Having Power Source Monitoring Patents (Class 713/340)
  • Patent number: 9520191
    Abstract: A device includes volatile memory; one or more non-volatile memory chips, each of which is for storing data moved from the volatile-memory; an interface for connecting to a backup power source arranged to temporarily power the volatile memory upon a loss of power from a primary power source; a controller in communication with the volatile memory and the non-volatile memory, wherein: the controller is programmed to move data from the volatile memory to the non-volatile memory chips upon a loss of power of the primary power source of the volatile memory; and the at least one parameter describing the volatile memory are stored in at least one of the non-volatile memory chips that store the data moved from the volatile memory. In some aspects the at least one parameter includes serial presence detect information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: HGST Technologies Santa Ana, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Moshayedi, Douglas Finke
  • Patent number: 9511676
    Abstract: Systems, apparatus, and methods are presented to transfer energy between an energy storage device (ESD) at an electrified vehicle (EV) and an AC or DC external load such as an electric grid, appliance or power tool. A portable EVETA can engage an EV charge inlet couple an EV, and can provide an AC outlet, a grid interface and a DC connector for coupling external loads. An EVETA can be used at a remote construction site or campsite to power high current equipment, obviating the need to transport an electric generator. An EVETA can be configured for data and control communication with the EV to coordinate energy transfer. An EVETA can receive a predetermined ESD state of charge limit so that the transfer process can be terminated to preserve sufficient charge for EV return to a desired destination. A human machine interface enables user input reception and information display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Michael E. Loftus, John Proietty, Fazal U. Syed, Ben A. Tabatowski-Bush, Perry R. MacNeille
  • Patent number: 9448747
    Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a shutdown request unit controls the image forming apparatus to perform shutdown at shutdown execution date and time included in schedule information, which is set beforehand and managed by a schedule management unit. A function restriction management unit restricts at least part of a plurality of functions of the image forming apparatus stepwise at timing earlier than the shutdown execution date and time, and a message management unit notifies a user of a message whose content is differentiated in each of steps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masahito Numata
  • Patent number: 9449702
    Abstract: According to an embodiment of the invention there may be provided a method for measuring, by a power measurement circuit of a memory controller, a power consumption of a flash memory unit coupled to the memory controller to provide power measurements; wherein the memory controller further may include a read circuit, a write circuit, an erase circuit and a processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: AVAGO TECHNOLOGIES GENERAL IP (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD.
    Inventors: Dani Pinkovich, Hanan Weingarten
  • Patent number: 9436249
    Abstract: The disclosure provides a rack, including nodes and power supplies, and a power controlling method thereof, including the following steps. Power information of each node is collected to calculate a total power consumption value of the nodes. A power supply enabling demand is calculated according to the total power consumption value and a maximum power supply value of the power supply. State information of each of the power supplies is read to obtain a first sequence of the power supplies. According to the power supply enabling demand and the first sequence, two of the power supplies are enabled and set as a master power supply and a secondary power supply, and the rest of the power supplies are disabled. While the master power supply provides a work voltage to the nodes, the secondary power supply does not supply the work voltage to the nodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignees: INVENTEC (PUDONG) TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION, INVENTEC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hao-Yen Kuan
  • Patent number: 9410712
