Apparatus for controlling supply of electric power and apparatus for controlling electric power

• US 8,375,229 B2
• Filed: 09/02/2009
• Issued: 02/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Saeki, Toshiaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Myers, Paul R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cerullo, Jeremy S
• Application Number:
  US12/552,700
• Publication Number:
  US 20100064151A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,259 Days
• Field of Search: 713/300, 713/320
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/324 by lowering clock frequency
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3296 by lowering the supply or operating voltage
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A power supply control apparatus communicates with a power control apparatus which controls use of electric power of an electronic apparatus. A receiver unit receives a change request to change a power supply-distribution capacity supplied to one electronic apparatus from the power control apparatus controlling use of electric power of the one electronic apparatus. A calculation unit calculates a sum of the power supply-distribution capacity supplied to the one electronic apparatus in response to the received change request and power supply-distribution capacities supplied to the other electronic apparatuses except the one electronic apparatus. A comparison unit compares the maximum power supply-distribution capacity to the sum of the calculated power supply-distribution capacities. A determination unit determines whether or not a change in the power supply-distribution capacity supplied to the one electronic apparatus is allowable based on a result of the comparison.

Claims

1. A power supply control apparatus capable of communicating with a power control apparatus which controls use of electric power of an electronic apparatus to which a power supply-distribution capacity is supplied in a facility, the power supply control apparatus comprising:

a storing unit which stores the power supply-distribution capacity supplied to the plurality of electronic apparatuses located in the facility from among maximum power supply-distribution capacities capable of being supplied to the facility;

a receiver unit which receives a change request to change a power supply-distribution capacity supplied to one electronic apparatus among the plurality of electronic apparatuses from the power control apparatus controlling use of electric power of the one electronic apparatus;

a calculation unit which calculates a sum of the power supply-distribution capacity supplied to the one electronic apparatus in response to the received change request, and the power supply-distribution capacities supplied to the other electronic apparatuses except the one electronic apparatus from contents stored in the storing unit;

a comparison unit which compares the maximum power supply-distribution capacity to the sum of the calculated power supply-distribution capacities;

a determination unit which determines whether or not a change in the power supply-distribution capacity supplied to the one electronic apparatus is allowable based on a result of the comparison; and

a sender unit which sends a result of the determination to the power control apparatus.

2. The power supply control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit determines, as the result of the comparison, that the change in the power supply-distribution capacity supplied to the one electronic apparatus is allowable if the sum of the power supply-distribution capacities is equal to or less than the maximum power supply-distribution capacity.

3. The power supply control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a power supply-distribution capacity update unit which updates the power supply-distribution capacity of the one electronic apparatus stored in the storing unit to a power supply-distribution capacity corresponding to the change request if the change is determined to be allowable.

4. The power supply control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the comparison unit compares the maximum power supply-distribution capacity to the power supply-distribution capacity supplied to the one electronic apparatus in response to the change request.

5. The power supply control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the storing unit stores a power supply-distribution capacity supplied to an electronic apparatus coupled to a power transmission-distribution system from among maximum power supply-distribution capacities of the power transmission-distribution system with respect to each of the power transmission-distribution systems provided in the facility;

the receiver unit receives a change request of a power supply-distribution capacity supplied to one electronic apparatus coupled to one power transmission-distribution system among the plurality of power transmission-distribution systems from the power control apparatus controlling use of electric power of the one electronic apparatus;

the calculation unit calculates, in response to the received change request, a sum of the power supply-distribution capacity supplied to the one electronic apparatus and power supply-distribution capacities supplied to the other electronic apparatuses except the one electronic apparatus among electronic apparatuses coupled to the one power transmission-distribution system; and

the comparison unit compares a maximum power supply-distribution capacity of the one power transmission-distribution system to the sum of the calculated power supply-distribution capacities.

