Remote power control system

• US 7,010,589 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2004
• Issued: 03/07/2006
• 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): Follansbee, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, ASHOKKUMAR B
• Application Number:
  US10/758,117
• Publication Number:
  US 20040205181A1
• Time in Patent Office: 781 Days
• Field of Search: 307/34, 307/35, 307/36, 307/37, 307/38, 713/300, 713/310, 713/330, 713/340, 340/693.1, 709/223
• 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 SNMP 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 method for operating a remote power management system, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a host system with a network manager issuing read-status and write-control commands having a TCP/IP communication connection;

providing at least one remote node with a network agent connected to said TCP/IP communication connection, and comprising a plurality of inter-networking devices receiving operating power from a power supply;

providing a plurality of intelligent power modules (IPM) connected between the power supply and said plurality of inter-networking devices, each of the intelligent power modules independently sensing power-on status of each of said plurality of inter-networking devices, independently sensing load status of each of said plurality of inter-networking devices, independently tickling each of said plurality of inter-networking devices, and independently controlling the operating power applied to said IPM corresponding inter-networking device; and

providing a power manager with a network agent connected to said TCP/IP communication connection and each intelligent power module receiving said read-status and write-control commands, and controlling the power-on sensing, load sensing or power on/off by the intelligent power module in response thereto.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising said network manager communicating to one of said plurality of IPM and said IPM communicating to said network manager via said TCP/IP communication connection that said IPM has tickled a corresponding inter-networking device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a message and identity report at a network monitor issued by one of said plurality of inter-networking devices in response to a tickle signal.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising independently sensing the power-on status of said IPM-corresponding inter-networking device.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising communicating 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 by communicating over said TCP/IP communication connection according to a simple network management protocol (SNMP).

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating 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 by communicating over said TCP/IP communication connection according to a simple network management protocol (SNMP).

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising controlling 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 by communicating over said TCP/IP communication connection according to a simple network management protocol (SNMP).

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

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

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

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

outputting an on/off status indication for said switch.