    Abstract: Method and systems for controlling data remotely that includes connecting to a remote device within a fabric of smart devices. The remote device stores data locally. Controlling the data includes remotely controlling the data stored in the remote device from another device connected to the fabric by transmitting a message to the remote device. Moreover, the transmitted message includes a profile identifier that causes a data management entity of the remote device to perform an indicated data management action. Furthermore, the profile identifier identifies a data management profile, and the message includes a command tag that indicates the data management action to be performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Inventors: Zachary B. Smith, Grant M. Erickson, Jay D. Logue, Matthew G. Neeley
  • Patent number: 9383794
    Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) includes a first I/O cell, a logic cell, a trigger signal generation circuit, and a second I/O cell having a voltage selection pin. I/O interfaces of the first I/O cell receive first and second supply voltages, respectively, and I/O interfaces of the second I/O cell receive third and fourth supply voltages, respectively. The first I/O cell generates a first trigger signal when the first supply voltage reaches a first predetermined voltage. The logic cell receives the first trigger signal and generates a safe-state signal. The trigger signal generation circuit generates a second trigger signal when the third supply voltage reaches a second predetermined voltage. The voltage selection pin receives the safe-state signal and the second trigger signal and sets the second I/O cell in a safe-state mode, which protects the second I/O cell from over voltage damage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
    Inventors: Amit Aggarwal, Rohit Gupta, Ashish Malhotra, Andrey Malkov, Evgeny A. Shevchenko
  • Patent number: 9378779
    Abstract: A dual-rail memory circuit having a sleep generation circuit configured to prevent undesired currents from being generated during power-up and while transitioning power states. When a dual-rail memory circuit is powering-up or exiting from a sleep mode, the ramping up of various supply voltage nodes may occur at different rates. Thus, in a dual-rail memory circuit, a first voltage rail may be at voltage before a second voltage rail. Such a transient state of operation may lead to current spikes that unnecessarily draw power and introduce undesired inefficiency. An internal sleep signal generation circuit in a dual-rail memory circuit may be used to precisely control an internal sleep signal such that the transition from off or sleep mode to operating mode is set to assure that the supply voltage nodes are close enough to the at-voltage operating level before releasing the sleep mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics International N.V.
    Inventor: Amit Chhabra
  • Patent number: 9367446
    Abstract: A computer system and a data recovery method are provided. The computer system includes an embedded controller (EC). The data recovery method includes following steps. When the computer system stores data into the EC through a basic input/output system (BIOS), the data is backed up into a non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM) by the BIOS. The EC enters a power-off mode. The data is obtained from the NVRAM and is stored back to the EC after the EC leaves the power-off mode. Accordingly, the EC recovers from the power-off mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: Wistron Corporation
    Inventors: Wen-Tai Lin, Min-Hsien Chang
  • Patent number: 9356711
    Abstract: A technique to provide calibration in a receiver that receives multiple carriers and uses multiple receive signal paths to down-convert and process the multiple carrier signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Masoud Kahrizi, Bernd Pregardier
  • Patent number: 9348760
    Abstract: A method of maintaining and updating a logical-to-physical (LtoP) table in a storage device including a processor, a volatile memory, and a non-volatile memory, the storage device being in communication with a host, the method including receiving, by the processor, data for storing at a physical address in the non-volatile memory, the data being associated with a logical address of the host, storing, by the processor, the physical address in a first LtoP zone of a plurality of LtoP zones of the LtoP table, the LtoP table being stored in the volatile memory, adding, by the processor, the first LtoP zone to a list of modified zones, and storing, by the processor, a second LtoP zone of the plurality of LtoP zones in the non-volatile memory when a size of the list of modified zones exceeds a threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: NXGN Data, Inc.
