Power Consumption Tracking System for Project Planning
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing demand for power management in IT industries, driven by rising electricity costs and inefficient power usage in computer-related projects, necessitates a method to optimize power consumption across all levels of project planning.
Innovation Solution
A computer-controlled interactive display system and program that tracks and calculates power consumption by establishing a database of power rates for objects, allowing users to input planned usage and actual consumption, with automatic adjustments and Internet-based searches for missing data to optimize power usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If power consumption is tracked at a high level only, then the system is simpler to implement, but power consumption variances cannot be identified or addressed at granular levels
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments power consumption tracking into multiple hierarchical levels (project level, phase level, task level, and resource level). This allows the system to provide granular measurement precision where needed while maintaining overall system manageability through the hierarchical structure. Each level can be configured independently, enabling organizations to implement tracking at the granularity they require without overwhelming system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a temporal dimension to power consumption tracking by implementing both planned vs. actual consumption comparison and historical trend analysis. This multi-dimensional approach (hierarchical levels + time dimension) enables precise power consumption measurement across different granularities and time periods, resolving the contradiction between measurement precision and system complexity.
2Productivity
If detailed granular tracking of power consumption is implemented, then power consumption variances can be identified and addressed, but the system becomes more complex and resource-intensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by requiring power consumption estimates to be defined during project planning and scheduling phases. Power consumption is integrated into the project schedule and budget calculations before execution begins. This allows organizations to identify potential power consumption issues early and make adjustments proactively, improving power optimization efficiency without requiring complex real-time intervention systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms that automatically compare planned vs. actual power consumption at multiple hierarchical levels and provide alerts when variances exceed thresholds. This automated feedback system improves power optimization efficiency by enabling quick identification and correction of issues, while the rule-based alert system keeps implementation complexity manageable compared to requiring manual monitoring at all levels.
3Reliability
If power consumption data is collected and analyzed in real-time, then immediate corrective actions can be taken, but data collection and processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic action by allowing organizations to configure update frequencies and reporting intervals at different hierarchical levels. Rather than continuous real-time processing, the system can refresh power consumption data at scheduled intervals (e.g., hourly, daily, or weekly depending on organizational needs). This maintains reliable power consumption control through regular monitoring while significantly reducing data processing energy consumption compared to continuous real-time analysis.
Data Source
AI summary
Automatically accesses, from a database, the rate of power consumption of each object on a displayed list and automatically calculating the power consumption of each object over a planned period time of use of the object. Then, during actual use, the actual power consumption of each object on the list is automatically tracked over the planned period of time of use and the difference between the planned and actual power consumption of each object on the list is automatically calculated. The difference for each object on the list is displayed so that the user may take action interactively.