Patent ID: 8504217

Claim:
A method for providing power management to a multi-phase power source for providing input current to a plurality of power outlets and a plurality of other loads, comprising: measuring an input current provided by the power source to the loads and the power outlets across each power phase of the power source; repeating said measuring the input current if the measured input current is less than a first set current value; entering a first power limiting mode if the measured input current is greater than the first set current value and less than a second set current value, the second set current value being greater than the first set current value; in the first power limiting mode, disabling each unused power outlet; measuring a first resultant input current provided to the loads and the remaining power outlets across each power phase of the power source; entering a second power limiting mode if the first resultant input current is greater than the second set current value; enabling each of the disabled power outlets and exiting the first power limiting mode if the first resultant input current remains less than a first release current value during a first time interval that is greater than a first release timer value, the first release current value being less than the first set current value; and repeating said measuring the first resultant input current and said entering the second power limiting mode if the first resultant input current becomes greater than the first release current value during the first time interval and enabling each of the disabled power outlets and exiting the first power limiting mode if the first resultant input current remains less than the first release current value during a subsequent first time interval that is greater than the first release timer value, entering the second power limiting mode if the measured input current is greater than the second set current value, in the second power limiting mode, disabling each of the power outlets; measuring a second resultant input current provided to the loads across each power phase of the power source; enabling the disabled power outlets and exiting the second power limiting mode if the second resultant input current remains less than a second release current value during a second time interval that is greater than a second release timer value, the second release current value being less than the second set current value; and repeating said measuring the second resultant input current if the second resultant input current is greater than the second release current value during the second time interval and enabling the disabled power outlets and exiting the second power limiting mode if the second resultant input current remains less than the second release current value during a subsequent second time interval that is greater than a second release timer value.