    Inventors: Nader Salessi, Joao Alcantara
  • Patent number: 9329804
    Abstract: In a storage device such as a solid state disk (SSD), a central controller communicates with a plurality of multi-chip memory packages. Each multi-chip memory package comprises a plurality of memory dies and a local processor, wherein the plurality of memory dies includes different memory tiers. The central controller may handle management of the virtual address space while the local processor in each MCP manages the storage of data within memory tiers in the memory dies of its respective MCP.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: Paul A. Lassa
  • Patent number: 9288763
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for battery monitoring on a computing device includes: estimating a battery consumption estimate for an event scheduled on the computing device, checking a battery charge level prior to said scheduled event, determining according to a set of battery notification rules whether or not to provide a battery warning notification on the computing device, where the determining is based at least on the battery consumption estimate and the checking, and providing the battery warning notification if required in accordance with the determining.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Qiujun Zhao, Robin You
  • Patent number: 9287706
    Abstract: A method and implementing computer system are provided in which a smart power strip is controlled by a master device which is also plugged-into the power strip. In an exemplary implementation, a computer or PC operates as a master device and a direct line of communication from the computer allows the OS to make a decision based on settings whether or not to power on or off individual power outlets on the power strip used in common by the computer and various peripheral devices. Thus, only selected peripheral devices are powered-on along with the computer when the computer or other master device is powered-on at a common power strip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Derek Ryan Brewer, Kerry Michael Langford, Robert Dale Wilhelm
  • Patent number: 9281718
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling characteristics of supplied electrical power. Various aspects of the present invention may comprise an integrated circuit comprising a first circuit module that receives electrical power. The integrated circuit may comprise a second circuit module that monitors at least one characteristic of electrical power received by at least one of the first circuit module and the integrated circuit. The second circuit module may also communicate with a third circuit module regarding the monitored at least one characteristic. Various aspects of the present invention may comprise an integrated circuit comprising a first module that monitors at least one characteristic of electrical power received by a first electrical device that is external to the integrated circuit. The integrated circuit may also comprise a second module that communicates with a second electrical device, external to the integrated circuit, regarding the monitored at least one characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Pieter Vorenkamp, Neil Y. Kim
  • Patent number: 9274580
    Abstract: Systems and methods may provide for monitoring a current provided from a voltage regulator to a non-core region of a processor, and asserting a throttle signal to the non-core region of the processor if the current exceeds a supply capability threshold of the voltage regulator. In one example, a specified current supply capability of the non-core region is greater than a current supply capability of the voltage regulator, and the supply capability threshold is less than the specified current supply capability of the non-core region and an over current protection threshold of the non-core region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Ruoying Mary Ma, Craig Forbell, Soethiha Soe, Jawad Haj-Yihia, Jeffrey Carlson
  • Patent number: 9277077
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus, having an SSD as an auxiliary storage device, which is capable of preventing loss of data in the auxiliary storage device caused by lapse of a retention period in a power save state or a power off state. In a case where the auxiliary storage device is determined to be an SSD based on type information that is acquired when the image forming apparatus is activated, a predicted retention period is calculated, and is set in a part of the apparatus that operates in the power save state. The part of the apparatus that operates in the power save state causes the image forming apparatus to transit from the power save state to a normal state based on the set predicted retention period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hidenori Higashi
  • Patent number: 9268382
    Abstract: A method for obtaining power management data for a system executing by at least one processor, where a plurality of logical domains are executing on the system. The method includes determining, using the power management data, power consumption for each of the plurality of logical domains and receiving a request for power consumption information for the system. The method further includes providing, in response to the request, the power consumption information, where the power consumption information specifies the power consumption for at least one of the plurality of logical domains.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: Oracle International Corporation
    Inventors: Kellena Dunckley Page, Julia Diane Harper
  • Patent number: 9270104
