 Arrangements for remote connection or disconnection of substations or of equipment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1446 inter-operator billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1016 IP multimedia subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1083 In-session procedures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1095 Inter-network session transfer or sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/49 Connection to several service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/55 for hybrid networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/65 Off-line charging system
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/82 Criteria or parameters used for performing billing operations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8228 Session based
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/00 Systems for electrical power generation, transmission, distribution or end-user application management characterised by the use of communication or information technologies, or communication or information technology specific aspects supporting them

Abstract

Data center equipment location systems include hardware and software to provide information on the location, monitoring, and security of servers and other equipment in equipment racks. The systems provide a wired alternative to the wireless RFID tag system by using electronic ID tags connected to each piece of equipment, each electronic ID tag connected directly by wires to an equipment rack controller on the equipment rack. The equipment rack controllers link to a central control computer that provides an operator interface and communicates with the equipment rack controllers. The computer stores IDs of the equipment rack controllers and each of its connected electronic ID tags, and receives information from the tags to monitor the status of each piece of equipment. Further, the computer can activate a sensory indicator to enable a technician(s) to locate a piece of equipment that is in need of repair or replacement.

Claims

1-14. -14. (canceled)

15. A system for locating equipment in racks comprising:

electronic identification (ID) tags each having a unique, reportable ID;

equipment in a rack physically connected to electronic ID tag(s);

at least one rack controller with a unique electronic ID connected by physical wire to at least one electronic ID tag;

a database comprising data identifying;

a physical location of at least one rack;

relationships between the at least one rack controller and the at least one rack; and

relationships between the equipment and the physically connected electronic ID tags;

said electronic ID tags connecting to the rack controller through a rigid physical data link that conforms to the size of the rack, is affixed to the rack, rack post, or rack door, and has fixed connection points for ID Tags, said rack controller optionally determines where on the data link a given tag is connected, and optionally reports the position on the rigid data link of a given electronic ID tag, or said rack controller optionally determines where on the data link a given tag is connected, and optionally reports to the central control computer the position on the rigid data link of a given electronic ID tag.

16. The system of claim 15, at least one of each of said electronic ID tag connection points on the rigid data link includes a sensory indicator;

and said central control computer collects information and determines a location of a given electronic ID tag.

17. The system of claim 15, said sensory indicator is a light emitting diode (LED).

18. The system of claim 16, said central control computer being connected to said sensory indicator of said connection point on the data link to provide an activating signal.

19. The system of claim 16, said central control computer being connected to said sensory indicator of said connection point on the date link to provide a deactivating signal.

20. The system of claim 15, at least one of each of said fixed connection points for ID Tags optionally connected to a temperature monitor that measures ambient air temperature to provide a reported temperature.

21. The system of claim 20, said reported temperature being sent to the central control computer.

22. The system of claim 21;

said the central control computer sends an alert when the reported temperature is above or below a predetermined range.

23. The system of claim 15,

at least one of said electronic ID tags optionally including a tamper detection device, said electronic ID tag providing a report with the tamper data enabling an alert to be provided to an operator.