Method and Apparatus to Provide Dynamic Regulation of Power Assist Unit Output based on Active Profile

• US 20200133362A1
• Filed: 10/30/2018
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Jenne, John E., Rodrigues, Terence K.
• Granted Patent: US 10,983,577 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 1/28 Supervision thereof, e.g. detecting power-supply failure by out of limits supervision
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/30 Means for acting in the event of power-supply failure or interruption, e.g. power-supply fluctuations for resetting only G06F1/24
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/305 in the event of power-supply fluctuations

Abstract

An information handling system (IHS) includes a power supply unit (PSU) and a power assist unit (PAU). The PSU provides power to a power rail at a first voltage level when he IHS is in a first platform state, and at a second voltage level when the IHS is in a second platform state. The PAU includes a power storage element, a converter coupled to the power storage element and to the power rail, and a controller. The controller determines whether the IHS is operating in the first or second platform state, directs the converter to provide power from the power storage element to the power rail at the first voltage level when the information handling system is in the first platform state, and to direct the converter to provide power from the power storage element to the power rail at the second voltage level when the information handling system is in the second platform state.

Claims

1. An information handling system, comprising:

a power supply unit configured to provide power to a power rail at a first voltage level when the information handling system is in a first platform state, and to provide power to the power rail at a second voltage level when the information handling system is in a second platform state; and

a power assist unit coupled to the power rail, the power assist unit including;

a power storage element;

a converter coupled to the power storage element and to the power rail; and

a controller configured to determine whether the information handling system is operating in the first platform state or in the second platform state, to direct the converter to provide power from the power storage element to the power rail at the first voltage level when the information handling system is operating in the first platform state, and to direct the converter to provide power from the power storage element to the power rail at the second voltage level when the information handling system is operating in the second platform state.

2. The information handling system of claim 1, wherein:

the power supply unit is further configured to provide no power to the power rail when the information handling system is in a third platform state; and

the controller is further configured to direct the converter to provide power from the power storage element to the power rail at the second voltage level when the information handling system is operating in the third platform state.

3. The information handling system of claim 2, wherein the power assist unit provides current on the power rail to start a cooling fan of the information handling system when the information handling system is in the third platform state.

4. The information handling system of claim 1, wherein:

the power supply unit is further configured to provide a current level indication to the controller that indicates an amount of current supplied to the power rail by the power supply unit when the information handling system is in the first platform state;

the controller is further configured to determine if the amount of current is greater than or less than a threshold level when the information handling system is in the first platform state; and

directing the converter to provide power to the power rail at the first voltage level is in response to the amount of current being greater than the threshold level.

5. The information handling system of claim 4, wherein the controller is further configured to direct the converter to charge the power storage element from the power rail in response to the amount of current being less than the threshold level.

6. The information handling system of claim 2, wherein the first platform state represents a normal operating state for the information handling system, the second platform state represents an Asynchronous DRAM Refresh state for the information handling system, and the third platform state represents a NVDIMM battery state for the information handling system.

7. The information handling system of claim 1, wherein the power storage element comprises a capacitor.

8. The information handling system of claim 1, wherein the power storage element comprises a battery.

9. A method, comprising:

providing, by a power supply unit of an information handling system, power to a power rail at a first voltage level when the information handling system is in a first platform state;

providing, by the power supply unit, power to the power rail at a second voltage level when the information handling system is in a second platform state;

determining, by a controller of the power assist unit, whether the information handling system is operating in the first platform state or in the second platform state;

directing, by the controller, a converter of the power assist unit that is coupled to a power storage element and to the power rail, to provide power from the power storage element to the power rail at the first voltage level when the information handling system is operating in the first platform state; and

directing, by the controller, the converter to provide power from the power storage element to the power rail at the second voltage level when the information handling system is operating in the second platform state.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

providing, by the power supply unit, no power to the power rail when the information handling system is in a third platform state;

determining, by the controller, whether the information handling system is operating in the third platform state;

directing, by the controller, the converter to provide power to the power rail at the second voltage level when the information handling system is operating in the third platform state.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

providing, by the power assist unit, current on the power rail to start a cooling fan of the information handling system when the information handling system is in the third platform state.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

providing, by the power supply unit, a current level indication to the controller that indicates an amount of current supplied to the power rail by the power supply unit when the information handling system is in the first platform state;

determining, by the controller, if the amount of current is greater than or less than a threshold level when the information handling system is in the first platform state, wherein directing the converter to provide power to the power rail at the first voltage level is in response to the amount of current being greater than the threshold level.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

directing, by the controller, the converter to charge the power storage element from the power rail when in response to the amount of current being less than the threshold level.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the first platform state represents a normal operating state for the information handling system, the second platform state represents an Asynchronous DRAM Refresh state for the information handling system, and the third platform state represents a NVDIMM battery state for the information handling system.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the power storage element comprises a capacitor.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the power storage element comprises a battery.

17. A power assist unit of an information handling system, the power assist unit comprising:

a power storage element;

a converter coupled to the power storage element and to a power rail of the information handling system; and

a controller configured to determine whether the information handling system is operating in a first platform state or in a second platform state, to direct the converter to provide power from the power storage element to the power rail at a first voltage level when the information handling system is operating in the first platform state, and to direct the converter to provide power from the power storage element to the power rail at a second voltage level when the information handling system is operating in the second platform state, wherein when the information handling system is operating in the first platform state, a power supply unit of the information handling system provides power to the power rail at the first voltage level, and when the information handling system is operating in the second platform state, the power supply unit provides power to the power rail at the second voltage level.

18. The power assist unit of claim 17, wherein the controller is further configured to direct the converter to provide power from the power storage element to the power rail at the second voltage level when the information handling system is operating in the third platform state, wherein the power supply unit provides no power to the power rail when the information handling system is in a third platform state.

19. The power assist unit of claim 18, wherein the power assist unit provides current on the power rail to start a cooling fan of the information handling system when the information handling system is in the third platform state.

20. The power assist unit of claim 17, wherein the controller is further configured to receive a current level indication to the controller that indicates an amount of current supplied to the power rail by the power supply unit when the information handling system is in the first platform state, and to determine if the amount of current is greater than or less than a threshold level when the information handling system is in the first platform state, wherein directing the converter to provide power to the power rail at the first voltage level is in response to the amount of current being greater than the threshold level.