System and method for conserving power applied to an electrical apparatus

• US 8,347,120 B2
• Filed: 08/12/2009
• Issued: 01/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Littelfuse Incorporated
• Original Assignee: IXYS Corporation (Littelfuse Incorporated)
• Inventors: Zommer, Nathan
• Primary Examiner(s): CONNOLLY, MARK A
• Application Number:
  US12/540,291
• Publication Number:
  US 20100042857A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,238 Days
• Field of Search: 713/300, 713/320
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode

Abstract

A usage pattern identifies time periods when an electrical apparatus is likely to be powered-up or not in use. Power provided to an electrical apparatus is increased during time periods that the electrical apparatus is likely to be powered-up. Similarly, the power provided to the electrical apparatus is reduced or removed during time periods that the electrical apparatus is likely to be out of use or idle. The usage pattern is continually updated and refined by collecting usage data during user interaction with the electrical apparatus.

Claims

1. An input power unit for controlling power supplied to an electrical apparatus which is coupled to a direct current power supply, the input power unit comprising:

input terminals adapted to be connected to a source of alternating current;

a switch coupled to the input terminals;

a control unit connected to provide control signals to the switch;

a rectifier connected to the switch;

a power management bus coupled to the control unit, the direct current power supply and the electrical apparatus, wherein;

the rectifier comprises a pair of diodes, each having an anode and a cathode;

the input terminals are coupled to respective anodes of each of the pair of diodes;

the cathodes of the pair of diodes are coupled together and to a first input terminal of the direct current power supply;

the switch is coupled to each of the anodes and to a second in gut tee the direct current power supply; and

wherein;

in response to energy management signals regarding the electrical apparatus provided on the power management bus, the control unit provides signals to the switch to provide changing amounts of alternating current to the rectifier, and the rectifier in response provides controlled amounts of direct current ranging from a maximum value to zero to the direct current power supply.

2. The input power unit of claim 1 wherein the electrical apparatus is configured to:

collect usage data based on user interaction with the electrical apparatus; and

update a usage pattern based on the collected usage data.

3. The input power unit of claim 2 wherein the electrical apparatus is configured to store the usage data in a non-volatile memory.

4. The input power unit of claim 3 wherein the usage data comprises at least one of a group consisting of:

a time that the electrical apparatus is turned on, a time that the electrical apparatus is turned off, and a time duration that a user continuously interacts with the electrical apparatus.

5. The input power unit of claim 4 wherein the electrical apparatus comprises a computing device.

6. The input power unit of claim 5 wherein the usage data comprises an operational state of the computing device before power was previously removed from the computing device, the usage data comprising at least one of a group consisting of:

a software program launched during a user session before power was previously removed from the computing device, a web page accessed during the user session before power was previously removed from the computing device, and a file accessed during a user session before power was previously removed from the computing device.

7. The input power unit of claim 6 wherein, in response to increasing power supplied to the computing device during a time period of likely high power consumption, the computing device is restored to the operational state before power was previously removed from the computing device.

8. The input power unit of claim 7 wherein no power is supplied to the electrical apparatus during the time period when the electrical apparatus is likely to consume low levels of power.

9. The input power unit of claim 2 wherein:

power supplied to the electrical apparatus by the direct current power supply is reduced by the input power control unit during a time period identified by the usage pattern when the electrical apparatus is likely to consume low levels of power; and

power supplied to the electrical apparatus by the direct current power supply is increased by the input power control unit during a time period identified by the usage pattern when the electrical apparatus is likely to consume high levels of power.

10. An input power unit as in claim 1 wherein:

the control unit controls a duty cycle of the switch in response to the energy management signals received from the electrical apparatus; and

wherein the duty cycle of the switch determines the amount of power provided to the rectifier.

11. An input power unit as in claim 10 wherein:

the electrical apparatus generates a usage pattern which identifies time periods when the electrical apparatus is likely to use differing amounts of power and provides that information to the control unit; and

in response the control unit provides control signals to the switch to control direct current from the rectifier in accordance with likely power use of the electrical apparatus.

12. An input power unit as in claim 11 wherein the rectifier comprises a bridge rectifier.

13. An input power unit as in claim 12 wherein the switch comprises at least one of a transistor, a diode and a thyristor.

14. The input power unit of claim 13 wherein the switch comprises a pair of transistors coupled together.

15. The input power unit of claim 13 wherein the switch comprises a pair of diodes coupled together.

16. In a system having an input power unit for controlling power supplied to an electrical apparatus which is coupled to a direct current power supply, the input power unit including input terminals adapted to be connected to a source of alternating current, a switch coupled to the input terminals, a control unit connected to provide control signals to the switch, a rectifier connected to the switch, a power management bus coupled to the control unit, the direct current power supply and the electrical apparatus, in which in response to energy management signals regarding the electrical apparatus provided on the power management bus, the control unit provides signals to the switch to provide changing amounts of alternating current to the rectifier, the controlled amounts ranging from a maximum value to zero, and the rectifier in response provides controlled amounts of direct current to the direct current power supply, and wherein the rectifier comprises a pair of diodes, each having an anode and a cathode;

the input terminals are coupled to respective anodes of each of the pair of diodes;

the cathodes of the pair of diodes are coupled together and to a first input terminal of the direct current power supply; and

the switch coupled to each of the anodes and to a second input terminal of the direct current power supple a method comprising;

collecting usage data based on user interaction with an electrical apparatus;

generating a usage pattern based on the collected usage data, wherein the usage pattern identifies time periods when the electrical apparatus is likely to consume high levels of power and low levels of power;

transmitting a signal identifying at least one of;

a time period identified by the usage pattern when the electrical apparatus is likely to consume low levels of power and a time period identified by the usage pattern when the electrical apparatus is likely to consume high levels of power;

receiving reduced power at the electrical apparatus during the time period when the electrical apparatus is likely to consume low levels of power; and

receiving increased power at the electrical apparatus during the time period when the electrical apparatus is likely to consume high levels of power.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

collecting additional usage data based on additional user interaction with the electrical apparatus; and

updating the usage pattern based on the collected additional usage data.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the electrical apparatus comprises a computing device, the method further comprising:

in response to increasing power supplied to the computing device during a time period of likely high levels of power consumption, restoring the computing device to an operational state before power was previously removed from the computing device.