Patents by Inventor James W. VanGilder

James W. VanGilder has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9996659
    Abstract: A system and method for providing a layout of equipment in a data center, the equipment including a plurality of equipment racks, and at least one rack-based cooling provider. In one aspect, the method includes receiving data regarding airflow consumption for each of the plurality of equipment racks and cooling capacity of the at least one cooling provider, determining a layout of the data center, displaying the layout of the data center. In the method determining a layout can include pairing each equipment rack of the plurality of equipment racks with another equipment rack of the plurality of equipment racks based on airflow consumption of each of the plurality of equipment racks to create a plurality of pairs of equipment racks, arranging the pairs of equipment racks to form a two-row cluster of equipment racks based on the airflow consumption value of the equipment racks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC IT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Saurabh K. Shrivastava, James W. VanGilder
  • Patent number: 9904331
    Abstract: A system and method for designing aspects of a cooling system for a data center is provided. A method is provided including computing cooling redundancy at each rack position in a data center, in real time. The redundancy can be reported using the traditional N+1, N+2, etc. notation, where N is the number of coolers required to meet the primary cooling load type specification. The redundancy can also be reported in terms of a Cooling Reliability Index (CRI) which also takes into account the inherent availability of the specific cooling units in the design.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC IT CORPORATION
    Inventors: James W. VanGilder, Christopher M. Healey
  • Patent number: 9494985
    Abstract: A system and method for providing energy assessment and optimization in a data center that includes at least one cooling provider, and at least one cooling consumer, the at least one cooling consumer having cooling requirements. The method according to one aspect includes receiving data regarding cooling availability and power consumption for the at least one cooling consumer, cooling capacity of the at least one cooling provider, and a physical relationship between the at least one cooling consumer and the at least one cooling provider in the data center, storing the received data, determining airflow distribution effectiveness between the at least one cooling consumer and the at least one cooling provider, and displaying at least one value representative of the effectiveness of the distribution of airflow in the data center between the at least one cooling consumer and the at least one cooling provider.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC IT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Neil Rasmussen, James W. VanGilder, Xuanhang Zhang
  • Patent number: 9223905
    Abstract: A system and method for predicting airflow within a data center using a potential flow technique is provided. In one aspect, a method includes automatically generating an unstructured grid, the unstructured grid comprising a plurality of unstructured grid cells, each unstructured grid cell having a size, dividing a representation of the data center into the plurality of unstructured grid cells, determining airflow velocity values for each of the plurality of unstructured grid cells using airflow velocity potentials, determining a temperature value for each one of the plurality of the unstructured grid cells using the airflow velocity values, determining a concentration value for each of the plurality of the unstructured grid cells using the airflow velocity values, and calculating a comparison result indicating whether the concentration values, the airflow velocity values and the temperature values for the plurality of the unstructured grid cells satisfy convergence criteria.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC IT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mikkel Dalgas, James W. VanGilder, Christopher Healey, Martin Johansen
  • Patent number: 8996180
    Abstract: Systems and methods provide determinations of airflow from a raised floor plenum. In one aspect, a computer-implemented method is provided for predicting airflow from a plurality of openings in a plenum, including determining an average air pressure in the plenum, determining an airflow value for each of the openings based on the average air pressure, dividing the plenum into a plurality of grid cells, determining a value for airflow velocity for each of the grid cells, determining an air pressure value at each of the openings based on the airflow velocity, determining a new airflow value for each one of the plurality of openings based on the air pressure value, determining whether a difference between the new airflow values and previous airflow values is greater than a threshold, and storing the new airflow value for each one of the plurality of openings as a final airflow value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Schneider Electric IT Corporation
    Inventors: James W. VanGilder, Zachary R. Sheffer, Xuanhang Zhang
  • Patent number: 8972217
    Abstract: A system and method for evaluating equipment in a data center, the equipment including a plurality of equipment racks, and at least one cooling provider. In one aspect, a method includes receiving data regarding each of the plurality of equipment racks and the at least one cooling provider, the data including a layout of the equipment racks and the at least one cooling provider, and a power draw value for each of the equipment racks, storing the received data, determining air flow between the at least one cooling provider and each of the equipment racks, determining inlet and exit air temperature for the at least one cooling provider based on the layout, the power draw and the airflow, and for each equipment rack, determining inlet and exit air temperature based on the layout, the power draw and the airflow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Schneider Electric IT Corporation
