Abstract:
An Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) with remote capabilities, and systems and methods of implementing the same, are disclosed. An exemplary UPS system with remote capabilities includes a battery unit and a remote unit configured to be physically separated from the battery unit so that a user can electrically connect an electronic device to the battery unit without having to physically connecting the electronic device directly to the battery unit. The UPS system also includes a user interface on the remote unit. The user interface is operable to output status of the battery to a user even if the user is separated from the battery unit.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) devices are commonly available for computer systems and other electronic devices where uninterrupted power is desired (e.g., during a power outage). The UPS device replaces or supplements electrical power from the utility company with electrical power from a battery (or batteries) in the UPS device. The battery is able to provide power at least for a limited time, until electrical power form the utility company can be restored. Once electrical power is restored, the electrical power is used to recharge the battery in the UPS device so that the battery is fully charged the next time there is a power outage. 
         [0002]    UPS devices are often located in hard to reach places. For example, a UPS for a personal computer (PC) may be located behind the desk where the PC is being used so that it is out of sight and close to the electrical outlet. Accordingly, the user is inconvenienced each time the user has to plug or unplug a power cord to the UPS device. Although the user may use an extension cord between the UPS device and a more convenient location for plugging/unplugging devices, the user is still inconvenienced each time the user has to check the status indicators on the UPS device (e.g., to determine if the battery is properly charged/charging). In addition, using extension cords may degrade the quality of the electrical power being supplied by the UPS device to the computer system or other electronic device. The use of extension cords may also introduce electrical noise to the electrical power being supplied by the UPS device, degrading operation of the computer system or other electronic devices. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0003]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an exemplary Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) device with remote capabilities.  FIGS. 1   a - c  are plan views of the exemplary UPS device with remote capabilities shown in  FIG. 1 , wherein (a) is a top plan view, (b) is a front plan view, and (c) is a side plan view. 
           [0004]      FIG. 2  is a high-level circuit diagram showing exemplary circuitry which may be implemented by the UPS device for providing remote capabilities. 
           [0005]      FIG. 3  is a flowchart illustrating exemplary operations which may be implemented by the UPS device for providing remote capabilities. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0006]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an exemplary Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) device  100  with remote capabilities. Reference is also made to  FIGS. 1   a - c.    FIGS. 1   a - c  are plan views of the exemplary UPS device  100  with remote capabilities shown in  FIG. 1 , wherein (a) is a top plan view, (b) is a front plan view, and (c) is a side plan view. 
         [0007]    The UPS device  100  may include a primary unit  110  housing a auxiliary power source, such as a battery or batteries (not shown). The primary unit  110  may also be connected by a power cord (not shown) to a primary electrical power source, such as a wall outlet providing AC electrical power from the utility company. 
         [0008]    The UPS device  100  also includes a remote unit  120  electrically connected to the primary unit  110  by power cord  130 . The remote unit  120  may include one or more connections for electrically connecting any of a wide variety of electronic devices to power being supplied by the UPS device  100 . In use, the primary unit  110  may be located near a power source (e.g., a wall outlet) behind furniture such as a desk or file cabinet so that it is out-of-sight, while the remote unit  120  may be more conveniently located for the user. Accordingly, the user can easily access the remote unit to make connections to the UPS device  100  and check the status of operations. The smaller size of the remote unit  120  relative to the primary unit  110  also enables positioning of the remote unit  120  in a variety of different orientations, in drawers, under computer monitors, etc. 
         [0009]    In the example shown in  FIGS. 1 and 1   a - c,  connections  131 - 136  are shown on cords connected to the remote unit  120 . The cords enable the connections to be readily routed (e.g., behind the user&#39;s desk), while maintaining the ability to easily reach the connections  131 - 136 . It is noted, however, that any suitable connections may be provided on the remote unit  120  and/or on the primary unit  110  of UPS device  100 . 
         [0010]    The remote unit  120  may also include a user interface  140  for displaying output for a user and/or receiving input from a user. This input/output may be relayed between the primary unit  110  and the remote unit  120  by signal wiring (e.g., in cord  130 ) or wireless communications. For purposes of illustration, user interface  140  may include light-emitting diode (LED) status indicators  141  and  142 . The status indicators  141  and  142  may be lit to indicate whether power is being supplied by the primary power source or by the auxiliary source (or a combination thereof), or to indicate performance, problems, etc. 
         [0011]    Of course user interface  140  is not limited to LED status indicators  141  and  142  and may include any of a wide variety of input/output (I/O). User interface may also be used for any of a wide variety of input and/or output at the remote unit. Other examples, include, but are not limited to, a reset function, a test feature, power on/off, etc. 
