Centralized intelligent power management

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to centralized intelligent power management. Systems and methods are provided for implementing centralized intelligent power management in which a centralized intelligent power management system receives power delivery information from a power source and a power management profile associated with a device that receives / is to receive power from such a power source. The centralized intelligent power management system may determine a given set of features supported by the device, but still within the power delivery predictions of the power source. Such a set of features may be represented as a configuration transmitted from a centralized intelligent power management system to a device. When configuring / reconfiguring itself, the device can now provide a given set of features while remaining within the power constraints of its power supply.

Description

Background Art

[0001] Electronic devices are often associated with a specific power budget in order to function properly. Such electronic devices may be connected to a direct power source, such as a power adapter that is ultimately connected to a building mains or similar raw power source. In the context of a network, some network devices may be connected to a network Power over Ethernet (PoE) power source. An example of such a PoE power source is a network switch, which may negotiate a power delivery / budget with such network devices based on PoE standards (such as IEEE 802.3af, .3at, .3bt) and the network device's corresponding power class. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0002] According to one or more different examples, the present disclosure is described in detail with reference to the following figures. These figures are for illustration purposes only and depict only typical examples.

[0003] Figure 1A An example of a network configuration in which centralized Intelligent Power Management (IPM) may be implemented is shown;

[0004] Figure 1B An access point that has intelligently managed its power budget according to one example of the disclosed technology is shown;

[0005] Figure 2A shows a schematic representation of a centralized IPM system architecture according to one example of the disclosed technology;

[0006] Figure 2B is an operational flow chart illustrating operations performed to implement centralized IPM according to one example of the disclosed technology;

[0007] Figure 3 is an example computing component that can be used to implement centralized IPM according to one example of the disclosed technology; and

[0008] Figure 4 are example computing components that can be used to implement various features of the embodiments described in this disclosure.

[0009] The drawings are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the precise forms disclosed. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0010] As described above, electronic devices tend to operate better when they receive power that is equivalent to or meets their specific power budget. Typically, this is not a problem when the electronic device is operatively connected to a direct power source. However, in the context of a network, where, as also implied above, the electronic device may receive power from a network PoE power supply, such a network PoE power supply is usually limited or fixed in terms of the amount of power they can deliver. In other words, although the total power budget or capacity of a network PoE power supply (such as a network switch) is fixed, power is usually delivered to a plurality of network devices requesting power with different power budgets. Therefore, there may be a situation where the PoE power supply cannot provide the power requested by one or more such network devices, because the power that the PoE power supply can provide or is allowed to provide cannot meet the (multiple) specific power budgets of the (multiple) network devices to which it is connected / served. For example, a network device such as an access point (AP) may not be able to provide all the services / functions configured for it unless it receives the required power (according to its power budget). It should be noted that although examples of the disclosed technology may be described in the context of power delivery via a PoE mechanism, other power delivery mechanisms or schemes, such as Power over Fiber (PoF), Power over Wi-Fi (PoWiFi), may be used as appropriate.

[0011] Intelligent power management (IPM) may refer to features or functions that actively measure the power utilization of a device (such as a network device) and may adjust the operating characteristics of the device (e.g., adjust device resources, adjust feature sets, etc.) to adapt to or remain within the power budget available to the PoE power source to which the device is operatively connected. For example, when a specific power budget requirement of a network device cannot be met, its operating characteristics may be modified to allow it to continue to operate, rather than shutting down or completely disabling the network device. For example, IPM may involve continuously monitoring the available power consumed by the network device (from the PoE power source) versus a given (default) power budget for the network device. In this way, IPM may be used to adjust the resources of the device in order to optimize or maximize device operation while keeping the power consumption of the device within the available power budget.

[0012] Unfortunately, integrating IPM components or functions into network equipment increases its footprint and cost. As a result, some network equipment may not have native IPM functions, thus losing the ability to adjust the power budget.

[0013] In order to retain IPM functionality in a system or network in which non-resident IPM devices operate, a centralized IPM system is provided according to an example of the disclosed technology. The centralized IPM system can collect power information from a switch acting as a power source and collect host power management profiles of devices under its management. The centralized IPM system can react to such power budget changes instead of evaluating the power budget changes of the network device by the resident IPM component of the network device. In this way, the centralized IPM system can adjust the functionality of the network device based on the network power information and the power management profile of the network device.

