IP Library Granted Patent US 8,738,943
Granted Patent B2
US 8,738,943 · App. 13/052,754 · Granted May 27, 2014

Controlling and minimizing electrical power consumed by electrical components connected to a networked computing environment

Inventor: Ariane Hernandes Amadeu (Nova Odessa, BR)
Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,738,943
App. No.
13/052,754
Granted
May 27, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide an approach for controlling and minimizing electrical power consumption of a plurality of lights and electronic devices connected to a networked computing environment, wherein asset and space management software can be utilized to monitor and remotely turn off the electronic devices that are determined as not being utilized, based on observed indicators of inactivity associated with the electronic devices. Specifically, the location of the electronic devices are determined and then registered and stored in a database, wherein the electronic devices include desktop computers, laptops, phones, and heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems that are connected to the networked computing environment.

Claims (43)

1. A method for controlling electrical power consumption of electrical components connected to a networked computing environment, the method comprising:

determining, by one or more processors, location information of electrical components that are connected to a networked computing environment;

receiving, by one or more processors, computer related events of one or more electrical components that are logged in to and connected to the networked computing environment, wherein the received computer related events include one or more of: sound received through a computer microphone, and motion detected through a webcam;

determining, by one or more processors, that utilization associated with one of the computer related events of the electrical components that are logged in to and connected to the networked computing environment is less than a corresponding threshold condition of utilization;

responsive to determining that the utilization associated with the one computer related event of an electrical component that is logged in to and connected to the networked computing environment is less than the corresponding threshold condition of utilization, turning off, by one or more processors, the electrical component; and

turning off, by one or more processors, one or more of the electrical components based on location information of the one or more electrical components in relation to the one electrical component with utilization associated with the computer related event that is less than the associated threshold condition of utilization.

2. The method of claim 1 ,

wherein the one or more electrical components are connected to the networked computing environment through a wired access point or a wireless access point connection; and

wherein the one or more electrical components include one or more of: lights, laptop computers, desktop computers, phones, printers, and heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein location information of the one or more electrical components connected to the networked computing environment is determined

by trilateration or triangulation for any of the one or more electrical components connected through a wireless access point connection, and/or retrieving a previously stored location for any of the one or more electrical components through a wired access point.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein

utilization associated with the computer related events includes one or more of: timestamp information of the computer related events, and custom option information.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the threshold condition of utilization is a configurable threshold condition corresponding to computer related events.

6. A system for controlling electrical power consumption of electrical components connected to a networked computing environment, the system comprising:

a bus;

a processor coupled to the bus;

a memory medium coupled to the bus, the memory medium comprising instructions to:

determine location information of electrical components that are connected to a networked computing environment;

receive computer related events of one or more electrical components that are logged in to and connected to the networked computing environment, wherein the received computer related events include one or more of: sound received through a computer microphone, and motion detected through a webcam;

determine that utilization associated with one of the computer related events of the electrical components that are logged in to and connected to the networked computing environment is less than a corresponding threshold condition of utilization;

responsive to determining that the utilization associated with the one computer related event of an electrical component that is logged in to and connected to the networked computing environment is less than the corresponding threshold condition of utilization, turn off the electrical components; and

turn off one or more of the electrical components based on location information of the one or more electrical components in relation to the one electrical component with utilization associated with the computer related event that is less than the associated threshold condition of utilization.

7. The system of claim 6 ,

wherein the one or more electrical components are connected to the networked computing environment through a wired access point or a wireless access point connection; and

wherein the one or more electrical components include one or more of: lights, laptop computers, desktop computers, phones, printers, and heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein location information of the one or more electrical components connected to the networked computing environment is determined by trilateration or triangulation for any of the one or more electrical components connected through a wireless access point connection, and/or retrieving a previously stored location for any of the one or more electrical components through a wired access point.

9. The system of claim 6 , wherein utilization associated with the computer related events includes one or more of: timestamp information of the computer related events, and custom option information.

10. The system of claim 6 , wherein the threshold condition of utilization is a configurable threshold condition corresponding to computer related events.

11. A computer program product for controlling electrical power consumption of electrical components connected to a networked computing environment, the computer program product comprising:

one or more hardware storage device and program instructions stored on the one or more hardware storage device, to:

determine, by one or more processors, location information of electrical components that are connected to a networked computing environment;

receive computer related events of one or more electrical components that are logged in to and connected to the networked computing environment, wherein the received computer related events include one or more of: sound received through a computer microphone, and motion detected through a webcam;

determine that utilization associated with one of the computer related events of the electrical components that are logged in to and connected to the networked computing environment is less than a corresponding threshold condition of utilization;

responsive to determining that the utilization associated with the one computer related event of an electrical component that is logged in to and connected to the networked computing environment is less than the corresponding threshold condition of utilization, turn off the electrical components; and

turn off one or more of the electrical components based on location information of the one or more electrical components in relation to the one electrical component with utilization associated with the computer related event that is less than the associated threshold condition of utilization.

