Managing electrical power in a virtual power delivery network

• US 9,983,645 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2010
• Issued: 05/29/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyndryl Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Boss, Gregory J., Jones, Andrew R., Kangas, P. Daniel, McConnell, Kevin C., Moore, Jr., John E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hicks, Austin
• Application Number:
  US12/825,904
• Publication Number:
  US 20110320832A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,891 Days
• Field of Search: 713300, 713320
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• 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: G06F 1/3209 Monitoring remote activity, e.g. over telephone lines or network connections
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/64 The condition being economic, e.g. tariff based load management
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/14 by switching loads on to, or off from, network, e.g. progressively balanced loading
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/3225 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• 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: Y04S 20/00 Management or operation of end-user stationary applications or the last stages of power distribution; Controlling, monitoring or operating thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/10 Energy trading, including energy flowing from end-user application to grid

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for managing power to devices in a virtual power delivery network, using a centralized power allocation controller. The method of managing power consumption of a plurality of devices includes receiving device information from one or more devices connected in a virtual power delivery network. The method further includes managing power consumption of the one or more devices in the virtual power delivery network based on the received device information.

Claims

1. A method of managing power consumption of a plurality of devices, comprising:

receiving device information from one or more devices connected in a virtual power delivery network;

managing power consumption of the one or more devices in the virtual power delivery network based on the received device information,

wherein the device information is transmitted through an outlet that wirelessly interfaces with the one or more devices and charges the one or more devices, and the device information is polled periodically by a centralized power allocation controller;

controlling power delivery to the one or more devices based on a combination of parameters comprising a type of a device, a user of the device and a time of day usage of the device; and

programming the plurality of devices with code limits provided by the centralized power allocation controller for power management decisions, wherein the code limits comprise a code which indicates a power consumption level that the one or more devices can obtain from the virtual power delivery network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the device information is received by the centralized power allocation controller that has logic for managing the power consumption; and

the virtual power delivery network includes any combination of devices within a certain location.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the managing comprises remote power balancing of the devices within the virtual power delivery network which comprises ensuring that a total power consumption of the devices in the virtual power delivery network do not exceed a predetermined threshold.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the type of device comprises a priority assigned to the device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the device information includes at least one of BIOS information, user information, location information, computer configuration information, registry information, hardware configuration information, and software configuration information.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the managing comprises at least one of charging batteries and placing one or more of the devices into sleep or hibernation mode, depending on priorities and current power consumption over the virtual power delivery network.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the managing comprises looking up in a look up table charging priorities and/or requirements for each of the devices and applying the charging priorities and/or requirements for balancing power consumption.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the look up table includes received information from a power grid, which includes peak power usages and energy costs for certain times of the day.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the managing comprises determining an amount of power that can be supplied to the devices based on at least one of total power consumption in the virtual power delivery network, total allocated energy costs for a time of day, priority of the devices that need power, and time of day usage.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the managing comprises providing the code limits to the one or more devices for managing its own power consumption, wherein the code further comprises a device priority status for obtaining charging power and determining if and how much charge power the device will draw from a charger or on the virtual power delivery network.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a physical location of the devices.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein a service provider, on a subscription, advertising, and/or fee basis, manages the power requirements for each of the devices.

13. A method of claim 1, wherein the receiving device information from one or more devices connected in a virtual power delivery network comprises receiving the device information transmitted by the one or more devices via a communication channel.

