Remote power control system

• US 6,711,613 B1
• Filed: 08/16/1999
• Issued: 03/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Server Technology Incorporated (Legrand SA)
• Original Assignee: Server Technology Incorporated (Legrand SA)
• Inventors: Cleveland, Andrew J., Ewing, Carrell W.
• Primary Examiner(s): CALDWELL, ANDREW T
• Application Number:
  US09/375,471
• Time in Patent Office: 1,681 Days
• Field of Search: 709/223-224, 713/310, 713/330, 713/340, 361/622-626, 340/693.1, 340/638-639
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/66 Regulating electric power
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3209 Monitoring remote activity, e.g. over telephone lines or network connections
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3246 by software initiated power-off
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00004 characterised by the power network being locally controlled
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00016 using a wired telecommunication network or a data transmission bus
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/12 The local stationary network supplying a household or a building
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/14 by switching loads on to, or off from, network, e.g. progressively balanced loading
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/50 Testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/3225 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/124 using wired telecommunication networks or data transmission busses

Abstract

An SNMP network comprises a power manager with an SNNP agent in TCP/IP communication over a network with an SNMP network manager. The power manager is connected to control several intelligent power modules each able to independently control the power-on/off status of several network appliances. Power-on and load sensors within each intelligent power module are able to report the power status of each network appliance to the SNMP network manager with MIB variables in response to GET commands. Each intelligent power module is equipped with an output that is connected to cause an interrupt signal to the network appliance being controlled. The SNMP network manager is able to test which network appliance is actually responding before any cycling of the power to the corresponding appliance is tried.

Claims

1. A computer network, comprising:

a host system with a network manager and providing for a TCP/IP communication connection and able to issue read-status and write-control commands;

at least one remote node with an network agent connected to said TCP/IP communication connection and comprising a plurality of inter-networking devices connected to receive operating power from an uninterruptable power supply (UPS);

a plurality of intelligent power modules (IPM) connected between the UPS and said plurality of inter-networking devices, wherein each of the intelligent power modules includes a microprocessor connected by voltage sensing means to independently sense the power-on status of each of said plurality of inter-networking devices, and connected by load sensing means to independently sense the load status of each of said plurality of inter-networking devices, and connected by tickling means to independently tickle each of said plurality of inter-networking devices, and connected by power on/off means to independently control the operating power applied to said IPM corresponding inter-networking device; and

a power manager with a network agent connected to said TCP/IP communication connection and each intelligent power module, and providing for power-on sensing, load sensing or power on/off by the intelligent power module according to receipt of said read-status and write-control commands.

2. The network of claim 1, further comprising a tickle relay connected to said microprocessor and one of said plurality of inter-networking devices.

3. The network of claim 2, wherein:

said tickle relay is controlled by said microprocessor and can issue a dry-contact test signal.

4. The network of claim 3, wherein:

the operating power applied to said IPM corresponding inter-networking device and the test signal are wired to a same one of said plurality of inter-networking devices.

5. The network of claim 1, wherein:

said network manager communicates to one of said plurality of IPM and said IPM communicates to said network manager via said TCP/IP communication connection that said IPM has tickled a corresponding inter-networking device.

6. The network of claim 1, wherein:

a network monitor is able to receive message and identity reports issued by one of said plurality of inter-networking devices in response to a tickle signal.

7. The network of claim 1, wherein:

each of the intelligent power modules is connected to the power manager with a serial communications connection supported by a microprocessor.

8. The network of claim 1, wherein:

each of the intelligent power modules includes a microprocessor connected by opto-isolator to independently sense the power-on status of said IPM-corresponding inter-networking device.

9. The network of claim 8, wherein:

said microprocessor communicates said power-on status of said IPM-corresponding inter-networking device to the network manager through the power manager as a variable in a managed information base (MIB) data construct communicated by said TCP/IP communication connection according to a simple network management protocol (SNMP).

10. The network of claim 1, wherein:

said microprocessor communicates said load status of said IPM-corresponding inter-networking device to the network manager through the power manager as a variable in a managed information base (MIB) data construct communicated by said TCP/IP communication connection (14) according to a simple network management protocol (SNMP).

11. The network of claim 1, wherein:

said microprocessor controls said operating power applied to said IPM-corresponding inter-networking device to the network manager through the power manager in response to a variable in a managed information base (MIB) data construct communicated by said TCP/IP communication connection according to a simple network management protocol (SNMP).

12. The network of claim 1, wherein each of the intelligent power modules comprises:

means for applying a series of alternating current (AC) voltage pulses synchronized to a source of AC power to plurality of inter-networking devices with an on/off switch;

means for sensing the presence of a series of AC current pulses that result if said device switch is closed;

means for analyzing any AC current pulses detected by the sensing means to determine if they resulted from an application of the AC voltage by the applying means; and

means for outputting an on/off status indication for said switch.

13. The network of claim 1, wherein each of the intelligent power modules comprises:

terminals for connection to the power inputs of said inter-networking devices with a power switch;

synchronized pulse generation means connected to the terminals for applying an alternating pulsed voltage synchronized to an incoming alternating current power source to said inter-networking devices;

current sensing means connected in series with said terminals and the synchronized pulse generation means; and

analysis means connected to both the synchronized pulse generation means and the current sensing means for determining if a current sensed with the current sensing means resulted from both said switch being closed and the application of said alternating pulsed voltage from the synchronized pulse generation means.

14. The network of claim 13, wherein for each of the intelligent power modules:

the terminals comprise hot, neutral and ground connections to the power inputs of said inter-networking devices;

the synchronized pulse generation means includes a clock generator with an output to coincide with each zero-crossing of said incoming AC power input;

the current sensing means comprises an opto-isolator and a sense resistor; and

the analysis means comprises a microprocessor with a data input (I_SENS) connected to said opto-isolator and a data output (EACG) connected to control the synchronized pulse generation means.