Power supply module and power supply system with sequential smart activation/deactivation based on load

• US 9,703,363 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2011
• Issued: 07/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Beijing Lenovo Software Ltd (Lenovo Group Ltd.), Lenovo (Beijing) Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Beijing Lenovo Software Ltd (Lenovo Group Ltd.), Lenovo (Beijing) Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Zhou, Jianjun
• Primary Examiner(s): Choudhury, Zahid
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chan, Danny
• Application Number:
  US13/812,128
• Publication Number:
  US 20130232362A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,177 Days
• Field of Search: 713300
• 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 1/30 Means for acting in the event of power-supply failure or interruption, e.g. power-supply fluctuations for resetting only G06F1/24
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3287 by switching off individual functional units in the computer system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2015 Redundant power supplies power supply failure G06F1/30
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/10 Parallel operation of dc sources
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a power supply module and a power supply system. The power supply module is used as a first power supply module in a computing system which further includes a second power supply module. The first power supply module and the second power supply module are cascaded in sequence. The first power supply module is in a power supplying state and the second power supply module is in an off state. The first power supply module itself is capable of automatically determining whether to turn on another power supply module or not, without any human intervention. In this way, the power distribution board can be simplified, or even eliminated, in which case the individual power supply modules can be connected by wire to reduce the cost.

Claims

1. A power supply module used as a first power supply module in a computing system which further comprises a second power supply module, the first power supply module being in a power supplying state and the second power supply module being in an off state, the first power supply module comprising:

a load detection unit configured to detect load of the computing system to generate a load detection value;

a determination unit connected to the load detection unit and configured to generate determination information based on the load detection value for determining whether to turn on the second power supply module or not; and

a turn-on/off unit configured to send a power supply on (PSON) signal to the second power supply module when the determination information indicates that the second power supply module is to be turned on,

wherein the second power supply module is turned on in response to the PSON signal, such that the turned on second power supply module and the first power supply module supply power to the computing system in parallel,

wherein the load detection unit comprises a current detection unit configured to detect an output current from the first power supply module itself and generate a current detection value as the load detection value,

wherein the determination unit is configured to determine to turn on the second power supply module when the current detection value is larger than a first current threshold, and

wherein the second power supply module in turn selectively determines whether to turn on a third power supply module so as to supply power to the computing system in parallel with the first and second power supply modules.

2. The power supply module of claim 1, further comprising:

a voltage detection unit configured to detect its own output voltage and convert it into a voltage detection value for outputting,

wherein the power supply module determines that it is in the power supplying state when the voltage detection value is larger than an operating voltage threshold.

3. The power supply module of claim 1, further comprising:

a current equalization unit configured to adjust output currents from the first power supply module and the second power supply module based on a predetermined power balancing rule, such that the output current from each of the power supply modules is equalized.

4. The power supply module of claim 1, further comprising:

an emergency module configured to send an emergency instruction to the second power supply module in a case of a failure of the first power supply module itself, instructing the second power supply module to switch to the power supplying state and replace the first power supply module for power supplying.

5. A power supply module used as a third power supply module in a computing system which further comprises a first power supply module and a second power supply module, each of the first power supply module, the second power supply module and the third power supply module being in a power supplying state such that the first power supply module, the second power supply module and the third power supply module supply power to the computer system in parallel, the third power supply module comprising:

a load detection unit configured to detect load of the computing system to generate a load detection value;

a determination unit configured to generate determination information based on the load detection value for determining whether to turn off the third power supply module or not; and

a turn-on/off unit configured to send request information to the first second power supply module when the determination information indicates that the third power supply module is to be turned off, instructing the second power supply module to send a power supply off signal to the third power supply module,

wherein the third power supply module is turned off in response to the power supply off signal,

wherein the load detection unit comprises a current detection unit configured to detect its own output current and generate a current detection value as the load detection value,

wherein the determination unit is configured to determine to turn off the third power supply module itself when the current detection value is smaller than a current threshold, and

wherein, when the third power supply module is turned off, the second power supply module in turn selectively determines whether to turn off by selectively instructing the first power supply module to send a power supply off signal to the second power supply module.

6. The power supply module of claim 5, wherein

the third power supply module further comprises:

a voltage detection unit configured to detect its own output voltage and convert it into a voltage detection value for outputting,

wherein the third power supply module determines that it is in the power supplying state when the voltage detection value is larger than an operating voltage threshold.

7. A power supply system comprising at least three power supply modules and a power distribution board, wherein

the at least three power supply modules comprise a first power supply module, a second power supply module and a third power supply module, used in a computing system

wherein:

the first power supply module is in a power supplying state and the second power supply module is in an off state, and the first power supply module comprises;

a load detection unit configured to detect load of the computing system to generate a load detection value, comprising a current detection unit configured to detect an output current from the first power supply module itself and generate a current detection value as the load detection value;

a determination unit connected to the load detection unit and configured to generate determination information based on the load detection value for determining whether to turn on the second power supply module or not; and

a turn-on/off unit configured to send a power supply on (PSON) signal to the second power supply module when the determination information indicates that the second power supply module is to be turned on, and

wherein the second power supply module is turned on in response to the PSON signal, such that the turned on second power supply module and the first power supply module supply power to the computing system in parallel;

wherein the load detection unit comprises;

a current detection unit configured to detect an output current from the power supply module itself and generate a current detection value as the load detection value, and

wherein the determination unit is configured to determine to turn on the second power supply module when the current detection value is larger than a first current threshold; and

wherein the second power supply module in turn selectively determines whether to turn on the third power supply module so as to supply power to the computing system in parallel with the first and second power supply modules;

or;

each of the first power supply module, the second power supply module and the third power supply module is in a power supplying state, such that the first power supply module, the second power supply module and the third power supply module supply power to the computer system in parallel, and the third power supply module comprises;

a load detection unit configured to detect load of the computing system to generate a load detection value, comprising a current detection unit configured to detect its own output current and generate a current detection value as the load detection value;

a determination unit configured to generate determination information based on the load detection value for determining whether to turn off the third power supply module or not; and

a turn-on/off unit configured to send request information to the second power supply module when the determination information indicates that the third power supply module is to be turned off, instructing the first second power supply module to send a power supply off signal to the third power supply module, and

wherein the third power supply module is turned off in response to the power supply off signal,

wherein the load detection unit comprises;

a current detection unit configured to detect its own output current and generate a current detection value as the load detection value,

wherein the determination unit is configured to determine to turn off the third power supply module itself when the current detection value is smaller than a second current threshold, and

wherein, when the third power supply module is turned off, the second power supply module in turn selectively determines whether to turn off by selectively instructing the first power supply module to send a power supply off signal to the second power supply module.

8. The power supply system of claim 7, further comprising:

a signal support module configured to support the following signals by using discrete circuit transmission or software protocol;

the power supply on signal and the power supply off signal sent from the first or second power supply module to the second or third power supply module;

the power supply on signal and the power supply off signal received from the first or second power supply module at the second or third power supply module;

the voltage detection value received from the second or third power supply module at the first or second power supply module;

a power supply off request sent from the first or second power supply module to the second or third power supply module; and

a power supply off request received from the second or third power supply module at the first or second power supply module.