Balancing power supply and demand

• US 9,898,025 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2016
• Issued: 02/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tahoe Research Limited (f/k/a Learndale Limited) (Vector Capital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Li, Peter T., Nguyen, Don J.
• Primary Examiner(s): DIAO, M BAYE
• Application Number:
  US15/396,358
• Publication Number:
  US 20170108887A1
• Time in Patent Office: 417 Days
• Field of Search: 713340, 713300, 320114
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/66 Regulating electric power
• 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 1/305 in the event of power-supply fluctuations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0068 Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply H02J7/0013 takes precedence

Abstract

A method and apparatus to balance adapter power supply and computing device power demand. In one embodiment, power to/from battery pack(s) maybe controlled by adjusting the output voltage of the power adapter via the current input to the power adapter through a feedback pin to meet power demand of electrical loads. Another embodiment provides a way to adjust the activities of the electrical loads such that neither adapter power rating nor the electrical load power limit is exceeded while avoiding system shutdown.

Claims

1. A mobile computing device, comprising:

a battery;

a plurality of components, wherein the plurality of components is to receive power from the battery and/or a power adapter, wherein the power adapter is to receive an alternating current (AC) input and generate a direct current (DC) output voltage, and wherein the power adapter is to be removably coupled to the mobile computing device; and

circuitry to;

control the power adapter, during a first time-period based on a first operation of the plurality of components, to generate the DC output voltage at a first voltage level, and

control the power adapter, during a second time-period based on a second operation of the plurality of components, to generate the DC output voltage at a second voltage level that is different from the first voltage level.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

during the first time-period, the plurality of components is to consume a first amount of power for the first operation of the plurality of components; and

during the second time-period, the plurality of components is to consume a second amount of power for the second operation of the plurality of components, the second amount of power being different from the first amount of power.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein:

the second amount of power is less than the first amount of power; and

the second voltage level is less than the first voltage level.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of components comprises at least a processor.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the circuitry comprises:

a pin, wherein the circuitry is to transmit via the pin instructions to the power adapter to control the power adapter,

wherein the circuitry is to receive, from the power adapter, information about the power adapter via the pin.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the information comprises one or both of a capability of the power adapter or a rating of the power adapter.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the information comprises information associated with an identification of the power adapter.

8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein:

the circuitry is to transmit instructions to the power adapter and receive information about the power adapter via a first signal line;

the plurality of components is to receive power from the power adapter via a power line and a ground line; and

the mobile computing device is to be removably coupled to the power adapter via a cable comprising the first signal line, the power line and the ground line.

9. A system, the system comprising:

a memory;

a processor coupled to the memory;

a battery, wherein the system is to supply power to at least the processor and the memory from one or both the battery or a power adapter, wherein the power adapter is to receive an alternating current (AC) input and generate a direct current (DC) output voltage, and wherein the power adapter is to be removably coupled to the system; and

circuitry to;

estimate a first power requirement of the system during a first period of time,

control the power adapter to generate the DC output voltage at a first level during the first period of time,

estimate a second power requirement of the system during a second period of time, the second power requirement being different from the first power requirement, and the second period of time being different from the first period of time, and

control the power adapter to generate the DC output voltage at a second level during the first period of time, the second level being different from the first level.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein:

the first power requirement is higher than the second power requirement; and

the first level of the DC output voltage is higher than the second level of the DC output voltage.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the circuitry is to:

receive, from the power adapter, information about the power adapter.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the circuitry is to:

control the power adapter by transmitting requests over a first pin of the circuitry; and

receive, from the power adapter, information about the power adapter over the first pin of the circuitry.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the information comprises one or more of a rating or a capability of the power adapter.

14. A system comprising:

plural components that consume power to process information, the plural components including at least a processor;

a battery that charges to store power and discharges the stored power to provide power to the plural components;

a power system operable to provide direct current voltage to the plural components;

a power adapter operable to convert alternating current to direct current and to provide the direct current to the power system, wherein the power adapter is to adjust an adapter direct current voltage output between at least a first voltage level and a second voltage level; and

a power monitor associated with the power system and interfaced with the power adapter, the power monitor to issue a request to command the power adapter to output (i) the adapter direct current voltage at the first voltage level if the plural components have a first power consumption state in which the plural components consume a first amount of power and (ii) the adapter direct current voltage at the second voltage level if the plural components have a second power consumption state in which the plural components consume a second amount of power, wherein at least some of the plural components consume power in both the first and second power consumption states.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein:

the first amount of power is higher than the second amount of power; and

the first voltage level is higher than the second voltage level.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the system comprises a laptop.

17. One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage medium configured to store instructions that, when executed by a processor of a first system, cause the processor to:

transmit a first request to a power adapter, during a first time-period based on a first operation of a plurality of components, to generate a direct current (DC) output voltage at a first voltage level; and

transmit a second request to the power adapter, during a second time-period based on a second operation of the plurality of components, to generate the DC output voltage at a second voltage level that is different from the first voltage level.

18. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein:

during the first time-period, the plurality of components is to consume a first amount of power for the first operation of the plurality of components; and

during the second time-period, the plurality of components is to consume a second amount of power for the second operation of the plurality of components, the second amount of power being different from the first amount of power.

19. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

receive, from the power adapter, information about the power adapter.

20. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the information comprises one or more of a capability of the power adapter or a rating of the power adapter.