IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,857,856
Granted Patent B2
US 9,857,856 · App. 14/967,256 · Granted Jan 2, 2018

System and method for determining power supply unit configurations in an information handling system

Inventors: Dinesh Kunnathur Ragupathi (Round Rock, TX); Alaric Joaquim Narcissius Silveira (Round Rock, TX); Eric Michael Tunks (Austin, TX); John Ervin Jenne (Austin, TX)
Assignee: Dell Products, L.P.
G06F1/28
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 9,857,856
App. No.
14/967,256
Filed
Dec 11, 2015
Granted
Jan 2, 2018
Kind
B2
Art Unit
2115
USPC
713/300
Abstract

A method determines power supply unit configurations in an information handling system. The method includes determining, via a controller, a first amount of power required to operate functional components of the IHS. A history table is retrieved containing a plurality of power supply unit (PSU) configurations and PSU data. The method further includes determining if the history table contains a first PSU configuration corresponding to the first amount of power. In response to determining that the history table contains the first PSU configuration corresponding to the first amount of power, the PSUs identified as active mode PSUs in the first PSU configuration are triggered to be in an active mode and operating at the corresponding percentage load and the PSUs identified as sleep mode PSUs in the first PSU configuration are triggered to be in a sleep mode.

Claims (77)

1. A computer implemented method for determining a power supply unit (PSU) configuration in an information handling system (IHS), the method comprising:

determining, via a controller, a first amount of power required to operate functional components of the IHS, the first amount of power correlating to a present percentage load on a plurality of PSUs utilized to power the IHS;

retrieving a history table containing a plurality of PSU configurations and PSU data, the PSU configurations comprising combinations of active mode and sleep mode PSUs for each of a plurality of percentage loads, wherein the history table is generated during a power on self test (POST) of the IHS prior to initiating processing operations;

determining if the history table contains a first PSU configuration corresponding to the first amount of power required to operate the functional components of the IHS; and

in response to determining that the history table contains the first PSU configuration, configuring the PSUs identified as active mode PSUs in the first PSU configuration to be in an active mode and collectively operating at the corresponding percentage load and configuring the PSUs identified as sleep mode PSUs in the first PSU configuration to be in a sleep mode.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein in response to determining that the history table does not contain the first PSU configuration, the method further comprises:

extrapolating a predictive combination of active and sleep mode PSUs; and

configuring the PSUs identified as active mode PSUs in the predictive combination to be in an active mode and triggering the PSUs identified in the predictive combination as sleep mode PSUs to be in a sleep mode.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein in response to determining that the history table does not contain the first PSU configuration, the method further comprises:

triggering each of the plurality of PSUs to transmit respective PSU parameters associated with operation of the PSUs for the plurality of percentage loads;

determining a second PSU configuration having a lowest total input power that supports the present percentage load; and

triggering activation of the second configuration of PSUs.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the history table further comprises:

configuring the PSUs to be in a plurality of combinations of active and sleep modes;

triggering each of the PSUs to transmit a plurality of PSU parameters associated with operation of the PSU at each of the plurality of percentage loads and for each of the plurality of combinations; and

storing, as the plurality of PSU configurations, the PSU parameters for the plurality of percentage loads for each of the plurality of combinations.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving a plurality of power supply parameters for each of the PSUs;

calculating a power supply thermal efficiency score (PTES) based on the power supply parameters;

determining which of the PSUs have the highest PTES values; and

identifying the PSUs with the highest PTES values and capacity to support the first amount of power as the active mode PSUs and identifying the remaining PSUs as the sleep mode PSUs.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein calculating the PTES value further comprises:

calculating a plurality of PSU statistics for each of the PSUs at least partially based on the power supply parameters; and

assigning weights to each of the PSU statistics, wherein the PTES values are calculated based on the PSU statistics and the assigned weights.

