Monitoring power-related parameters in a power distribution unit
DCFirst Claim
1. A power distribution unit comprising:
- a power distribution unit housing disposable in an electrical equipment rack of the type in which a plurality of electrical components are removably mountable;
a power input penetrating the housing;
a voltage sensor;
a plurality of power outputs disposed in the housing, each in electrical communication with the power input and each connectable to an electrical load;
a plurality of current sensors each in electrical communication with one of the power outputs to sense current through each of the plurality of the power outputs, the plurality of current sensors disposed within the housing; and
a power monitoring section in electrical communication with the voltage sensor and the current sensors and responsive to signals provided by the sensors to (1) sample the signals to obtain samples of voltage and current at each of the plurality of power outputs during one cycle of input power, (2) calculate raw RMS values of voltage and current from the samples, and (3) scale the raw RMS values according to a predetermined calibration factor to obtain corrected RMS voltage and current values for the load connected to each power output.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A power distribution unit (PDU) disposable in an electrical equipment rack. The PDU has a housing, a power input penetrating the housing, outlets in the housing, a processor disposed in the housing, voltage and current sensors, and a voltage calculation procedure communicable with the processor. The processor samples voltage and current waveforms and calculates RMS values and other power parameters. A method of managing electrical loads each drawing electrical power from a PDU includes repeatedly sampling voltage across and current flowing through each of the loads, calculating raw RMS values of voltage and current, and scaling the raw RMS values to obtain corrected RMS voltage and current values and other power parameters.
20 Citations
41 Claims
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1. A power distribution unit comprising:
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a power distribution unit housing disposable in an electrical equipment rack of the type in which a plurality of electrical components are removably mountable; a power input penetrating the housing; a voltage sensor; a plurality of power outputs disposed in the housing, each in electrical communication with the power input and each connectable to an electrical load; a plurality of current sensors each in electrical communication with one of the power outputs to sense current through each of the plurality of the power outputs, the plurality of current sensors disposed within the housing; and a power monitoring section in electrical communication with the voltage sensor and the current sensors and responsive to signals provided by the sensors to (1) sample the signals to obtain samples of voltage and current at each of the plurality of power outputs during one cycle of input power, (2) calculate raw RMS values of voltage and current from the samples, and (3) scale the raw RMS values according to a predetermined calibration factor to obtain corrected RMS voltage and current values for the load connected to each power output. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A power distribution unit comprising:
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a power distribution unit housing disposable in an electrical equipment rack in which a plurality of electrical components are removably mountable; a power input penetrating the housing; a plurality of power outputs disposed in the housing to distribute power to the plurality of electrical components; a voltage sensor communicable with the power outputs; a plurality of current sensors each communicable with one of the power outputs to detect current flow through each of the power outputs; a processor disposed in the housing and communicably coupled to the voltage sensor and to the plurality of current sensors; and a memory associated with the processor and configured to store at least one of; historic voltage waveform data, historic current waveform data, and historic power metric data other than the historic voltage waveform data and historic current waveform data, the processor configured to determine or receive a corresponding at least one of; present voltage waveform data from the voltage sensor, present current waveform data from the current sensors, and present power metric data other than the present voltage waveform data and the present current waveform data, the processor configured to compare at least one of; magnitudes of the historic voltage waveform data to magnitudes of the present voltage waveform data, magnitudes of the historic current waveform data to magnitudes of the present current waveform data, and the historic power metric data to the present power metric data, wherein the historic voltage waveform data and the historic current waveform data exclude the present voltage waveform data and the present current waveform data, wherein the processor generates a notification if the voltage comparisons, the current comparisons, or the other power metric comparisons exceed associated predetermined thresholds. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A method of managing a plurality of electrical loads each drawing electrical power from a power distribution unit, the method comprising:
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sampling, with a plurality of sensors disposed within the power distribution unit, voltage across and current flowing through each of the loads repeatedly during one cycle of input power; calculating, with a processor disposed within the power distribution unit, raw RMS values of voltage and current from the samples; scaling, with the processor, the raw RMS values according to a predetermined calibration factor to obtain corrected RMS voltage and current values for each of the loads; storing model samples of voltage and current representative of one of the loads; comparing the stored model samples with samples of voltage and current obtained with respect to the same load during the one cycle of input power; and generating an alert signal if there is a difference of a predetermined magnitude therebetween. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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Specification