    Abstract: The power supply control device of the present invention includes: a set of power reception conductors; a set of power supply conductors; a set of intermediate conductors electrically connected to the set of power reception conductors, respectively; a set of relays configured to make and break electrical connections between the set of intermediate conductors and the set of power supply conductors, respectively; a zero-phase current transformer positioned to allow the set of intermediate conductors to pass through an inside of the zero-phase current transformer; a control circuit for controlling the set of relays responding to a detection result of the zero-phase current transformer; and a body block including a first block and a second block fixed to the first block. The set of power reception conductors and the set of power supply conductors are fixed to the first block. The set of intermediate conductors is fixed to the second block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Noboru Inagaki, Shinichi Nakamura, Takao Akioka
  • Patent number: 9265124
    Abstract: An electronic device including a solar cell, an energy storage unit, a control unit, and a controlled unit is provided. The solar cell converts light energy to electric energy. The energy storage unit performs charging by the electric energy. The control unit determines the intensity of the light energy according to an energy value of the electric energy and generates a correction signal accordingly, wherein the energy value is a current value or a voltage value. The controlled unit controls a characteristic parameter according to the correction signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: COMPAL ELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventors: Yi-Hsun Lin, Feng-Wen Fu
  • Patent number: 9263890
    Abstract: A power management apparatus including an information collecting unit configured to collect at least one reference electric signal and at least one product information that correspond to at least one load, a storage unit configured to store the collected at least one reference electric signal and the collected at least one product information that correspond to the at least one load, a measurement unit configured to measure electric signals of loads provided in a power management domain, and a control unit configured to find a reference electric signal, corresponding to the measured electric signal, among the stored reference electric signals, check product information corresponding to the found electric signal and display the checked product information. The reference electric signal of each load is acquired in advance, and electric signals of loads are distinguished among all electric signals, thereby enhancing the efficiency in recognizing each load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hyun Soo Park, Young Jin Park, Sung Mok Seo, Jong Hyun Shin
  • Patent number: 9261937
    Abstract: Provided is an information processing apparatus including: a power supply control portion that performs control of a power supply; a detection signal emitting portion that, when a connection of an external power source is detected in an operation stand-by state in which power consumption is suppressed and an operation is on stand-by, emits a detection signal only for a certain time period, in accordance with the detection; and a power supply portion that supplies power to the power supply control portion based on the detection signal emitted by the detection signal emitting portion and also stops the power supply to the power supply control portion after a certain time period elapses from the connection in the operation stand-by state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takaaki Morimura, Daisuke Kawamoto, Takeshi Endo, Takeshi Masuda, Zhongchao Lv
  • Patent number: 9261942
    Abstract: A method, system, and information handling system provides better system power consumption of a redundant power system having a plurality of power supply units (PSUs) by taking into consideration each PSU's sleep power consumption during selection of one or more PSUs to place into a “hot spare” sleep mode. For each PSU, power efficiency data at different load ratings are measured and stored. During the PSU selection, a calculation of system power consumption is conducted on each of several configurations where a different PSU is hypothetically disabled. Each calculation takes into consideration both the sleep power consumption of a disabled PSU and power efficiency data of an enabled PSU. Selection of one or more PSUs to disable is determined according to the configuration yielding the lower or lowest system input power consumption based on the results of the calculations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: DELL PRODUCTS, L.P.
    Inventors: John J. Breen, Mark A. Muccini, Wayne Kenneth Cook
  • Patent number: 9256442
    Abstract: A user trusted device and a software update method for updating the device. The device includes: a connection interface enabling connection with a host computer; a persistent memory storing a boot enabling data structure and a network updater, wherein: the network updater is configured to interact with firmware of the host computer to initiate communication over a network; and the boot enabling data structure: is detectable by the firmware upon connection of the user trusted device with the host computer; is such that host computer can boot from the user trusted device, as per the data structure of the boot enabling data structure; and includes instructions for the firmware to initiate a transfer of the network updater on the host computer for subsequent execution, upon the host computer booting from the user trusted device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas Gschwind, Frank Hoering, Michael P Kuyper-Hammond
  • Patent number: 9256271
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a predicative power management system configured to adjust computer CPU clock rate by a computer user to conserve energy based on user category. In certain embodiments, the predicative power management system includes (a) a computer user profile creator module, and (b) a power management module. The computer user profile creator module is used to create computer usage profiles and each of the computer usage profiles has a profileID for a computer user with a computer userID. The power management module is used to set and adjust computer CPU clock rate, CPU voltage and device states based on computer users' category and the computer user's computer usage profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: AMERICAN MEGATRENDS, INC.
