Patent attributes
A method and device for power management of intelligent hardware (e.g., an intelligent data concentrator) for providing access to voice and data networks. Power use data of the intelligent hardware is obtained, wherein the intelligent hardware is coupled to a power source and communicatively coupled to a voice or data network. The intelligent hardware is configured to communicatively couple a plurality of electronic devices to the network. Using the power use data, a power mode of the intelligent hardware is determined. In one embodiment, the present invention comprises a first interface for communicatively coupling the intelligent hardware to the network and a power source and a second interface for communicatively coupling the intelligent device to the plurality of client devices. The intelligent device also comprises means for processing and interpreting data coupled to the first interface, and power mode control means coupled to the means for processing and interpreting data.
