Apparatus and Method for Centralized Power Management

• US 20070204176A1
• Filed: 11/02/2006
• Published: 08/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Shaffer, Shmuel, Gleichauf, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 7,650,520 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/189 Power distribution
• 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: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply

Abstract

The invention describes a system and method for arranging to provide power to a power monitor device. The disclosure describes the system and method receiving a request for power for at least one device specified by a power monitor device. The disclosure describes receiving at least one proposal from an entity desiring to supply power according to the request for power. A best proposal of the at least one proposal is determined. And the system and method command the power monitor device to supply power in accordance with the best proposal.

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81. A method for arranging to provide power to a device, comprising:

receiving, from a communications network, a request for power for at least one device, wherein the request is specified by a power monitor device;

receiving at least one proposal from an entity desiring to supply power according to the request for power;

determining a best proposal of the at least one proposal; and

commanding the power monitor device to control a supply of power to the at least one device in accordance with the best proposal.

82. The method of claim 81, wherein the best proposal comprises a time frame for supplying the power to the at least one device.

83. The method of claim 82, wherein commanding the power monitor device comprises commanding the power monitor device to make power available to the at least one device at a beginning of the time frame.

84. The method of claim 82, wherein commanding the power monitor device comprises transmitting a first token to the power monitor device, using the communications network, at a beginning of the time frame, the first token indicating conditions for power consumption in accordance with the best proposal.

85. The method of claim 84, wherein the first token facilitates the power monitor device controlling the supply of power to the at least one device through a particular electrical outlet associated with the at least one device.

86. The method of claim 84, wherein the first token facilitates the power monitor device establishing a first power profile for a power supply circuit associated with the at least one device.

87. The method of claim 86, wherein commanding the power monitor device comprises commanding the power monitor device to begin recording the first power profile for the power supply circuit associated with the at least one device.

88. The method of claim 82, wherein commanding the power monitor device comprises:

transmitting a first token to the power monitor device, using the communications network, before a beginning of the time frame, the first token indicating a start time describing the beginning of the time frame; and

commanding the power monitor device to disconnect power from the at least one device at an end of the time frame.

89. The method of claim 82, wherein commanding the power monitor devices comprises transmitting a second token to the power monitor device, using the communications network, before an end of the time frame, the second token indicating an end time describing the end of the time frame to terminate power to the at least one device from a particular electrical outlet associated with the at least one device.

90. The method of claim 81, wherein commanding the power monitor device comprises commanding the power monitor device to provide power to the at least one device through a particular electrical outlet associated with the at least one device at a beginning of a time frame.

91. The method of claim 81, wherein the at least one proposal comprises a price for supplying the power to the at least one device.

92. The method of claim 81, wherein the best proposal comprises an amount of energy to be supplied to the at least one device.

93. The method of claim 81, wherein the request for power comprises:

a close time for determining the best proposal;

an amount of power desired;

a time frame within which the power monitor device wants the power; and

a maximum price for the power.

94. The method of claim 81, wherein the at least one proposal includes a price, and wherein determining the best proposal of the at least one proposal comprises selecting the at least one proposal associated with a lowest price.

95. A method for arranging to provide power to at least one device, comprising:

receiving, from a communications network, an offer to sell power at a preferential rate from a power supplier;

receiving at least one proposal from at least one device desiring to purchase power according to the offer to sell power;

determining a best proposal of the at least one proposal; and

commanding the at least one device associated with the best proposal to consume power in accordance with the best proposal.

96. The method of claim 95, wherein the best proposal comprises a time frame for supplying the power to the at least one device.

97. The method of claim 96, wherein commanding the at least one device comprises transmitting a first token to the at least one device at a beginning of the time frame, the first token indicating conditions for power consumption in accordance with the best proposal.

98. The method of claim 96, wherein commanding the at least one device comprises commanding the at least one device to consume power during the time frame.

99. The method of claim 95, wherein commanding the at least one device comprises commanding the at least one device to begin recording a first power profile for the at least one device.

100. The method of claim 95, wherein commanding the at least one device comprises transmitting a first token to the at least one device before a beginning of a time frame, and the first token indicating a start time describing the beginning of the time frame.

101. The method of claim 95, wherein the offer to sell power comprises a time frame and an amount of power to sell.

102. An apparatus for arranging to provide power to a device, comprising:

means for receiving, from a communications network, a request for power for at least one device, wherein the request is specified by a power monitor device;

means for receiving at least one proposal from an entity desiring to supply power according to the request for power;

means for determining a best proposal of the at least one proposal; and

means for commanding the power monitor device to control a supply of power to the at least one device in accordance with the best proposal.

103. The apparatus of claim 102, wherein the best proposal comprises a time frame for supplying the power to the at least one device.

104. The apparatus of claim 103, wherein means for commanding the power monitor device comprises means for commanding the power monitor device to make power available to the at least one device at a beginning of the time frame.

105. The apparatus of claim 103, wherein means for commanding the power monitor device comprises means for transmitting a first token to the power monitor device, using the communications network, at a beginning of the time frame, the first token indicating conditions for power consumption in accordance with the best proposal.

106. The apparatus of claim 105, wherein the first token facilitates the power monitor device controlling the supply of power to the at least one device through a particular electrical outlet associated with the at least one device.

107. The apparatus of claim 105, wherein the first token facilitates the power monitor device establishing a first power profile for a power supply circuit associated with the at least one device.

108. The apparatus of claim 107, wherein means for commanding the power monitor device comprises means for commanding the power monitor device to begin recording the first power profile for the power supply circuit associated with the at least one device.

109. The apparatus of claim 103, wherein means for commanding the power monitor device comprises:

means for transmitting a first token to the power monitor device, using the communications network, before a beginning of the time frame, the first token indicating a start time describing the beginning of the time frame; and

means for commanding the power monitor device to disconnect power from the at least one device at an end of the time frame.

110. The apparatus of claim 103, wherein means for commanding the power monitor devices comprises means for transmitting a second token to the power monitor device, using the communications network, before an end of the time frame, the second token indicating an end time describing the end of the time frame to terminate power to the at least one device from a particular electrical outlet associated with the at least one device.

111. The apparatus of claim 102, wherein means for commanding the power monitor device comprises means for commanding the power monitor device to provide power to the at least one device through a particular electrical outlet associated with the at least one device at a beginning of a time frame.

112. An apparatus for arranging to provide power to at least one device, comprising:

means for receiving, from a communications network, an offer to sell power at a preferential rate from a power supplier;

means for receiving at least one proposal from at least one device desiring to purchase power according to the offer to sell power;

means for determining a best proposal of the at least one proposal; and

means for commanding the at least one device associated with the best proposal to consume power in accordance with the best proposal.

113. The apparatus of claim 112, wherein the best proposal comprises a time frame for supplying the power to the at least one device.

114. The apparatus of claim 113, wherein means for commanding the at least one device comprises means for transmitting a first token to the at least one device at a beginning of the time frame, the first token indicating conditions for power consumption in accordance with the best proposal.

115. The apparatus of claim 113, wherein means for commanding the at least one device comprises means for commanding the at least one device to consume power during the time frame.

116. The apparatus of claim 112, wherein means for commanding the at least one device comprises means for commanding the at least one device to begin recording a first power profile for the at least one device.

117. The apparatus of claim 112, wherein means for commanding the at least one device comprises means for transmitting a first token to the at least one device before a beginning of a time frame, and the first token indicating a start time describing the beginning of the time frame.