    Inventors: Sanjoy Maity, Santhosh Samuel Mathews, Lokeshraj Subramanian
  • Patent number: 9247135
    Abstract: The electronic device has a power supply input unit which inputs power from an external power supply, an information processing unit which is capable of performing a first function and a second function which consumes more power than the first function does, a display unit which responds to power input to the power supply input unit by displaying whether or not to allow the performance of the first function and the performance of the second function, and an operation unit which receives an operation to be performed in response to the display on the display unit. The information processing unit switches between allowing only the performance of the first function and allowing both of operation in the first function and the performance of the second function according to the operation received by the operation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Satoshi Horie
  • Patent number: 9244939
    Abstract: A method for managing I/O operations in a shared file system environment. The method includes receiving for each of a plurality of compute nodes, information associated with I/O accesses to a shared file system, and applications for executing the I/O accesses. The method includes creating application profiles, based, at least in part, on the received information. The method then includes determining execution priorities for the application, based, at least in part, on the created application profiles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: Lenovo Enterprise Solutions (Singapore) PTE. LTD.
    Inventors: Ludovic Enault, Eric Michel, Nicolas Tallet, Pascal Vezolle
  • Patent number: 9244747
    Abstract: Systems and methods that allow for Dynamic Clock and Voltage Scaling (DCVS) aware interprocessor communications among processors such as those used in or with a portable computing device (“PCD”) are presented. During operation of the PCD at least one data packet is received at a first processing component. Additionally, the first processing component also receives workload information about a second processing component operating under dynamic clock and voltage scaling (DCVS). A determination is made, based at least in part on the received workload information, whether to send the at least one data packet from the first processing component to the second processing component or to a buffer, providing a cost effective ability to reduce power consumption and improved battery life in PCDs with multi-cores or multi-CPUs implementing DCVS algorithms or logic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Krishna Vsssr Vanka, Shirish Kumar Agarwal, Sravan Kumar Ambapuram
  • Patent number: 9239601
    Abstract: A power controller of an information handling system (IHS) controls power allocation for the IHS with components that intermittently exhibit power transients. The power controller is configured to: identify an enhanced power state during which a maximum power required by the information handling system is greater than the amount of power provided by a primary PSU of a redundant configuration of PSUs; and allocate a portion of the unused operating margin of backup reserve power from the redundant PSUs to support intermittent power transients that occur during enhanced power state operation. The power controller is further configured to, in response to a detection of a condition that reduces an amount of unused operating margin of backup reserve power to less than an amount of additional power required to support the intermittent power transients, autonomously disable/limit the enhanced power state to prevent/limit an occurrence or magnitude of the intermittent power transients.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: DELL PRODUCTS, L.P.
    Inventors: Douglas E. Messick, Kyle E. Cross, John Erven Jenne
  • Patent number: 9229511
    Abstract: A redundant power system has a first power supply and a second power supply. The first power supply has a first controller with a first communication port and a first I/O port and has a normal mode, a master mode and a slave mode. An external device can send a mode setting command to the first controller through the first communication port. The first I/O port is set as an input port or an output port according to the mode executed by the first controller, wherein the output port is for indicating a power providing status of one power supply and the input port is for determining a power providing status of the other power supply. The power supplies can provide an appropriate power to a server according to the modes executed by the two controllers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: ACBEL POLYTECH INC.
