IP Library Granted Patent US 10,963,359
Granted Patent B2
US 10,963,359 · App. 16/162,604 · Granted Mar 30, 2021

Battery management unit based runtime monitoring of power consumption

Inventors: Andrew Thomas Sultenfuss (Leander, TX); Richard Christopher Thompson (Cedar Park, TX)
Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
G06F11/3062G06F1/3212G06F9/3865G06F11/3476
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,963,359
App. No.
16/162,604
Granted
Mar 30, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

An information handling system (IHS) includes a battery management unit (BMU) and an embedded controller (EC). The EC is operable for detecting a trigger for monitoring power consumption in light of a first condition, capturing a state of the IHS, writing data representing the state to a power profile log, annotating the log with an identifier of a point at which logging associated with the first condition begins, obtaining, from the BMU, power data representing an amount of current flowing from or charge delivered by a battery, writing at least some power data to the log, detecting a trigger for ending monitoring associated with the first condition, annotating the log with an identifier of a point at which logging associated with the first condition ends, and generating, dependent on the annotations of the identifiers in the log, a power profile report indicating power consumption associated with the first condition.

Claims (103)

1. An information handling system, comprising:

a battery;

a battery management unit that controls operation of the battery; and

an embedded controller, comprising:

a processor; and

non-transitory computer readable memory media storing instructions executable by the processor for:

detecting a first trigger for monitoring power consumption in the information handling system in light of a first condition in the information handling system, the first condition including presence of a given component in the information handling system;

capturing a first state of the information handling system;

writing data representing the first state of the information handling system to a power profile log;

annotating the power profile log with a first identifier of a point in the power profile log at which data logging associated with the first condition begins;

obtaining, from the battery management unit, power data sampled by the battery management unit at a first rate based on the first condition, including data representing an amount of current flowing out of the battery or an amount of charge delivered by the battery;

writing at least a portion of the power data to the power profile log;

detecting a second trigger for ending the monitoring of power consumption in the information handling system in light of the first condition;

annotating the power profile log with a second identifier of a point in the power profile log at which data logging associated with the first condition ends;

generating, dependent on the annotations of the first and second identifiers in the power profile log, a first power profile report indicating power consumption associated with the first condition;

detecting a third trigger for monitoring power consumption in the information handling system in light of a second condition in the information handling system, wherein the third trigger is detected prior to detection of the second trigger, the second condition including transitioning the information handling system between a full-power operating mode and a low-power operating mode;

capturing a second state of the information handling system;

writing data representing the second state of the information handling system to the power profile log;

annotating the power profile log with a third identifier of a point in the power profile log at which data logging associated with the second condition begins;

obtaining, from the battery management unit and while obtaining of the power data at the first rate is concurrently in progress, additional power data sampled by the battery management unit at a second rate based on the second condition, the second rate differing from the first rate, including data representing an amount of current flowing out of the battery or an amount of charge delivered by the battery;

writing at least a portion of the additional power data to the power profile log;

detecting a fourth trigger for ending the monitoring of power consumption in the information handling system in light of the second condition;

annotating the power profile log with a fourth identifier of a point in the power profile log at which data logging associated with the second condition ends;

generating, dependent on the annotations of the third and fourth identifiers in the power profile log, a second power profile report indicating power consumption associated with the second condition; and

in response to the first power profile and the second power profile, providing control signals to the battery to control the charging of the battery,

wherein obtaining the power data that is sampled at the first rate and in light of the first condition overlaps in time with obtaining at least a portion of the additional power data that is sampled at the second rate and in light of the second condition.

2. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the power data obtained from the battery management unit is received from the battery management unit in real time as it is sampled by the battery management unit.

3. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the power data obtained from the battery management unit comprises sampled power data that has been aggregated by the battery management unit.

4. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the data representing the first state of the information handling system comprises one more of:

a respective identifier of each of one or more hardware or software components in the information handling system;

a respective identifier of a vendor or supplier of each of one or more hardware or software components in the information handling system;

a respective identifier of a model or version of each of one or more hardware or software components in the information handling system;

data indicating a current status of the battery; and

data indicating a current operating mode of the information handling system.

5. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the second trigger comprises:

expiration of a timer;

the first condition no longer being met;

execution of a given program instruction in the information handling system;

execution of a given program instruction in a system that is remote from the information handling system and is communicatively coupled to the information handling system;

removal of a given component from the information handling system;

a change in a configuration of components in the information handling system; or

a change in an operating mode of the information handling system.

6. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor for, in response to detecting the second trigger:

capturing a second state of the information handling system; and

writing data representing the second state of the information handling system to the power profile log.

