System and method for changing power states of a power device

• US 8,476,787 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2009
• Issued: 07/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schneider Electric IT Corporation (Schneider Electric SE)
• Original Assignee: Schneider Electric IT Corporation (Schneider Electric SE)
• Inventors: Spitaels, James S., Deokar, Vishwas Mohaniraj, Brookshire, Kyle, Rodenhiser, Fred William
• Primary Examiner(s): Amrany, Adi
• Application Number:
  US12/412,820
• Publication Number:
  US 20100244571A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,558 Days
• Field of Search: 307/64, 707/600
• US Class Current: 307/64
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/58 The condition being electrical
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/144 Demand-response operation of the power transmission or distribution network
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/062 for AC powered loads
• 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: Y04S 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/248 UPS systems or standby or emergency generators

Abstract

Aspects in accord with the present invention are directed to a system or method for changing power states of an uninterruptible power supply. In one aspect, the present invention features a method of monitoring a power state of a power device. The method may comprise receiving from one of a plurality of sources a request to change the power state of the power device, initiating a change of power state based on the request, logging an identity of the one of the plurality of sources requesting the change of power state, a type of change of power state, and a time of change of power state, and communicating through a user interface the identity of the one of the plurality of sources requesting the change.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring a power state of an uninterruptible power supply, the uninterruptible power supply including non-volatile data storage, a first interface, and a second interface, the method comprising:

providing, by the uninterruptible power supply, uninterruptible power to a load separate from and external to the uninterruptible power supply;

receiving, via the first interface from a first source of a plurality of sources, a first request to directly change the power state of the uninterruptible power supply;

initiating, by the uninterruptible power supply, a first change of power state based on the first request, the first change of power state having a first type;

changing, by the uninterruptible power supply, the uninterruptible power provided to the load in accord with the first change of power state;

logging, by the uninterruptible power supply, a first identity of the first source, the first type, and a time of the first change of power state, wherein logging the first identity includes saving the first identity within historical performance information stored in the non-volatile data storage;

receiving, via the second interface from a second source of the plurality of sources, a second request to directly change the power state of the uninterruptible power supply;

initiating, by the uninterruptible power supply, a second change of power state based on the second request, the second change of power state having a second type;

changing, by the uninterruptible power supply, the uninterruptible power provided to the load in accord with the second change of power state; and

logging, by the uninterruptible power supply, a second identity of the second source, the second type, and a time of the second change of power state, wherein logging the second identity includes saving the second identity within the historical performance information.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing access to the historical performance information via the first interface.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein providing access to the historical performance information via the first interface includes providing access to the historical performance information via a user interface.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein providing access to the historical performance information via the user interface includes providing access to the historical information via an alphanumeric user interface.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein providing access to the historical performance information via the first interface includes providing access to the historical performance information via a system interface.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein initiating the first change of power state includes communicating through the first interface the first request to directly change the power state and the first identity.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein initiating the first change of power state includes initiating a shutdown of an outlet of the uninterruptible power supply.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein initiating the first change of power state includes initiating a powering off of the uninterruptible power supply.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein initiating the first change of power state includes initiating a sleep mode of the uninterruptible power supply.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein initiating the first change of power state includes initiating a reboot of the uninterruptible power supply.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein initiating the first change of power state includes initiating a reboot of an outlet of the uninterruptible power supply.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein initiating the first change of power state includes initiating a gradual shutdown of loads attached to the uninterruptible power supply.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating through the first interface the first type.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating through the first interface the time of the first change of power state.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating a warning to a load impacted by the first change of power state.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein initiating the first change of power state includes:

powering off at least one group of outlets of the uninterruptible power supply after a first time period has elapsed; and

powering off the uninterruptible power supply after a second time period has elapsed.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of sources is configured to request changes to the power state of the uninterruptible power supply and the method further comprises receiving, from a different source of the plurality of sources, a different request to directly change the power state of the uninterruptible power supply, the different source, the first source and the second source being different sources, the different request, the first request and the second request being different requests.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying the first identity and the second identity via the first interface on the uninterruptible power supply.

19. An uninterruptible power supply comprising:

a housing;

an input to receive power from a power source;

a backup power source;

an output operatively coupled to the input and the backup power source to provide uninterruptible power to a load separate from and external to the uninterruptible power supply, the uninterruptible power supply being configured to provide the uninterruptible power from at least one of the power source and the backup power source;

a non-volatile data storage;

a first interface configured to receive, from a first source of a plurality of sources, a first request to directly change a power state of the uninterruptible power supply;

a second interface configured to receive, from a second source of the plurality of sources, a second request to directly change the power state of the uninterruptible power supply; and

a controller coupled to the non-volatile data storage, the first interface, and the second interface and configured to;

receive the first request via the first interface;

initiate a first change of power state based on the first request, the first change of power state having a first type;

change the uninterruptible power provided to the load in accord with the first change of power state;

log a first identity of the first source, the first type, and a time of the first change of power state within historical performance information stored within the non-volatile data storage;

receive the second request via the second interface;

initiate a second change of power state based on the second request, the second change of power state having a second type;

change the uninterruptible power provided to the load in accord with the second change of power state; and

log a second identity of the second source, the second type, and a time of the second change of power state within the historical performance information.

