Data center equipment cabinet information center and updateable asset tracking system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9545029-B2
Application number	US-201414577674-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 19, 2014
Priority date	Jul 30, 2012
Publication date	Jan 10, 2017
Grant date	Jan 10, 2017

Abstract

A cabinet frame enclosure is provided having a first side wall, a second side wall, a first opening and a second opening each in combination defining an interior space for accommodating a plurality of equipment, the equipment being removable through the first opening. A plurality of functional modules are provided such as: an asset tracking module for detecting the presence or absence of the equipment from the interior space of the cabinet frame enclosure, the asset tracking module disposed in the first side wall adjacent the first opening; an access control module for providing electronic locking and access control to the interior space of the cabinet frame enclosure; an environmental management module for monitoring and controlling environmental conditions within the interior space of the cabinet frame enclosure; a power management module for monitoring and controlling power distribution to equipment located in the interior space of the cabinet frame enclosure, the power management module disposed in one of the first side wall or second side wall and adjacent the second opening; and a cabinet control module (CCM) for providing consolidated connectivity to the plurality of functional modules, wherein the CCM presents a single network connection for managing the equipment located in the cabinet frame enclosure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A data center infrastructure management rack comprising:
a rack frame enclosure having a first side wall, a second side wall, the first and second sidewalls extending between a top and bottom, a first opening extending between the top and bottom, a door for enclosing the first opening and a second opening extending between the top and bottom and the frame having an inside surface defined by a portion of one of the first and second side walls, the inside surface extending between the top and bottom, the rack defining an interior space for accommodating a plurality of electronic equipment, the electronic equipment being removable through the first opening;
a power management module for monitoring and controlling power distribution to electronic equipment located in the interior space of the cabinet frame enclosure, the power management module disposed in one of the first side wall or second side wall and adjacent the second opening; and
asset tracking module for detecting the presence or absence of the electronic equipment from the interior space of the cabinet frame enclosure including a tag information file that identifies the electronic equipment, the asset tracking module capable of writing to an electronic equipment tag to enable modification of the tag information file when the electronic equipment is relocated, the asset tracking module disposed along the inside surface adjacent the first opening; and
a pair of air flow sensors providing air flow readings within the rack frame enclosure.

2. The rack of claim 1 , wherein the power management module comprises one or more of a power distribution unit (PDU), a power strip, and an intelligent power battery backup device.

3. The rack of claim 1 , wherein the power management module is configured to selectively control at least one of power delivery and power storage to the electronic equipment.

4. The rack of claim 1 , further comprising an updatable asset tracking module configured to detect the electronic equipment wirelessly and an RFID tag attached to the electronic equipment.

5. The rack of claim 4 , wherein the updateable asset tracking module is configured to write to one or more RFID tags attached to the electronic equipment.

6. The rack of claim 4 , wherein the updateable asset tracking module comprises one or more RFID readers provided by a detachable strip located within the interior space of the cabinet frame enclosure.

7. The rack of claim 4 , wherein the updateable asset tracking module further comprises a plurality of blocks connected in series and each block containing at least one RFID reader.

8. The rack of claim 5 wherein each block includes a male end and an opposite female end so that corresponding blocks may be interconnected to form a strip.

9. The rack of claim 1 , further comprising an access control module for providing electronic locking and access control to the interior space of the cabinet frame enclosure and wherein the access control module comprises one of: a touch-sensor-based key keypad, a proximity card reader, an on-screen touch-screen control, a remote network control, and biometric access and wherein the access control module is configured to use visual data including at least one of still images and video.

10. The rack of claim 1 , further comprising an environmental management module for monitoring and controlling environmental conditions within the interior space of the cabinet frame enclosure wherein the environmental management module includes one of a fan and a dehumidifier for controlling one of airflow and humidity within the interior space of the cabinet frame enclosure.

11. The rack of claim 1 , further comprising a cabinet control module (CCM) for providing consolidated connectivity to the plurality of functional modules, wherein the CCM presents a single network connection for managing the electronic equipment located in the cabinet frame enclosure and wherein the cabinet control module is wirelessly connect to the plurality of functional modules.

12. The rack of claim 11 , wherein the cabinet control module is wired to the plurality of functional modules.

13. The rack of claim 11 , wherein the cabinet control module comprises a touch-screen display for providing external user interaction between a user and the integrated appliance.

14. The rack of claim 11 , wherein the cabinet control module is configured to manage a correlated automation scenario where information received from at least a first functional module is used to manage at least a second functional module.

15. The rack of claim 11 , wherein the single network connection has a single IP address.

16. A self-contained and self-monitoring electronic equipment rack comprising: a cabinet frame enclosure having a first side wall, a second side wall, a first opening and a second opening each in combination defining an interior space for accommodating a plurality of electronic equipment, a door for enclosing one of the first or second openings, the electronic equipment being removable through the first opening along a removal path;
a first component disposed in the first or second side wall for providing power to the entire cabinet and each of cabinet components via a single power cable; and
a second component disposed in the first sidewall adjacent the first opening and the removal path, the second component for wirelessly detecting the presence of at least one of the electronic equipment and including a tag information file that identifies the electronic equipment and having a read and write capability to enable modification of the to information file when the electronic equipment is relocated into or out of the cabinet frame; and
an air flow sensor providing air flow readings from within the cabinet frame enclosure.

17. The electronic equipment rack of claim 16 wherein the second component includes an asset tracking module that is configured to detect one or more RFID tags attached to the electronic equipment, each of the cabinet components capable of connecting to the cabinet control module (CCM).

18. An cabinet power management system comprising:
a cabinet frame enclosure having a first side wall, a second side wall, a first opening and a second opening each in combination defining an interior space for accommodating a plurality of electronic equipment, a door for enclosing one of the first or second openings, the electronic equipment being removable through the first opening;
a power management module for monitoring and controlling power distribution to electronic equipment located in the interior space of the cabinet frame enclosure, the power management module disposed in one of the first side wall or second side wall and adjacent the second opening and wherein the power management module is configured to selectively control at least one of power delivery and power storage to the electronic equipment; and
an asset tracking module for detecting the presence or absence of the electronic equipment from the interior space of the cabinet frame enclosure including a tag information file that identities the electronic equipment, the asset tracking module located in the frame adjacent the first opening; and
an air flow sensor providing air flow readings at the first and second side walls.

19. The electronic power management system of claim 18 wherein the power management module comprises one or more of: a power distribution unit (PDU), a power strip, and an intelligent power battery backup device.

20. The electronic power management system of

Assignees

• Methode Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Park Rex
• Hildreth David
• Hazzard Tim

Classifications

• G06F17/30067

  Physics · mapped topic

• G06Q10/087

  Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders · CPC title

• G06F2212/163

  Server or database system · CPC title

• H04B5/0062

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H05K5/0208

  Interlock mechanisms; Means for avoiding unauthorised use or function, e.g. tamperproof · CPC title