Method and system for calibrating an electrical device

Abstract

In general, the present invention provides a method and system for calibrating an electrical device that utilizes a data networking protocol (e.g., 802.1 X) over a power delivery network. Specifically, the present invention leverages information gathered and stored during the authentication and operation of the electrical device to determine whether the electrical device should be calibrated. In general, the present invention makes this determination based on time elapsed since a previous calibration and/or cumulative usage of the device.

1 . A method for calibrating an electrical device, comprising: 
 receiving on a remote server from the electrical device, via a power delivery network powering the electrical device, information indicative of usage of the electrical device or an elapsed time since a last calibration of the electrical device; and    determining whether the electrical device needs to be calibrated based on the information indicative of usage or the elapsed time.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the determining comprises determining whether a predetermined amount of time has elapsed since the last calibration.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising calibrating the electrical device if the predetermined amount of time has elapsed since the last calibration.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the determining comprises: 
 computing a cumulative usage of the electrical device based on the information indicative of usage; and    determining whether the cumulative usage exceeds a predetermined threshold of cumulative usage.    
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising calibrating the electrical device if the cumulative usage exceeds the predetermined threshold of cumulative usage.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electrical device utilizes a data networking protocol, and wherein the data networking protocol comprises a port-based access control.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the remote server is an authentication server, wherein the authentication server receives the information indicative if usage or the elapsed time from an authentication component over the power delivery network, and wherein the receiving and determining steps are performed by the authentication server.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electrical device is connected to the power delivery network via a power socket.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the electrical device is connected to the power socket via a power bar.  
   
   
       10 . A system for calibrating an electrical device, comprising: 
 a database access system for obtaining information for the electrical device from a database;    a time system for determining whether a predetermined amount of time has elapsed since a previous calibration of the electrical device based on the information; and    a usage system for computing a cumulative usage of the electrical device based on the information, and for determining whether the cumulative usage exceeds a predetermined threshold of cumulative usage.    
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the database access system, the time system and the usage system are located on an authentication server with which the electrical device communicates over a power delivery network.  
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the electrical device utilizes a data networking protocol and connects to the power delivery network via a power socket.  
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the electrical device connects to the power socket via a power bar.  
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the data networking protocol comprises port based access control.  
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the wherein the database access system, the time system and the usage system are each implemented using technology selected from the group consisting of hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software.  
   
   
       16 . A program product stored on a computer useable medium for calibrating an electrical device, the computer useable medium comprising program code for causing a computer to perform the following steps: 
 obtaining information for the electrical device from a database;    determining whether a predetermined amount of time has elapsed since a previous calibration of the electrical device based on the information; and    computing a cumulative usage of the electrical device based on the information, and determining whether the cumulative usage exceeds a predetermined threshold of cumulative usage.    
   
   
       17 . The program product of  claim 16 , wherein the program product is loaded on an authentication server with which the electrical device communicates over a power delivery network.  
   
   
       18 . The program product of  claim 17 , wherein the electrical device utilizes a data networking protocol and connects to the power delivery network via a power socket.  
   
   
       19 . The program product of  claim 18 , wherein the electrical device connects to the power socket via a power bar.  
   
   
       20 . The program product of  claim 18 , wherein the data networking protocol comprises port-based access control.