[0014] As described above, a power management profile may include a list of features or feature combinations (also referred to as feature sets) that impact or otherwise affect the power consumption of a network device, and the power requirements associated with each such feature / feature combination. In some cases, priorities associated with features or feature sets may also be reflected in the power management profile, with priorities of importance based on different power categories. In some cases, the power management profile is generated before the network device is released to the market, and in some cases, the power management profile is updated regularly / updated as needed. This is done to ensure that the power management profile of the network device takes into account not only the hardware characteristics of the network device, but also the software features / functionality supported by the network device (e.g., software updates may change over time). For example, a network device manufacturer may distribute power management profiles associated with the network devices of the network device manufacturer, for example, by model, by type, or by one or more other network device characteristics.

[0015] A centralized IPM system may be provided with the power management profile described above, and an algorithm may be used to select appropriate (e.g., most appropriate) features or feature sets for a network device. The selected features / feature sets may be based on a model (or other representative aspects or identifiers) of the network device and the negotiated power. A variety of algorithms may be used for this purpose, such as a simpler priority assignment mechanism, where, for example, the negotiated power budget is set to the highest priority features applied to the network device. That is, lower priority features / feature sets may not be available, or may be designated as not currently supported by the network device. Another algorithm that may be used is an intelligent algorithm that may achieve better optimization. In either case, the feature set determined for the network device may be relayed back to the network device so that the network device may adjust its operation (or operational configuration) accordingly.

[0016] Figure 1AAn example of a network configuration 100 that may be implemented for an organization, such as a business, educational institution, government entity, medical institution, or other organization, in which examples of the disclosed technology may be implemented and utilized is shown. The figure shows an example of a configuration implemented with an organization having multiple users (or at least multiple client devices 110) and possible physical or geographic sites, such as site 102. The network configuration 100 may include site 102 in communication with a network 120. The network configuration 100 may also include one or more remote sites (not shown).

[0017] Site 102 may include a network, such as an office network, a home network, or other network facility. Site 102 network may be a private network, such as a network that may include security and access controls to limit access to authorized users of the private network. Authorized users may include, for example, employees of a company at site 102, residents of a residence, customers of an enterprise, and the like.

[0018] In the example shown, the site 102 includes a controller 104 that communicates with a network 120. The controller 104 may provide communication with the network 120 for the site 102, although it may not be the only point at which the site 102 communicates with the network 120. A single controller 104 is shown, although the site 102 may include multiple controllers and / or multiple points of communication with the network 120. In some embodiments, the controller 104 communicates with the network 120 through a router (not shown). In other embodiments, the controller 104 provides router functionality to devices in the site 102.

[0019] The controller 104 may be operable to configure and manage network devices, such as at the site 102. The controller 104 may be operable to configure and / or manage switches, routers, access points, and / or client devices connected to the network. The controller 104 may itself be an access point, or provide the functionality of an access point.

[0020] The controller 104 can communicate with one or more switches 108 and / or wireless access points (APs) 106A-C. The switches 108 and wireless APs 106A-C provide network connections to various client devices 110A-J. Using the connections to the switches 108 or APs 106A-C, the client devices 110A-J can access network resources, including the (primary site 102) network and other devices on the network 120.

[0021] Examples of client devices may include, but are not limited to, the following: desktop computers, laptop computers, servers, network servers, authentication servers, Authentication Authorization Accounting (AAA) servers, Domain Name System (DNS) servers, Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) servers, Internet Protocol (IP) servers, Virtual Private Network (VPN) servers, network policy servers, mainframes, tablet computers, e-readers, netbook computers, televisions and similar displays (e.g., smart TVs), content receivers, set-top boxes, personal digital assistants (PDAs), mobile phones, smart phones, smart terminals, dumb terminals, virtual terminals, video game consoles, virtual assistants, Internet of Things (IOT) devices, etc.

[0022] Within the site 102, a switch 108 is included as an example of an access point to a network established in the primary site 102 for wired client devices 110I-J. The client devices 110I-J may connect to the switch 108 and, through the switch 108, may be able to access other devices within the network configuration 100. The client devices 110I-J may also be able to access the network 120 through the switch 108. The client devices 110I-J may communicate with the switch 108 through a wired 112 connection. In the example shown, the switch 108 communicates with the controller 104 through the wired 112 connection, although the connection may also be wireless.

[0023] Wireless APs 106A-C are included as another example of access points to a network established in the main site 102 for client devices 110A-H. Each of the APs 106A-C may be a combination of hardware, software, and / or firmware configured to provide wireless network connectivity to the wireless client devices 110A-H. In the illustrated example, the APs 106A-C may be managed and configured by the controller 104. The APs 106A-C communicate with the controller 104 and the network via a connection 112, which may be a wired interface or a wireless interface.

[0024] The network 120 may be a public or private network, such as the Internet, or other communications network to allow connectivity between the site 102 and, for example, other sites (not shown) and access to servers, such as the server 160. The network 120 may include third-party telecommunication lines, such as telephone lines, broadcast coaxial cables, fiber optic cables, satellite communications, cellular communications, etc. The network 120 may include any number of intermediate network devices, such as switches, routers, gateways, servers, and / or controllers, that are not directly part of the network configuration 100 but that facilitate communications between various parts of the network configuration 100 and between the network configuration 100 and other network-connected entities.

