IP Library › Granted Patent US 8,868,900
Granted Patent B2
US 8,868,900 · App. 13/148,012 · Granted Oct 21, 2014

Method and system to lower power consumption

Inventor: Eugene Pakenham (Loveland, CO)
Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
G06F1/3203Y02B60/32G06F1/3234
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,868,900
App. No.
13/148,012
Granted
Oct 21, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a method of lowering power consumption. The method includes temporarily disabling a plurality of status indicators on a plurality of electronic components without disabling the operation of the electronic components.

Claims (22)

1. A method of lowering power consumption, comprising:

temporarily disabling a power switch associated with each of a plurality of status indicators on a plurality of electronic components without disabling the operation of the electronic components, wherein the status indicators are disabled upon the resolution of a fault in the electronic component.

2. The method of claim 1 , comprising leaving at least one of the plurality of status indicators active to indicate the operational status of the electronic component.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the status indicators are disabled after a time-out period has elapsed.

4. The method of claim 1 , comprising enabling the status indicators upon the detection of a fault in the electronic component, upon receiving an enable command over a network, upon the activation of a button on the electronic component, or any combinations thereof.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein enabling the status indicators allows the status indicators to be turned-on by a driver in response to a status condition.

6. The method of claim 1 , comprising disabling and enabling the status indicators on a fixed time schedule.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electronic components comprise a data center.

8. The method of claim 1 , comprising sending a command to an application specific integrated circuit to deactivate a status light.

9. An electronic device, comprising:

a plurality of status indicators built into the electronic device; and

a plurality of switches operatively coupled to the plurality of status indicators, wherein activation of each of the switches enables an associated status indicator;

wherein the status indicators are disabled upon the resolution of a fault in the electronic component.

10. The electronic device of claim 9 , comprising a computer, a server, a drive, a drive array, a switch, a router, or a power supply, or any combinations thereof.

11. The electronic device of claim 9 , comprising a module configured to control the switches on a time schedule, a module configured to deactivate the switches after a time-out period, a module to activate the switches upon detection of a fault condition, or any combinations thereof.

12. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the status indicators comprise light emitting diodes (LEDs), liquid crystal displays (LCDs), LCD displays, incandescent lights, neon lights, or any combinations thereof.

13. The electronic device of claim 9 , comprising an application specific integrated circuit operatively coupled between a driver circuit and an indicator light.

14. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium, comprising:

code configured to disable status indicators built into an electronic component by deactivating a switch associated with each status indicator without disabling the electronic component, wherein the status indicators are disabled upon the resolution of a fault in the electronic component.

15. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the code configured to disable the status indicators comprises a time-out timer.

16. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 14 , comprising code configured to reactivate the status indicators upon detection of a network fault.

17. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 14 , comprising a register block in an application specific integrated circuit.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 9, 2015
From: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
To: HEWLETT PACKARD ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT LP
Reel/Frame 037079/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 4, 2011
From: PAKENHAM, EUGENE
To: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
Reel/Frame 026703/0779 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20110296162A1 · Dec 1, 2011