Abstract:
The invention pertains to a system for monitoring and controlling power distribution including a power distribution device which has a module, a input line, and an output line. The input and output lines carry electrical power into an out of the module. The module has a switch in open or close position and a device wireless unit and a sensor. The sensor sends information regarding the electrical characteristics of the electric power being carried to the device microcontroller which causes a data to be sent wirelessly to the base unit. The base unit maintains a wireless connection for transmitting and receiving RF signals. The base unit receives the information regarding the electrical characteristics and sends it to a computer over a network.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED CASE 
       [0001]    This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/185,094 filed Jun. 6, 2009, entitled “Wireless Power Distribution System and Device” which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    The monitoring and control of power delivered to electricity consuming apparatuses presents problems for both industrial and residential use. This problem is of increasing importance due to environmental and economic concerns. To address these problems, devices which deliver power to such apparatuses have been provided with the ability to monitor the voltage, current, and power which have been delivered to one or more electric devices. Examples of such power delivery devices include power strips, power distribution unit, power cables, and any other device for delivering electricity from a source to an electric apparatus. Typically, this data has been displayed on a local display on the power delivery device such as, an LED, LCD or other display. Some power delivery devices allow this monitoring data to be transmitted by a wired data connection from the device using such protocols such as Ethernet, SNMP, or other wired protocols. Such devices may also have a switch under the control of the wired data connection. This relay (defined as a switch under the control of another electronic circuit). This allows for a limited control of power (on/off). 
         [0003]    Such power monitoring is more useful if the data collection and control of many appliances are centralized. For example, in a household, the collection of power data from many appliances would allow determination of what the most profligate energy user is. In an industrial setting the opportunities for the collection of power data are extraordinarily numerous. For one example, a data center, the collection of the energy usage of many different electronic devices, including servers, is very useful in determining which servers are being utilized in an energy inefficient manner. Such information is useful in saving power and as such energy in a data center. However, in these and other such applications, where the collection of monitoring of power data into a central source is required, there exists a well-known cabling problem. Each and every power delivery device capable of power monitoring must be wired by cable to send the data back to the central data collection source. Such cabling represents a significant problem and expense. First, the installation of such cabling is a significant expense in the startup of any data center. Further, the installation of any server in a data center includes the additional expense of cabling, which is a significant fraction of the installation cost. Therefore, there remains in the field a need for a system and method of collecting data from numerous power delivery devices and for controlling numerous power delivery devices without the necessity of extensive cabling. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    The invention pertains to a system for monitoring and controlling power distribution. It includes a power distribution device which has a module, a input line, and a output line. The input and output lines carry electrical power into an out of the module. The module has a switch in an open or closed position and a relay that controls the switch, a sensor that senses certain electrical characteristics of the input or output electric power, and a device wireless unit for obtaining a wireless connection that includes a device intended for transmitting and receiving signals and a device microcontroller that controls the relay, the sensor and the device wireless unit. The sensor sends information regarding the electrical characteristics of the electric power being carried to the device microcontroller which causes data to be sent wirelessly to the base unit. The base unit or base station has a base microcontroller for controlling its functions, a base wireless unit for maintaining a wireless connection, a network port, an interface to a computer, and an antenna for transmitting and receiving RF signals. The base unit receives the information regarding the electrical characteristics and sends it to a computer over a network. The base microcontroller may issue instructions to the device microcontroller over the wireless connection to have the relay service with an open or closed position. 
         [0005]    The invention further pertains to methods of power monitoring and control, which include the sensing of electrical characteristics, sending said electrical characteristics through a device microcontroller to a device wireless unit, transmitting said electrical characteristics over a wireless connection to said device wireless unit, receiving the electrical characteristics over the wireless connection. The electrical characteristics are received by a base station which then processes the electrical characteristics and as appropriate sends the electric characteristics to a network port or a direct interface to computer. Alternatively, the base station may receive and send to the power distribution device switch commands that causes the relay to open or close a switch power distribution device. 
         [0006]    The invention further pertains to the formation of a mesh network of power distribution devices and a base station, such that interference between a power distribution device and the base station is routed around by sending the information to other power distribution devices that do not have such interference. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  shows a diagrammatic top view of a power distribution system using a mesh network in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  shows a diagrammatic top view of a power distribution system using a star network in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0009]      FIGS. 3 through 6  shows various embodiments of a power distribution devices. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0010]      FIG. 1  shows one embodiment of the present invention. Power distribution system  100  includes power transmission devices  102 ,  104 , and  106  and base station  140 . Power transmission device  102  includes AC power input line  108  and AC power output line  110 . Electrically connected in between lines  108  and  110  is power monitoring and control module  112 . Module  112  includes switch  114 , relay  116  sensor  117 , microcontroller  118  and wireless unit  120 . The switch  114  is any switch capable of either allowing or blocking the flow of current. Many different switches are usable in this particular embodiment as will be understood by those skilled in the art. Further, the relay  116  which controls switch  114  also has many potential implementations which are well known to those skilled in the art. Further, sensor  117  has many potential implementations which are well known to those skilled in the art for detecting voltage or current at various levels of accuracy. Microcontroller  118  may, in various implementations, include both hardware, software, or firmware, the particular implementation of both hardware, software, and firmware in a microcontroller  118  is well known to those skilled in the art. Wireless unit  120  will be further discussed below. Power distribution devices  104  and  106  have similar interior structure. Base station  140  includes antenna  142 , wireless unit  144 , and base microcontroller  146 . An interface unit  148  is electrically connected to the controller  146 . A network port  150  is electrically connected to microcontroller  146 . The microcontroller is electrically connected to wireless unit  144 , which electrically connected to antenna  142 . 