    Inventors: James W. VanGilder, Xuanhang Zhang, Christopher M. Healey
  • Patent number: 8825451
    Abstract: According to at least one embodiment, a computer-implemented method for modeling cooling performance is provided. The method includes acts of receiving, by a computer, input data from a storage device, the input data including data related to physical structures within at least one equipment rack, selecting, based on the data related to physical structures, at least one first equation of a plurality of predetermined equations that describe pressure values in a plurality of spaces within the at least one equipment rack, determining pressure values in identified spaces of the plurality of spaces by solving the at least one first equation using the input data, determining airflow values between identified spaces by calculating a difference between the pressure values and storing, on the storage device, the airflow values as equipment rack airflow values within the at least one equipment rack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Schneider Electric IT Corporation
    Inventors: James W. VanGilder, Xuanhang Zhang
  • Patent number: 8725307
    Abstract: A system and method for evaluating cooling performance of equipment in a data center, the equipment including a plurality of equipment racks and at least one cooling provider.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Schneider Electric IT Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher Healey, Xuanhang Zhang, James W. VanGilder
  • Patent number: 8712735
    Abstract: Aspects of the invention are directed to systems and methods for designing and analyzing data centers. One aspect is directed to a method of determining cooling characteristics of a data center. The method includes receiving data related to a configuration of equipment in the data center, identifying rack clusters in the configuration of equipment, and determining a cooling metric for at least one equipment rack of at least one rack cluster.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Schneider Electric IT Corporation
    Inventors: James W. VanGilder, Saurabh K. Shrivastava, Xuanhang Zhang
  • Patent number: 8639482
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for determining data center cooling and power requirements and for monitoring performance of cooling and power systems in data centers. At least one aspect provides a system and method that enables a data center operator to determine available power and cooling at specific areas and enclosures in a data center to assist in locating new equipment in the data center.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Schneider Electric IT Corporation
    Inventors: Neil Rasmussen, James W. VanGilder, Scott Douglass Buell, Saurabh Kumar Shrivastava, Mikkel Dalgas
  • Patent number: 8560677
    Abstract: Systems and methods for data center control are provided. The data center includes a plurality of racks and at least one cooling unit. The racks including at least one server. Information regarding the at least one cooling unit, the at least one server, the plurality of racks, and at least one application is received. A rack based cooling metric threshold is also received. The systems and methods can determine a layout of the data center that minimizes total power consumption of the plurality of racks and the cooling unit while maintaining cooling performance at an acceptable level based on the threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Schneider Electric IT Corporation
    Inventors: James W. VanGilder, Mikkel Dalgas, Xuanhang Zhang
  • Patent number: 8554515
    Abstract: A system and method for evaluating equipment in an improper cluster in a data center, the equipment including a plurality of equipment racks, and at least one cooling provider. In one aspect, the method includes receiving data regarding each of the plurality of equipment racks and the at least one cooling provider, the data including a layout of the improper cluster of equipment racks and the at least one cooling provider, storing the received data, identifying at least one gap in the layout, determining cooling performance of at least one of the plurality of equipment racks based, at least in part, on characteristics of the at least one gap, and displaying the layout of the data center, wherein the layout includes an indication of the cooling performance of the at least one of the plurality of equipment racks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Schneider Electric IT Corporation
    Inventors: James W. VanGilder, Xuanhang Zhang
  • Patent number: 8509959
    Abstract: A system and method is provided for evaluating the transient cooling performance of a data center. In one version, the method includes receiving input data from a storage device, the input data including data center architecture information and operating data, displaying a model of the data center, performing real-time transient cooling performance calculations for the data center using the input data, and displaying results of the real-time transient cooling performance calculations, wherein the results include a maximum predicted temperature of the data center following a power outage of the data center.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Schneider Electric IT Corporation
    Inventors: Xuanhang Zhang, James W. VanGilder
  • Patent number: 8473265