    Inventors: Jung-Tai Yeh, Kai-Chen Yang, Cheng-Chen Lin
  • Patent number: 9229522
    Abstract: Power consumption on a mobile computing device is reduced, by identifying and managing apps that prevent the mobile device from sleeping while the screen is off. It is detected when the screen is turned off and when it is subsequently turned back on. During the ensuing period of time, it is determined which specific apps prevent the mobile device from sleeping. This can take the form of identifying each specific app on the mobile device that has an unreleased wake lock at any point during the given period of time while the screen is off. The prevention of the device from sleeping while the screen was off is quantified by app according to power consumption, based on factors such as duration. Any apps for which the quantified prevention of the mobile device from sleeping while the screen was off meets a specific threshold are identified and managed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Symantec Corporation
    Inventors: Xue Feng Tian, Bruce McCorkendale
  • Patent number: 9223394
    Abstract: A power control method of a rack having a plurality of nodes includes the following steps. Power information of each node is received. A total power consumption value of the plurality of nodes according to the power information is calculated. A number of power supply units to be turned on according to the total power consumption value and a maximum supplied power value of a single power supply unit is calculated. At least one primary power supply unit and at least one secondary power supply unit in pairs according to the number of power supply units to be turned on is started. The at least one primary power supply unit provides a duty voltage to the plurality of nodes, and the at least one secondary power supply unit does not provide the duty voltage to the plurality of nodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignees: Inventec (Pudong) Technology Corporation, Inventec Corporation
    Inventors: Hao-Yen Kuan, Shu-Yen Wang
  • Patent number: 9223378
    Abstract: The speed of a processor is adjusted based on the current sensed by a current sensor in order to protect a fuse from being damaged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: HEWLETT PACKARD ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT LP
    Inventors: Kay Seah Ng, Kah Hoe Ng, Koh Yew Thoon
  • Patent number: 9224115
    Abstract: Various technologies related to managing energy wastage management in the information technology (IT) domain are described. Implementation of the described features can lead to considerable energy savings for organizations having significant information technology hardware. Attendance information from various sources can be incorporated into the system. Power state information from a lightweight client running at nodes can also be incorporated. Wastage results can be generated and provided to encourage reduction of wastage. Enforcement of wastage policies can also be implemented. Monitoring can be done on an individual, department, or campus-wide level. Management can be accomplished in many cases without having to invest in specialized sensors or other costly infrastructure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: Infosys Limited
    Inventor: Vishwas Vidyaranya
  • Patent number: 9207669
    Abstract: A power saving apparatus adapted for electronic equipment is disclosed. The power saving apparatus includes a detection module for detecting a motion of an object in a detection field around the electronic equipment and generating a detection signal, a wireless transceiver unit, and a processing unit for transmitting a control signal to the electronic equipment via the wireless transceiver unit according to the detection signal so as to control the electronic equipment to operate in a working mode or a standby mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: Powertech Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yu-Lung Lee
  • Patent number: 9208982
    Abstract: Systems and methods for distributing power to a plurality of integrated circuit dies are provided. In some aspects, a system includes a substrate and a plurality of integrated circuit dies disposed on the substrate. Each of the plurality of integrated circuit dies includes a circuit and a target inductive element coupled to the circuit. The system also includes a power supply module configured to generate a source power signal. The system also includes at least one source inductive element configured to electromagnetically couple the source power signal to one or more of the plurality of the target inductive elements to generate one or more target power signals that supply power to one or more corresponding circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Ahmadreza Rofougaran
  • Patent number: 9184630
    Abstract: In an example embodiment, an automated banking machine causes financial transfers related to financial accounts that correspond to data read from user cards. The automated banking machine also includes devices that control the supply of power to included devices to facilitate the completing a transaction when a decline or loss of power is encountered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: Diebold, Incorporated
    Inventors: Randall W. Jenkins, Songtao Ma, Eric Toepke, Mike Ryan, Natarajan Ramachandran, Thomas D. Ertle, Timothy Crews, Willis Miller, Nicholas Billett, Steven Shepley, Dave Krzic, Victor A. Cogan
  • Patent number: 9182795
