Non-identical power supply units for higher efficiency in redundant mode

• US 8,037,330 B2
• Filed: 04/07/2008
• Issued: 10/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Mathew, Abey K., Livescu, Constantin D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chen; Xuxing
• Application Number:
  US12/098,784
• Publication Number:
  US 20090254768A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,282 Days
• Field of Search: 713/300, 713/310, 713/320, 713/322, 713/340, 323/280, 323/282, 323/266
• US Class Current: 713/320
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/325 Power saving in peripheral device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2015 Redundant power supplies power supply failure G06F1/30
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

A power supply system for a server includes a first power supply, a second power supply, a first variable slope circuit, and a second variable slope circuit. The first power supply unit is adapted to activate if a load is below a predetermined level, and adapted to deactivate if the load is above the predetermined level. The second power supply unit is adapted to activate if the load is above the predetermined level, and adapted to deactivate if the load is below the predetermined level. The first and second variable slope circuits are adapted to receive information about the load applied to the power supply units. The first variable slope circuit is adapted to deactivate the first power supply unit if the load is above the predetermined level. The second variable slope circuit is to deactivate the second power supply unit if the load is below the predetermined level.

Claims

1. A power supply system for a server, the power supply system comprising:

a first power supply unit in communication with an output, the first power supply unit adapted to activate if a load of the server connected to the power supply system is below a predetermined level, and adapted to deactivate if the load is above the predetermined level, wherein the first power supply unit is adapted to have a high efficiency at a light load;

a first variable slope circuit adapted to receive information about the load applied to the first power supply unit and to deactivate the first power supply unit if the load is above the predetermined level;

a second power supply unit in communication with the output, the second power supply unit adapted to activate if the load is above the predetermined level, and adapted to deactivate if the load is below the predetermined level, wherein the second power supply unit is adapted to have the high efficiency at a high load, wherein the first power supply unit and the second power supply unit are connected in a redundant mode configuration; and

a second variable slope circuit connected to the first variable slope circuit, the second variable slope circuit adapted to receive information about the load applied to the second power supply unit and to deactivate the second power supply unit if the load is below the predetermined level.

2. The power supply system of claim 1 wherein the first power supply unit further comprises a current module coupled to the output, the current module adapted to determine the load applied to the power supply system.

3. The power supply system of claim 1 wherein the second power supply unit further comprises a current module coupled to an output, the current module adapted to determine the load applied to the power supply system.

4. The power supply system of claim 1 wherein the power supply system is adapted to have the high efficiency at all loads.

5. A power supply system for a server, the power supply system comprising:

a first power supply unit in communication with an output, the first power supply unit adapted to activate if a load of the server connected to the power supply system is below a predetermined level, and adapted to deactivate if the load is above the predetermined level;

a first current module coupled to the output, the first current module adapted to determine the load applied to the power supply system, wherein the first current module determines the load based on measuring an amount of current drawn by the server;

a second power supply module in communication with the output, the second power supply unit adapted to activate if the load is above the predetermined level, and adapted to deactivate if the load is below the predetermined level, wherein the first power supply unit and the second power supply unit are connected in a redundant mode configuration; and

a second current module coupled to the output, the second current module adapted to determine the load applied to the power supply system, wherein the second current module determines the load based on measuring the amount of current drawn by the server.

6. The power supply system of claim 5 further comprising:

a controller and supervisor module in communication with the first power supply unit and the second power supply unit, the controller and supervisor module adapted to determine whether the first power supply unit and the second power supply unit are completely activated.

7. The power supply system of claim 6 wherein the controller and supervisor module is further adapted to prevent the first power supply unit from being deactivated until the second power supply unit is completely activated.

8. The power supply system of claim 6 wherein the controller and supervisor module is further adapted to prevent the second power supply unit from being deactivated until the first power supply unit is completely activated.

9. The power supply system of claim 5 wherein the power supply system is adapted to have a high efficiency at all loads.

10. The power supply system of claim 5 wherein the first power supply unit is adapted to have a high efficiency at a light load.

11. The power supply system of claim 5 wherein the second power supply unit is adapted to have a high efficiency at a high load.

12. A method for controlling a power supply system for a server, the method comprising:

receiving a status signal from a current module indicating a load on the power supply system;

if the load is below a predetermined level, activating a first power supply unit;

if the load exceeds the predetermined level, activating a second power supply unit, and deactivating the first power supply unit only after the second power supply unit is fully activated; and

maintaining a high efficiency at a light load based on activating the first power supply unit when the load is below the predetermined level, wherein the first power supply unit has a high efficiency at the light load, wherein the first power supply unit and the second power supply unit are connected in a redundant mode configuration.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

if the load is below a predetermined level, receiving a first control signal from a controller and supervisor module to activate the first power supply unit; and

if the load exceeds the predetermined level, receiving a second control signal from the controller and supervisor module to activate the second power supply unit, and receiving a third control signal from the controller and supervisor module to deactivate the first power supply unit.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein both the first power supply unit and the second power supply unit are adapted to individually carry a full load on the power supply system.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the power supply system is adapted to have a high efficiency at all loads.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein the first power supply unit and the second power supply unit are adapted to have different efficiency profiles.

17. The method of claim 12 wherein the second power supply unit is adapted to have a high efficiency at a high load.