Apparatus and method for centralized power management

• US 7,827,419 B2
• Filed: 11/02/2006
• Issued: 11/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gleichauf, Robert E., Shaffer, Shmuel
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rahman; Fahmida
• Application Number:
  US11/555,885
• Publication Number:
  US 20070058453A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,461 Days
• Field of Search: 713/300, 713/310, 713320-324, 713/330, 713/340, 705/412, 700/286, 700/291
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/189 Power distribution
• 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: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply

Abstract

The invention describes a system and method for arranging to provide power to a power monitor device. The disclosure describes the system and method receiving a request for power for at least one device specified by a power monitor device. The disclosure describes receiving at least one proposal from an entity desiring to supply power according to the request for power. A best proposal of the at least one proposal is determined. And the system and method command the power monitor device to supply power in accordance with the best proposal.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring and controlling power to at least one device comprising:

receiving a first command at a power monitoring and control system to create a power profile of an amount of energy consumed by the at least one device beginning at a first time;

recording an energy consumed by the at least one device in the power profile starting at the first time;

assigning the amount of energy which may be supplied to the at least one device after the first time;

receiving a second command to achieve a first reduced rate of power consumption that includes at least a portion of the time between the first time and a second time;

wherein the at least one device comprises at least two devices, and further comprising selecting which of the at least two devices is to be turned off to satisfy the first reduced rate of power consumption;

transmitting the second command to a second power monitoring and control system to turn on the at least one device at the first time and turn off the at least one device at the second time subsequent to the first time; and

creating at the second power monitoring and control system the power profile of the amount of energy consumed by the device between the first time and the second time.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a third command to stop recording the energy consumed by the at least one device in the power profile and to transmit the power profile.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the third command comprises commanding transmission of the power profile to at least one of a power station, the second power monitoring and control system, a server, and a computer.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising assigning a third time defining a start of a time frame within which power may be supplied to the at least one device.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising assigning a fourth time defining an end of the time frame within which power may be supplied to the at least one device.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising transmitting a message to at least one of a power station, the second power monitoring and control system, and a computer, the message comprising the third time, the fourth time and the amount of energy which may be supplied to the device in the time frame.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising comparing the power profile to an amount of energy negotiated between the power monitoring and control system and a power supplier.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting the second command to the device to turn on at the first time; and

transmitting a third command to the device to turn off at the second time subsequent to the first time.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a fourth command to turn off a selected one of the at least one device.

10. An apparatus for monitoring and controlling power to at least one device, comprising:

a processor; and

logic, the logic when executed by the processor operable to;

receive a first command at a power monitoring and control system to create a power profile of an amount of energy consumed by the at least one device beginning at a first time;

record an energy consumed by the at least one device in the power profile starting at the first time;

assign the amount of energy which may be supplied to the at least one device after the first time;

receive a second command to achieve a first reduced rate of power consumption that includes at least a portion of the time between the first time and a second time;

wherein the at least one device comprises at least two devices, and further operable to select which of the at least two devices is to be turned off to satisfy the first reduced rate of power consumption;

transmit the second command to a second power monitoring and control system to turn on the at least one device at the first time and turn off the at least one device at the second time subsequent to the first time; and

create at the second power monitoring and control system the power profile of the amount of energy consumed by the device between the first time and the second time.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, the logic further operable to receive a third command to stop recording the energy consumed by the at least one device in the power profile and to transmit the power profile.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the third command comprises commanding transmission of the power profile to at least one of a power station, the second power monitoring and control system, a server, and a computer.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, the logic further operable to assign a third time defining a start of a time frame within which power may be supplied to the at least one device.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, the logic further operable to assign a fourth time defining an end of the time frame within which power may be supplied to the at least one device.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, the logic further operable to transmit a message to at least one of a power station, the second power monitoring and control system, and a computer, the message comprising the third time, the fourth time and the amount of energy which may be supplied to the device in the time frame.

16. The apparatus of claim 10, the logic further operable to compare the power profile to an amount of energy negotiated between the power monitoring and control system and a power supplier.

17. The apparatus of claim 10, the logic further operable to:

transmit the second command to the device to turn on at the first time; and

transmit a third command to the device to turn off at the second time subsequent to the first time.

18. The apparatus of claim 10, the logic further operable to transmit a fourth command to turn off a selected one of the at least one device.