SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING DYNAMIC CHARGE CURRENT BASED ON MAXIMUM CARD POWER

• US 20140372783A1
• Filed: 06/19/2013
• Published: 12/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: LSI Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: McCollum, Justin R., Wade, Rex C.
• Granted Patent: US 9,377,835 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/340
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3206 Monitoring of events, devices or parameters that trigger a change in power modality

Abstract

Aspects of the disclosure pertain to a system and method for providing dynamic charge current based on maximum expansion card power. Dynamic monitoring of overall power usage by an expansion card is performed. Based on the dynamic monitoring, power consumption of a charging circuit of the card is dynamically adjusted for maintaining the overall power consumption of the expansion card at or below a pre-determined power limit (e.g., at or below an expansion slot power limit). Further, based on the dynamic monitoring, an amount of charging current provided by a current limiting device of the charging circuit to an energy storage device of the charging circuit is dynamically adjusted.

Claims

1. A method of operation of an expansion card, comprising:

dynamically monitoring input power provided to the expansion card and determining a first input power value based on said monitoring, said monitoring being performed by a monitoring circuit of the expansion card;

when monitoring determines that the first input power value is below a pre-determined power usage threshold for the expansion card, establishing a maximum power usage limit for a charging circuit of the expansion card at a value equal to the difference between the pre-determined power usage threshold for the expansion card and the first input power value;

when monitoring determines that the first input power value is equal to or greater than a pre-determined power usage threshold for the expansion card, establishing the maximum power usage limit for the charging circuit of the expansion card at a value equal to zero; and

establishing a maximum charging current limit for the charging circuit based upon the established maximum power usage limit for the charging circuit.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

providing an amount of charging current from a current limiting device of the charging circuit to an energy storage device of the charging circuit based upon the established maximum charging current limit for the charging circuit.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising:

subsequent to determining the first value for the monitored input power provided to the expansion card, determining a second value for the monitored input power provided to the expansion card, the second value for the monitored input power being different than the first value.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, further comprising:

when monitoring determines that the second input power value is less than the first input power value, and that the second input power is below the pre-determined power usage threshold for the expansion card, adjusting the maximum power usage limit for the charging circuit by increasing the maximum power usage limit for the charging circuit, the increased maximum power usage limit being equal to the difference between the pre-determined power usage threshold for the expansion card and the second input power value.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, further comprising:

when monitoring determines that the second input power value is greater than the first input power value, and that the second input power is below the pre-determined power usage threshold for the expansion card, adjusting the maximum power usage limit for the charging circuit by decreasing the maximum power usage limit for the charging circuit, the decreased maximum power usage limit being equal to the difference between the pre-determined power usage threshold for the expansion card and the second input power value.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5, further comprising:

adjusting the maximum charging current limit for the charging circuit based upon the adjusted maximum power usage limit for the charging circuit

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, further comprising:

adjusting the amount of charging current provided from the current limiting device to the energy storage device based upon the adjusted maximum charging current limit.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method of operation of an expansion card, the method comprising:

dynamically monitoring input power provided to the expansion card and determining a first input power value based on said monitoring, said monitoring being performed by a monitoring circuit of the expansion card;

when monitoring determines that the first input power value is below a pre-determined power usage threshold for the expansion card, establishing a maximum power usage limit for a charging circuit of the expansion card at a value equal to the difference between the pre-determined power usage threshold for the expansion card and the first input power value;

when monitoring determines that the first input power value is equal to or greater than a pre-determined power usage threshold for the expansion card, establishing the maximum power usage limit for the charging circuit of the expansion card at a value equal to zero;

establishing a maximum charging current limit for the charging circuit based upon the established maximum power usage limit for the charging circuit; and

providing an amount of charging current from a current limiting device of the charging circuit to an energy storage device of the charging circuit based upon the established maximum charging current limit for the charging circuit.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 8, the method further comprising:

subsequent to determining the first value for the monitored input power provided to the expansion card, determining a second value for the monitored input power provided to the expansion card, the second value for the monitored input power being different than the first value.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 9, the method further comprising:

when monitoring determines that the second input power value is less than the first input power value, and that the second input power is below the pre-determined power usage threshold for the expansion card, adjusting the maximum power usage limit for the charging circuit by increasing the maximum power usage limit for the charging circuit, the increased maximum power usage limit being equal to the difference between the pre-determined power usage threshold for the expansion card and the second input power value.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 10, the method further comprising:

when monitoring determines that the second input power value is greater than the first input power value, and that the second input power is below the pre-determined power usage threshold for the expansion card, adjusting the maximum power usage limit for the charging circuit by decreasing the maximum power usage limit for the charging circuit, the decreased maximum power usage limit being equal to the difference between the pre-determined power usage threshold for the expansion card and the second input power value.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 11, the method further comprising:

adjusting the maximum charging current limit for the charging circuit based upon the adjusted maximum power usage limit for the charging circuit.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 12, the method further comprising:

adjusting the amount of charging current provided from the current limiting device to the energy storage device based upon the adjusted maximum charging current limit.

14. An expansion card, comprising:

a monitoring system configured for dynamically monitoring input power provided to the expansion card; and

a charging circuit, the charging circuit being connected to the monitoring system, the charging circuit including a current limiting device and an energy storage device, the energy storage device being connected to the current limiting device, the current limiting device configured for providing electrical current to the energy storage device for charging the energy storage device,

wherein the monitoring system provides an output to the current limiting device based upon the dynamic monitoring of the input power, and the current limiting device dynamically adjusts an amount of electrical current the current limiting device provides to the energy storage device based on the monitoring system output.

15. The expansion card as claimed in claim 14, further comprising:

a second monitoring system configured for dynamically monitoring input power provide to the expansion card.

16. The expansion card as claimed in claim 15, further comprising:

a processor, the processor being connected to the monitoring systems and the charging circuit.

17. The expansion card as claimed in claim 16, wherein the monitoring systems are configured for providing outputs to the processor based upon the dynamically monitored input power.

18. The expansion card as claimed in claim 17, wherein the processor, based upon the monitoring system outputs, provides an output to the charging circuit.

19. The expansion card as claimed in claim 18, wherein the current limiting device dynamically adjusts an amount of electrical current the current limiting device provides to the energy storage device based on the processor output.

20. The expansion card as claimed in claim 16, wherein the processor is a microcontroller.