20. The uninterruptible power supply of claim 19, wherein the controller is further configured to provide access to the historical performance information via the first interface.

21. The uninterruptible power supply of claim 19, wherein the first interface and the second interface are disposed within the housing.

22. The uninterruptible power supply of claim 19, wherein the first interface includes a user interface.

23. The uninterruptible power supply of claim 22, wherein the user interface is an alphanumeric user interface.

24. The uninterruptible power supply of claim 19, wherein the first interface includes an application program interface.

25. The uninterruptible power supply of claim 19, wherein in initiating the first change of power state based on the first request, the controller is further configured to communicate, through the first interface, the first request to directly change the power state and the first identity.

26. The uninterruptible power supply of claim 19, wherein in initiating the first change of power state, the controller is further configured to initiate a shutdown of an outlet of the uninterruptible power supply.

27. The uninterruptible power supply of claim 19, wherein in initiating the first change of power state, the controller is further configured to initiate a powering off of the uninterruptible power supply.

28. The uninterruptible power supply of claim 19, wherein in initiating the first change of power state, the controller is further configured to initiate a sleep mode of the uninterruptible power supply.

29. The uninterruptible power supply of claim 19, wherein in initiating the first change of power state, the controller is further configured to initiate a reboot of the uninterruptible power supply.

30. The uninterruptible power supply of claim 19, wherein in initiating the first change of power state, the controller is further configured to initiate a reboot of an outlet of the uninterruptible power supply.

31. The uninterruptible power supply of claim 19, wherein in initiating the first change of power state, the controller is further configured to initiate a gradual shutdown of loads attached to the uninterruptible power supply.

32. The uninterruptible power supply of claim 19, wherein the controller is further configured to communicate through the first interface the first type.

33. The uninterruptible power supply of claim 19, wherein the controller is further configured to communicate through the first interface the time of the first change of power state.

34. The uninterruptible power supply of claim 19, wherein the controller is further configured to communicate a warning to a load impacted by the first change of power state.

35. The uninterruptible power supply of claim 19, wherein in initiating the first change of power state, the controller is further configured to:

power off at least one group of outlets of the uninterruptible power supply after a first time period has elapsed; and

power off the uninterruptible power supply after a second time period has elapsed.

36. The uninterruptible power supply of claim 19, further comprising a second input to receive power from a second power source.

37. The uninterruptible power supply of claim 36, wherein the second power source is a battery.

38. The uninterruptible power supply of claim 37, wherein the battery is included in the uninterruptible power supply.

39. The uninterruptible power supply of claim 19, wherein the controller is further configured to receive, from a different source of the plurality of sources, a different request to directly change the power state of the uninterruptible power supply, the different source, the first source and the second source being different sources, the different request, the first request and the second request being different requests.

40. The uninterruptible power supply of claim 19, wherein the controller is further configured to display the first identity and the second identity via the first interface.

41. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon sequences of instruction for monitoring a power state of an uninterruptible power supply including instructions that instruct at least one processor of the uninterruptible power supply to:

provide, by the uninterruptible power supply, uninterruptible power to a load separate from and external to the uninterruptible power supply;

receive, via a first interface from a first source of a plurality of sources, a first request to directly change the power state of the uninterruptible power supply;

initiate, by the uninterruptible power supply, a first change of power state based on the first request, the first change of power state having a first type;

change, by the uninterruptible power supply, the uninterruptible power provided to the load in accord with the first change of power state;

log, by the uninterruptible power supply, a first identity of the first source, the first type, and a time of the first change of power state within historical performance information stored in the non-volatile data storage;

receive, via a second interface from a second source of the plurality of sources, a second request to directly change the power state of the uninterruptible power supply;

initiate, by the uninterruptible power supply, a second change of power state based on the second request, the second change of power state having a second type;

changing, by the uninterruptible power supply, the uninterruptible power provided to the load in accord with the second change of power state; and

log, by the uninterruptible power supply, a second identity of the second source, the second type, and a time of the second change of power state within the historical performance information.

42. The computer readable medium of claim 41, wherein the sequences of instruction include instructions that will further cause the at least one processor to provide access to the historical performance information via the first interface.

43. The computer readable medium of claim 42, wherein the sequences of instruction include instructions that will further cause the at least one processor to provide access to the historical performance information by providing access to the first identity and the second identity via the first interface.

44. The computer readable medium of claim 41, wherein the sequences of instruction include instructions that will further cause the at least one processor to provide access to the historical performance information by providing access to the first type and the second type via the first interface.

45. The computer readable medium of claim 41, wherein the sequences of instruction include instructions that will further cause the at least one processor to communicate with a user via the first interface.

46. The computer readable medium of claim 41, wherein the sequences of instruction include instructions that will further cause the at least one processor to communicate with a system via the first interface.