7. A power supply system comprising:

a plurality of power supply units (PSUs) supplying power to an information handling system (IHS);

a controller communicatively coupled to the PSUs, the controller having firmware executing thereon to determine a PSU configuration to apply to the IHS, wherein the firmware configures the controller to:

determine a first amount of power required to operate functional components of the IHS, the first amount of power correlating to a present percentage load on a plurality of PSUs utilized to power the IHS;

retrieve a history table containing a plurality of PSU configurations and PSU data, the PSU configurations comprising combinations of active mode and sleep mode PSUs for each of a plurality of percentage loads, wherein the history table is generated during a power on self test (POST) of the IHS prior to initiating processing operations;

determine if the history table contains a first PSU configuration corresponding to the first amount of power required to operate the functional components of the IHS; and

in response to determining that the history table contains the first PSU configuration, configure the PSUs identified as active mode PSUs in the first PSU configuration to be in an active mode and collectively operating at the corresponding percentage load and configure trigger the PSUs identified as sleep mode PSUs in the first PSU configuration to be in a sleep mode.

8. The power supply system of claim 7 , wherein in response to determining that the history table does not contain the first PSU configuration corresponding to the first amount of power required to operate functional components of the IHS, the controller:

extrapolates a predictive combination of active and sleep mode PSUs; and

configures the PSUs identified as active mode PSUs in the predictive combination to be in an active mode and configures the PSUs identified in the predictive combination as sleep mode PSUs to be in a sleep mode.

9. The power supply system of claim 7 , wherein in response to determining that the history table does not contain the first PSU configuration corresponding to the first amount of power required to operate functional components of the IHS, the controller:

triggers each of the PSUs to transmit a plurality of PSU parameters associated with operation of the PSUs for the plurality of percentage loads;

determines a second PSU configuration having a lowest total input power that supports the present percentage load; and

triggers activation of the second configuration of PSUs.

10. The power supply system of claim 7 , wherein to generate the history table the controller:

configures the PSUs to be in a plurality of combinations of active and sleep modes;

triggers each of the PSUs to transmit a plurality of PSU parameters associated with operation of the PSU at each of the plurality of percentage loads and for each of the plurality of combinations; and

stores the PSU parameters for the plurality of percentage loads for each of the plurality of combinations as the plurality of PSU configurations.

11. The power supply system of claim 7 , wherein the firmware further configures the controller to:

receive a plurality of power supply parameters for each of the PSUs;

calculate a power supply thermal efficiency score (PTES) based on the power supply parameters;

determine which of the PSUs have the highest PTES values; and

identify the PSUs with the highest PTES values and capacity to support the first amount of power as the active mode PSUs and identifying the remaining PSUs as the sleep mode PSUs.

12. The power supply system of claim 11 , wherein to calculate the PTES value, the controller:

calculates a plurality of PSU statistics for each of the PSUs at least partially based on the power supply parameters; and

assigns weights to each of the PSU statistics, wherein the PTES values are calculated based on the PSU statistics and the assigned weights.

13. An information handling system (IHS) comprising:

a processor;

a plurality of power supply units (PSUs) supplying power to the IHS;

a controller communicatively coupled to the PSUs, the controller having firmware executing thereon to determine a PSU configuration to apply to the IHS, wherein the firmware configures the controller to:

determine a first amount of power required to operate functional components of the IHS, the first amount of power correlating to a present percentage load on a plurality of PSUs utilized to power the IHS;

retrieve a history table containing a plurality of PSU configurations and PSU data, the PSU configurations comprising combinations of active mode and sleep mode PSUs for each of a plurality of percentage loads, wherein the history table is generated during a power on self test (POST) of the IHS prior to initiating processing operations;

determine if the history table contains a first PSU configuration corresponding to the first amount of power required to operate the functional components of the IHS; and

in response to determining that the history table contains the first PSU configuration, configure r the PSUs identified as active mode PSUs in the first PSU configuration to be in an active mode and collectively operating at the corresponding percentage load and configure the PSUs identified as sleep mode PSUs in the first PSU configuration to be in a sleep mode.

14. The information handling system of claim 13 , wherein in response to determining that the history table does not contain the first PSU configuration corresponding to the first amount of power required to operate functional components of the IHS, the controller:

extrapolates a predictive combination of active and sleep mode PSUs; and

triggers the PSUs identified as active mode PSUs in the predictive combination to be in an active mode and triggers the PSUs identified in the predictive combination as sleep mode PSUs to be in a sleep mode.

