Apparatus and methods for information handling system with power supply device with variable output power

• US 20070016806A1
• Filed: 07/13/2005
• Published: 01/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Prosperi, Roberto
• Granted Patent: US 7,363,522 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/300
• 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 1/28 Supervision thereof, e.g. detecting power-supply failure by out of limits supervision

Abstract

An information handling system includes a power source configured to provide a plurality of power levels to a load. At least one of the plurality of power levels corresponds to a level obtained by de-rating a capacity of the power source from a nominal design specification of the power source.

Claims

1. An information handling system, comprising a power source configured to provide a plurality of power levels to a load, wherein at least one of the plurality of power levels corresponds to a level obtained by de-rating a capacity of the power source from a nominal design specification of the power source.

2. The information handling system according to claim 1, comprising a notebook computer.

3. The information handling system according to claim 2, wherein the power source comprises an AC adapter.

4. The information handling system according to claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of power levels corresponds to a peak power level of the AC adapter.

5. The information handling system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of the power levels depends on a temperature of the power source.

6. The information handling system according to claim 5, further comprising a basic input/output system (BIOS), wherein the BIOS is configured to receive a signal corresponding to the temperature of the power source.

7. The information handling system according to claim 6, wherein the BIOS is further configured to modify a power consumption characteristic of at least one circuit in the information handling system.

8. The information handling system according to claim 7, wherein the BIOS is configured to modify the power consumption characteristic of the at least one circuit in the information handling system based on the temperature of the power source.

9. The information handling system according to claim 6, wherein the signal corresponding to the temperature of the power source comprises a power supply identification (PSID) signal.

10. A computer system, comprising:

an information handling apparatus; and

a power source coupled to the information handling apparatus,

wherein the power source is configured to have a plurality of power profiles, and wherein at least one profile in the plurality of profiles corresponds to using an unused thermal capacity of the power source.

11. The computer system according to claim 10, wherein at least one profile in the plurality of profiles of the power source corresponds to a reduced power consumption of at least one circuit in the information handling apparatus.

12. The computer system according to claim 11, wherein the power source comprises an AC adapter.

13. The computer system according to claim 12, further comprising a battery coupled to the AC adapter.

14. The computer system according to claim 13, wherein at least one profile in the plurality of profiles of the power source corresponds to a reduced charging rate of the battery.

15. A system, comprising:

a notebook computer; and

a power source coupled to the notebook computer,

wherein the power source is configured to provide a plurality of power levels to the notebook computer, and wherein at least one power level in the plurality of power levels is derived from unused thermal or electrical capacity of the power source.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein the power source is further configured to provide information about the power source to the notebook computer.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein the information is derived from a temperature of the power source.

18. The system according to claim 16, wherein the notebook computer polls the power source, and wherein, in response, the power source provides information about the power source to the notebook computer.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein the power source causes the notebook computer to poll the power source, and wherein, in response, the power source provides information about the power source to the notebook computer.

20. The system according to claim 18, wherein, based on the information received from the power source, a power consumption characteristic of at least one circuit in the notebook computer is changed.