[0025] In addition, the network 120 may also be operably / communicatively connected to a centralized IPM system 170. As described above, such a centralized IPM system avoids the need to integrate IPM modules in those electronic devices whose power delivery is to be regulated, adapted, or otherwise managed. For example, the centralized IPM system 170 may be operable to provide IPM to electronic devices (e.g., APs 106A-C, relative to switches 108 or routers 104). The centralized IPM system 170 may be embodied in / as a cloud server, a cloud computing device, an edge computing device, or other remotely implemented system or function that can manage power delivered to electronic devices under its authority or to electronic devices that are operably connected and controlled (at least from a power delivery perspective) with these electronic devices.

[0026] In operation, the centralized IPM system 170 may acquire or receive power management profiles of the APs 106A-C or information that may be used to compose power management profiles of the APs 106A-C. Such power management profiles may include information indicating features or software functions provided or supported by one or more of the APs 106A-C (as needed), including, but not limited to, for example, the number of physical radios implemented in the AP, the number of virtual APs supported by the AP, the number of physical ports on the AP, etc. In addition, such power management profiles may include information regarding the importance or priority of one or more features or combinations / feature sets of the AP, as well as the power requirements or budgets of such features / feature sets.

[0027] The centralized IPM system 170 may also obtain / receive information indicating power delivery from a power source (e.g., router 104 in this example). That is, the centralized IPM system 170 may receive information indicating that the current / default / original total power budget of the router 104 (delivering power via PoE) has changed for some reason. Perhaps due to some load balancing mechanism to which the router 104 is subject, the router 104 is now providing a portion of its original power budget to the additional network devices, i.e., its total power budget for the router 104 has been reduced.

[0028] Based on these information sets, the centralized IPM system 170 can determine what number of features, and / or which features should be provided / not provided / prioritized, etc., according to the reduced power budget, as well as other relevant considerations (to the extent they exist). The centralized IPM system 170 can then transmit the configuration of the (multiple) APs commensurate with their corresponding feature / feature set determinations. In this way, upon receiving its new or changed / updated configuration, the AP can change its configuration to correspond to the features / feature sets determined by the centralized IPM system 170, and thus adapt to the new / changed power budget without the need to integrate a dedicated IPM module therein.

[0029] Figure 1B An example AP is shown, which can be an embodiment of one of the APs of FIG. 1 (in this example, AP 106A). An AP can refer to a networking device that allows wireless client devices to connect to a wired or wireless network, and is not necessarily limited to IEEE 802.11-based APs. The AP may include processing resources (e.g., processor 111), memory (e.g., memory 113), and / or input / output interfaces (not shown) (including wired network interfaces such as IEEE 802.3 Ethernet interfaces, and wireless network interfaces such as IEEE 802.11 Wi-Fi interfaces), although examples of the present disclosure are not limited to such interfaces.

[0030] AP 106A may include multiple antennas. AP 106A may include a radio 107 that includes four radio chains 109-1, 109-2, 109-3, and 109-4, where each radio chain includes two antennas (109-1A, 109-1B, 109-2A, 109-2B, 109-3A, 109-3B, 109-4A, 109-4B). For example, each radio chain may include a horizontal antenna and a vertical antenna, as well as other possibilities. Figure 1B As shown, AP 106A may be a 4×4 multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) AP. Here, the 4×4 MIMO AP may have four radio chains (109-1, 109-2, 109-3, 109-4), each of which may be used to transmit and receive data. It should be understood that the examples of the present disclosure are not limited thereto. For example, AP 106A may be a MIMO network device having less than 4×4 antennas and radio chain configurations, or a MIMO network device having more than 4×4 antennas and radio chain configurations.

[0031] Although not shown in the example for the sake of clarity and to not obscure the examples of the present disclosure, Figure 1B, but each of the radio chains can be connected to multiple antennas 109-1A to 109-4B via an RF switch. In some examples, a first portion of the multiple radio chains (e.g., radio chains 109-3 and 109-4) can be dedicated to a first communication channel, and a second portion of the multiple radio chains (e.g., 109-1 and 109-2) can be dedicated to another communication channel.

