Apparatus and methods for information handling system with power supply device with variable output power

• US 7,363,522 B2
• Filed: 07/13/2005
• Issued: 04/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Prosperi, Roberto
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel; Nitin C.
• Application Number:
  US11/180,869
• Publication Number:
  US 20070016806A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,014 Days
• Field of Search: 713/300, 713/340, 320/138, 320/140, 320/144, 320/150
• US Class Current: 713/300
• 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

Abstract

An information handling system includes a power source configured to provide a plurality of power levels to a load. At least one of the plurality of power levels corresponds to a level obtained by de-rating a capacity of the power source from a nominal design specification of the power source.

Claims

1. An information handling system, comprising a power source configured to provide a plurality of power levels to a load, said power source having a rated power level selected such that said power source remains below a first power source temperature when delivering said rated power level at steady state and at a first ambient temperature;

wherein at least one of the plurality of power levels corresponds to a second power level of said power source that is higher than said rated power level;

wherein said power source is configured to provide said rated power level at steady state to said load at said first ambient temperature; and

wherein said power source is configured to provide said second higher power level to said load only under one or more of the following conditions;

said power source is providing power at a second ambient temperature that is lower than said first ambient temperature, said power source is providing power transiently to said load, or a combination thereof.

2. The information handling system according to claim 1, comprising a notebook computer.

3. The information handling system according to claim 2, wherein said power source comprises an AC adapter.

4. The information handling system according to claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of power levels corresponds to a peak power level of the AC adapter.

5. The information handling system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of the power levels depends on a temperature of said power source as it provides power to said load.

6. The information handling system according to claim 5, further comprising a basic input/output system (BIOS), wherein the BIOS is configured to receive a signal corresponding to the temperature of the power source.

7. The information handling system according to claim 6, wherein the BIOS is further configured to modify a power consumption characteristic of at least one circuit in the information handling system.

8. The information handling system according to claim 7, wherein the BIOS is configured to modify the power consumption characteristic of the at least one circuit in the information handling system based on the temperature of the power source.

9. The information handling system according to claim 6, wherein the signal corresponding to the temperature of the power source comprises a power supply identification (PSID) signal.

10. The information handling system according to claim 5, wherein said power source is an AC Adapter.

11. A computer system, comprising:

an information handling apparatus; and

a power source coupled to the information handling apparatus;

wherein the power source is configured to have a plurality of power profiles, and

wherein at least one profile in the plurality of profiles corresponds to using an unused thermal capacity of said power source; and

wherein said power source is configured to select said at least one profile in the plurality of profiles corresponding to using an unused thermal capacity of the power source based on a sensed temperature of said power source.

12. The computer system according to claim 11, wherein at least one profile in the plurality of profiles of said power source corresponds to a reduced power consumption of at least one circuit in the information handling apparatus.

13. The computer system according to claim 12, wherein said power source comprises an AC adapter.

14. The computer system according to claim 13, further comprising a battery coupled to the AC adapter.

15. The computer system according to claim 14, wherein at least one profile in the plurality of profiles of said power source corresponds to a reduced charging rate of the battery.

16. A system, comprising:

a notebook computer; and

a power source coupled to the notebook computer,

wherein said power source is configured to select and provide a plurality of power levels to the notebook computer, wherein at least one power level in the plurality of power levels is a rated power level selected such that said power source remains below a first power source temperature when delivering said rated power level at steady state and at a first ambient temperature, and wherein at least one other power level in the plurality of power levels is selected and derived from unused thermal or electrical capacity of said power source under at least one of the following conditions;

when said power source is providing power at a second ambient temperature that is lower than said first ambient temperature, when said power source is providing power transiently to said load, or a combination thereof.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein said power source is further configured to provide a control, status or information signal about the power source to the notebook computer.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein the information is derived from a temperature of said power source as it provides power to said load.

19. The system according to claim 17, wherein the notebook computer polls said power source, and wherein, in response, said power source provides a control, status or information signal about said power source to the notebook computer.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein said power source causes the notebook computer to poll said power source, and wherein, in response, said power source provides a control, status or information signal about the power source to the notebook computer.

21. The system according to claim 19, wherein, based on the control, status or information signal received from said power source, a power consumption characteristic of at least one circuit in the notebook computer is changed.

22. The system according to claim 18, wherein said power source is an AC Adapter.

23. The system according to claim 22, wherein said power source is further configured to provide a control, status or information signal about said power source to the notebook computer while said power source is providing power;

and wherein based on the control, status or information signal received from said power source, a power consumption characteristic of at least one circuit in said notebook computer is changed while said power source is providing power.

24. An information handling system, comprising a power source configured to provide a plurality of power levels to a load, wherein at least one of the plurality of power levels corresponds to a level obtained by de-rating a capacity of said power source from a nominal design specification of said power source;

and wherein at least one of the plurality of the power levels depends on a monitored temperature of the power source while it is providing said power to said load.

25. The information handling system of claim 24, wherein said power source is an AC Adapter.

26. An information handling system, comprising a power source configured to provide a plurality of power levels to a load, wherein at least one of the plurality of power levels corresponds to a level obtained by de-rating a capacity of the power source from a nominal design specification of the power source, and wherein at least one of the plurality of the power levels depends on a temperature of the power source;

and a basic input/output system (BIOS), wherein the BIOS is configured to receive a signal corresponding to the temperature of the power source.

27. The information handling system according to claim 26, wherein the BIOS is further configured to modify a power consumption characteristic of at least one circuit in the information handling system.

28. The information handling system according to claim 27, wherein the BIOS is configured to modify the power consumption characteristic of the at least one circuit in the information handling system based on the temperature of the power source.

29. The information handling system according to claim 26, wherein the signal corresponding to the temperature of the power source comprises a power supply identification (PSID) signal.