Method and system for determining physical location of equipment

• US 8,880,907 B2
• Filed: 06/21/2007
• Issued: 11/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schneider Electric IT Corporation (Schneider Electric SE)
• Original Assignee: Schneider Electric IT Corporation (Schneider Electric SE)
• Inventors: Ives, Edward, Berard, Stephen, Lehmann, Gert
• Primary Examiner(s): Moore, Jr., Michael J
• Assistant Examiner(s): CATTUNGAL, AJAY P
• Application Number:
  US11/766,187
• Publication Number:
  US 20080317021A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,693 Days
• Field of Search: 713/300, 713/310, 713/320, 713/330, 713/324, 713/340
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3006 where the computing system is distributed, e.g. networked systems, clusters, multiprocessor systems multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46; allocation of resources G06F9/50
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3051 Monitoring arrangements for monitoring the configuration of the computing system or of the computing system component, e.g. monitoring the presence of processing resources, peripherals, I/O links, software programs verification or detection of system hardware configuration G06F11/2247
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3062 where the monitored property is the power consumption power management in a computing system G06F1/3203
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/10 Current supply arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/085 Retrieval of network configuration; Tracking network configuration history
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1498 Resource management, Optimisation arrangements, e.g. configuration, identification, tracking, physical location thermal management H05K7/20836

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for automatically determining certain physical characteristics of a network device. In one embodiment, a method is employed to automatically determine the physical location of a network device. This method may employ a computer based system to acquire network device information, instruct the network devices to change power consumption, detect the changes and determine the physical location of the network device based on the changes detected. In another embodiment, a method is employed to automatically determine the functional type of a network device. This method may employ a computer based system to monitor the power drawn by the network device at a power distribution device and determine the network device functional type based on the power drawn.

Claims

1. A method of determining a functional type of a network device, the method comprising:

monitoring, by a computer system, power drawn by the network device at a power distribution device; and

determining, by the computer system, the functional type of the network device by comparing an amount of power drawn to a benchmark amount of power drawn by the functional type of network device.

2. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-readable signals stored thereon that define instructions that, as a result of being executed by a processor, instruct the processor to perform the method of claim 1.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining the functional type of the network device comprises:

generating a list of potential network device functional types that receive power supplied by the power distribution device by comparing the power drawn to the benchmark;

presenting the list of potential network device functional types for selection; and

receiving the selection.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining at least one network device including a transfer switch having a first input for a first power supply and a second input for a second power supply; and

presenting the at least one network device including a transfer switch.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising presenting a power distribution device that supplies the first power supply and a power distribution device that supplies the second power supply.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining, by the computer system, a physical location of the network device based on a physical location of the power distribution device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein determining the physical location of the network device comprises:

detecting a change in power at the power distribution device, wherein the power distribution device is coupled to the network device to provide power to the network device; and

comparing the change in power to a change in utilization of the network device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the change in utilization of the network device comprises at least one of a change in disk I/O, a change in CPU utilization, and a change in power mode initiated by normal network device operation.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising, prior to detecting the change in power, waiting for an event to occur.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the event includes instructing the network device to change power consumption.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein instructing the network device to change power consumption includes instructing the network device to reduce power consumption.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein instructing the network device to change power consumption includes accessing the network device over a network.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein instructing the network device to change power consumption includes instructing the network device to increase power consumption.

14. A system for automatically detecting a functional type of a network device, the system comprising:

at least one input arranged and configured to receive network device information;

at least one controller arranged and configured to generate a list of potential network device functional types of devices that receive power supplied by a power distribution device, wherein the at least one controller is arranged and configured to generate the list by comparing an amount of power demand at the power distribution device to a benchmark amount of power drawn by the functional type of network device;

at least one output arranged and configured to display the list of potential network device functional types for selection; and

at least one input arranged and configured to record the selection.

15. The system of claim 14,

wherein the at least one controller is further arranged and configured to determine at least one network device including a transfer switch having a first input for a first power supply and a second input for a second power supply;

and

wherein the at least one output is further arranged and configured to display the at least one network device including a transfer switch.

16. The system of claim 15,

wherein the at least one output is further arranged and configured to display a power distribution device that supplies the first power supply and a power distribution device that supplies the second power supply.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the at least one controller is further arranged and configured to detect a change in power at a power distribution device having a physical location and coupled to the network device, and further arranged and configured to determine the physical location of the network device.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the at least one controller is further arranged and configured to instruct at least one network device to change power consumption.