Progressive CPU sleep state duty cycle to limit peak power of multiple computers on shared power distribution unit
First Claim
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1. A computer system, comprising:
- a power management system; and
a plurality of computers, including a plurality of microprocessors, the plurality of computers coupled to the power management system;
the power management system to monitor a plurality of current demands of the computers, and the power management system to instruct the plurality of microprocessors to enter into a certain lower power state for a certain duration responsive to changing current demands of the plurality of computers, wherein the certain duration is a power down duty cycle.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for distributing power to a plurality of computers in a network. A power management system including a feed-back mechanism, is employed to monitor power consumptions of the plurality of computers. Should the overall power consumption reach a threshold, the power management system instructs the microprocessors in the plurality of computers to enter into a lower power state, such as a sleep state, for a certain duration, thus lowering overall power.
161 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A computer system, comprising:
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a power management system; and
a plurality of computers, including a plurality of microprocessors, the plurality of computers coupled to the power management system;
the power management system to monitor a plurality of current demands of the computers, and the power management system to instruct the plurality of microprocessors to enter into a certain lower power state for a certain duration responsive to changing current demands of the plurality of computers, wherein the certain duration is a power down duty cycle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A computer system, comprising:
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a power management system; and
a plurality of computers, including a plurality of microprocessors, the plurality of computers coupled to the power management system;
the power management system to monitor a plurality of current demands of the computers, and the power management system to instruct the plurality of microprocessors to enter into a certain lower power state for a certain duration responsive to changing current demands of the plurality of computers, wherein the plurality of computers include a plurality of monitors for measuring the plurality of current demands.
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12. A method for providing power to a plurality of computers, comprising the steps of:
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measuring current demands for the plurality of computers;
calculating a total current demand; and
placing each computer in a lower power state for a selected percentage of time in response to the total current demand exceeding a threshold, wherein the selected percentage of time varies according to a predefined relationship with respect to the total current demand. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for providing power to a plurality of computers, comprising the steps of:
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measuring current demands for the plurality of computers;
calculating a total current demand; and
placing each computer in a lower power state for a certain time should the total current demand exceed a threshold, wherein placing each computer in a sleep state includes asserting a STPCLK signal.
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19. A method for providing power to a plurality of computers, comprising the steps of:
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measuring current demands for the plurality of computers;
calculating a total current demand; and
placing each computer in a lower power state for a certain time should the total current demand exceed a threshold, wherein the certain time is a power down duty cycle. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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21. A method of managing power in a system having plural computers, comprising:
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measuring, with current monitors in respective plural computers, a local current demand of each computer;
calculating a total current demand based on the measured local current demands of the computers; and
placing each computer into a lower power state for a selected time period in response to detecting that the total current demand exceeds a threshold.
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22. A system comprising:
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a power management controller; and
a plurality of computers coupled to the power management controller, the power management controller to receive measured local current demands from the computers and to calculate a total current demand based on the measured local current demands, the power management controller to further place each computer in a lower power state for a selected percentage of time in response to the total current demand exceeding a threshold, wherein the selected percentage of time varies according to a predefined relationship with respect to the total current demand. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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Specification