[0032] As described above, depending on the power management profile of the network device, one or more of its features or resources (whether software, hardware, or some combination thereof) may be selected to be enabled or disabled, or otherwise altered in operation, such as features with reduced functionality, based on the power budget change. Following the above example, the centralized IPM system 170, after receiving the power delivery information from the router 104, may detect changes in the power budget of the router 104 over a period of time. Based on the change in the power budget, the centralized IPM system 170 may analyze the corresponding power management profile of the AP 106A to determine what features / feature sets to enable or disable so that the AP 106A may still operate at some capacity while being provided with its new / altered power budget. For example, if Figure 1B As shown, the centralized IPM system 170 may determine that, given the power budget reduction at the router 104, the AP 106 cannot operate two of its radio chains. The power management profile of the AP 106A may indicate that the radio chains 109-1 and 109-2 support 5G channels that require greater RF power output from the antennas 109-1A-109-2B. In this case, the centralized IPM system 170 may generate a new configuration or an update to the current configuration of the AP 106A so that the radio chains 109-1 and 109-2 are shut down or otherwise prohibited from use.

[0033] Figure 2A is a schematic diagram of a centralized IPM architecture according to an example of the disclosed technology. Figure 2A In this example, the centralized IPM architecture includes a centralized IPM system 200, which may be Figure 1A The centralized IPM system 200 may communicate with one or more network devices such as a network power source wirelessly or via a wired connection. As described above, examples of such a network power source may be a network router, a switch, etc. Figure 2AIn the example of , two power supplies are shown, namely power supplies 220 and 226. Each of power supplies 220 and 226 can provide power to one or more network devices, such as APs, for example, network devices 222 and 224 (operably connected to / receiving power from power supply 220), and network device 228 (operably connected to / receiving power from power supply 226). It should be noted that the centralized IPM system 200 can be implemented as a standalone system / network component, or can be implemented as part of another existing network system / component. The centralized IPM system 200 can communicate with one or more power supplies (in this example, as described above, power supplies 220 and 226). As described with respect to Figure 1A As described, the centralized IPM system 200 can communicate with such power supplies via the network / within the network. As already described herein, the centralized IPM system 100 can obtain power delivery information about power supplies 220 and 226, and power management profiles associated with network devices 222, 224, and 228. Depending on the power budget and the power delivery information about power supplies 220 and 226, features / feature sets associated with network devices 222, 224, and 228 can be enabled / disabled or otherwise operatively altered so that network devices 222, 224, and 228 can still provide certain (some) features / functions according to the power budget of power supplies 220 and 226, respectively.

[0034] The processor 206 may include a GPU, a CPU, a microprocessor, or any other suitable processing system. The memory 208 may include one or more various forms of memory or data storage devices (e.g., flash memory, RAM, etc.), which may be used to store instructions for causing the processor 206 to perform operations / make decisions or determinations regarding the appropriate configuration of the network device based on the network power budget. The memory 208 may be composed of one or more modules of one or more different types of memory, and may be configured to store data and other information as well as operating instructions that can be used by the processor 206 to implement centralized IPM. Therefore, the processor 206 and the memory 208 may include the decision circuit 203. Although Figure 2A The example is illustrated using a processor and memory circuit system, as described below with reference to the circuits disclosed herein, but the decision circuit 203 can be implemented using any form of circuit system, including, for example, hardware, software, or a combination thereof. As another example, one or more processors, controllers, ASICs, PLAs, PALs, CPLDs, FPGAs, logic components, software routines, or other mechanisms can be implemented to form the centralized IPM system 200.

[0035] The communication circuit 201 for communicating with the power source 220 / 228 and the network devices 222, 224, and 228 can be one or both of a wireless transceiver circuit 202 with an associated antenna 214 and a wired I / O interface 204 with an associated hardwired data port (not shown). Typically, the centralized IPM system 200 is able to communicate directly with the network devices when the sending device is configured. As shown in this example, communication with the centralized IPM system 200 can include one or both of wired and wireless communication circuits 201. The wireless transceiver circuit 202 may include a transmitter and a receiver (not shown) to allow wireless communication via any of a plurality of communication protocols, such as WiFi, Bluetooth, near field communication (NFC), Zigbee, and any of a plurality of other wireless communication protocols, whether standardized, proprietary, open, point-to-point, networked, or otherwise. Antenna 214 is coupled to wireless transceiver circuit 202 and is used by wireless transceiver circuit 202 to wirelessly transmit radio signals to wireless devices connected thereto, and also to receive radio signals. These RF signals may include virtually any kind of information sent by centralized IPM system 200 to or received from other network entities / devices.

[0036] The wired I / O interface 204 may include a transmitter and a receiver (not shown) for hard-wired communication with other devices. For example, the wired I / O interface 204 may provide a hard-wired interface to other components, such as ports. The wired I / O interface 204 may communicate with other devices using Ethernet or any of a number of other wired communication protocols, whether standardized, proprietary, open, point-to-point, networked, or otherwise.

