Apparatus and method for modular dynamically power managed power supply and cooling system for computer systems, server applications, and other electronic devices

• US 8,700,923 B2
• Filed: 02/03/2009
• Issued: 04/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Huron IP LLC
• Original Assignee: Huron IP LLC
• Inventors: Fung, Henry T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Huynh, Kim
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chang, Eric
• Application Number:
  US12/364,780
• Publication Number:
  US 20090144568A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,897 Days
• Field of Search: 713/300
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3209 Monitoring remote activity, e.g. over telephone lines or network connections
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3215 Monitoring of peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3221 of disk drive devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/324 by lowering clock frequency
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3287 by switching off individual functional units in the computer system
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

Network architecture, computer system and/or server, circuit, device, apparatus, method, and computer program and control mechanism for managing power consumption and workload in computer system and data and information servers. Further provides power and energy consumption and workload management and control systems and architectures for high-density and modular multi-server computer systems that maintain performance while conserving energy and method for power management and workload management. Dynamic server power management and optional dynamic workload management for multi-server environments is provided by aspects of the invention. Modular network devices and integrated server system, including modular servers, management units, switches and switching fabrics, modular power supplies and modular fans and a special backplane architecture are provided as well as dynamically reconfigurable multi-purpose modules and servers. Backplane architecture, structure, and method that has no active components and separate power supply lines and protection to provide high reliability in server environment.

Claims

1. An electrical apparatus comprising:

a plurality of computers each having a processor drawing electrical power in the form of an alternating or direct electrical voltage, current, or a combination of an electrical voltage and an electrical current, each of said computers utilizing said electrical power and generating heat as a result of said utilization;

at least one temperature sensor disposed proximate said computers for monitoring and reporting the temperature proximate the sensor to a temperature monitor;

a power manager coupled to each of said computers, said power manager receiving said reported temperature and controlling the temperature at the temperature sensor responsive to said reported temperature by controlling electrical power drawn by said computers and thereby a heat generated by operation of said computers; and

a plurality of power supplies wherein said plurality of power supplies are controlled by said power manager to maintain a required power output level drawn by said computers and to operate said power supplies according to predetermined power supply management policy.

2. The apparatus in claim 1, wherein operating said plurality of power supplies at a preferred efficiency includes operating at least some of said power supplies at a preferred output and/or efficiency at a partial electrical output loading less than a maximum loading to extend a lifetime of said power supplies.

3. The apparatus in claim 1, wherein operating said plurality of power supplies according to said policy includes operating at least some of said power supplies at up to a maximum rating and not operating other of said plurality of power supplies so that the aggregate power consumed by said apparatus including power lost in operation of said power supplies is reduced.

4. The apparatus in claim 1, wherein said power supplies comprise battery power supplies.

5. The apparatus in claim 1, wherein said power supplies comprise power supplies receiving an alternating current utility line voltage and current and generating at least one direct current voltage and current.

6. The apparatus in claim 5, wherein said alternating current utility line (ac) voltage is a voltage substantially in the range of between about 90 volts and substantially 300 volts, and the direct current (dc) voltage is in the range of between about ±

0.5 volt and about ±

20 volts.

7. The apparatus in claim 1, wherein said alternating current utility line (ac) voltage is a voltage substantially in the range of between substantially 100 volts and 130 volts, and the direct current (dc) voltage is in the range of between about 1 volt and about 5 volts.

8. The apparatus in claim 1, wherein said power supply management policy further includes automatically alternating power supplies so that an aggregate of the plurality of power supplies is operated efficiently and has an extended lifetime.

9. The apparatus in claim 8, wherein said automatically alternating said power supplies includes changing an electrical power that may be drawn from each of said plurality of power supplies under computer control so that the aggregate of the plurality of power supplies is operated efficiently and has an extended lifetime.

10. The apparatus in claim 1, wherein only selected ones of said plurality of power supplies are operated.

11. The apparatus in claim 1, wherein multiple ones of said power supplies are operated concurrently but each is operated at less than rated power output capacity.

12. The apparatus in claim 1, wherein said plurality of power supplies include fail-over protection circuits.

13. The apparatus in claim 1, wherein an elapsed time and/or power supply loading history are monitored and stored in a non-volatile memory store and used with said power supply management policy.

14. The apparatus in claim 13, wherein said stored history are utilized to predict failure and/or equalize lifetime of said power supplies according to a power supply lifetime prediction routine.

15. The apparatus in claim 14, wherein said power supply lifetime prediction routine is a statistically based prediction routine utilizing a lifetime and failure model adapted to each particular type of power supply.

16. The apparatus in claim 1, wherein said plurality of power supplies comprise power supplies having different output characteristics types and the combination of power supplies providing electrical operating power to satisfy electrical loading at any particular time and having a desired aggregate operating characteristic are dynamically selected.

17. The apparatus in claim 16, wherein said desired aggregate operating characteristic is a substantially minimized power consumption at the required power output level.

18. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising a plurality of temperature sensors each disposed proximate at least one of said computers for monitoring and reporting the temperature proximate each of said sensors to said temperature monitor, said power manager receiving said reported temperatures and controlling the temperature at least one of said temperature sensors responsive to said reported temperatures by controlling the electrical power drawn by said computers and thereby the heat generated by operation of said computers.

19. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising a plurality of temperature sensors each disposed proximate a respective one of said computers for monitoring and reporting the temperature proximate each of said sensors to said temperature monitor, said power manager receiving said reported temperatures and controlling the temperature at least one of said temperature sensors responsive to said reported temperatures by controlling the electrical power drawn by said computers and thereby the heat generated by operation of said computers.