Switching hub intelligent power management

United States Patent m

Ben-Meir et al.

[ii] Patent Number: 5,652,893 [45] Date of Patent: Jul. 29, 1997

[54] SWITCHING HUB INTELLIGENT POWER MANAGEMENT

[75] Inventors: Sam Ben-Meir, Sharon; John E Gibbons, Natick; Ian Thomas, Hopkinton, all of Mass.

[73] Assignee: 3COM Corporation, Santa Clara, Calif.

[21] Appl. No.: 355,056
[22] Filed: Dec 13,19<M

[51] Int CI.6 G06F 1/32

[52] U.S. CI 395/750

[58] Field of Search 364/492, 493;

395/750

[56] References Cited

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS

4,591,983 5/1986 Bennett et al 364/403

4,677,566 6/1987 Whittaker et al 364/492

Primary Examiner—Jack B. Harvey
Assistant Examiner—David A. Wiley
Attorney, Agent, or Firm—McGlew & Turtle

[57] ABSTRACT

A power management system rod for local area network hubs includes a network switching hub with a connection backplane with a plurality of connection slots. A power supply is provided having one or more elements providing a maximum power available for the system Manageable modules are connected to said switching hub, each of said manageable modules having a memory providing information as to the power requirements of the module. A controller module is connected to said manageable modules via said switching hub. The controller module includes memory means for receiving data from said manageable modules as to power requirements. A microprocessor is provided for calculating power requirements of the system and for controlling the supply of power to each of said modules.

21 Claims, 4 Drawing Sheets