         [0012]    During use the UPS device  100  provides electrical power from the primary power source to one or more electronic devices connected to the UPS device  100 , e.g., by operating in a “pass-through” mode. If the primary power source is disrupted (e.g., during a power failure), or degraded, the UPS device  100  may instead provide electrical power to the one or more electronic devices connected to the UPS device  100  from the auxiliary power source (e.g., the battery). 
         [0013]    Depending on the length of the cord  130  and/or other operating conditions, power being supplied by the UPS device  100  may generate noise that affects the operation of the electronic devices connected to the UPS device  100 . Optionally, the UPS device may include other remote capabilities, such as noise filtering. An exemplary circuit for filtering noise is discussed in more detail below with reference to  FIG. 2 . 
         [0014]    Before continuing, it is noted that the UPS device  100  may be used with any of a wide variety of computing systems or other electronic devices, such as a stand-alone personal desktop or laptop computer (PC), workstation, personal digital assistant (PDA), consumer electronic (CE) devices, or appliance, to name only a few examples. 
         [0015]      FIG. 2  is a high-level circuit diagram  200  showing exemplary circuitry which may be implemented by the UPS device  100  for providing remote capabilities. In an exemplary embodiment, the circuitry is provided at the remote unit  120 , although one or more component of the circuitry may also be provided at the primary unit  110 . 
         [0016]    The circuitry may include a processor  210  (or processing units) operatively associated with computer readable storage  220  or memory. During operation, computer readable program code (e.g., firmware and/or software) may be stored in memory  220  and executed by the processor  210  to implement one or more of the remote capabilities. 
         [0017]    In an exemplary embodiment, the processor  210  may control a switching device  230 . The switching device  230  is provided in-line with power being provided from the UPS device  100  (e.g., from the primary and/or auxiliary power source) to the one or more electronic devices connected to the UPS device  100 . 
         [0018]    The program code may include an optional sensing module. In an exemplary embodiment, the sensing module monitors the quality of the power signal being provided by the UPS device  100 . If the quality of the power signal satisfies a noise threshold, the switching device  230  operates in a pass-through mode, allowing electrical power from the power source to be provided directly to the electronic devices connected to the UPS device  100 . If the quality of the power signal fails to satisfy the noise threshold, power is filtered, e.g., by passing at least part of the power signal through a noise filter  240 . 
         [0019]    Although noise filters may take any suitable form, and will depend at least in part on various design considerations, exemplary noise filter  240  may include a capacitor  241  (or capacitors) in parallel with a resistor  242  (or resistors) in parallel with an inductor  243 . The sizing of the various components, again, depends on various design considerations. 
         [0020]    It is noted that the noise threshold may be determined based on any of a wide variety of design considerations, such as operating parameters, type of equipment being operated, number of electronic devices connected to the UPS device, desired noise reduction, etc. The noise threshold may be either constant or variable, again depending on these or other design considerations. It is also noted that the remote capabilities may be implemented using any of a wide variety of different circuitry. In an alternative embodiment, for example, the functions of the program code may be implemented by logic circuitry. 
         [0021]      FIG. 3  is a flowchart illustrating exemplary operations  300  which may be implemented by the UPS device for providing remote capabilities. Operations  300  may be embodied as logic instructions on one or more computer-readable medium in the remote unit of the UPS device. When executed on a processor in the remote unit of the UPS device, the logic instructions cause a general purpose computing device to be programmed as a special-purpose machine that implements the described operations. Alternatively, the operations may be implemented in hardware (e.g., device logic). In an exemplary implementation, the components and connections depicted in the figures may be used for the described operations. 
         [0022]    In operation  310 , a power signal is received at the remote unit for the UPS device. In operation  320 , a determination is made whether a quality threshold is satisfied. If the quality threshold is satisfied, the electrical power may be passed through to the device(s) connected to the UPS device in operation  330 . If the quality threshold is not satisfied, the electrical power may be passed through a noise filter in the remote unit of the UPS device in operation  340 . 
         [0023]    If continuous monitoring is not enabled in operation  350 , the electrical power continues to be passed through to the device in operation  330  via the noise filter. If continuous monitoring is enabled in operation  350 , the electrical power continues to be checked against the quality threshold by returning to operation  320 . For example, if the noise is migrant, the electrical signal does not need to be continuously filtered for noise. However, if the noise is recurring, continuous filtering for noise may be desired. 
         [0024]    The operations shown and described herein are provided to illustrate exemplary implementations for providing remote capabilities in a UPS. It is noted that the operations are not limited to the ordering shown. For examples, operations may be ordered one before the other or performed simultaneously with one another. Still other operations not shown may also be implemented. For example, operations may further include notifying the user if the quality threshold is not met in operation  320  (e.g., via the display at the remote unit). 
         [0025]    The exemplary embodiments shown and described are provided for purposes of illustration and are not intended to be limiting. Still other embodiments are also contemplated for providing remote capabilities in a UPS.