Configurable VRM card
A discrete VRM card comprises a set of VRM controllers. The set of VRM controllers comprises a VRM controller with two feedback loops. The VRM card comprises a power stage and a power-stage critical-signal multiplexer. The output of the power-stage critical-signal multiplexer determines a feedback loop with which the power stage communicates. The VRM card also comprises a configuration selector. The configuration selector determines a feedback-loop assignment for the power-stage critical-signal multiplexer and provides VRM instructions to the VRM controller.
1. A discrete VRM card comprising:
a set of VRM controller circuits, wherein the set comprises a VRM controller circuit with two feedback loops;
a power stage;
a power-stage critical-signal multiplexer, wherein the output of the power-stage critical-signal multiplexer determines a feedback loop with which the power stage communicates; and
a configuration selector, wherein the configuration selector determines a feedback-loop assignment for the power-stage critical-signal multiplexer and provides VRM instructions to the VRM controller circuit.
2. The discrete VRM card of claim 1 , wherein the configuration selector provides the feedback-loop assignment to the VRM controller circuit, and wherein the VRM controller circuit loads a configuration file based on the feedback-loop assignment and the VRM instructions.
3. The discrete VRM card of claim 1 , wherein the configuration selector provides the feedback-loop assignment to the power-stage critical-signal multiplexer.
4. The discrete VRM card of claim 1 , wherein the configuration selector is configured to receive a system power property from a computer system with which the discrete VRM card is connected, wherein the feedback-loop assignment and the VRM instructions are based on the system power property.
5. The discrete VRM card of claim 1 , wherein the configuration selector is a multiplexer.
6. The discrete VRM card of claim 4 , wherein the feedback-loop assignment is a voltage signal within a pre-determined voltage range.
7. The discrete VRM card of claim 4 , wherein the VRM instructions are a combination of voltage signals.
8. The discrete VRM card of claim 1 , wherein the configuration selector is an FPGA.
9. The discrete VRM card of claim 1 , wherein the configuration selector is a microprocessor.
10. The discrete VRM card of claim 1 , wherein the VRM instructions comprise a configuration file.
11. The discrete VRM card of claim 1 , wherein the VRM instructions comprise:
a list of power stages; and
a voltage range.
12. A method comprising:
plugging a VRM card into a system board of a computer system;
detecting, by the VRM card, a power property of the computer system;
identifying, by the VRM card, a VRM card configuration based on the power property;
sending by the VRM card, based on the identifying, VRM instructions to a set of VRM controller circuits on the VRM card;
sending by the VRM card, based on the identifying, a set of feedback-loop assignments to a power-stage critical-signal multiplexer on the VRM card; and
operating the VRM card according to the VRM instructions and feedback-loop assignments.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the VRM instructions comprise a signal that identifies a configuration file.
14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the power property comprises a voltage signal within a pre-determined voltage range.
15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the sending the VRM instructions comprises sending the signal to the set of VRM controller circuits.
16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the power property is a model number of the computer system.
17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the identifying comprises cross referencing the power property with a list of VRM card configurations on a memory module on the VRM card.
18. The method of claim 12 , wherein detecting the power property comprises performing impedance measurements on a set of contacts that form a connection between a set of power stages on the VRM card and a set of components in the computer system.
19. A computer program product, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a VRM card to cause the VRM card to:
detect that the VRM card is inserted into a computer system;
detect a power property of the computer system;
identify a VRM card configuration based on the power property;
send, based on the identifying, VRM instructions to a VRM controller circuit on the VRM card;
send, based on the identifying, a feedback-loop assignment for a power-stage critical-signal multiplexer on the VRM card.
20. The computer program product of claim 19 , wherein the feedback-loop assignment is sent to the VRM controller circuit.
21. The computer program product of claim 19 , wherein the feedback-loop assignment is sent to the power-stage critical-signal multiplexer.
22. The computer program product of claim 19 , wherein the detecting a power property comprises:
reading a set of voltage signals sent to the VRM card;
categorizing each voltage signal in the set of voltage signals into a voltage range in a set of pre-determined voltage ranges;
forming, based on the categorizing, a VRM configuration number.
23. The computer program product of claim 22 , wherein the VRM configuration number comprises a list of voltage ranges that represent the set of voltage signals.
24. The computer program product of claim 19 , wherein the power property comprises a set of requested power outputs and a power requirement for each power output in the set of requested power outputs.
25. The computer program product of claim 19 , wherein the program instructions further cause the VRM card to:
receive, at the VRM card, an updated list that correlates power properties and VRM card configurations; and
store the updated list in a memory module on the VRM card.