Smart power management system and related method

摘要

According to one disclosed embodiment, a smart power management system includes a power conversion unit having a communication module and a power management module that can convert mains power into a form that can be used to power a plurality of electronic devices. In one embodiment, the power conversion unit can selectively disconnect power availability provided for a particular electronic device and reduce phantom load waste by communicating with a connected electronic device and exchanging information. In another embodiment, the power conversion unit can selectively disconnect power availability provided for a particular electronic device by monitoring the electronic device's power usage over time and determining an appropriate power availability based on predetermined power management parameters. In another embodiment, the power conversion unit can communicate with other power conversion units to form a mesh network.

主权项

1. A smart power management system comprising:
a power conversion unit (PCU) comprising a primary power supply and a separate supervisory power supply, each configured to simultaneously provide power to a first electronic device through a power delivery path and also provide power to a second electronic device, the supervisory power supply having a lower power delivery capacity than the primary power supply but sufficient to power the first electronic device and the second electronic device to communicate with the PCU when the primary power supply is switched out; the PCU further configured to use an information received in a communication to continue to provide power via the supervisory power supply and to selectively switch out the primary power supply from the power delivery path to modify an output power of the PCU availability provided to the first electronic device in order to conserve electrical power but maintain power to the second electronic device, wherein the PCU is also configured to determine a proximity to a portable wireless transmitter based on a measured strength of a wireless transmission from the portable transmitter; and a second PCU configured to communicate with and power at least one other electronic device, wherein the PCU and the second PCU further configured to form a mesh network and use a shared information communicated over the mesh network to selectively switch out the primary power supply from the power delivery path to modify the output power availability provided to at least one of the first electronic device and the second electronic device.