15. The information handling system of claim 13 , wherein in response to determining that the history table does not contain the first PSU configuration corresponding to the first amount of power required to operate functional components of the IHS, the controller:

triggers each of the PSUs to transmit a plurality of PSU parameters associated with operation of the PSUs for the plurality of percentage loads;

determines a second PSU configuration having a lowest total input power that supports the present percentage load; and

triggers activation of the second configuration of PSUs.

16. The information handling system of claim 13 , wherein to generate the history table the controller:

configures the PSUs to be in a plurality of combinations of active and sleep modes;

triggers each of the PSUs to transmit a plurality of PSU parameters associated with operation of the PSU at each of the plurality of percentage loads and for each of the plurality of combinations; and

stores the PSU parameters for the plurality of percentage loads for each of the plurality of combinations as the plurality of PSU configurations.

17. The information handling system of claim 13 , wherein the firmware further configures the controller to:

receive a plurality of power supply parameters for each of the PSUs;

calculate a power supply thermal efficiency score (PTES) based on the power supply parameters;

determine which of the PSUs have the highest PTES values; and

identify the PSUs with the highest PTES values and capacity to support the first amount of power as the active mode PSUs and identifying the remaining PSUs as the sleep mode PSUs.

18. The power supply system of claim 17 , wherein to calculate the PTES value, the controller:

calculates a plurality of PSU statistics for each of the PSUs at least partially based on the power supply parameters; and

assigns weights to each of the PSU statistics, wherein the PTES values are calculated based on the PSU statistics and the assigned weights.

Assignments (15)
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 (045455/0001) Recorded May 20, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.); DELL MARKETING L.P. (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.); DELL USA L.P.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC. AND WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.); EMC CORPORATION (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO MAGINATICS LLC); EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO MOZY, INC.); SCALEIO LLC
Reel/Frame 061753/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (040136/0001) Recorded Apr 26, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.); DELL MARKETING L.P. (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.); DELL USA L.P.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC. AND WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.); EMC CORPORATION (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO MAGINATICS LLC); EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO MOZY, INC.); SCALEIO LLC
Reel/Frame 061324/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 3, 2021
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
To: ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; AVENTAIL LLC; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL USA L.P.; DELL INTERNATIONAL, L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL SYSTEMS CORPORATION; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; MAGINATICS LLC; MOZY, INC.; SCALEIO LLC; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 058216/0001 →
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 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Sep 21, 2016
From: ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; AVENTAIL LLC; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL USA L.P.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL SYSTEMS CORPORATION; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; MAGINATICS LLC; MOZY, INC.; SCALEIO LLC; SPANNING CLOUD APPS LLC; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 040134/0001 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Sep 21, 2016
From: ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; AVENTAIL LLC; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL USA L.P.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL SYSTEMS CORPORATION; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; MAGINATICS LLC; MOZY, INC.; SCALEIO LLC; SPANNING CLOUD APPS LLC; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 040136/0001 →
RELEASE OF REEL 037848 FRAME 0210 (NOTE) Recorded Sep 14, 2016
From: BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 040031/0725 →
RELEASE OF REEL 037848 FRAME 0001 (TL) Recorded Sep 14, 2016
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 040028/0152 →
RELEASE OF REEL 037847 FRAME 0843 (ABL) Recorded Sep 13, 2016
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 040017/0366 →
SUPPLEMENT TO PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (TERM LOAN) Recorded Feb 18, 2016
From: DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 037848/0001 →
SUPPLEMENT TO PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (ABL) Recorded Feb 18, 2016
From: DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 037847/0843 →
SUPPLEMENT TO PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (NOTES) Recorded Feb 18, 2016
From: DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 037848/0210 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 11, 2015
From: RAGUPATHI, DINESH KUNNATHUR; SILVEIRA, ALARIC JOAQUIN NARCISSIUS; TUNKS, ERIC MICHAEL; JENNE, JOHN ERVEN
To: DELL PRODUCTS, L.P.
Reel/Frame 037277/0514 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20170168535A1 · Jun 15, 2017