Smart power management system and related method

• US 9,350,170 B2
• Filed: 01/13/2011
• Issued: 05/24/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Walley, John, Hulvey, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): ALAM, MIRZA F
• Application Number:
  US13/006,160
• Publication Number:
  US 20110181401A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,958 Days
• Field of Search: 340/3.1, 340/500, 340/540, 340/657, 340/7.33, 340/13.23, 340/572.1, 340/825.25, 455/572, 455/574, 455/512, 455/522, 455/127.1, 455/343.1, 455/423, 307 31- 41, 307/126, 307/311, 307/150, 307/66, 307/39, 307/104
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/14 Balancing the load in a network
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00002 characterised by monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00007 using the power network as support for the transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00022 using wireless data transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/30 State monitoring, e.g. fault, temperature monitoring, insulator monitoring, corona discharge
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/00 Management or operation of end-user stationary applications or the last stages of power distribution; Controlling, monitoring or operating thereof

Abstract

According to one disclosed embodiment, a smart power management system includes a power conversion unit having a communication module and a power management module that can convert mains power into a form that can be used to power a plurality of electronic devices. In one embodiment, the power conversion unit can selectively disconnect power availability provided for a particular electronic device and reduce phantom load waste by communicating with a connected electronic device and exchanging information. In another embodiment, the power conversion unit can selectively disconnect power availability provided for a particular electronic device by monitoring the electronic device'"'"'s power usage over time and determining an appropriate power availability based on predetermined power management parameters. In another embodiment, the power conversion unit can communicate with other power conversion units to form a mesh network.

Claims

1. A smart power management system comprising:

a power conversion unit (PCU) comprising a primary power supply and a separate supervisory power supply, each configured to simultaneously provide power to a first electronic device through a power delivery path and also provide power to a second electronic device, the supervisory power supply having a lower power delivery capacity than the primary power supply but sufficient to power the first electronic device and the second electronic device to communicate with the PCU when the primary power supply is switched out;

the PCU further configured to use an information received in a communication to continue to provide power via the supervisory power supply and to selectively switch out the primary power supply from the power delivery path to modify an output power of the PCU availability provided to the first electronic device in order to conserve electrical power but maintain power to the second electronic device, wherein the PCU is also configured to determine a proximity to a portable wireless transmitter based on a measured strength of a wireless transmission from the portable transmitter; and

a second PCU configured to communicate with and power at least one other electronic device, wherein

the PCU and the second PCU further configured to form a mesh network and use a shared information communicated over the mesh network to selectively switch out the primary power supply from the power delivery path to modify the output power availability provided to at least one of the first electronic device and the second electronic device.

2. The smart power management system of claim 1, wherein the portable wireless transmitter comprises a key fob, and where a proximity of key fob to the PCU is associated with a power availability status for at least one of the first electronic device and the second electronic device.

3. The smart power management system of claim 1, further comprising a wireless switch, where a status of the wireless switch is associated with a power availability status for at least one of the first electronic device and the second electronic device.

4. The smart power management system of claim 1, wherein the PCU is further configured to periodically monitor an output power characteristic of power delivered to at least one of the first electronic device and the second electronic device.

5. The smart power management system of claim 4, wherein the PCU is further configured to communicate the output power characteristic to at least one other electronic device.

6. The smart power management system of claim 1, wherein the PCU is further configured to periodically monitor a power availability status for at least one of the first electronic device and the second electronic device.

7. The smart power management system of claim 6, wherein the PCU is further configured to communicate the power availability status to at least one other electronic device.

8. A power conversion unit (PCU) for use in a smart power management system, the PCU comprising:

a communication module;

a power management module (PMM) comprising a primary power supply and a separate supervisory power supply, each configured to simultaneously provide power to a first electronic device through a power delivery path and also provide power to a second electronic device, the supervisory power supply having a lower power delivery capacity than the primary power supply but sufficient to power the first electronic device and the second electronic device to communicate with the PCU when the primary power supply is switched out;

the communication module and the PMM configured to communicate with and power the first electronic device and the second electronic device;

the communication module and the PMM further configured to use an information from a communication to continue to provide power through the supervisory power supply and to selectively switch out the primary power supply from the power delivery path to modify an output power of the PCU provided to the first electronic device in order to conserve electrical power but maintain power to the second electronic device, wherein the PCU is also configured to determine a proximity to a portable wireless transmitter based on a measured strength of a wireless transmission from the portable transmitter, wherein

the PCU is configured to communicate with a plurality of electronic devices situated within an electrical usage environment to establish a mesh network comprising the PCU and a second PCU,

the PCU is configured to communicate shared information with the second PCU over the mesh network, and

first and second operating modes corresponding respectively to the PCU and the second PCU are determined using the shared information so as to conserve electrical power within the electrical usage environment.

9. The PCU of claim 8, wherein the PMM is configured to power at least one of the first electronic device and the second electronic device using a wired power conduit.

10. The PCU of claim 8, wherein the PMM is configured to power at least one of the first electronic device and the second electronic device using a wireless power conduit.

11. The PCU of claim 8, wherein the communication module is configured to communicate with at least one of the first electronic device and the second electronic device over a communication channel formed over a power conduit.

12. The PCU of claim 8, wherein the communication module is configured to communicate with at least one of the first electronic device and the second electronic device over a wireless communication channel formed separate from a power conduit.

13. The PCU of claim 8, wherein the information comprises an output power characteristic requested by at least one of the first electronic device and the second electronic device, the communication module and the PMM further configured to provide power having the output power characteristic to at least one of the first electronic device and the second electronic device.

14. The PCU of claim 8, wherein the communications module and the PMM are further configured to form a mesh network with at least a second PCU.

15. A method for use by a smart power management system to conserve electrical power, the method comprising:

establishing, using a power conversion unit (PCU), a communication link with a first electronic device and a second electronic device powered by the PCU through a power delivery path, said PCU comprising a primary power supply and a separate supervisory power supply connected to said power delivery path;

transferring an information from at least one of the first electronic device and the second electronic device to the PCU, using the communication link;

determining an operating mode for the PCU that conserves electrical power delivered to the first electronic device by continuing to provide power through the supervisory power supply and switching out the primary power supply from the power delivery path to modify an output power of the PCU provided to the first electronic device, using the transferred information and the PCU while maintaining power to the second electronic device, wherein the supervisory power supply having a lower power delivery capacity than the primary power supply but sufficient to power the first electronic device and the second electronic device to communicate with the PCU when the primary power supply is switched out, the PCU is also configured to determine a proximity to a portable wireless transmitter based on a measured strength of a wireless transmission from the portable transmitters;

using the PCU and a second PCU in communication with a plurality of electronic devices situated within an electrical usage environment to establish a mesh network comprising the PCU and the second PCU;

transferring a shared information between the PCU and the second PCU over the mesh network;

determining first and second operating modes corresponding respectively to the PCU and the second PCU, using the shared information, wherein the first and second operating modes are determined so as to conserve electrical power within the electrical usage environment.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the transferred information comprises a notice by the first electronic device that the first electronic device is prepared to enter an unpower state.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the first and second operating modes impose a single power availability status throughout the electrical usage environment.