Method and apparatus for supplying power to a processor

1. A method for supplying power to a processor, comprising:

in response to receiving a first signal, at a microprocessor included within a battery on bus, from a power supply unit that supplies power to a central processing unit (“CPU”), determining, at the microprocessor, whether an additional power supply is able to provide extra power required by the CPU, the first signal defining a CPU acceleration mode indicating that power required by the CPU exceeds maximum power that can be provided by the power supply unit, wherein the power supply unit transmits the first signal as a logic signal to the battery on bus instead of to the CPU during an interval when power demand by the CPU exceeds peak power of the power supply unit; and

in response to determining that the additional power supply is able to provide the extra power, supplying power from the battery on bus to the CPU by at least the additional power supply.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

in response to determining that the additional power supply is unable to provide the extra power, transmitting a second signal to the CPU so as to reduce a clock frequency of the CPU.

3. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

in response to discontinuation of the first signal from the power supply unit, stopping the supplying power to the CPU by the additional power supply.

4. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

in response to the power supply unit powering down, supplying power to the CPU by the additional power supply.

5. An apparatus for supplying power to a central processing unit (“CPU”), comprising:

a battery on bus including a microprocessor, the microprocessor is configured to, in response to receiving a first signal from a power supply unit that supplies power to a CPU, determine whether an additional power supply is able to provide extra power required by the CPU, the first signal defining a CPU acceleration mode indicating that power required by the CPU exceeds maximum power that can be provided by the power supply unit, wherein the battery on bus receives the first signal as a logic signal from the power supply unit during an interval when power demand by the CPU exceeds peak power of the power supply unit, and wherein the battery on bus is configured to, in response to determining that the additional power supply is able to provide the extra power, cause at least the additional power supply to supply power from the battery on bus to the CPU.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the first signal is received via a first reserved pin of the apparatus.

7. The apparatus according to claim 5 , further comprising:

a second signal transmitting module configured to, in response to determining that the additional power supply is unable to provide the extra power, transmit a second signal to the CPU so as to reduce a clock frequency of the CPU.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the second signal is transmitted via a second reserved pin of the apparatus.

9. The apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein in response to discontinuation of the first signal from the power supply unit, the microprocessor being further configured to cause the additional power supply to stop supplying power to the CPU.

10. The apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein in response to the power supply unit powering down, the microprocessor being further configured to cause the additional power supply to supply power to the CPU.

11. An additional power supply for supplying power to a central processing unit (“CPU”), comprising:

an apparatus for controlling power supply to the CPU, the apparatus including a battery on bus including a microprocessor configured to:

in response to receiving a first signal from a power supply unit that supplies power to a CPU, determine whether the additional power supply is able to provide extra power required by the CPU, the first signal defining a CPU acceleration mode indicating that power required by the CPU exceeds maximum power that can be provided by the power supply unit, wherein the battery on bus receives the first signal as a logic signal from the power supply unit during an interval when power demand by the CPU exceeds peak power of the power supply unit; and

in response to determining that the additional power supply is able to provide the extra power, cause at least the additional power supply to supply power from the battery on bus to the CPU.

12. The additional power supply according to claim 11 , wherein the first signal is received via a first reserved pin of the apparatus.

13. The additional power supply according to claim 11 , wherein the apparatus is further configured to:

in response to determining that the additional power supply is unable to provide the extra power, transmit a second signal to the CPU so as to reduce a clock frequency of the CPU.

14. The additional power supply according to claim 13 , wherein the second signal is transmitted via a second reserved pin of the apparatus.

15. The additional power supply according to claim 11 , wherein the apparatus is further configured to:

in response to discontinuation of the first signal from the power supply unit, cause the additional power supply to stop supplying power to the CPU.

16. The additional power supply according to claim 11 , wherein the apparatus is further configured to:

in response to the power supply unit powering down, cause the additional power supply to supply power to the CPU.