Method and Apparatus for Providing High Bandwidth Capacitor Circuit in Power Assist Unit

• US 20200133378A1
• 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: Breen, John J., Muccini, Mark A., Wang, Lei
• Granted Patent: US 11,199,894 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/189 Power distribution
• 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 1/3253 Power saving in bus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3275 Power saving in memory, e.g. RAM, cache
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0096 Means for increasing hold-up time, i.e. the duration of time that a converter's output will remain within regulated limits following a loss of input power
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/08 Circuits specially adapted for the generation of control voltages for semiconductor devices incorporated in static converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/10 Arrangements incorporating converting means for enabling loads to be operated at will from different kinds of power supplies, e.g. from ac or dc
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/07 using capacitors charged and discharged alternately by semiconductor devices with control electrode , e.g. charge pumps

Abstract

An information handling system includes a power supply and a power assist unit. The power supply powers a power rail. The power assist unit includes a power storage element, a converter including a semiconductor device coupled to provide power from the power storage element to the power rail, and a controller configured to receive a load indication that indicates a power demanded by the load and to provide an intermediate output based upon the load indication. The controller includes a boost element to receive the intermediate output and to provide a controller output. The controller output is a sum of a bias voltage level provided by the bias element and the intermediate output. The controller output is coupled to a gate terminal of the semiconductor device. The converter provides power from the power storage element to the power rail in response to the controller output.

Claims

1. An information handling system, comprising:

a power supply unit configured to provide power to a power rail to power a load of the information handling system; and

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

a power storage element;

a converter including a semiconductor device coupled to provide power from the power storage element to the power rail, the semiconductor device including a gate terminal; and

a controller configured to receive a load indication that indicates the a power demanded by the load and to provide an intermediate output based upon the load indication, the controller including a boost element to receive the intermediate output and to provide a controller output, wherein the controller output is a sum of a bias voltage level provided by the bias element and the intermediate output, wherein the controller output is coupled to the gate terminal;

wherein the converter provides power from the power storage element to the power rail in response to the controller output.

2. The information handling system of claim 1, wherein the load indication represents a current level that is being supplied to the load by the power supply unit.

3. The information handling system of claim 2, wherein the load indication is provided by the power supply unit.

4. The information handling system of claim 1, wherein the load indication represents a voltage level of the power rail.

5. The information handling system of claim 1, wherein the semiconductor device comprises a NMOS FET.

6. The information handling system of claim 1, wherein the boost element comprises a battery.

7. The information handling system of claim 1, wherein the boost element comprises a charge pump.

8. The information handling system of claim 1, wherein the power storage element operates at a first voltage level that is higher than a second voltage level of the power rail.

9. The information handling system of claim 8, further comprising:

a charging module configured to maintain the power storage element at the first voltage level.

10. The information handling system of claim 1, wherein the power storage element comprises one of a capacitor and a rechargeable battery.

11. A method, comprising:

providing, by a power supply unit of an information handling system, power to a power rail to power a load of the information handling system;

coupling a converter of a power assist unit of the information handling system to the power rail and to a power storage element of the power assist unit, wherein the converter is coupled to the power rail and to the power storage element via a semiconductor device;

receiving, by the power assist unit, a load indication that indicates a power level demanded by the load; and

providing, by a controller of the power assist unit, an intermediate output based upon the load indication;

providing, by a boost element of the controller, a controller output to a gate of the semiconductor device, wherein the controller output is a sum of a bias voltage level provided by the bias element and the intermediate output, wherein the converter provides power from the power storage element to the power rail in response to the controller output.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the load indication represents a current level that is being supplied to the load by the power supply unit.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

providing, by the power supply unit, the load indication.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the load indication represents a voltage level of the power rail.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the semiconductor device comprises a NMOS FET.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the boost element comprises a battery.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the boost element comprises a charge pump.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the power storage element operates at a first voltage level that is higher than a second voltage level of the power rail.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

charging, by a charging module of the information handling system, the power storage element to the first voltage level.

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

a power storage element;

a converter including a semiconductor device coupled to provide power from the power storage element to a power rail from a power supply unit of the information handling system, the semiconductor device including a gate terminal; and

a controller configured to receive a load indication that indicates the a power demanded by a load of the information handling system and to provide an intermediate output based upon the load indication, the controller including a boost element to receive the intermediate output and to provide a controller output, wherein the controller output is a sum of a bias voltage level provided by the bias element and the intermediate output, wherein the controller output is coupled to the gate terminal;

wherein the converter provides power from the power storage element to the power rail to supplement the power supply unit in response to the controller output.