System and method for throttling power in one or more information handling systems

• US 7,827,421 B2
• Filed: 06/19/2007
• Issued: 11/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Brewer, James A., Sauber, William F.
• Primary Examiner(s): CONNOLLY, MARK A
• Application Number:
  US11/765,351
• Publication Number:
  US 20070271477A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,232 Days
• Field of Search: 713/300, 713/310, 713/340
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode

Abstract

An information handling system includes support for dynamic power throttling. In one embodiment, an information handling system includes power level detection and power control modules. The power level detection module may monitor power consumption for the information handling system and may automatically transmit power level data to a power level manager, based on the monitored power consumption. The power control module may receive power control data from the power level manager. The power control module may also automatically adjust power consumption of the information handling system, in accordance with the power control data received from the power level manager. In another embodiment, an information handling system may include an interface and a power level manager. The power level manager may receive power information for computers via the interface, may automatically compute an adjusted power threshold setting, and may automatically transmit the adjusted power threshold setting to a computer.

Claims

1. A method of controlling power consumption of a group of information handling systems that use a common power source, the method comprising:

storing an aggregate power limit for a group of information handling systems;

receiving individual power consumption levels from the information handling systems via a power line, the power line comprising a conductor that provides power from a shared circuit breaker to the information handling systems;

monitoring the individual power consumption levels;

automatically calculating an aggregate power consumption for the group of information handling systems, based on the individual power consumption levels;

automatically comparing the aggregate power consumption for the group of information handling systems to the aggregate power limit; and

based on the comparison between the aggregate power consumption and the aggregate power limit;

automatically selecting at least one information handling system among the group for power reduction; and

automatically communicating with the at least one selected information handling system to cause the at least one selected information handling system to reduce power consumption.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the operation of automatically communicating with the selected information handling system to cause the selected information handling system to reduce power consumption comprises communicating with the selected information handling system via a power line.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the operation of monitoring individual power consumption levels for the information handling systems comprises receiving power information reported from a power level detection module within each of the information handling systems.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the operation of monitoring individual power consumption levels for multiple information handling systems comprises receiving a slave power packet from at least one of the information handling systems, the slave power packet including a request for permission to modify power consumption.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein the operation of automatically and dynamically determining whether the aggregate power consumption approaches the aggregate power limit comprises determining whether the request for permission to modify power consumption, if granted, would exceed the aggregate power limit.

6. A method of controlling power consumption of a group of information handling systems that use a common power source, the method comprising:

storing an aggregate power limit for a group of information handling systems;

monitoring individual power consumption levels for the information handling systems, including reading power information from at least one device in at least one of the information handling systems;

automatically calculating an aggregate power consumption for the group of information handling systems based on the individual power consumption levels;

automatically comparing the aggregate power consumption for the group of information handling systems to the aggregate power limit; and

based on the comparison between the aggregate power consumption and the aggregate power limit;

automatically selecting at least one information handling system among the group for power reduction; and

automatically communicating with the at least one selected information handling system to cause the at least one selected information handling system to reduce power consumption;

wherein the operation of reading power information from at least one device within at least one of the information handling systems comprises obtaining extended display identification data from the device.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein the operation of monitoring individual power consumption levels for the information handling systems comprises receiving power information reported from a power level detection module within each of the information handling systems.

8. A method according to claim 6, further comprising storing a power priority setting for at least one of the information handling systems in the at least one information handling system, during a manufacturing process, based on information provided by a customer, before shipping the at least one information handling system to the customer.

9. A method of controlling power consumption of a group of information handling systems that use a common power source, the method comprising:

storing an aggregate power limit for a group of information handling systems;

monitoring individual power consumption levels for the information handling systems, including reading power information from at least one device in at least one of the information handling systems;

automatically calculating an aggregate power consumption for the group of information handling systems based on the individual power consumption levels;

automatically comparing the aggregate power consumption for the group of information handling systems to the aggregate power limit; and

based on the comparison between the aggregate power consumption and the aggregate power limit;

automatically selecting at least one information handling system among the group for power reduction; and

automatically communicating with the at least one selected information handling system to cause the at-least one selected information handling system to reduce power consumption;

wherein the operation of automatically communicating with the selected information handling system to cause the selected information handling system to reduce power consumption comprises communicating with the selected information handling system via a power line.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein the operation of monitoring individual power consumption levels for the information handling systems comprises receiving power information reported from a power level detection module within each of the information handling systems.

11. A method according to claim 9, further comprising storing a power priority setting for at least one of the information handling systems in the at least one information handling system, during a manufacturing process, based on information provided by a customer, before shipping the at least one information handling system to the customer.

12. A method according to claim 9, wherein the operation of monitoring individual power consumption levels for the information handling systems comprises receiving power information reported from a power level detection module within each of the information handling systems.

13. A method according to claim 9, further comprising storing a power priority setting for at least one of the information handling systems in the at least one information handling system, during a manufacturing process, based on information provided by a customer, before shipping the at least one information handling system to the customer.

14. A method of controlling power consumption of a group of information handling systems that use a common power source, the method comprising:

storing an aggregate power limit for a group of information handling systems;

monitoring individual power consumption levels for the information handling systems, including reading power information from at least one device in at least one of the information handling systems;

automatically calculating an aggregate power consumption for the group of information handling systems based on the individual power consumption levels;

automatically comparing the aggregate power consumption for the group of information handling systems to the aggregate power limit; and

based on the comparison between the aggregate power consumption and the aggregate power limit;

automatically selecting at least one information handling system among the group for power reduction; and

automatically communicating with the at least one selected information handling system to cause the at least one selected information handling system to reduce power consumption;

storing a power limit for at least one of the information handling systems in the at least one information handling system during a manufacturing process, before shipping the at least one information handling system to a customer.

15. A method of controlling power consumption of a group of information handling systems that use a common power source, the method comprising:

storing an aggregate power limit for a group of information handling systems;

monitoring individual power consumption levels for the information handling systems, including reading power information from at least one device in at least one of the information handling systems;

automatically calculating an aggregate power consumption for the group of information handling systems based on the individual power consumption levels;

automatically comparing the aggregate power consumption for the group of information handling systems to the aggregate power limit; and

based on the comparison between the aggregate power consumption and the aggregate power limit;

automatically selecting at least one information handling system among the group for power reduction; and

automatically communicating with the at least one selected information handling system to cause the at least one selected information handling system to reduce power consumption;

wherein the operation of monitoring individual power consumption levels for multiple information handling systems comprises receiving a slave power packet from at least one of the information handling systems, the slave power packet including a request for permission to modify power consumption.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein the operation of automatically and dynamically determining whether the aggregate power consumption approaches the aggregate power limit comprises:

determining whether the request for permission to modify power consumption, if granted, would exceed the aggregate power limit.

17. A method according to claim 15, wherein the operation of monitoring individual power consumption levels for the information handling systems comprises receiving power information reported from a power level detection module within each of the information handling systems.

18. A method according to claim 15, further comprising storing a power priority setting for at least one of the information handling systems in the at least one information handling system, during a manufacturing process, based on information provided by a customer, before shipping the at least one information handling system to the customer.