    Abstract: A power distribution system includes two or more power components that distribute power to one or more electrical components. At least some of the power components send and receive signals over power transmission lines to upstream or downstream power components in the power distribution system. The signals include information about power components in the power distribution system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter J. Hill, Matthew D. Rehder, Joseph J. Lindsay, John W. Eichelberg, Daniel J. Rohrabaugh, Andrew B. Dickinson, Thomas Bradley Scholl, Travis S. Pepper, Michael P. Czamara, Richard M. Lotz, Paul A. Stancik, Eduardo M. Parra, Samuel Joseph Mortimer
  • Patent number: 9170912
    Abstract: A method for generating a power consumption and energy usage model for a computing device includes monitoring of the power consumption of the computing device with an external power monitor when the computing device is in a base power state, monitoring of the power consumption of the computing device during execution of a system call with a processor that interacts with a component in the computing device, and monitoring the power state of the computing device before the computing device returns to the base power state. The method further includes generating a finite state machine model of the power states and transitions between power states to model the power activities and energy consumption of the computing device in the absence of an external power monitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: Purdue Research Foundation
    Inventors: Yu Charlie Hu, Abhinav Pathak
  • Patent number: 9168834
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a mobile communication device that controls in-vehicle devices remotely, a drive controller that controls drive of the vehicle, a communication controller that controls the wireless communication with the mobile communication device, and an auxiliary battery that activates the communication controller and an in-vehicle-device controller controlling the in-vehicle devices. The communication controller includes a stopper that stops the wireless communication if a correlating temperature is lower than or equal to a predetermined temperature, the correlating temperature correlating with the temperature of the auxiliary battery acquired at a first predetermined time after a stop of the drive controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI JIDOSHA KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Yashiro, Naoki Kawashima, Hiroki Fukatsu, Masahide Shiba, Takuma Maeda
  • Patent number: 9164557
    Abstract: A method of managing power to electrical systems in a rack includes pooling power from power supply mechanisms in two or more slots of a rack. Power is supplied from the pooled power to electrical systems in one or more slots in the rack. Power supply mechanisms are activated or deactivated from the pooled power based on conditions of the power supply mechanisms or the electrical systems receiving power from the pooled power supply system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael David Marr, Peter George Ross, David Edward Bryan
  • Patent number: 9166396
    Abstract: A power conditioning, distribution and management system includes a switch circuit that enables coupling of an AC power supply to a load though an overcurrent device. A control circuit switches the switch circuit from a non-conductive state to a conductive state when a supply voltage signal is between first overvoltage and undervoltage thresholds. The control circuit records an overvoltage event and maintains the switch circuit in the conductive state when the supply voltage signal exceeds a second, higher overvoltage threshold and switches the switch circuit to a nonconductive state when the supply voltage signal exceeds a third, highest overvoltage threshold. The control circuit records an undervoltage event and maintains the switch circuit in the conductive state when the supply voltage signal falls below a second, lower under-voltage threshold and switches the switch circuit to the non-conductive state when the supply voltage signal falls below a third, lowest undervoltage threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: Electronic Systems Protection, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard J. Billingsley, Robert A. Dawley
  • Patent number: 9143006
    Abstract: An electric power supply of an electric apparatus is provided. The electric power supply includes a low power supply unit configured to convert a voltage of an input alternating current (AC) power source and provide the converted voltage, a power storage unit configured to be charged by receiving the converted voltage from the low power supply unit and to provide the charged power as a standby power of the electric apparatus, a voltage detection unit configured to detect a level of voltage charged in the power storage unit, and a switch unit configured to allow the voltage of the low power supply unit to be supplied to the power storage unit, or to block the voltage of the low power supply unit from being supplied to the power storage unit according to the level of voltage charged in the power storage unit detected through the voltage detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kyu Suk Lee, Hyun Soo Park, Young Jin Park
  • Patent number: 9141505