[0037] The power source 210 may include one or more of the following: one or more batteries (e.g., lithium-ion, lithium polymer, NiMH, NiCd, NiZn, and NiH2, to name a few examples, whether rechargeable or primary), a power connector (e.g., for connecting to a vehicle power source, etc.), an energy harvester (e.g., a solar cell, a piezoelectric system, etc.), or may include any other suitable power source.

[0038] Figure 2B 1 is an operational flow chart illustrating operations performed to implement centralized IPM according to one example of the disclosed technology. As described above, centralized IPM can be implemented by a centralized IPM system that does not require IPM modules or components to be integrated into network devices to be powered by a network power supply. Here, Figure 2BExample operations for determining (by a power source) whether a connected device requires PoE, and if so, what PoE class the connected device requires, collectively referred to as classification, are shown. Classification can be, for example, a 2-event form / classification type. Figure 2B In the example of , the power supply 226 and the device 228 can participate in the "get initial power" operation 230. That is, the power supply 226 can send a voltage pulse to the device 228 and read the current voltage on the line connecting the power supply 226 and the device 228. The power supply 226 can check what PoE level the current voltage corresponds to, and the power supply 226 provides the power of the corresponding level (up to the power of level 3) to power the device 228. The power device 226 and the device 228 can participate in the "get maximum power" operation 232, for example, the device 228 can send a message to the power supply 226 indicating that it is a device receiving power, as well as its maximum power and the requested maximum power. The power supply 226 can respond to the device 228 to indicate that it is a power supply and the maximum allowed power is a given amount. Then, the device 228 can be provided with the power amount specified by the power supply 226 (up to its maximum value). If the current voltage value corresponds to class 4 power, the power supply 226 can use the second classification event to verify that the class 4 level power should actually be provided to the device 228. That is, the sending of the voltage pulse can be repeated, and if the voltage value still corresponds to category 4, the power supply 226 provides the power of category 4 level to the device 228. In other words, if the second classification (thus, 2 event classification) verifies / confirms the power of 4 level, the power supply 226 will deliver the power of category 4 level to the device 228 for hardware-based classification. For software-based classification, after the power supply 226 first performs the above-mentioned 1 event classification, if the value corresponding to category 4 power is read, the power supply 226 only provides category 3 power, but for confirmation, the power supply 2267 requests confirmation from the device 228 via the layer 2 LLDP protocol as to whether the device 228 is really a device of category 4 power type. If confirmed, the power supply 226 can provide the power of the category 4 level to the device 226. Once the power has been negotiated, the negotiated power can be sent or forwarded to the centralized IPM system 200, and as described herein, the centralized IPM system 200 can analyze the negotiated power of the device 228 relative to the power management profile (previously described) of the device 228. In determining the appropriate features / feature sets for the device 228, the maximum power of the centralized IPM system 200 is considered.

[0039] Figure 3 3 is an example computing component 300 that can be used to implement centralized IPM according to an example of the disclosed technology. The computing component 300 can be integrated in / as a remote or cloud-based server or system such as the centralized IPM system 170, or integrated in the network architecture 100 ( Figure 1A ) is integrated into / as part of server 160. Computing component 300 may be, for example, a server computer, a controller, or any other similar computing component capable of processing data. Figure 3 In an example implementation of , computing component 300 includes a hardware processor 302 and a machine-readable storage medium 304. In some examples, computing component 300 may be Figure 2A An embodiment of the processor 206 of the centralized IMP system 200.

[0040] The hardware processor 302 may be one or more central processing units (CPUs), semiconductor-based microprocessors, and / or other hardware devices suitable for retrieving and executing instructions stored in the machine-readable storage medium 304. The hardware processor 302 may retrieve, decode, and execute instructions, such as instructions 306-312, to control a process or operation for performing a centralized IPM. As an alternative or in addition to retrieving and executing instructions, the hardware processor 302 may include one or more electronic circuits including electronic components for performing the functions of one or more instructions, such as a field programmable gate array (FPGA), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or other electronic circuits.

[0041] A machine-readable storage medium, such as machine-readable storage medium 304, may be any electronic, magnetic, optical, or other physical storage device that contains or stores executable instructions. Thus, machine-readable storage medium 304 may be, for example, a random access memory (RAM), a non-volatile RAM (NVRAM), an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), a storage device, an optical disk, etc. In some examples, machine-readable storage medium 604 may be a non-transitory storage medium, where the term "non-transitory" does not include transient propagating signals. As described in detail below, machine-readable storage medium 304 may be encoded with executable instructions, such as instructions 306-312.