    Abstract: A system and method for design aspects of a cooling system for a data center is provided. In one example, a method is provided including acts of receiving an indication to position a perforated tile in a model, calculating cooling available in a model space adjacent to the tile, and displaying an indication of cooling availability within the context of the model on a computer system. In another example, a method is provided for manipulating representations of data elements in a model of a data center. The method allows a user to move multiple representations by adjusting the position of a layer of the model space relative to another layer in the model space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Schneider Electric IT Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher Hlasny, James W. VanGilder, Henrik Daae, Kresten Peter Vester
  • Publication number: 20130073258
    Abstract: A system and method for evaluating equipment in an improper cluster in a data center, the equipment including a plurality of equipment racks, and at least one cooling provider. In one aspect, the method includes receiving data regarding each of the plurality of equipment racks and the at least one cooling provider, the data including a layout of the improper cluster of equipment racks and the at least one cooling provider, storing the received data, identifying at least one gap in the layout, determining cooling performance of at least one of the plurality of equipment racks based, at least in part, on characteristics of the at least one gap, and displaying the layout of the data center, wherein the layout includes an indication of the cooling performance of the at least one of the plurality of equipment racks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2012
    Publication date: March 21, 2013
    Applicant: AMERICAN POWER CONVERSION CORPORATION
    Inventors: James W. VanGilder, Xuanhang Zhang
  • Publication number: 20130046514
    Abstract: A system and method for providing a layout of equipment in a data center, the equipment including a plurality of equipment racks, and at least one rack-based cooling provider. In one aspect, the method includes receiving data regarding airflow consumption for each of the plurality of equipment racks and cooling capacity of the at least one cooling provider, determining a layout of the data center, displaying the layout of the data center. In the method determining a layout can include pairing each equipment rack of the plurality of equipment racks with another equipment rack of the plurality of equipment racks based on airflow consumption of each of the plurality of equipment racks to create a plurality of pairs of equipment racks, arranging the pairs of equipment racks to form a two-row cluster of equipment racks based on the airflow consumption value of the equipment racks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2012
    Publication date: February 21, 2013
    Applicant: AMERICAN POWER CONVERSION CORPORATION
    Inventors: Saurabh K. Shrivastava, James W. VanGilder
  • Publication number: 20130030585
    Abstract: A system and method for providing energy assessment and optimization in a data center that includes at least one cooling provider, and at least one cooling consumer, the at least one cooling consumer having cooling requirements. The method according to one aspect includes receiving data regarding cooling availability and power consumption for the at least one cooling consumer, cooling capacity of the at least one cooling provider, and a physical relationship between the at least one cooling consumer and the at least one cooling provider in the data center, storing the received data, determining airflow distribution effectiveness between the at least one cooling consumer and the at least one cooling provider, and displaying at least one value representative of the effectiveness of the distribution of airflow in the data center between the at least one cooling consumer and the at least one cooling provider.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2012
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Inventors: Neil Rasmussen, James W. VanGilder, Xuanhang Zhang
  • Patent number: 8355890
    Abstract: A system and method for evaluating equipment in a data center, the equipment including a plurality of equipment racks, and at least one cooling provider. In one aspect, a method includes receiving data regarding each of the plurality of equipment racks and the at least one cooling provider, the data including a layout of the equipment racks and the at least one cooling provider, a power draw value for each of the equipment racks, and a maximum cooler capacity value for the at least one cooling provider; storing the received data; determining cooling performance of at least one of the plurality of equipment racks based on the layout; determining a cooling load for the at least one cooler and a difference between the cooling load and the maximum cooler capacity value; for each equipment rack, determining a maximum rack capacity based on the layout and the difference between the cooling load and the maximum cooler capacity value; and displaying an indication of the maximum rack capacity for each equipment rack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: American Power Conversion Corporation
    Inventors: James W. VanGilder, Saurabh K. Shrivastava
  • Publication number: 20130006426
    Abstract: A system and method for evaluating cooling performance of equipment in a data center, the equipment including a plurality of equipment racks and at least one cooling provider.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2011
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Inventors: Christopher Healey, Xuanhang Zhang, James W. VanGilder
  • Patent number: 8315841
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for determining data center cooling and power requirements and for monitoring performance of cooling and power systems in data centers. At least one aspect provides a system and method that enables a data center operator to determine available power and cooling at specific areas and enclosures in a data center to assist in locating new equipment in the data center.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: American Power Conversion Corporation
    Inventors: Neil Rasmussen, James W. VanGilder, Mikkel Dalgas, Stephen Berard, Henrik Jensen, Henrik Daae, Sandi Schoellhammer