MONITORING POWER SOURCE REDUNDANCY VIA A POWER DISTRIBUTION UNIT

• US 20160062436A1
• Filed: 11/09/2015
• Published: 03/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hilburn, John C., Smith, Jeffrey J., Stanley, Marshall S., Windell, David T.
• Granted Patent: US 9,945,893 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 21/00 Arrangements for measuring electric power or power factor G01R7/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/40 Testing power supplies testing photovoltaic devices H02S50/10
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/60 Identification of wires in a multicore cable
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/189 Power distribution
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/28 Supervision thereof, e.g. detecting power-supply failure by out of limits supervision
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3296 by lowering the supply or operating voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/00 Circuit arrangements for ac mains or ac distribution networks
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1492 having electrical distribution arrangements, e.g. power supply or data communications

Abstract

A programmable logic circuit assigns a value to an outlet of a power distribution unit (PDU) that comprises a power source at an input of the PDU and at least one light-emitting diode (LED) associated with the outlet. The programmable logic circuit sends the value to a program on a hardware device that comprises one or more power supplies. The programmable logic circuit receives information from the program. Subsequently, an illumination state of the LED is modified based on the information.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a first power source;

a hardware device;

an electrical outlet;

an indicator hardware set; and

a programmable logic circuit;

wherein;

the hardware device comprises a first power supply;

the hardware device is powered by the electrical outlet;

the first power supply is disconnectably electrically connected to the electrical outlet;

the first power source is disconnectably electrically connected to the electrical outlet;

the electrical outlet is configured to supply electrical power from the first power source to the first power supply through the electrical outlet;

the electrical outlet is located in close proximity to the indicator hardware set;

the hardware device is configured to;

determine information related to the status of the first power supply, the information including a first value;

generate a signal that includes the information; and

send the signal through a communication network to the programmable logic circuit; and

the programmable logic circuit is configured to;

assign the first value to the electrical outlet;

modify the first value to include a first identifier identifying the electrical outlet, and a first name representing the first power source;

send the first value to a program on the hardware device that comprises the first power supply and is powered by the electrical outlet;

receive the signal through the communication network, from the hardware device related to the status of the first power supply coupled to the electrical outlet; and

modify an indication state of the indicator hardware set based, at least in part, on the signal.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the indication state indicates that the first power supply is in a suitable operational status to be electrically disconnected from the electrical outlet.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a second power source;

wherein;

the information of the first power supply reflects whether the hardware device is receiving electrical power from a member of a group consisting of;

the first power source;

the second power source; and

both the first power source and the second power source.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein assigning the first value to the electrical outlet includes utilizing a switch to select the first value.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the switch is a dual-in-line package (DIP) switch having selectors that toggle to select the first value.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the hardware device is deployed to accomplish a specific task within an infrastructure in which essential resources such as processing power, storage, and network bandwidth can be allocated as needed.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the information includes a member of a group consisting of:

an identity of an outlet connected to the hardware device via the first power supply;

whether the hardware device is powered on;

whether the hardware device is powered off;

whether the hardware device is receiving electrical power via the first power supply from at least two different power sources;

a name corresponding to the first power source;

an identity of an outlet that is connected to the first power supply that is non-functional; and

an identity of an outlet that is connected to the first power supply that is functional.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein modifying the indication state of the indicator hardware set based, at least in part, on the signal comprises:

determining the hardware device is powered on and is receiving electrical power, via the first power supply, from at least two different power sources, including the first power source represented by the first name and a second power source represented by a second name; and

activating the indicator hardware set.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein modifying the indication state of the indicator hardware set based, at least in part, on the signal comprises:

determining the hardware device is powered off; and

deactivating the indicator hardware set.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein modifying the indication state of the indicator hardware set based, at least in part, on the signal comprises:

determining the hardware device is powered on;

determining the electrical outlet is connected to the first power supply, which is non-functional; and

deactivating the indicator hardware set.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein modifying the indication state of the indicator hardware set based, at least in part, on the signal comprises:

determining the hardware device is powered on;

determining the hardware device is not receiving electrical power, via the first power supply, from at least two different power sources, including the first power source represented by the first name and a second power source represented by a second name; and

causing the indicator hardware set to blink an indicator light.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein sending the first value to the program on the hardware device comprises:

sending a unique ID associated with the electrical outlet in which the unique ID allows the electrical outlet to be individually identified by the program on the hardware device.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the hardware device further comprises a set of power supplies including the first power supply; and

the hardware device is configured to determine information related to individual statuses of each power supply in the set of power supplies.