Dynamic selection of group and device power limits
First Claim
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1. A method of limiting power consumption by an electronic system having a plurality of power-consuming electronic devices, the method comprising:
- selecting a group power limit for the plurality of devices;
selecting and enforcing a device power limit for each device and dynamically adjusting the device power limits such that the sum of the device power limits of the group of devices does not exceed the group power limit; and
wherein the step of dynamically adjusting the device power limits includes one or both of identifying a subset of lower-utilization devices and decreasing the device power limit of one or more of the lower-utilization devices or identifying a subset of higher-utilization devices and increasing the device power limits of one or more of the higher-utilization devices, wherein the utilization of each device is the ratio of the power consumed by the device to the current device power limit.
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Abstract
A variable group power limit is enforced to limit the net power consumption of a group of devices in a computer system, and a variable device power limit enforced on each device is independently adjustable to satisfy the current group power limit. The device power limits are dynamically selected according to a power management method that selectively reduces the device power limits of lower-utilization devices and increases the device power limits of higher-utilization devices.
95 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method of limiting power consumption by an electronic system having a plurality of power-consuming electronic devices, the method comprising:
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selecting a group power limit for the plurality of devices; selecting and enforcing a device power limit for each device and dynamically adjusting the device power limits such that the sum of the device power limits of the group of devices does not exceed the group power limit; and wherein the step of dynamically adjusting the device power limits includes one or both of identifying a subset of lower-utilization devices and decreasing the device power limit of one or more of the lower-utilization devices or identifying a subset of higher-utilization devices and increasing the device power limits of one or more of the higher-utilization devices, wherein the utilization of each device is the ratio of the power consumed by the device to the current device power limit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A computer program product including computer usable program code embodied on a non-transitory computer usable medium for managing power in an electronic system having a plurality of power-consuming electronic devices, the computer program product comprising:
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instructions for selecting a group power limit for the plurality of devices; instructions for selecting and enforcing a device power limit for each device and dynamically adjusting the device power limits such that the sum of the device power limits of the group of devices is within the group power limit; and wherein the instructions for dynamically adjusting the device power limits includes instructions for identifying a current least-utilized device and decreasing the device power limit of the current least-utilized device or identifying a current most-utilized device and increasing the device power limit of the current most-utilized device, wherein the utilization of each device is the ratio of the power consumed by the device to the current device power limit. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A power-managed electronic system, comprising:
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a plurality of interconnected electronic devices each including a throttling mechanism for selectively limiting the power consumption of the device within an associated device power limit, and a power meter circuit for detecting the power consumption of the electronic device and outputting a power consumption signal representative of the detected power consumption; a power supply for supplying a variable amount of power to each of the electronic devices; a power management module in communication with the power meters for receiving the power consumption signals, computing the utilization of each device in terms of its power consumption, and dynamically adjusting the device power limits by identifying a subset of lower-utilization devices and decreasing the device power limit of one or more of the lower-utilization devices or identifying a subset of higher-utilization devices and increasing the device power limit of one or more of the higher-utilization devices, wherein the utilization of each device is the ratio of the power consumed by the device to the current device power limit, such that the sum of the device power limits is within the group power limit; and a local controller residing on each device and configured for enforcing the device power limit selected for that device. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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Specification