METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR POWER SUPPLY UNIT CURRENT SHARING

• US 20160291660A1
• Filed: 04/02/2015
• Published: 10/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Chueh, Yung Fa, Hung, Tsai-Fu, Lai, Chung-Fu, Wang, Shih-Chieh
• Granted Patent: US 9,760,139 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/263 Arrangements for using multiple switchable power supplies, e.g. battery and AC G06F1/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3058 Monitoring arrangements for monitoring environmental properties or parameters of the computing system or of the computing system component, e.g. monitoring of power, currents, temperature, humidity, position, vibrations thermal management in cooling arrangements of a computing system G06F1/206
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0032 Control circuits allowing low power mode operation, e.g. in standby mode
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0045 Converters combining the concepts of switch-mode regulation and linear regulation, e.g. linear pre-regulator to switching converter, linear and switching converter in parallel, same converter or same transistor operating either in linear or switching mode
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/10 Technologies improving the efficiency by using switched-mode power supplies [SMPS], i.e. efficient power electronics conversion e.g. power factor correction or reduction of losses in power supplies or efficient standby modes

Abstract

Methods and systems for power supply unit (PSU) current sharing may include an In-System Power Monitoring and Management (IPMM) module monitoring an output value of a first power supply unit in a multi-power supply system. In an embodiment, the IPMM module may monitor an output value of a second power supply unit in the multi-power supply system. Additionally, the IPMM module may monitor an output performance parameter for the multi-power supply system. Furthermore, the IPMM module may adjust a setting of at least one of the first power supply unit and the second power supply unit for optimization of a current sharing performance parameter of the multi-power supply system. In various embodiments, the setting may include a droop voltage value, a distribution impedance value, or a set voltage increment value of at least one of the first power supply unit and the second power supply unit.

Claims

1. A method for power supply unit current sharing, comprising:

monitoring, with an In-System Power Monitoring and Management (IPMM) module, an output value of a first power supply unit in a multi-power supply system;

monitoring, with the IPMM module, an output value of a second power supply unit in the multi-power supply system;

determining, with the IPMM module, an output performance parameter for the multi-power supply system; and

adjusting, with the IPMM module, a setting of at least one of the first power supply unit and the second power supply unit for optimization of a current sharing performance parameter of the multi-power supply system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the output performance parameter is a current sharing value.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the output performance parameter is a current sharing error margin of a full power load.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the setting is a distribution impedance value of at least one of the first power supply unit and the second power supply unit.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the setting is a droop voltage value.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the setting is a set voltage increment value of at least one of the first power supply unit and the second power supply unit.

7. A system for power supply unit current sharing, comprising:

a first power supply unit in a multi-power supply system;

a second power supply in the multi-power supply system; and

an In-System Power Monitoring and Management (IPMM) module configured to;

monitor an output value of the first power supply unit;

monitor an output value of the second power supply unit;

determine an output performance parameter for the multi-power supply system; and

adjust a setting of at least one of the first power supply unit and the second power supply unit for optimization of a current sharing performance parameter of the multi-power supply system.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the output performance parameter is a current sharing value.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the output performance parameter is a current sharing error margin of a full power load.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the setting is a distribution impedance value of at least one of the first power supply unit and the second power supply unit.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the setting is a droop voltage value.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the setting is a set voltage increment value of at least one of the first power supply unit and the second power supply unit.

13. An apparatus for power supply unit current sharing, comprising:

a first power supply unit in a multi-power supply system;

a second power supply in the multi-power supply system; and

an In-System Power Monitoring and Management (IPMM) module configured to;

monitor an output value of the first power supply unit;

monitor an output value of the second power supply unit;

determine an output performance parameter for the multi-power supply system; and

adjust a setting of at least one of the first power supply unit and the second power supply unit for optimization of a current sharing performance parameter of the multi-power supply system.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the output performance parameter is a current sharing value.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the output performance parameter is a current sharing error margin of a full power load.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the setting is a distribution impedance value of at least one of the first power supply unit and the second power supply unit.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the setting is a droop voltage value.

18. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the setting is a set voltage increment value of at least one of the first power supply unit and the second power supply unit.