7. A method for battery management unit based runtime monitoring of power consumption, comprising:

capturing a first state of the information handling system;

writing data representing the first state of the information handling system to a power profile log;

annotating the power profile log with a first identifier of a point in the power profile log at which data logging associated with the first condition begins;

obtaining, from the battery management unit, power data sampled by the battery management unit at a first rate based on the first condition, including data representing an amount of current flowing out of the battery or an amount of charge delivered by the battery;

writing at least a portion of the power data to the power profile log;

detecting a second trigger for ending the monitoring of power consumption in the information handling system in light of the first condition;

annotating the power profile log with a second identifier of a point in the power profile log at which data logging associated with the first condition ends;

generating, dependent on the annotations of the first and second identifiers in the power profile log, a first power profile report indicating power consumption associated with the first condition;

detecting a third trigger for monitoring power consumption in the information handling system in light of a second condition in the information handling system, wherein the third trigger is detected prior to detection of the second trigger, the second condition including transitioning the information handling system between a full-power operating mode and a low-power operating mode;

capturing a second state of the information handling system;

writing data representing the second state of the information handling system to the power profile log;

annotating the power profile log with a third identifier of a point in the power profile log at which data logging associated with the second condition begins;

obtaining, from the battery management unit and while obtaining of the power data at the first rate is concurrently in progress, additional power data sampled by the battery management unit at a second rate based on the second condition, the second rate differing from the first rate, including data representing an amount of current flowing out of the battery or an amount of charge delivered by the battery;

writing at least a portion of the additional power data to the power profile log;

detecting a fourth trigger for ending the monitoring of power consumption in the information handling system in light of the second condition;

annotating the power profile log with a fourth identifier of a point in the power profile log at which data logging associated with the second condition ends;

generating, dependent on the annotations of the third and fourth identifiers in the power profile log, a second power profile report indicating power consumption associated with the second condition; and

in response to the first power profile and the second power profile, providing control signals to the battery to control the charging of the battery,

wherein obtaining the power data that is sampled at the first rate and in light of the first condition overlaps in time with obtaining at least a portion of the additional power data that is sampled at the second rate and in light of the second condition.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein obtaining the power data comprises obtaining the power data from the battery management unit in real time as it is sampled by the battery management unit.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the power data obtained from the battery management unit comprises sampled power data that has been aggregated by the battery management unit.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the second trigger comprises:

expiration of a timer;

the first condition no longer being met;

execution of a given program instruction in the information handling system;

execution of a given program instruction in a system that is remote from the information handling system and is communicatively coupled to the information handling system;

removal of a given component from the information handling system;

a change in a configuration of components in the information handling system; or

a change in an operating mode of the information handling system.

11. Non-transitory computer readable memory media storing instructions executable by a processor for:

capturing a first state of the information handling system;

writing data representing the first state of the information handling system to a power profile log;

annotating the power profile log with a first identifier of a point in the power profile log at which data logging associated with the first condition begins;

obtaining, from the battery management unit, power data sampled by the battery management unit at a first rate based on the first condition, including data representing an amount of current flowing out of the battery or an amount of charge delivered by the battery;

writing at least a portion of the power data to the power profile log;

detecting a second trigger for ending the monitoring of power consumption in the information handling system in light of the first condition;

annotating the power profile log with a second identifier of a point in the power profile log at which data logging associated with the first condition ends;

generating, dependent on the annotations of the first and second identifiers in the power profile log, a first power profile report indicating power consumption associated with the first condition;

detecting a third trigger for monitoring power consumption in the information handling system in light of a second condition in the information handling system, wherein the third trigger is detected prior to detection of the second trigger, the second condition including transitioning the information handling system between a full-power operating mode and a low-power operating mode;

capturing a second state of the information handling system;

writing data representing the second state of the information handling system to the power profile log;

annotating the power profile log with a third identifier of a point in the power profile log at which data logging associated with the second condition begins;

obtaining, from the battery management unit and while obtaining of the power data at the first rate is concurrently in progress, additional power data sampled by the battery management unit at a second rate based on the second condition, the second rate differing from the first rate, including data representing an amount of current flowing out of the battery or an amount of charge delivered by the battery;

writing at least a portion of the additional power data to the power profile log;

detecting a fourth trigger for ending the monitoring of power consumption in the information handling system in light of the second condition;

annotating the power profile log with a fourth identifier of a point in the power profile log at which data logging associated with the second condition ends;

generating, dependent on the annotations of the third and fourth identifiers in the power profile log, a second power profile report indicating power consumption associated with the second condition; and

in response to the first power profile and the second power profile, providing control signals to the battery to control the charging of the battery,

wherein obtaining the power data that is sampled at the first rate and in light of the first condition overlaps in time with obtaining at least a portion of the additional power data that is sampled at the second rate and in light of the second condition.

12. The non-transitory computer readable memory media of claim 11 , wherein the second trigger comprises:

expiration of a timer;

the first condition no longer being met;

execution of a given program instruction in the information handling system;

execution of a given program instruction in a system that is remote from the information handling system and is communicatively coupled to the information handling system;

removal of a given component from the information handling system;

a change in a configuration of components in the information handling system; or

a change in an operating mode of the information handling system.

Assignments (5)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (053546/0001) Recorded Jun 23, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING L.P. (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.); DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC. AND WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.); EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 071642/0001 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Oct 1, 2021
From: DELL PRODUCTS, L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
Reel/Frame 057682/0830 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 22, 2020
From: CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES INC.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
Reel/Frame 053546/0001 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Mar 21, 2019
From: CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
Reel/Frame 049452/0223 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 17, 2018
From: SULTENFUSS, ANDREW THOMAS; THOMPSON, RICHARD CHRISTOPHER
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.
Reel/Frame 047197/0377 →