Split power supply subsystem with isolated voltage supplies to satisfy a predetermined power limit

• US 7,294,976 B1
• Filed: 09/23/2005
• Issued: 11/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GlobalFoundries, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
• Inventors: Andric, Anthony, Wigton, David L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Thuy V.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Le; Tung X
• Application Number:
  US11/234,664
• Time in Patent Office: 781 Days
• Field of Search: 315/247, 315/291, 315/194, 315/293, 315/297, 315/307, 363 34- 39, 363/132, 363/142, 323/212, 323/215, 323/301, 323/355
• US Class Current: 315/291
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/102 being switching converters H02J1/108, H02J1/12 take precedence

Abstract

A power subsystem including a mechanism for satisfying a predetermined power limit in a computer system. The power subsystem may include a split power supply and a voltage regulator. The split power supply may include at least a first voltage supply line and a second voltage supply line. The voltage supply lines may be closely matched voltage sources, each configured to provide relatively the same voltage amount. The voltage regulator may step-down a voltage provided by each of the first and second voltage supply lines to generate a desired voltage for a load. The first voltage supply line may be isolated from the second voltage supply line to limit power provided through either the first or the second voltage supply line from exceeding a predetermined power limit. The predetermined power limit may be a power limit set by U.L. standard #60950, i.e., 250 Watts.

Claims

1. A power subsystem comprising:

a split power supply including at least a first voltage supply line and a second voltage supply line, wherein the voltage supply lines are configured as closely matched voltage sources, each configured to provide relatively the same voltage amount;

a voltage regulator configured to step-down a voltage provided by the first voltage supply line and a voltage provided by the second voltage supply line to generate an output voltage for a load;

a regulator control unit configured to monitor the output voltage provided to the load, wherein, if the output voltage does not equal a desired voltage, the regulator control unit is configured to provide one or more control signals to the voltage regulator to vary the output voltage such that the output voltage equals the desired voltage; and

wherein the first voltage supply line is isolated from the second voltage supply line to limit power provided through either the first or the second voltage supply line from exceeding a predetermined power limit.

2. The power subsystem of claim 1, wherein the first voltage supply line is coupled to at least a first input terminal of the voltage regulator and the second voltage supply line is coupled to at least a second input terminal of the voltage regulator.

3. The power subsystem of claim 2, wherein the voltage regulator is a multi-phase, switching voltage regulator.

4. The power subsystem of claim 3, wherein the first voltage supply line is coupled to a first phase power section of the voltage regulator and the second voltage supply line is coupled to a second phase power section of the voltage regulator.

5. The power subsystem of claim 3, wherein the first voltage supply line is coupled to a first phase power section of the voltage regulator and the second voltage supply line is coupled to a second phase power section and to a third phase power section of the voltage regulator.

6. The power subsystem of claim 2, wherein the voltage regulator is a single-phase voltage regulator.

7. The power subsystem of claim 2, wherein the split power supply includes three or more voltage supply lines, wherein the three or more voltage supply lines are configured as closely matched voltage sources, each configured to provide relatively the same voltage amount, wherein each of the three or more voltage supply lines is isolated from the remaining voltage supply lines to limit power provided through either of the three or more voltage supply lines from exceeding the predetermined power limit.

8. The power subsystem of claim 1, wherein the split power supply includes a plurality of voltage supply lines, wherein each voltage supply line is coupled to a separate phase power section of the voltage regulator.

9. The power subsystem of claim 1, wherein the predetermined power limit is a power limit set by U.L. standard #60950.

10. The power subsystem of claim 9, wherein the predetermined power limit is 250 Watts.

11. The power subsystem of claim 1, wherein the closely matched voltage sources are within 0.5 V of each other.

12. The power subsystem of claim 1, wherein the voltage regulator is configured to provide the desired voltage to a CPU.

13. The power subsystem of claim 1, wherein the voltage regulator is configured to provide the desired voltage to a memory subsystem.

14. The power subsystem of claim 1, wherein the voltage regulator is configured to provide the desired voltage to a graphics card.

15. A computer system comprising:

a CPU;

a power subsystem including;

a split power supply including at least a first voltage supply line and a second voltage supply line, wherein the voltage supply lines are configured as closely matched voltage sources, each configured to provide relatively the same voltage amount;

a voltage regulator configured to step-down a voltage provided by the first voltage supply line and a voltage provided by the second voltage supply line to generate an output voltage for the CPU;

a regulator control unit configured to monitor the output voltage provided to the CPU, wherein, if the output voltage does not equal a desired voltage, the regulator control unit is configured to provide one or more control signals to the voltage regulator to vary the output voltage such that the output voltage equals the desired voltage; and

wherein the first voltage supply line is isolated from the second voltage supply line to limit power provided through either the first or the second voltage supply line from exceeding a predetermined power limit.

16. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the voltage regulator is a multi-phase, switching voltage regulator.

17. The computer system of claim 16, wherein the split power supply includes a plurality of voltage supply lines, wherein each voltage supply line is coupled to a separate phase power section of the voltage regulator.

18. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the predetermined power limit is a power limit set by U.L. standard #60950.

19. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the closely matched voltage sources are within 0.5 V of each other.

20. A method for a power subsystem to provide power to a load while satisfying a predetermined power limit, the method comprising:

providing a split power supply including at least a first voltage supply line and a second voltage supply line, wherein the voltage supply lines are configured as closely matched voltage sources, each configured to provide relatively the same voltage amount;

providing a voltage regulator configured to step-down a voltage provided by the first voltage supply line and a voltage provided by the second voltage supply line to generate an output voltage for the load;

monitoring the output voltage provided to the load, wherein, if the output voltage does not equal a desired voltage, providing one or more control signals to the voltage regulator to vary the output voltage such that the output voltage equals the desired voltage; and

isolating the first voltage supply line from the second voltage supply line to limit power provided through either the first or the second voltage supply line from exceeding the predetermined power limit.