14. A system of delivering power to a plurality of devices, comprising:

a central power allocation controller comprising at least hardware and software components, the central power allocation controller receiving device information which indicates a power balancing policy at a location from devices located in multiple buildings in a virtual power delivery network and actively providing their location to the central power allocation controller through the virtual power delivery network by at least one of GPS, RF and triangulation, and, based on the received device information, managing power consumption of the devices in the virtual power delivery network by implementing the power balancing policy at the location of a device, wherein the central power allocation controller periodically polls the devices for the device information, and the devices are periodically configured with codes which indicates a power consumption level that the devices can obtain from the virtual power delivery network; and

an outlet that charges the devices and transmits the device information from the devices to the central power allocation controller by wirelessly interfacing with the devices.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the central power allocation controller generates and sends the codes to the devices to manage its power within the virtual power delivery network.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the central power allocation controller provides remote power balancing of the devices within the virtual power delivery network which comprises ensuring that a total power consumption of the devices in the virtual power delivery network do not exceed a predetermined threshold requirement.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the central power allocation controller budgets power consumption of the devices based on a priority associated with each of the devices within the virtual power delivery network.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the outlet serves as an intermediate component that sends the device information wirelessly to the central power allocation controller.

19. The system of claim 14, further comprising a database that includes power consumption information based on the device information and electric grid information, wherein the central power allocation controller looks up in the database charging priorities and/or requirements for balancing power consumption of the devices in the virtual power delivery network.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein the central power allocation controller determines an amount of power that can be supplied to the devices based on at least one of total power consumption in the virtual power delivery network, total allocated energy costs for a time of day, priority of the devices that need power, and time of day usage.

21. A computer system for managing power consumption in a virtual power delivery network, the system comprising:

a processor, a computer readable memory and a computer readable storage media;

first program instructions to set up or recognize a plurality of devices that make up a virtual power delivery network;

second program instructions to receive device information indicating a user of a device of the plurality of devices, a device type of the device and a power balancing policy at a location of the device, the device information is polled periodically by a centralized power allocation controller from the devices electrically connected in a virtual power delivery network;

third program instructions to manage the power consumption of the devices in the virtual power delivery network using the device information based on the user of the device, the device type and the power balancing policy at the location of the device;

fourth program instructions to periodically configure the devices with a code which indicates a power consumption level that the devices can obtain from the virtual power delivery network;

fifth program instructions to control an outlet that wirelessly interfaces with the devices to provide connectivity between the devices and the central power allocation controller; and

sixth program instructions to charge the devices by a charger in the virtual power delivery network having a unique ID code which is transmitted to the centralized power allocation controller,

wherein the first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth program instructions are stored on the computer readable storage media for execution by the processor via the computer readable memory.

22. The computer system of claim 21, wherein the third program instructions determines an amount of power that can be supplied to the devices based on at least one of total power consumption in the virtual power delivery network, total allocated energy costs for a time of day, priority of the devices that need power, and time of day usage.

23. The computer system of claim 21, wherein the third program instructions generates and sends the code from the outlet to the devices for the devices to manage their own power consumption level.

24. A computer program product for managing power in a virtual power delivery network, the computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable storage media;

first program instructions to receive device information that is polled periodically by a centralized power allocation controller from devices electrically connected in a virtual power delivery network;

second program instructions to manage the power consumption of the devices in the virtual power delivery network using the device information;

third program instructions for a charging outlet that wirelessly interfaces with the devices to transmit through the outlet the device information from the devices to the central power allocation controller; and

fourth program instructions to periodically configure the devices with a dynamic code which indicates a power consumption level each device can obtain from the virtual power delivery network,

wherein the first, second, third and fourth program instructions are stored on the non-transitory computer readable storage media.

25. A method of deploying a system for managing power consumption for a plurality of devices, comprising:

providing a computer infrastructure, being operable to;

control an outlet that wirelessly interfaces with one or more devices and charges the one or more devices in a virtual power delivery network;

receive device information indicating a user of a device of the plurality of devices, a device type of the device and a power balancing policy at a location of the device, the device information is polled periodically by a centralized power allocation controller from the one or more devices connected in the virtual power delivery network;

manage power consumption of the one or more devices in the virtual power delivery network based on the user of the device, a device type and the power balancing policy at the location of the device from the received device information;

periodically configure the one or more devices with a code which indicates a power consumption level that the one or more devices can obtain from the virtual power delivery network; and

balance a power consumption among the one or more devices through both a charging outlet and a smart charging outlet which contains programmable logic.