Methods, devices, and mediums associated with power management of electrical devices

• US 9,219,361 B1
• Filed: 01/31/2012
• Issued: 12/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures Fund 79 LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Intellectual Ventures Fund 79 LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Wine, David William, Konstantaras, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Lieu, Julie
• Application Number:
  US13/362,640
• Time in Patent Office: 1,421 Days
• Field of Search: 340/657
• 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: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/7036 the switch being in series with coupling part, e.g. dead coupling, explosion proof coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 11/00 Emergency protective circuit arrangements for preventing the switching-on in case an undesired electric working condition might result
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

An apparatus may comprise a first controller configured to identify a power requirement associated with an electrical device, and a transmitter configured to communicate the power requirement to a second controller. The second controller may be associated with an electrical circuit configured to provide power to a plurality of electrical devices including the electrical device. Additionally, the apparatus may comprise a receiver configured to receive a response from the second controller. The response may identify an available power associated with the electrical circuit, and the first controller may be configured to enable operation of the electrical device based, at least in part, on a comparison of the power requirement and the available power.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a first controller located in an intelligent electrical outlet and configured to identify a power requirement associated with an electrical device;

a transmitter configured to communicate a power request identifying the power requirement to a second controller, wherein the second controller operates in a network server and is associated with an electrical circuit configured to provide power to a plurality of electrical devices including the electrical device;

a receiver configured to receive a response from the second controller, wherein the response comprises an operating instruction configured to direct the first controller to connect power to the electrical device based, at least in part, on a comparison of the power requirement and an available power associated with the electrical circuit; and

an intelligent adaptor comprising a first plug configured to plug into the intelligent electrical outlet and a socket configured to receive a second plug from the electrical device, the intelligent electrical outlet being further configured to connect power from the intelligent electrical outlet to the electrical device based, at least in part, on the comparison of the power requirement and the available power associated with the electrical circuit,

wherein at least one of the intelligent electrical outlet and the intelligent adapter further comprises plural color-coded power indicator lights configured to indicate compatibility of the available power associated with the electrical circuit to the power requirement of the electrical device and at least one of the indicator lights is configured to be illuminated in response to detecting a presence of the electrical device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first controller is further configured to receive the power requirement from the intelligent adaptor.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first controller is further configured to:

measure the power requirement during operation of the electrical device;

compare the measured power requirement with a plurality of power profiles; and

identify a type of the electrical device based, at least in part, on a result of the comparison.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the transmitter is further configured to transmit a power profile associated with the identified electrical device to the second controller, and wherein the power profile relates the power requirement to the identified electrical device.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second controller is connected to a power management system associated with the electrical circuit.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the power management system comprises a circuit breaker, and wherein the available power is associated with a maximum power rating of the circuit breaker.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is further configured to communicate with a plurality of other controllers associated with a plurality of electrical outlets to determine a total power requirement for the plurality of electrical devices, and wherein the first controller is further configured to compare the total power requirement with the available power.

22. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein both the intelligent electrical outlet and the intelligent adapter include the plural color-coded power indicator lights.

8. A non-transitory memory device having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by a processing device, cause the processing device to perform operations comprising:

detecting a presence of each of plural electrical devices;

receiving power requests from a plurality of control devices associated with the electrical devices, the plurality of control devices each being located in one of a plurality of associated electrical outlets;

determining an available power associated with an electrical circuit, wherein the electrical circuit is configured to provide power to the electrical devices;

comparing the power requests to the available power to determine a service compatibility of the power requests with the available power; and

sending operating instructions directing selected ones of the plurality of control devices to provide power to the associated electrical devices based on the service availability, wherein the processing device and the non-transitory memory device are located in an adaptor configured to plug into an electrical outlet; and

indicating by plural color-coded power indicators on at least one of the electrical outlet and its adapter the presence of the electrical device and the service compatibility of the power request with the available power.

9. The memory device of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise:

comparing the power requests with a plurality of power profiles; and

identifying types of the electrical devices based, at least in part, on a result of the comparing.

10. The memory device of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise receiving power profiles associated with the electrical devices, and wherein the power profiles relate the power requests to the electrical devices.

11. The memory device of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining that a total power requirement for the electrical devices exceeds the available power; and

selectively enabling and disabling the electrical devices in response to determining that the total power requirement exceeds the available power.

12. The memory device of claim 11, wherein the electrical devices are selectively enabled and disabled based on varying levels of priority associated with the electrical devices.

13. The memory device of claim 8, wherein the processing device is operatively connected to a circuit breaker of the electrical circuit, and wherein the available power is associated with a maximum power rating of the circuit breaker.

14. An apparatus, comprising:

means for identifying a power request associated with an electrical device proximately located near a control device that is included in an electrical outlet;

means for determining an available power associated with an electrical circuit, wherein the electrical circuit is configured to provide power to a plurality of electrical devices including the electrical device;

means for comparing the power request to the available power to determine a service compatibility; and

means for communicating an operating instruction configured to direct the control device to connect power to the electrical device based, at least in part, on the service compatibility, wherein the apparatus is located in an adapter configured to plug into the electrical outlet; and

means for indicating by color-coding on at least one of the electrical outlet and its adapter the presence of the electrical device and the service compatibility of the electrical circuit for the electrical device.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the means for comparing comprises:

means for comparing the power request with a plurality of power profiles; and

means for identifying the electrical device based, at least in part, on a result of the comparing.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the means for identifying comprises means for receiving a power profile associated with the electrical device, and wherein the power profile relates the power request to the electrical device.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the means for communicating comprises means for communicating with a plurality of other control devices included in a plurality of electrical outlets, respectively, to determine a total power requirement for the plurality of electrical devices, and wherein the means for comparing comprises means for comparing the total power requirement with the available power.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising means for selectively enabling the plurality of electrical devices as a result of the comparing.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the means for selectively enabling comprises means for prioritizing the electrical devices.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the means for selectively enabling comprises means for selectively disabling at least some of electrical devices identified as being low priority.

21. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the power management system comprises a circuit breaker, and wherein the available power is associated with a maximum power rating of the circuit breaker.

23. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein both the electrical outlet and the adapter include the means for indicating service availability.