12. The computer program product of claim 11 ,

wherein the one or more electrical components are connected to the networked computing environment through a wired access point or a wireless access point connection; and

wherein the one or more electrical components include one or more of: lights, laptop computers, desktop computers, phones, printers, and heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems.

13. The computer program product of claim 12 , wherein location information of the one or more electrical components connected to the networked computing environment is determined

by trilateration or triangulation for any of the one or more electrical components connected through a wireless access point connection, and/or retrieving a previously stored location for any of the one or more electrical components through a wired access point.

14. The computer program product of claim 11 , wherein utilization associated with the computer related events includes one or more of: timestamp information of the computer related events, and custom option information.

15. The computer program product of claim 11 , wherein the threshold condition of utilization is a configurable threshold condition corresponding to computer related events.

Assignments (20)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 19, 2022
From: GENERAC POWER SYSTEMS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 061476/0745 →
AMALGAMATION Recorded Jul 25, 2022
From: 1339416 B.C. LTD.; ECOBEE TECHNOLOGIES INC.
To: 1339416 B.C. LTD.
Reel/Frame 060907/0090 →
CONTINUED - CHANGE OF JURISDICTION Recorded Apr 26, 2022
From: ECOBEE INC.
To: ECOBEE TECHNOLOGIES INC.
Reel/Frame 059805/0101 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Apr 26, 2022
From: 1339416 B.C. LTD.
To: ECOBEE TECHNOLOGIES ULC
Reel/Frame 059825/0668 →
AMALGAMATION Recorded Apr 26, 2022
From: 1339416 B.C. LTD.; ECOBEE TECHNOLOGIES INC.
To: 1339416 B.C. LTD.
Reel/Frame 059825/0888 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 20, 2022
From: ECOBEE TECHNOLOGIES ULC
To: GENERAC HOLDINGS INC.
Reel/Frame 059713/0780 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 20, 2022
From: GENERAC HOLDINGS INC.
To: GENERAC POWER SYSTEMS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059713/0799 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE RECEIVING PARTY FROM ECOBEE, INC. TO ECOBEE INC. PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 058568 FRAME: 0001. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Feb 8, 2022
From: AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY, LLC D/B/A AST TRUST COMPANY (CANADA)
To: ECOBEE INC.
Reel/Frame 058965/0106 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE RECEIVING PARTY NAME FROM ECOBEE, INC. TO ECOBEE INC. PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 058521 FRAME: 0001. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST. Recorded Feb 7, 2022
From: STRUCTURED ALPHA LP, BY ITS GENERAL PARTNER THOMVEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD.
To: ECOBEE INC.
Reel/Frame 059205/0822 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jan 31, 2022
From: 1339416 B.C. LTD.
To: ECOBEE TECHNOLOGIES ULC
Reel/Frame 058907/0363 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 31, 2022
From: ECOBEE TECHNOLOGIES ULC
To: GENERAC HOLDINGS INC.
Reel/Frame 058917/0069 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 31, 2022
From: GENERAC HOLDINGS INC.
To: GENERAC POWER SYSTEMS, INC.
Reel/Frame 058917/0161 →
MERGER AND CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jan 31, 2022
From: 1339416 B.C. LTD.; ECOBEE TECHNOLOGIES INC.
To: 1339416 B.C. LTD.
Reel/Frame 061001/0949 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jan 31, 2022
From: ECOBEE INC.
To: ECOBEE TECHNOLOGIES INC.
Reel/Frame 058905/0211 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 16, 2021
From: AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY, LLC D/B/A AST TRUST COMPANY (CANADA)
To: ECOBEE, INC.
Reel/Frame 058568/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 16, 2021
From: STRUCTURED ALPHA LP, BY ITS GENERAL PARTNER THOMVEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD.
To: ECOBEE, INC.
Reel/Frame 058521/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 19, 2020
From: ECOBEE INC.
To: AST TRUST COMPANY (CANADA)
Reel/Frame 052704/0656 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 15, 2020
From: INC., ECOBEE
To: STRUCTURED ALPHA LP
Reel/Frame 052678/0864 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 28, 2019
From: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
To: ECOBEE INC.
Reel/Frame 048721/0992 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 21, 2011
From: AMADEU, ARIANE HERNANDES
To: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 025991/0637 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20120246497A1 · Sep 27, 2012