Networkable electrical power distribution plugstrip with current display and method of use

• US 8,549,067 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2011
• Issued: 10/01/2013
• 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: Ewing, Carrel W., Auclair, Brian P., Cleveland, Andrew J., Maskaly, James P., McGlumphy, Dennis W., Bigler, Mark J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Haresh N
• Application Number:
  US13/091,082
• Publication Number:
  US 20110296224A1
• Time in Patent Office: 895 Days
• Field of Search: 709/201, 709/203, 709/223, 361/601, 361/622, 713/340, 439/652, 307/11, 307/18, 307/31, 307/32, 307/36, 307/37, 307/43, 307/149
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• 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: 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: G06F 1/3287 by switching off individual functional units in the computer system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/364 using independent requests or grants, e.g. using separated request and grant lines
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4282 on a serial bus, e.g. I2C bus, SPI bus on daisy chain buses G06F13/4247
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/261 PC controlled powerstrip
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 47/00 Circuit arrangements not adapted to a particular application of the relay and designed to obtain desired operating characteristics or to provide energising current
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 25/003 the coupling part being secured only to wires or cables
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00016 using a wired telecommunication network or a data transmission bus
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/0005 the elements or equipment being or involving power plugs or sockets
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/60 Limiting power consumption in the network or in one section of the network, e.g. load shedding or peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/66 one of the loads acting as master and the other or others acting as slaves
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/14 by switching loads on to, or off from, network, e.g. progressively balanced loading
• 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: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/00 Management or operation of end-user stationary applications or the last stages of power distribution; Controlling, monitoring or operating thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/14 Protecting elements, switches, relays or circuit breakers
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 : Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/124 : using wired telecommunication networks or data transmission busses

Abstract

A power management device can include a power management device housing, a power input associated with the power management device housing, and a plurality of power outputs associated with the power management device housing. At least certain power outputs can be connectable to one or more electrical loads external to the power management device housing and to the power input. In some embodiments, a communications bus can be associated with the power management device housing and one or more power control sections can also be associated with the power management device housing. In some embodiments, one or more power control sections can communicate with the communications bus and with one or more corresponding power outputs among the plurality of power outputs. In some embodiments, a power information display can communicate with the communications bus. If desired, a power information determining section can be associated with the power management device housing and in communication with the communications bus. The power information determining section may communicate power-related information to the power information display.

Claims

1. An electrical power distribution unit connectable to one or more electrical loads in an electrical equipment rack of the kind having a front portion and a rear portion, the rear portion including power connection spacing for one or more electrical loads, the electrical power distribution unit comprising in combination:

A. an electrical power distribution unit housing mountable in the rear portion of the electrical equipment rack;

B. a power input extending into the electrical power distribution unit housing;

C. a plurality of power outputs in electrical communication with the power input, disposed along a side of the electrical power distribution unit housing, wherein each of the plurality of power outputs is connectable in the spacing to a corresponding one of the one or more electrical loads;

D. a digital current value display installed in the electrical power distribution unit housing in current value determining communication with at least one among the plurality of power outputs, said digital current value display being switchable among the power input and at least one of the power outputs;

E. a controllable power section associated with the electrical power distribution unit housing in power controlling communication with each of the plurality of power outputs and connectable to a communications network external to the electrical power distribution unit housing;

F. a personality module disposed in the power distribution unit housing and in electrical communication with the controllable power section, the personality module comprising a microcontroller;

G. a power manager application comprising an agent disposed in the electrical power distribution unit housing, the power manager application connectable with the controllable power section through said agent, wherein the power manager application has an adjustable alarm threshold parameter, and wherein the power manager application is in alarm threshold communication with the controllable power section.

2. The electrical power distribution unit of claim 1 further comprising:

H. a current value reporting system coupled with the electrical power distribution unit housing and being (i) in current value determining communication with the power input and the power outputs, and (ii) connectable in current value transfer communication with the communications network.

3. The electrical power distribution unit of claim 1 wherein the controllable power section comprises a plurality of power control relays associated with the electrical power distribution unit housing, each of the plurality of power control relays being connected to the power input and in independent power controlling connection with one of the power outputs.

4. The electrical power distribution unit of claim 3, wherein the controllable power section comprises a power module having at least one of the plurality of power control relays and a corresponding power output for such one of the plurality of power control relays.

5. The electrical power distribution unit of claim 3 wherein the electrical power distribution unit housing has a vertical form factor.

6. The electrical power distribution unit of claim 4 wherein the electrical power distribution unit housing has a vertical form factor.

7. The electrical power distribution unit of claim 1, wherein the current value display is in current determining communication with all among the plurality of power outputs through at least one current sensing device.

8. The electrical power distribution unit of claim 1, wherein the alarm threshold parameter is user-adjustable.

9. The electrical power distribution unit of claim 1, wherein the agent is connectable to a remote site through the communications network.

10. The electrical power distribution unit of claim 1 further comprising a voltage sensor in communication with the power manager application.

11. The electrical power distribution unit of claim 7, wherein alarm information can be transmitted from the power manager application to the remote site through the communications network.

12. The electrical power distribution unit of claim 1, further comprising a current sensor in communication with the power manager application.

13. The electrical power distribution unit of claim 1, further comprising a temperature sensor in communication with the power manager application.

14. The electrical power distribution unit of claim 1 wherein the electrical power distribution unit housing has a vertical form factor.

15. The electrical power distribution unit of claim 1 wherein the controllable power section comprises a plurality of intelligent power modules each containing a microcontroller.

16. The electrical power distribution unit of claim 1 wherein the microcontrollers comprise communication controllers.

17. The electrical power distribution unit of claim 1 wherein the power outputs are disposed along the same side of the power distribution unit housing as the digital current value display and the digital current value display is visible to a user making connections to the power outputs from the rear of the electrical equipment rack.

18. The electrical power distribution unit of claim 1 wherein the power manager application further comprises a web browser having said agent.

19. The electrical power distribution unit of claim 1 and further comprising a communication bus disposed in the power distribution unit housing in electrical communication with the controllable power section.

20. The electrical power distribution unit of claim 1 and further comprising a plurality of current sensors each in electrical communication with at least an associated power output and with the controllable power section.

21. The electrical power distribution unit of claim 1 wherein the controllable power section applies electrical power to various ones of the power outputs in sequence.