IP Library Granted Patent US 11,086,390
Granted Patent B2
US 11,086,390 · App. 16/676,982 · Granted Aug 10, 2021

Method and apparatus for improving power management by controlling a system input current in a power supply unit

Inventors: Wayne Kenneth Cook (Round Rock, TX); Craig Anthony Klein (Elgin, TX)
Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
G06F1/3296G05B15/02G06F1/3206
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,086,390
App. No.
16/676,982
Granted
Aug 10, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

An information handling system has power supply units (PSUs), each of which includes an input over current warning (OCW) setting that provides a reference for an amount of an input current drawn by a corresponding workload. Each of the PSUs sends an interrupt to a baseboard management controller (BMC) when the amount of the input current drawn by the corresponding workload exceeds the corresponding configured input OCW setting. In response to the received interrupt, the BMC requests an adjustment to the corresponding workload.

Claims (45)

1. An information handling system having improved power management, comprising:

a processor;

a baseboard management controller (BMC) coupled to the processor, the BMC to determine a power requirement for a workload, and to set a programmed value based on the determined power requirement;

a plurality of power supply units (PSUs) including first and second PSUs coupled to the processor and to the BMC, wherein the workload is divided between the first and second PSUs, wherein the first PSU includes a first input over current warning (OCW) setting that provides a first reference for a first amount of an input current drawn by a first portion of the workload assigned to the first PSU, wherein a first portion of the programmed value is included in the first OCW setting based on the first portion of the workload assigned to the first PSU, wherein the second PSU includes a second input OCW setting that provides a second reference for a second amount of the input current drawn by a second portion of the workload assigned to the second PSU, wherein a second portion of the programmed value is included in the second OCW setting based on the second portion of the workload assigned to the second PSU; and

a micro controller unit (MCU) to program the value of the input OCW, wherein the program of the value of the input OCW includes the MCU to:

determine whether a line status has been established;

when a MCU register reflects default power capabilities and in response to the line status having been established, the MCU to store default values of the input OCW in the MCU register, and to reload the MCU register with new default values based on a change in the line status, wherein the first PSU sends a first interrupt to the BMC when the amount of the input current drawn by the first portion of the workload exceeds the configured first input OCW setting, and

in response to the received first interrupt, the BMC requests the processor to adjust the workload.

2. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein each of the PSUs is configured to: monitor a change in a line condition; to inform the BMC of the change in a line condition; and to receive a signal from the BMC to change the input OCW setting based upon the detected change in the line condition.

3. The information handling system of claim 2 , wherein the monitoring of the change in the line condition utilizes a first time period.

4. The information handling system of claim 3 , wherein the first time period includes 500 milliseconds.

5. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein each of the PSUs is configured to compare the programmed value of the input OCW setting with an input OCW maximum value, and to set the input OCW setting to include the input OCW maximum value when the programmed value is greater than the input OCW maximum value.

6. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein each of the PSUs includes the MCU register that sets default values of the input OCW setting upon an application of an input voltage to the PSU.

7. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the adjustment in the corresponding workload decreases the first input current drawn from an input side of the first PSU.

8. An information handling system, comprising:

a baseboard management controller (BMC) coupled to a processor, the BMC to determine a power requirement for a workload, and to set the programmed value based on the determined power requirement;

a plurality of power supply units (PSUs) including first and second PSUs coupled to the processor and to the BMC, wherein the workload is divided between the first and second PSUs, wherein the first PSU includes a first portion of the programmed value of an input over current warning (OCW) setting that provides a first reference for a first portion amount of an input current drawn by a first portion of the workload assigned to the first PSU, wherein the second PSU includes a second input OCW setting that provides a second reference for a second amount of the input current drawn by a second portion of the workload assigned to the second PSU, wherein a second portion of the programmed value is included in the second OCW setting based on the second portion of the workload assigned to the second PSU; and

a micro controller unit (MCU) to program the value of the input OCW, wherein the program of the value of the input OCW includes the MCU to:

determine whether a line status has been established;

when a MCU register reflects default power capabilities and in response to the line status having been established, the MCU to store default values of the input OCW in the MCU register, and toreload the MCU register with new default values based on a change in the line status,

wherein the first PSU sends a first interrupt to the BMC when the amount of the input current drawn by the first portion of the workload exceeds the first portion of the programmed value of the input OCW setting, and wherein in response to the received interrupt, the BMC requests the processor to adjust the workload.

9. The information handling system of claim 8 , wherein each of the PSUs is configured to: monitor a change in a line condition; to inform the BMC of the change in a line condition; and to receive a signal from the BMC to change the input OCW setting based upon the detected change in the line condition.

10. The information handling system of claim 9 , wherein the monitoring of the change in the line condition utilizes a first time period.

11. The information handling system of claim 10 , wherein the first time period includes 500 milliseconds.

12. The information handling system of claim 8 , wherein each of the PSUs is configured to compare the programmed value of the input OCW setting with an input OCW maximum value, and to set the input OCW setting to include the input OCW maximum value when the programmed value is greater than the input OCW maximum value.

13. The information handling system of claim 8 , wherein each of the PSUs includes the MCU register that sets default values of the input OCW setting upon an application of an input voltage to the PSU.

14. A method, comprising:

determining a power requirement for a workload;

setting a programmed value for an over current warning (OCW) based on the determined power requirement;

dividing the workload between first and second power supply units (PSUs);

receiving, by the first PSU, a first portion of the programmed value of the input OCW setting, wherein the first portion of the programmed value is based on a first portion of the workload assigned to the first PSU;

determining a first amount of input current drawn by the first portion of the workload;

receiving, by the second PSU, a second portion of the programmed value of the input OCW setting, wherein the second portion of the programmed value is based on a second portion of the workload assigned to the second PSU;

comparing the first portion of the programmed threshold value with the determined first amount of input current drawn by the first portion of the workload;

programming, by a micro controller unit (MCU), the value of the input OCW, wherein the program of the value of the input OCW includes:

determining whether a line status has been established;

when a MCU register reflects default power capabilities and in response to the line status having been established:

storing default values of the input OCW in the MCU register, and

reloading the MCU register with new default values based on a change in the line status; and

sending an interrupt to a baseboard management controller (BMC) when the first amount of input current drawn by the first portion of the workload exceeds the first portion of the programmed value of the input OCW setting, wherein in response to the received interrupt, the BMC requests a processor to adjust the workload.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

monitoring, by the first PSU, a change in a line condition;

informing the BMC of the change in the line condition; and

receiving a signal from the BMC to change the input OCW setting based upon the detected change in the line condition.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the first PSU changes line status upon receiving of the signal from the BMC.

Assignments (9)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (053311/0169) Recorded Jun 23, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 060438/0742 →
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 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (052216/0758) Recorded Jun 23, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 060438/0680 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST AF REEL 052243 FRAME 0773 Recorded Nov 2, 2021
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 058001/0152 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2020
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 053311/0169 →
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 26, 2020
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
Reel/Frame 052243/0773 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (NOTES) Recorded Mar 24, 2020
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 052216/0758 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 7, 2019
From: COOK, WAYNE KENNETH; KLEIN, CRAIG ANTHONY
To: DELL PRODUCTS, LP
Reel/Frame 050949/0281 →