DYNAMIC POWER SYSTEM ADJUSTMENT TO STORE ENERGY FOR POWER EXCURSIONS

• US 20160085282A1
• Filed: 12/03/2015
• Published: 03/24/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Richards, George G. III, Muccini, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 9,411,388 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/266 Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/28 Supervision thereof, e.g. detecting power-supply failure by out of limits supervision
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/32 Means for saving power
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3206 Monitoring of events, devices or parameters that trigger a change in power modality

Abstract

A power system is coupled to a powered system and a system capacitance. The power system includes a power system output sensor, a power conversion device, and a power system output controller. The power system output controller includes a powered system threshold that is related to a power excursion capability of the powered system. The power system output controller is operable, in response to receiving a power system output signal from the power system output sensor that exceeds the powered system threshold, to control the power conversion device to increase the power system output from the power conversion device in order to increase the energy stored in the system capacitance for use by the powered system during a power excursion. The powered system may include processors that draw power from the system capacitance during power excursions so as to not exceed the limits of the power system.

Claims

1. A power system, comprising:

a power system connector that is configured to couple to a powered system and a system capacitance;

a power conversion device coupled to the power system connector and configured to provide a power system output to the system capacitance and the powered system; and

a power system output controller that is coupled to the power conversion device and configured to;

control the power conversion device to provide a first power system output level to the system capacitance and the powered system; and

determine that the powered system will exceed a power system output capability of the power system in response to performing a workload and, in response, control the power conversion device to increase the first power system output level from the power conversion device to a second power system output level in order to increase the energy stored in the system capacitance to a level that provides sufficient power for the powered system to perform the workload without exceeding the power system output capability of the power system.

2. The power system of claim 1, wherein the first power system output level is a default set point voltage provided by the power conversion device.

3. The power system of claim 1, wherein the power system output controller is configured to provide an output voltage set point in the power conversion device to increase the first power system output level to the second power system output level.

4. The power system of claim 1, wherein the increase of the first power system output level from the power conversion device to the second power system output level is performed at a predefined ramp rate.

5. The power system of claim 1, wherein the second power system output level is provided by the power conversion device throughout the powered system performing the workload.

6. The power system of claim 1, wherein the level of energy stored in the system capacitance due to the second power system output level from the power conversion device is based on a maximum power demand expected due to the powered system performing the workload.

7. The power system of claim 1, wherein the system capacitance includes a power system capacitance of the power system, a powered component capacitance of powered components in the powered system, a powered component voltage regulator capacitance of powered component voltage regulators in the powered system, and a board capacitance of the powered system.

8. An information handling system (IHS), comprising:

a processing system;

a system capacitance coupled to the processing system; and

a power system coupled to the processing system and the system capacitance; and

a power system output controller that is included in the power system and configured to;

control the power system to provide a first power system output level to the system capacitance and the processing system; and

determine that the processing system will exceed a power system output capability of the power system in response to performing a workload and, in response, control the power system to increase the first power system output level from the power system to a second power system output level in order to increase the energy stored in the system capacitance to a level that provides sufficient power for the processing system to perform the workload without exceeding the power system output capability of the power system.

9. The IHS of claim 8, wherein the first power system output level is a default set point voltage provided by the power system.

10. The IHS of claim 8, wherein the power system output controller is configured to provide an output voltage set point in the power system to increase the first power system output level to the second power system output level.

11. The IHS of claim 8, wherein the increase of the first power system output level from the power system to the second power system output level is performed at a predefined ramp rate.

12. The IHS of claim 8, wherein the second power system output level is provided by the power system throughout the processing system performing the workload.

13. The IHS of claim 8, wherein the level of energy stored in the system capacitance due to the second power system output level from the power system is based on a maximum power demand expected due to the processing system performing the workload.

14. The IHS of claim 8, wherein the system capacitance includes a power system capacitance of the power system, an IHS component capacitance of IHS components in the IHS, a voltage regulator capacitance of voltage regulators in the IHS, and a board capacitance of a circuit board in the IHS.

15. A method for dynamically storing energy in an information handling system (IHS) for power excursions, comprising:

controlling a power system to provide a first power system output level to a system capacitance and a powered system;

determining that the powered system will exceed a power system output capability of the power system in response to performing a workload and, in response, increasing the first power system output level from the power system to a second power system output level; and

increasing the energy stored in the system capacitance using power provided by the power system at the second power system output level, wherein the energy stored in the system capacitance is increased to a level that provides sufficient power for the powered system to perform the workload without exceeding the power system output capability of the power system.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the first power system output level is a default set point voltage provided by the power system.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the power system output controller is configured to provide an output voltage set point in the power system to increase the first power system output level to the second power system output level.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the increase of the first power system output level from the power system to the second power system output level is performed at a predefined ramp rate.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the second power system output level is provided by the power system throughout the powered system performing the workload.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the level of energy stored in the system capacitance due to the second power system output level from the power system is based on a maximum power demand expected due to the powered system performing the workload.