    Abstract: Maintaining failure survivability in a storage system includes determining a save time corresponding to an amount of time needed to transfer system data from volatile memory to non-volatile memory, determining a threshold corresponding to time for batteries to run while transferring data from volatile memory to non-volatile memory after a power loss, and providing an indication in response to the save time being greater than the threshold. The system may include a plurality of directors and the save time and the threshold may be determined for each of the directors. Determining a threshold may include determining an amount of battery time provided by battery power following power loss and multiplying the amount of battery time by a factor less than one, such as 0.8.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: EMC Corporation
    Inventors: Preston F. Crow, Preethi Natarajan, Steven T. McClure
  • Patent number: 9134778
    Abstract: A method, circuit arrangement, and program product for dynamically reallocating power consumption at a component level of a processor. Power tokens representative of a power consumption metric are allocated to interconnected IP blocks of the processor, and as additional power is required by an IP block to perform assigned operations, the IP block may communicate a request for additional power tokens to one or more interconnected IP blocks. The interconnected IP blocks may grant power tokens for the request based on a priority, availability, and/or power consumption target. The requesting IP block may modify power consumption based on power tokens granted by interconnected IP blocks for the request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jamie R. Kuesel, Mark G. Kupferschmidt, Paul E. Schardt, Robert A. Shearer
  • Patent number: 9128689
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a device in a computer network monitors an alternating-current (AC) waveform of an electrical power source at the device, where the power source is part of a polyphase power source system. Once the device determines a particular phase of the polyphase power source system at the device, then the device joins a directed acyclic graph (DAG) specific to the particular phase. In another embodiment, a device detects a time of a zero crossing of the AC waveform, and may then determine a particular phase of the polyphase power source system at the device based on the time of the zero crossing relative to a corresponding location within a frequency hopping superframe of the computer network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Shmuel Shaffer, Jean-Philippe Vasseur, Sandeep Jay Shetty
  • Patent number: 9118499
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for monitoring operation of a device is provided. Monitoring of the device at a source using a gateway is activated. The device is coupled to the source to receive power from the source for operation of the device. The gateway monitors an electrical characteristic of the source coupled to the device. Monitored information of the electrical characteristic is captured from the source when an event occurs at the device. The monitored information is correlated as being associated with the device. The monitored information is used in an analysis to analyze whether a variance in the monitored information violates a threshold to trigger an indication of a problem in the operation of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: GOOGLE TECHNOLOGY HOLDINGS LLC
    Inventor: Jim Hunter
  • Patent number: 9118202
    Abstract: A battery status indicating method for an electronic device is provided. The battery module is pluggable into the electronic device. When a residual electric quantity of the battery module is lower than a threshold electric quantity, the battery module stops outputting a battery voltage. The battery status indicating method includes steps of judging whether the battery module is in a plugged status or an unplugged status according to the battery voltage, periodically charging the battery module in a first time interval of a fixed cycle if the battery module is in the unplugged status, and judging whether the battery module is switched to the unplugged status according to a change of the battery voltage if the battery module is in the plugged status.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: RDC SEMICONDUCTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Ming-Chou Yen
  • Patent number: 9106662
    Abstract: An apparatus for controlling load allocation in a cluster system includes a cluster module having a plurality of target nodes and a cluster power management module. The cluster power management module analyzes resource usage of the target nodes by monitoring the load states of the target nodes. The cluster power management module adaptively allocates loads to the target nodes based on the analyzed resource usage and N allocation thresholds settled in response to an increase of the analyzed resource usage. The cluster power management module controls the target nodes so that the power state can be changed with the adaptively allocated loads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventors: Joon Young Jung, Dong-oh Kang, Chang Seok Bae
  • Patent number: 9104397
    Abstract: It is provided a computer comprising a nonvolatile memory for storing data, a control processor for controlling the saving of data into the nonvolatile memory, and a battery for supplying power to the computer in case of a failure of an external power supply, wherein the control processor checks a charge amount stored in the battery, calculates an amount of data which can be saved in the nonvolatile memory by the battery in case of a failure of the external power supply based on the checked charge amount, and saves data excluding the amount of data that can be saved, out of data which should be saved into the nonvolatile memory, into the nonvolatile memory in advance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuki Kuroda, Masashi Takada, Yasuyuki Kudo