Branch circuit determination without external synchronization

• US 9,009,503 B2
• Filed: 07/05/2012
• Issued: 04/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Allen-Ware, Malcolm Scott, El-Essawy, Wael, Ferreira, Alexandre Peixoto, Keller, Thomas Walter Jr., Rajamani, Karthick, Rubio, Juan Carlos
• Primary Examiner(s): WANG, ALBERT C
• Application Number:
  US13/542,532
• Publication Number:
  US 20140013126A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,013 Days
• Field of Search: 713/300
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00007 using the power network as support for the transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/54 Systems for transmission via power distribution lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/6418 Hybrid transport

Abstract

A method, system, and computer program product for relating a data processing system with a power branch circuit are provided in the illustrative embodiments. Each signal in a set of signals is combined with a power signal to form a set of combination signals, the power signal including a first power usage by the data processing system and a second power usage by a modulating signal. An amplitude of a corresponding signal in each combined signal in the set of combined signals is determined over a period. Using a discriminating logic, a determination is made whether the modulating signal is present in the power signal. Responsive to the discriminating logic producing an affirmative result, the data processing system is related with the power branch circuit.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for relating a data processing system with a power branch circuit, the method comprising:

combining, to form a set of combination signals, each signal in a set of signals with a power signal, the power signal including a first power usage by the data processing system and a second power usage by a modulating signal;

determining, using a processor and a memory, an amplitude of a corresponding signal in each combined signal in the set of combined signals over a period;

determining, using a discriminating logic, whether the modulating signal is present in the power signal; and

relating, responsive to the discriminating logic producing an affirmative result, the data processing system with the power branch circuit.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the power signal is sampled at the sampling frequency.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating the set of signals, wherein the set of signals includes a number of signals such that the number is an integer value of one half of a fraction, the fraction being represented as a sampling frequency over a frequency of the modulating signal.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein a signal in the set of signals has a different phase between zero degrees and one hundred and eighty degrees relative of a the modulating signal.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein each signal in the set of signals is of the frequency of the modulating signal.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the discriminating logic comprises:

computing, forming an amplitude value, a square-root of a sum of squares of the amplitudes of a pair of phases separated by ninety degrees in each combined signal in the set of signals;

evaluating whether the amplitude value exceeds a threshold;

further evaluating whether a second derivative of the amplitude value is below a second threshold; and

producing an affirmative output from the discriminating logic when the evaluating and the further evaluating are both affirmative.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the amplitude of the corresponding signal in each combined signal in the set of combined signals is computed by:

multiplying, forming a multiplication value, the power curve with the signal;

integrating, forming an integral value, the multiplication value over the period; and

outputting the integral value as the amplitude.

8. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the modulating signal is a low power and low frequency load applied to the data processing system using a signal generator device.

9. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the signal generator device is coupled with the data processing system using a direct current powered port on the data processing system.

10. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the signal generator device is coupled with the data processing system using an alternating current powered port on the data processing system.

11. A computer usable program product comprising a computer usable storage device including computer usable code for relating a data processing system with a power branch circuit, the computer usable code comprising:

computer usable code for combining, to form a set of combination signals, each signal in a set of signals with a power signal, the power signal including a first power usage by the data processing system and a second power usage by a modulating signal;

computer usable code for determining an amplitude of a corresponding signal in each combined signal in the set of combined signals over a period;

computer usable code for determining, using a discriminating logic, whether the modulating signal is present in the power signal; and

computer usable code for relating, responsive to the discriminating logic producing an affirmative result, the data processing system with the power branch circuit.

12. The computer usable program product of claim 11, wherein the power signal is sampled at the sampling frequency.

13. The computer usable program product of claim 11, further comprising:

computer usable code for generating the set of signals, wherein the set of signals includes a number of signals such that the number is an integer value of one half of a fraction, the fraction being represented as a sampling frequency over a frequency of the modulating signal.

14. The computer usable program product of claim 11, wherein a signal in the set of signals has a different phase between zero degrees and one hundred and eighty degrees relative of a the modulating signal.

15. The computer usable program product of claim 11, wherein each signal in the set of signals is of the frequency of the modulating signal.

16. The computer usable program product of claim 11, wherein the discriminating logic comprises:

computer usable code for computing, forming an amplitude value, a square-root of a sum of squares of the amplitudes of a pair of phases separated by ninety degrees in each combined signal in the set of signals;

computer usable code for evaluating whether the amplitude value exceeds a threshold;

computer usable code for further evaluating whether a second derivative of the amplitude value is below a second threshold; and

computer usable code for producing an affirmative output from the discriminating logic when the evaluating and the further evaluating are both affirmative.

17. The computer usable program product of claim 11, wherein the amplitude of the corresponding signal in each combined signal in the set of combined signals is computed by:

computer usable code for multiplying, forming a multiplication value, the power curve with the signal;

computer usable code for integrating, forming an integral value, the multiplication value over the period; and

computer usable code for outputting the integral value as the amplitude.

18. The computer usable program product of claim 11, wherein the computer usable code is stored in a computer readable storage device in a data processing system, and wherein the computer usable code is transferred over a network from a remote data processing system.

19. The computer usable program product of claim 11, wherein the computer usable code is stored in a computer readable storage device in a server data processing system, and wherein the computer usable code is downloaded over a network to a remote data processing system for use in a computer readable storage device associated with the remote data processing system.

20. A data processing system for relating a data processing system with a power branch circuit, the data processing system comprising:

a storage device including a storage medium, wherein the storage device stores computer usable program code; and

a processor, wherein the processor executes the computer usable program code, and wherein the computer usable program code comprises;

computer usable code for combining, to form a set of combination signals, each signal in a set of signals with a power signal, the power signal including a first power usage by the data processing system and a second power usage by a modulating signal;

computer usable code for determining an amplitude of a corresponding signal in each combined signal in the set of combined signals over a period;

computer usable code for determining, using a discriminating logic, whether the modulating signal is present in the power signal; and

computer usable code for relating, responsive to the discriminating logic producing an affirmative result, the data processing system with the power branch circuit.