User interface providing UPS information

• US 7,703,046 B2
• Filed: 01/09/2002
• Issued: 04/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Schneider Electric IT Corporation (Schneider Electric SE)
• Original Assignee: American Power Conversion Corporation (Schneider Electric SE)
• Inventors: Hayes, Jacqueline, Mathieson, David, Fallon, Raymond, Fegan, T. Noel
• Primary Examiner(s): Lo; Weilun
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, MYLINH T
• Application Number:
  US10/042,910
• Publication Number:
  US 20030132949A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,023 Days
• Field of Search: 345/770, 345/211, 345/212, 713/340, 717/176, 715/770, 715/750, 715/736, 715/735, 715/764, 715/825, 715/859, 715/861
• US Class Current: 715/861
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/28 Supervision thereof, e.g. detecting power-supply failure by out of limits supervision

Abstract

A system and method are provided for notifying a user about the occurrence of at least one predetermined event associated with an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) in operable communication with the system. The system comprises a worker module and a user interface module. The worker module determines whether the predetermined event has occurred and, responsive to said determination, the user interface module generates an user interface providing information relating to an operating parameter of the UPS. The user interface comprises at least one of a graphical portion and an alphanumeric portion.

Claims

1. A system for providing information about the occurrence of at least one predetermined event associated with a single uninterruptible power supply (UPS) in operable communication with the system, the system comprising:

a processor in operable communication with the single UPS;

a worker module coupled to the processor and configured to determine whether the predetermined event has occurred at the single UPS; and

a user interface module responsive to the determination of the worker module, the user interface module configured to automatically generate a first user interface portion providing information relating to the predetermined event, the first user interface portion comprising at least one of a graphical portion and an alphanumerical portion, the first user interface portion concurrently providing multiple pieces of information regarding multiple characteristics of at least one of operation of the single UPS and connectivity of the system with the single UPS, wherein the first user interface portion has a size substantially similar to a size of a toolbar, the user interface module being further configured to automatically generate a second user interface portion providing historical power event information associated with the single UPS;

wherein the first and second user interface portions together occupy substantially an entire display window;

wherein the user interface module generates the first user interface portion and causes the first user interface portion to be displayed automatically upon occurrence of the predetermined event; and

wherein the multiple characteristics are at least two of battery capacity, time to shutdown, or on-line/on-battery status.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the single UPS has at least one operating parameter and wherein the information relating to the predetermined event comprises information relating to the at least one operating parameter of the single UPS.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the predetermined event has a duration and wherein the user interface module generates the first user interface portion for at least the duration of the predetermined event.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the predetermined event is an event relating to UPS communication status.

5. The system of claim 3 wherein the predetermined event is an event relating to UPS battery status.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the first user interface portion comprises at least one of a UPS status monitor, a system tray icon, an event notifier, and a balloon notifier.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a memory storing information relating to at least one of the predetermined event and an operating parameter of the single UPS.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the first user interface portion further comprises a control that enables a user to perform a function based on the information in the first user interface portion.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the worker module is configured to monitor the operating parameter of the single UPS and the user interface module is configured to dynamically update at least a portion of the first user interface-portion to reflect a change in the operating parameter.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the worker module is configured to receive information from the single UPS relating to an operating parameter of the single UPS.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the first user interface portion provides context-sensitive information relating to an operating parameter of the single UPS.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the user interface module is configured to generate the first user interface portion upon receipt of a command.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the first user interface portion is configured to be visually distinct from adjoining portions of a display.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein the first user interface portion has a width and a height substantially similar to a width and a height of the toolbar.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein the first user interface portion includes first and second selectable portions and wherein the user interface module is configured to respond to selection of the first selectable portion to change the first user interface portion to increase its size and information content and to respond to the selection of the second selectable portion to change the first user interface portion to a toolbar icon.

16. The system of claim 1 wherein the user interface module is configured to cause the first user interface portion to be displayed on a display and to be sized and disposed on the display to be substantially unobtrusive to a user of the display.

17. A method for providing a notification about the operation of a single uninterruptible power supply (UPS) connected to a computer system, comprising:

determining, with a processor in operable communication with the single UPS, that a first condition relating to the single UPS has occurred;

automatically generating and causing to be displayed, upon the occurrence of the first condition, a first user interface portion providing information relating to the first condition and having an indicator capable of conveying UPS information, the indicator comprising at least one of a graphical image and a character image, the first user interface portion indicator concurrently providing multiple pieces of information regarding multiple characteristics of at least one of operation of the single UPS and connectivity of the system with the single UPS, the first user interface portion indicator having a size substantially similar to a size of a toolbar, wherein the multiple characteristics are at least two of battery capacity, time to shutdown, or on-line/on-battery status; and

automatically generating a second user interface portion providing historical power event information associated with the single UPS, wherein the first and second user interface portions together occupy substantially an entire display window.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the first condition comprises at least one of a condition related to communications status with the single UPS, a condition related to UPS battery operation, and a first received command.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising ceasing to display the indicator upon occurrence of a second condition.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the second condition comprises a condition selected from the group consisting of receiving a second command, cessation of the first condition, and change in the first condition.