[0042] Hardware processor 302 may execute instructions 306 to receive a negotiated power budget for a device connected to a power source. As described above, a device such as a network device may receive power from a fixed power budget power source such as a switch, router, or the like. Because such a power source is a fixed capacity power source, situations may arise where the power source cannot meet a particular power budget for a network device. For example, the power requirements of a particular feature / feature set provided or supported by a network device such as an AP may change. The manufacturer of the AP may distribute new / updated power management profiles for that model / type of AP. Upon receiving such a power management profile, the power source may receive or obtain the negotiated power budget for the device from the network device, for example, as previously described with respect to FIG. Figure 2B discussed.

[0043] The hardware processor 302 may execute instructions 308 to analyze the power management profile of the device relative to the negotiated power budget. That is, a comparison may be made between the negotiated power budget and the (updated) power management profile of the device. As previously described, the power management profile of the device may include, for example, a data set or matrix of information characterizing the power requirements of each feature that the device can support. Using one of the above algorithms (or other appropriate algorithms), it may be determined which supported features the device can still support given its new / updated per-feature power requirements based on the negotiated power budget of the device and its power supply. For example, the power requirements of certain features may increase, while the power requirements of other functions may decrease, wherein features with increased power requirements have a higher priority than features with reduced power requirements. It should be understood that such a determination and the (multiple) ways in which such a determination may be made may be as simple as using a priority assignment type algorithm or as complex as desired. The (multiple) algorithms or (multiple) mechanisms may take into account various factors / considerations, for example, certain AP radio chains may be advantageous in certain geographic locations, certain types of services may be allowed / prohibited from transmission / reception, and the like.

[0044] Thus, as described above, the hardware processor 302 may make a decision, i.e., the hardware processor 302 may execute instructions 310, to select from the power management profile a desired set of service features to be provided by the device that is commensurate with the negotiated power budget supplied by the power source. Again, various factors / considerations may be considered to determine how to make such a selection. Priorities, power requirements, geographic location, etc. may play a role in selecting an appropriate set of service features based on the power capabilities of the power source.

[0045] The hardware processor 302 may execute instructions 312 to transmit a configuration including a desired set of service features to the device. As previously described, the centralized IPM system disclosed herein may determine the set of features to be supported based on the power management profile of the device and the negotiated power budget (the power capacity / capability of the power supply for the device). When such a determination is made, the configuration of the features may be transmitted to the device so that the device may configure / reconfigure its services to conform to the configuration of the features it receives. That is, based on the received configuration, certain features may be enabled or disabled so that the configured features / services may be supported with the negotiated power budget.

[0046] In this way, the device can be provided with an amount of power that satisfies the power requirements of the desired service feature set. That is, because the centralized IPM system determines the feature set of the device relative to its own total power budget or other available power budgets and the negotiated power budget between the power source and the device, the configuration provided to the device is satisfyable by the power source.

[0047] It should be noted that although examples of the disclosed technology have been described in the context of devices (such as network devices) that do not have integrated or dedicated IPM modules, centralized IPM can still be used in systems or networks when the devices have IPM modules. Determinations based on centralized IPM can be used to verify or check determinations of the IPM modules of each device, and vice versa. In other examples, centralized IPM and dedicated IPM determinations or functions can be used to complement each other.

[0048] In addition, examples of the disclosed technology can be used to provide better visibility into power usage of various devices on a network-wide basis. With traditional dedicated IPM determinations, devices negotiate / determine their own power budgets in a vacuum (i.e., without knowledge of other power budgets to which the power source may be subject). Data or information acquired by a centralized IPM system and used for analysis can be used to enhance power management profile determinations. For example, over time, a centralized IPM system may observe that a particular device is experiencing higher power requirements due to utilization of certain services / features at certain times. Network configuration entities (e.g., administrators, network topology tools, etc.) can then be used as feedback for device power management profiles so that such profiles can be adapted to, for example, de-prioritize certain services outside of those times of high usage.

[0049] In addition, since in some examples, the centralized IPM disclosed herein can implement power management based on comparing power management profile information and monitored power usage / power budget (e.g., real-time / semi-real-time), no software upgrade / update is required to adjust the power management profile or adjust the decision algorithm. In other words, using centralized IPM, if there is a new algorithm regarding device configuration or updates the features of negotiated power, power management as described on negotiated power can be managed without changing the software of the device. That is, only the centralized IPM system is changed / upgraded, and there is no service impact on the network device. Compared to other devices where the device configuration / features from negotiated power are completed on the device software, if the device configuration / features change, a software upgrade is required to implement the new algorithm, so an impact on service is expected when upgrading the device.

[0050] Figure 4 A block diagram of an example computer system 400 is depicted in which various examples described herein may be implemented, including, but not limited to, the processor 206 and the computing component 300. The computer system 400 includes a bus 402 or other communication mechanism for communicating information, one or more hardware processors 404 coupled to the bus 402 for processing information. The hardware processor(s) 404 may be, for example, one or more general-purpose microprocessors.

