Networked, channelized power distribution, monitor and control for security and life safety applications

1. An apparatus comprising:

a power distribution bus;

a plurality of power distribution channels, each power distribution channel comprising:

an input terminal, for connection to an external access control device that is external from the apparatus, to receive a control input signal therefrom;

an optical coupler, comprising an optical coupler input, where the optical coupler input is the power distribution channel input terminal, the optical coupler input operative to be connected to an external access control device that is external from the apparatus, to receive a control input signal therefrom, and an optical coupler output;

an output device, comprising a power input operatively coupled to the power distribution bus, a control input, and an output for connection to an external controlled device that is external from the apparatus;

a controller, operatively coupled to each power distribution channel, such that for each power distribution channel, the controller comprises:

a first input, operatively coupled to the optical coupler output, the first input operative to receive a control input signal from an external access control device that is external from the apparatus;

a second input operatively coupled to the output device power input;

a third input operatively coupled to the output device output;

a control output operatively coupled to the output device control input, the controller operative to:

receive an access control input signal from an external access control device at the corresponding input terminal of each power distribution channel;

provide a control signal to the output device of each power distribution channel, in response to a corresponding access control input signal at the corresponding power distribution channel input terminal, such that each power distribution channel provides a control output signal at the output device output according to requirements of a corresponding external controlled device that corresponds to the respective power distribution channel;

determine that a particular controlled device corresponding to a particular power distribution channel is not operating within a required voltage range or a required current range; and

send a warning message to a remote device over a network interface identifying the particular controlled device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , where the controller is further operative to:

individually isolate a power distribution channel from the power distribution bus such that a control signal from a corresponding output device output is removed from a corresponding controlled device, while any other power distribution channel of the plurality of power distribution channels that is operatively coupled to the same power distribution bus continues to operate without interruption.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , where each power distribution channel further comprises:

a voltage detector comprising a voltage detector input connected to the power distribution bus and to the power input of the output device, and a voltage detector output operatively coupled to the controller second input; and

voltage and current sensing circuitry comprising a sensing circuitry input operatively coupled to the output device output, and a sensing circuitry output operatively coupled to the controller third input.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , where the controller is further operative to:

monitor an input voltage of the output device of each power distribution channel, using the corresponding voltage detector and monitor an output voltage and output current of the corresponding output device using the voltage and current sensing circuitry such that the controller can determine that each controlled device corresponding to each power distribution channel is operating with a required voltage range or a required current range to anticipate failures of the controlled devices.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , where the controller is further operative to:

isolate the particular power distribution channel and the particular controlled device from the power distribution bus.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , where each power distribution channel further comprises:

a second optical coupler comprising an input operatively coupled to a controller second control output, and having an output operative to connect to an external fault indicator; and

a light emitting diode connected to the second optical coupler input and to the controller second control output, to provide a visual indication when the controller detects a fault condition on at least one of the power distribution channels.

7. An apparatus comprising:

a power distribution bus;

a plurality of power distribution channels, each power distribution channel comprising:

an input terminal, for connection to an external access control device that is external from the apparatus, to receive a control input signal therefrom;

an output device, comprising a power input operatively coupled to the power distribution bus, a control input, and an output for connection to an external controlled device that is external from the apparatus;

a controller, operatively coupled to each power distribution channel, such that for each power distribution channel, the controller comprises:

a first input, operative to receive a control input signal from an external access control device that is external from the apparatus;

a second input operatively coupled to the output device power input;

a third input operatively coupled to the output device output;

a control output operatively coupled to the output device control input, the controller operative to:

receive an access control input signal from an external access control device at the corresponding input terminal of each power distribution channel;

provide a control signal to the output device of each power distribution channel, in response to a corresponding access control input signal at the corresponding power distribution channel input terminal, such that each power distribution channel provides a control output signal at the output device output according to requirements of a corresponding external controlled device that corresponds to the respective power distribution channel;

determine that a particular controlled device corresponding to a particular power distribution channel is not operating within a required voltage range or a required current range;

send a warning message to a remote device over a network interface identifying the particular controlled device; and

data manager and interface logic, operatively coupled to the controller and to the power distribution bus, the data manager and interface logic operative to:

obtain status information from the controller for each power distribution channel, including measured parameters and alert condition notifications related to power distribution channel faults, controlled device faults or potential controlled device failure;

write and email a report conforming to a plurality of configurable report settings in response to occurrence of an alert condition or a specified reporting interval;

obtain settings updates for each power distribution channel from a remote device over a network interface port; and

provide the settings updates to the controller.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , where the data manager and interface logic is operatively coupled to the controller using a Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI), Inter Integrated circuit (I 2 C) interface, or a Universal Asynchronous Receiver Transmit (UART) interface.

9. A method of operating a power management system, comprising:

receiving, at a power distribution channel input, from an external access control device, a corresponding access control signal for each power distribution channel of a plurality of power distribution channels; and

providing, by a controller, a control signal to each power distribution channel, in response to each power distribution channel's corresponding received access control signal, such that each power distribution channel provides a control output signal according to requirements of a corresponding external controlled device that corresponds to the respective power distribution channel;

determining, by the controller, that a particular controlled device corresponding to a particular power distribution channel is not operating within a required voltage range or a required current range; and

sending a warning message to a remote device over a network interface identifying the particular controlled device;

individually isolating a power distribution channel from a power distribution bus such that the control output signal is removed from the corresponding controlled device, while any other power distribution channel of the plurality of power distribution channels that is operatively coupled to the same power distribution bus continues to operate without interruption;

obtaining, by a data manager and interface logic component operatively coupled to the controller, status information for each power distribution channel, including measured parameters and alert condition notifications related to power distribution channel faults, external controlled device faults or potential controlled device failure;

writing and emailing a report conforming to a plurality of configurable report settings in response to occurrence of an alert condition or a specified reporting interval;

obtaining settings updates for each power distribution channel from a remote device over a network interface port; and

providing the settings updates to the controller for controlling each power distribution channel according to the setting updates.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

monitoring, by the controller, an input voltage of an output device of each power distribution channel, using a voltage detector corresponding to each power distribution channel; and

monitoring, by the controller, an output voltage and output current of the output device of each power distribution channel, using a voltage and current sensing circuitry corresponding to each power distribution channel;

determining, by the controller, based on the monitored input voltage and the monitored output voltage and output current, that each controlled device corresponding to each power distribution channel is operating within a required voltage range or a required current range.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

changing, by the controller, the output device settings using the settings updates for the corresponding power distribution channel provided by the data manager and interface logic component.

12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

monitoring, by the controller, a power distribution bus for loss of AC power; and

sending a control signal to an output device of a power distribution channel according to stored settings for determining the control output signal during a loss of AC power condition.

13. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

providing a navigable graphical user interface accessible by a remote device and operable to receive a single selection input to individually isolate any one power distribution channel from the power distribution bus.