21. The method of claim 19 further comprising storing information relating to at least one of the first and second conditions.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising displaying the stored information.

23. The method of claim 17 wherein the first user interface portion comprises at least one indicator conveying only information related to the first condition.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising updating the indicator if the information relating to the first condition changes.

25. The method of claim 17 further comprising displaying a control enabling a function to be performed based on the first condition.

26. A method for providing a user, when an event occurs, with information relating to the operation of a single uninterruptible power supply (UPS), the UPS having an operational status, the method comprising;

determining, with a processor in operable communication with the single UPS, that an event has occurred;

automatically displaying a first user interface portion providing event-specific information about the operational status of the single UPS relating to the event, the first user interface portion comprising at least one of a graphical indicator and a non-graphical indicator, the first user interface portion concurrently providing multiple pieces of information regarding multiple characteristics of at least one of operation of the single UPS and connectivity of the system with the single UPS, the first user interface portion having a size substantially similar to a size of a toolbar, wherein the multiple characteristics are at least two of battery capacity, time to shutdown, or on-line/on-battery status;

automatically generating a second user interface portion providing historical power event information associated the single UPS, wherein the first and second user interface portions together occupy substantially an entire display window; and

updating the displayed operational status information if the information related to the operational status of the single UPS changes during the time that the event is occurring;

wherein automatically displaying the first user interface portion occurs in response to the event occurring.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the event has a duration and further comprising providing an alarm to the user during the duration of the event, the alarm notifying the user that the event has occurred.

28. The method of claim 27 further comprising displaying a control in the first user interface portion that enables the alarm to be muted.

29. The method of claim 28 further comprising ceasing to display the first user interface portion when the event is no longer occurring.

30. A system for notifying a user about the occurrence of at least one predetermined event associated with the operation of a single uninterruptible power supply (UPS), the predetermined event having a duration, comprising:

means for determining when the predetermined event has occurred, the determining means including a processor in operable communication with the single UPS;

means for automatically generating and displaying a first user interface portion when the predetermined event occurs, the first user interface portion providing information about the single UPS during at least the duration of the predetermined event and comprising at least one of a graphical image and a textual image, the user interface concurrently providing multiple pieces of information regarding multiple characteristics of at least one of operation of the single UPS and connectivity of the system with the single UPS, the first user interface portion having a size of about a size of a toolbar, the first user interface portion having a size substantially similar to a size of a toolbar, wherein the multiple characteristics are at least two of battery capacity, time to shutdown, or on-line/on-battery status; and

means for automatically generating a second user interface portion providing historical power event information associated with the single UPS, wherein the first and second user interface portions together occupy substantially an entire display window.

31. The system of claim 30 further comprising means for controlling a function related to the information that is displayed.

32. The system of claim 30 further comprising means for determining the duration of the predetermined event.

33. A computer program product residing on a computer readable medium for providing information about the status of a single uninterruptible power supply (UPS) during an event, the single UPS haying at least one operational parameter, the computer program product comprising computer-readable instructions that will cause a computer to:

determine, with a processor in operable communication with the single UPS, that the event has occurred;

automatically generate and cause to be displayed, upon occurrence of the event, a first user interface portion conveying information about the single UPS operational parameter relating to the event, the first user interface portion comprising at least one of a graphical indicator and an alphanumeric indicator, the first user interface portion concurrently providing multiple pieces of information regarding multiple characteristics of at least one of operation of the single UPS and connectivity of the system with the single UPS, the first user interface portion having a size substantially similar to a size of a toolbar, wherein the multiple characteristics are at least two of battery capacity, time to shutdown, or on-line/on-battery status; and

automatically generate and cause to be displayed a second user interface portion providing historical power event information associated with the single UPS, wherein the first and second user interface portions together occupy substantially an entire display window.

34. The computer program product of claim 33, further comprising instructions for causing the computer to update the displayed first user interface portion if the single UPS operational parameter changes.

35. The computer program product of claim 34, further comprising instructions for causing the computer to generate the first user interface portion if the event is no longer occurring.