[0051] The computer system 400 also includes a main memory 406, such as a random access memory (RAM), cache, and / or other dynamic storage device, coupled to the bus 402 for storing information and instructions to be executed by the processor 404. The main memory 406 may also be used to store temporary variables or other intermediate information during execution of instructions to be executed by the processor 404. When stored in a storage medium accessible to the processor 404, such instructions render the computer system 400 as a special-purpose machine that is customized to perform the operations specified in the instructions.

[0052] Computer system 400 also includes a read only memory (ROM) 408 or other static storage device coupled to bus 402 for storing static information and instructions for processor 404. A storage device 410, such as a magnetic disk, optical disk, or USB thumb drive (flash drive), is provided and coupled to bus 402 for storing information and instructions.

[0053] In general, the words "component", "engine", "system", "database", "data storage", etc., as used herein, may refer to logic included in hardware or firmware, or to a collection of software instructions (which may have entry and exit points) written in a programming language (e.g., Java, C, or C++). A software component may be compiled and linked into an executable program, installed in a dynamic link library, or may be written in an interpreted programming language (e.g., BASIC, Perl, or Python). It should be understood that a software component may be called from other components or from itself, and / or may be called in response to a detected event or interrupt. A software component configured to execute on a computing device may be provided on a computer-readable medium, such as a compact disc, digital video disc, flash drive, disk, or any other tangible medium, or as a digital download (and may be initially stored in a compressed or installable format that requires installation, decompression, or decryption prior to execution). Such software code may be stored in part or in whole on a memory device of an executing computing device for execution by the computing device. The software instructions may be embedded in firmware, such as an EPROM. It should also be appreciated that hardware components may be composed of connected logic units, such as gates and flip-flops, and / or may be composed of programmable units, such as programmable gate arrays or processors.

[0054] The term "non-transient medium" and similar terms used herein refer to any medium storing data and / or instructions that cause a machine to operate in a particular manner. Such non-transient media may include non-volatile media and / or volatile media. Non-volatile media include, for example, optical disks or magnetic disks, such as storage device 410. Volatile media include dynamic memories such as main memory 406. Common forms of non-transient media include, for example, floppy disks, flexible disks, hard disks, solid-state drives, tapes, or any other magnetic data storage media, CD-ROMs, any other optical data storage media, any physical media with hole patterns, RAM, PROMs and EPROMs, FLASH-EPROMs, NVRAMs, any other memory chips or cassette memories, and network versions of the above.

[0055] Non-transient media are distinct from transmission media, but may be used in conjunction with transmission media. Transmission media participate in the transmission of information between non-transient media. For example, transmission media include coaxial cables, copper wires, and optical fibers, including wires (including bus 402). Transmission media may also take the form of acoustic or light waves, such as those generated during radio wave and infrared data communications.

[0056] Computer system 400 also includes a communication / network interface 418 coupled to bus 402. Communication interface 418 provides a two-way data communication coupled to one or more network links connected to one or more local networks. For example, communication interface 418 can be an integrated services digital network (ISDN) card, a cable modem, a satellite modem, or a modem for providing a data communication connection to a telephone line of a corresponding type. As another example, communication interface 418 can be a local area network (LAN) card for providing a data communication connection to a compatible LAN (or a WAN component communicating with a WAN). Wireless links can also be implemented. In any such implementation, communication interface 418 sends and receives an electrical, electromagnetic or optical signal carrying a digital data stream representing various types of information.

[0057] A network link typically provides data communications to other data devices through one or more networks. For example, a network link can provide a connection to a host computer or to a data device operated by an Internet Service Provider (ISP) through a local network. The ISP then provides data communications services through a global packet data communications network now commonly referred to as the "Internet". Both the local network and the Internet use electrical, electromagnetic or optical signals that carry digital data streams. Signals through various networks and signals on network links and through communication interface 418 are example forms of transmission media, which transmit digital data to and from computer system 400. Computer system 400 can send messages and receive data, including program code, through (multiple) networks, network links and communication interface 418.

[0058] Each of the processes, methods, and algorithms described in the preceding sections may be embodied in a code component executed by one or more computer systems or computer processors including computer hardware, and fully or partially automated by the code component. One or more computer systems or computer processors may also operate to support the execution of related operations in a "cloud computing" environment or as "software as a service" (SaaS). The processes and algorithms may be implemented in part or in whole in a dedicated circuit system. The various features and processes described above may be used independently of one another, or may be combined in various ways. Different combinations and sub-combinations are intended to fall within the scope of the present disclosure, and in some implementations, certain method or process blocks may be omitted. The methods and processes described herein are also not limited to any particular sequence, and the blocks or states associated therewith may be executed in other appropriate sequences, or may be executed in parallel, or in some other manner. Blocks or states may be added to or removed from the disclosed examples. The execution of certain operations or processes may be distributed between computer systems or computer processors, not only residing in a single machine, but also deployed across multiple machines.

