Method and apparatus for controlling distribution of power

• US 9,047,071 B2
• Filed: 05/21/2010
• Issued: 06/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schneider Electric IT Corporation (Schneider Electric SE)
• Original Assignee: Schneider Electric IT Corporation (Schneider Electric SE)
• Inventors: Galsim, Marlon, Chiang, Wei-Shih
• Primary Examiner(s): BARNES-BULLOCK, CRYSTAL JOY
• Application Number:
  US13/699,073
• Publication Number:
  US 20130116846A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,838 Days
• Field of Search: 307/11, 307/12, 307/31, 307 36- 39, 307/112, 307/113, 307/115, 307/116, 307/125, 307/126, 307/130, 307/131, 713/300, 713/320, 713/324, 713/330, 713/340, 702/57, 702 60- 62, 702/64, 705/63, 705/412, 700/286, 700/295, 700/297, 700/298
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 1/28 Supervision thereof, e.g. detecting power-supply failure by out of limits supervision
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 25/003 the coupling part being secured only to wires or cables
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/58 The condition being electrical
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/14 by switching loads on to, or off from, network, e.g. progressively balanced loading
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/005 using a power saving mode for copiers G03G15/5004
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• 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: 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 20/20 End-user application control systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/221 General power management systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving

Abstract

A method and an apparatus for controlling distribution of power. The apparatus is used for controlling application of power to a plurality of devices including at least one master device and at least one controlled device. The apparatus includes: a power inlet constructed and arranged to receive power from a power source; a plurality of power outlets including at least one master power outlet (12M) and at least one controlled power outlet (12S); and means for generating a power profile of the at least one master device electrically connected to the master power outlet, determining a characteristic of a stand-by power consumption level of the at least one master device and controlling a supply of power from the power inlet to the at least one controlled power outlet in response to a comparison of a characteristic of power delivered to the at least one master device with the characteristic of the stand-by power consumption level.

Claims

1. An apparatus for controlling application of power to a plurality of devices including at least one master device and at least one controlled device, the apparatus comprising:

a power inlet constructed and arranged to receive power from a power source;

a plurality of power outlets including at least one master power outlet and at least one controlled power outlet;

a sense circuit adapted to sense at least one first characteristic of power delivered to the at least one master power outlet; and

a controller adapted to;

generate at least one first power profile corresponding to the at least one first characteristic;

compare the at least one first power profile with at least one second power profile stored in at least one profile database and determine whether the at least one first power profile is similar to the at least one second power profile;

determine a characteristic of a stand-by power consumption level of a device electrically connected to the at least one master power outlet, wherein the stand-by power consumption level is extracted from the at least one second power profile in response to a determination that the at least one first power profile is similar to the at least one second power profile, and wherein the stand-by power consumption level is extracted from the at least one first power profile in response to a determination that the at least one first power profile is not similar to the at least one second power profile;

compare the first characteristic of power delivered to the at least one master power outlet with the characteristic of the stand-by power consumption level; and

control a supply of power from the power inlet to the at least one controlled outlet responsive to the comparison of the first characteristic of power with the characteristic of the stand-by power consumption level.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one first characteristic of power delivered to the at least one master power outlet is current.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the at least one first characteristic of power delivered to the at least one master power outlet further comprises voltage.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the characteristic of the stand-by power consumption level is total power.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the characteristic of the stand-by power consumption level is current.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a non-volatile memory configured to store a representation of the stand-by power consumption level.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one profile database includes a pre-programmed profile database.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein in response to a determination that the at least one first power profile is not similar to the at least one second power profile, the controller is further adapted to store the at least one first power profile in the at least one profile database.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an uninterruptable power supply.

10. A method of controlling power distribution to a plurality of devices including at least one master device and at least one controlled device, the at least one master device having at least a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation, with the second mode of operation being a lower power mode of operation than the first mode of operation, the method comprising:

providing power to the at least one master device through at least one primary outlet;

sensing at least one characteristic of the power provided through the at least one primary outlet with the at least one master device in the second mode of operation;

generating, based on the act of sensing, a first power profile of the at least one master device;

comparing the first power profile with at least one second power profile stored in at least one database and determining whether the first power profile is similar to the at least one second power profile;

setting a first threshold characteristic of the power provided through the primary outlet, wherein the first threshold characteristic is extracted from the at least one second power profile in response to a determination that the first power profile is similar to the at least one second power profile, and wherein the first threshold characteristic is extracted from the first power profile in response to a determination that the first power profile is not similar to the at least one second power profile;

providing power, in the first mode of operation, to the at least one controlled device through a secondary outlet;

measuring an operating characteristic of power provided through the primary outlet; and

controlling power to the at least one controlled device responsive to the measured operating characteristic of power provided through the primary outlet.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising verifying, in response to a determination that the first power profile is not similar to the at least one second power profile, whether the first power profile is accurate.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising storing, in response to a determination that the first power profile is accurate, the first power profile in the at least one database.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein sensing the at least one characteristic of power provided through the primary outlet to the master device is initiated manually by a user.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising providing an indication that the master device is operating in the second mode of operation.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising removing, in the second mode of operation, power to the at least one controlled device responsive to the operating characteristic of power provided through the primary outlet being at least one of the same as or less than the first threshold characteristic of the power provided through the primary outlet.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising setting a second threshold characteristic of power provided through the primary outlet based on the sensed characteristic of the power provided through the primary outlet.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the act of providing power, in the first mode of operation, to the at least one controlled device through a secondary outlet comprises providing power to the at least one controlled device responsive to the operating characteristic of power provided through the primary outlet being greater than the second threshold characteristic of the power provided through the primary outlet.

18. The method of claim 10, further comprising replacing the at least one master device with at least one second master device, the at least one second master device having at least a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation, with the second mode of operation being a lower power mode of operation than the first mode of operation;

providing power to the at least one second master device through the at least one primary outlet;

sensing at least one characteristic of the power provided through the primary outlet with the second master device in the second mode of operation;

generating, based on the act of sensing, a third power profile of the at least one second master device;

comparing the third power profile with the at least one second power profile stored in the at least one database and determining whether the third power profile is similar to the at least one second power profile; and

setting a third threshold characteristic of the power provided through the primary outlet, wherein the third threshold characteristic is extracted from the at least one second power profile in response to a determination that the third power profile is similar to the at least one second power profile, and wherein the third threshold characteristic is extracted from the third power profile in response to a determination that the third power profile is not similar to the at least one second power profile.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein sensing the at least one characteristic of the power provided through the primary outlet with the second master device in the second mode of operation is initiated manually.

20. An apparatus for controlling application of power to a plurality of devices including at least one master device and at least one controlled device, the apparatus comprising:

a power inlet constructed and arranged to receive power from a power source;

a plurality of power outlets including at least one master power outlet and at least one controlled power outlet; and

means for generating a first power profile of at least one master device electrically connected to the master power outlet, for determining a characteristic of a stand-by power consumption level of the at least one master device electrically connected to the at least one master power outlet wherein the stand-by power consumption level is extracted from a second power profile in response to a determination that the first power profile is similar to the second power profile, and wherein the stand-by power consumption level is extracted from the first power profile in response to a determination that the first power profile is not similar to the second power profile, and for controlling a supply of power from the power inlet to the at least one controlled power outlet responsive to a comparison of a characteristic of power delivered to the at least one master device with the characteristic of the stand-by power consumption level of the at least one master device.