6. The power supply control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the storing unit stores a power supply-distribution capacity supplied to an electronic apparatus among power supply-distribution capacities capable of being supplied to electronic apparatuses for which priority levels are set, with respect to each of the priority levels set for the electronic apparatuses;

the receiver unit receives a change request to change a power supply-distribution capacity supplied to one electronic apparatus for which a first priority level among the plurality of priority levels is set, from the power control apparatus controlling use of electric power of the one electronic apparatus;

the calculation unit calculates a sum of the power supply-distribution capacity supplied to the one electronic apparatus in response to the received change request and power supply-distribution capacities supplied to the other electronic apparatuses except the one electronic apparatus among electronic apparatuses for which priority levels are equal to or lower than the first priority level; and

the comparison unit compares a sum of electric power capable of being supplied to the electronic apparatuses having the priority levels equal to or lower than the first priority level to the sum of the calculated power supply-distribution capacities.

7. The power supply control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the storing unit stores cooling capacities allocated to a plurality of electronic apparatuses, which are targets to which the cooling capacities are allocated, from among maximum cooling capacities capable of being allocated in the facility;

the receiver unit receives a change request to change a cooling capacity allocated to one electronic apparatus from the power control apparatus;

the calculation unit calculates a sum of the cooling capacity allocated to the one electronic apparatus in response to the received change request and cooling capacities allocated to the other electronic apparatuses except the one electronic apparatus stored in the storing unit; and

the comparison unit compares the maximum cooling capacity to the sum of the calculated cooling capacities.

8. The power supply control apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the determination unit determines, as a result of the comparison, that a change in the cooling capacity allocated to the one electronic apparatus is allowable if the sum of the cooling capacities is equal to or lower than the maximum cooling capacity.

9. The power supply control apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising:

a cooling capacity update unit which updates the cooling capacity of the one electronic apparatus stored in the storing unit to a cooling capacity corresponding to the change request if a change is determined to be allowable.

10. The power supply control apparatus according to claim 7, wherein

the storing unit stores a cooling capacity allocated to the electronic apparatus located in an area from among the maximum cooling capacities capable of being allocated in the area with respect to each of the areas which divide the facility;

the receiver unit receives a change request of a cooling capacity allocated to the one electronic apparatus located in one area among the plurality of areas from the power control apparatus controlling use of electric power of the one electronic apparatus;

the calculation unit calculates a sum of the cooling capacity allocated to the one electronic apparatus in response to the received change request and the cooling capacities allocated to the other electronic apparatuses except the one electronic apparatus among the electronic apparatuses located in the one area; and

the comparison unit compares a maximum cooling capacity in the one area to the sum of the calculated cooling capacities.

11. A power control apparatus which controls use of electric power of an electronic apparatus in a facility, the power control apparatus comprising:

a storing unit which stores a power supply-distribution capacity for the electronic apparatus with respect to each state indicating status of use of electric power in the electronic apparatus;

a communication unit which receives a state change request from the electronic apparatus;

a specifying unit which specifies, based on the received state change request, the power supply-distribution capacity for the electronic apparatus by referring to contents stored in the storing unit;

a sender unit which sends, to the power control apparatus, a change request to change the power supply-distribution capacity supplied to the electronic apparatus into a specified power supply-distribution capacity;

a receiver unit which receives, as a result of the change request which has been sent, a change response indicating whether or not a change in the power supply-distribution capacity supplied to the electronic apparatus is allowable, from the power control apparatus; and

a power control unit which controls the use of electric power of the electronic apparatus based on the received change response.

12. A power supply control method comprising:

receiving a change request of a power supply-distribution capacity supplied to one electronic apparatus among a plurality of electronic apparatuses from a power control apparatus controlling use of electric power in the one electronic apparatus;

calculating a sum of a power supply-distribution capacity supplied to the one electronic apparatus in response to the received change request and power supply-distribution capacities supplied to the other electronic apparatuses except the one electronic apparatus;

comparing a maximum power supply-distribution capacity to the sum of the calculated power supply-distribution capacities;

determining, based on a result of the comparison, whether or not a change in the power supply-distribution capacity supplied to the one electronic apparatus is allowable; and

sending a result of the determination to the power control apparatus.