[0059] As used herein, the term "or" may be interpreted as inclusive or exclusive. In addition, singular resource, operation, or structure descriptions should not exclude the plural. Unless otherwise specifically stated, or otherwise understood in the context of use, conditional language such as "can," "could," "might," or "may" is generally intended to convey that certain examples include and other examples do not include certain features, elements, and / or steps.

[0060] Unless expressly stated otherwise, the terms and phrases used in this document and their variations should be interpreted as open-ended, not restrictive. Adjectives such as "conventional," "traditional," "normal," "standard," "known," and terms of similar meaning should not be interpreted as limiting the items described to those available in a given time period or as of a given time, but should be understood to include conventional, traditional, normal, or standard technologies available or known at any time now or in the future. In some cases, the appearance of broadening words and phrases such as "one or more," "at least," "but not limited to," or other similar phrases should not be understood as an intention or need to use a narrower case where such broadening phrases are possible without them.

Claims

1. A method comprising: receiving, by a power management system, a negotiated power budget for a device connected to a power source; analyzing, by the power management system, a power management profile of the device relative to the negotiated power budget for the device; selecting, by the power management system, from the power management profile, a desired set of service features to be provided by the device that is commensurate with the negotiated power budget supplied by the power source; transmitting, from the power management system to the device, a configuration including the desired set of service features; and Power is provided from the power source to the device in an amount that satisfies the power requirement of the desired set of service features. 2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the power source and the device participate in a classification process for determining the negotiated power budget. 3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the power management system comprises a centralized power supply operatively connected to the device via a communication network. 4 . The method according to claim 3 , wherein the power source comprises one of the following: a network Power over Ethernet (PoE) power supply, a Wi-Fi power supply (PoWiFi) or a fiber power supply (PoF).

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the power supply has a fixed total power budget used to provide power to the device and a plurality of additional devices operating on the communication network. The method of claim 1 , wherein the device comprises a network device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the power management profile comprises at least information identifying services supported by the device and corresponding power requirement information.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the service feature set comprises a subset of the services supported by the device.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving the power management profile from a manufacturer or distributor of the device prior to receiving the negotiated power budget.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising repeatedly performing the operations of claim 1 upon receiving an updated power management profile from the manufacturer or the distributor of the device.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selection of the desired set of service features is performed according to an algorithm designed to prioritize receiving power from the power source based on at least one characteristic of the services that comprise the desired set of service features.

12. A system comprising: processor; as well as a memory operatively connected to the processor and comprising computer code which, when executed, causes the processor to: analyzing a power management profile of a device connected to the system and adapted to receive power from the system; selecting, from the power management profile, a desired set of services to be provided by the device based on the monitored power delivery from a power source and the power management profile of the device; as well as Information identifying the desired service set is transmitted to the device such that power delivery from the power source to the device occurs at a level sufficient to support power requirements of the desired service set.

13. The system of claim 12, comprising a centralized intelligent power management (IPM) system operatively connected to the device and the power supply via a communication network.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the power source comprises a network Power over Ethernet (PoE) power source.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the computer code that causes the processor to select the desired service set further causes the processor to execute an algorithm designed to prioritize receiving power from the power source based on at least one characteristic of the services that comprise the desired service set.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the power source comprises one of a network switch or a network router.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the device comprises an access point.

18. A method comprising: The centralized intelligent power management IPM system negotiates with the network device to determine a power budget for the network device; The centralized IPM system determines services supported by the network device; the centralized IPM system comparing the power budget of a network power supply for providing power to the network device with a power requirement of the service supported by the network device; the centralized IPM system determining a subset of the services supported by the network devices that the network power source is capable of powering while remaining within the power budget of the network power source; The centralized IPM system generates a configuration for the network device, the configuration including the subset of the services; as well as The centralized IPM system transmits the configuration to the network device.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the centralized IPM system repeatedly performs negotiation, determination of services, comparison of the power budget with the power requirements, generation of the configuration, and transmission of the configuration for at least an additional network device, such that the centralized IPM system supports power requirements of a subset of the services of the network device and the at least additional network device while remaining within the power budget of the centralized IPM system. 20 . The method according to claim 18 , wherein the network power supply comprises one of the following: a network Power over Ethernet (PoE) power supply, a Power over Wi-Fi (PoWiFi) power supply, or a Power over Fiber (PoF) power supply.

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