         [0011]    In operation, AC current travels through AC power input line  104  and into module  112 . If switch  114  is closed, AC flows through module  112  and out AC power output line  110 . When the switch is open the circuit is cut and there no flow of electrical current and, as such power. Sensor  117  detects either or both of the current and the voltage passing through the closed switch  114 . Sensor  117  communicates this data to the microcontroller  146 . Microcontroller  146  has a limited buffer memory in which to store said data. The relay  116  is controlled by microcontroller  118 , and in turn controls the switch  118 . 
         [0012]    A wireless connection  160  exists between base station  140  and power distribution device  102 . This wireless connection is maintained by base wireless unit  144  through antennae  142  and device wireless unit  120 . The power data from sensor  117  can be wirelessly communicated to base station  140 . From there, it may be transferred to either a network via network port  150 , or directly to a computer or specialized terminal or other piece of equipment via interface  148 . The network port  150  or interface  148  could utilize a number of protocols for communication, including either individually or in combination, Ethernet, TCP/IP, SNMP. MODBUS, IPMI, or other well-known protocols. Instructions for the device microcontroller  114  to cause the relay  116  to open or close the switch  112  from a user passes through either the network port  150  or the interface  148  through the base station  140  and over the wireless connection. 
         [0013]    This wireless connection can be implemented in a number of different radio frequencies and communication protocols. In one embodiment the wireless connection  160  is a WLAN (Wi-Fi) connection. In another embodiment of the present invention the wireless connection  160  is implemented using a Bluetooth standard. In another embodiment of the present invention the wireless connection  160  is implemented using Wireless USB standard. In another embodiment of the present invention the wireless connection  160  is implemented using the Zigbee standard. In yet another embodiment of the present invention the wireless connection is implemented using a Z-Wave protocol. 
         [0014]    Z-Wave is a low-power wireless technology designed specifically for remote control applications. Unlike Wi-Fi and other IEEE 802.11-based wireless LAN systems that are designed primarily for high-bandwidth data flow, the Z-Wave RF system operates in the sub Gigahertz frequency range and is optimized for low-overhead commands such as on-off (as in a light switch or an appliance) and raise-lower (as in a thermostat or volume control), with the ability to include device metadata in the communications. Because Z-Wave operates apart from the 2.4 GHz frequency of 802.11 based wireless systems, it is largely impervious to interference from common household wireless electronics, such as Wi-Fi routers, cordless telephones and Bluetooth devices that work in the same frequency range. 
         [0015]    Z-wave uses an intelligent mesh network topology and has no master node. Devices can communicate to another around obstacles or radio dead spots that might occur. A message from node A to node C can be successfully delivered even if the two nodes are not within range, providing that a third node B can communicate with nodes A and C. If the preferred route is unavailable, the message originator will attempt other routes until a path is found to the “C” node. Therefore a Z-Wave network can span much further than the radio range of a single unit, however with several of these hops a delay may be introduced between the control command and the desired result. In order for Z-Wave units to be able to route unsolicited messages, they cannot be in sleep mode. Therefore, most battery-operated devices are not designed as repeater units. A Z-wave network can consist of up to 232 devices with the option of bridging networks if more devices are required. Z-Wave protocol uses the 900 MHz ISM band with an effective one hop range of 100 feet in open air. 
         [0016]      FIG. 1  illustrates this mesh network. Power distribution device  104  is shown with two alternate wireless connections  162  and  164 . Data and instructions going to and from power distribution device  104  may go through either connection  162  or connections  164  and  160 . Power distribution unit  106  is shown with communication connection  166  to power distribution device  104 , which may then connection to the base station via connection  162  or through the power distribution device  102  via connections  164  and  160 . 
         [0017]      FIG. 2  illustrates a star network. Wi-fi, USB Wireless and Bluetooth all use a star network in their wireless function. Note that connection  164  and  166  in  FIG. 1  do not exist in  FIG. 2 . Rather, wireless connection  180  is shown connecting module  106  to base unit  140 . 
         [0018]    Power distribution devices may take on a number of different forms with little change in functionality.  FIGS. 2-6  show some of the possible forms.  FIG. 3  shows one embodiment of the present invention as a power distribution device in the form of a wireless smart power cord  300  having a module  302  equivalent to the module  112  described previously. This module  302  is placed between the plugs  304  and  306 . The module  302  may be formed contiguously within the sheeting of the power cable  300 , or may be a distinct unit which must be plugged in itself into the power cable  300 . 
         [0019]      FIG. 4  shows one embodiment of the present invention as a wireless smart power distribution device in the form of a PDU  400  with multiple outlets. This PDU  400  has a USB device  402  or “dangle” attached. This USB device  402  functions as wireless unit  120  as described previously. This is but one possible implementation of wireless unit  120  in a PDU  400 . As another example, not shown in this figure, wireless unit  120  may be integrated within the PDU  400 . 
         [0020]      FIG. 5  shows one embodiment of the present invention as a plug-in wireless smart outlet  500 .  FIG. 6  shows one embodiment of the present invention as a fixed wireless smart outlet  600 . Plug-in wireless smart output  506  wireless smart outlet  600  are suitable for use in residential applications. 
         [0021]    As will be appreciated, numerous variations and combinations of the features discussed above can be utilized without departing from present invention as defined by the claims. Accordingly, the foregoing description of the preferred embodiments should be taken by way of illustration rather than by way of limitation of the present invention.