Methods and systems for providing indirect voltage detection in a power supply

• US 8,700,939 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2009
• Issued: 04/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Kasprzak, Keith, Little, Daniel B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Nimesh G
• Application Number:
  US12/432,748
• Publication Number:
  US 20100281284A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,811 Days
• Field of Search: 713/300, 713/340
• US Class Current: 713/340
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/28 Supervision thereof, e.g. detecting power-supply failure by out of limits supervision
• 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

Abstract

A method is provided for providing indirect voltage detection in a power supply of an IHS. The method may include providing output current and voltage to an IHS via a power cable and monitoring the output current within the power supply. Furthermore, the method may include adjusting the output voltage if the output current reaches a threshold value.

Claims

1. A method for providing indirect voltage detection in a power supply of an information handling system (IHS), the method comprising:

providing an output current and an output voltage from the power supply to the IHS via a power cable;

monitoring the output current at the power supply;

adjusting the output voltage of the power supply if the output current reaches a threshold value dependent on the impedance of the power cable; and

selecting more than one threshold value to provide multiple adjustments to the output voltage of the power supply.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring the output current is performed by a sense resistor in the power supply.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the power supply comprises a configuration of resistors operable to determine the output voltage of the power supply.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the output voltage comprises adjusting a configuration of resistors within the power supply.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the power supply comprises a resistor network.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the resistor network comprises:

a switch configured between an ON state and an OFF state depending on whether the output current has reached the threshold value; and

a plurality of resistors coupled to the switch, wherein a configuration of the plurality of resistors is operable to determine the output voltage.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising adjusting the configuration of the plurality of resistors by switching the switch between the ON state and the OFF state.

8. A power management framework comprising:

a power supply;

a power supply cable of an impedance connecting the power supply to a load;

a sense resistor operable to monitor an output current from the power supply to the load;

a resistor network; and

a controller coupled to the sense resistor and the resistor network, the controller operable to;

adjust an output voltage of the power supply if the output current reaches a threshold value selected based on the impedance of the power cable; and

select more than one threshold based on the impedance of the power cable.

9. The power management framework of claim 8, wherein the controller adjusts the output voltage by adjusting a configuration of resistors in the resistor network.

10. The power management framework of claim 8, wherein the resistor network comprises:

a switch configured between an ON state and an OFF state depending on whether the output current has reached the threshold value; and

a plurality of resistors coupled to the switch, wherein a configuration of the plurality of resistors is operable to determine the output voltage.

11. The power management framework of claim 10, wherein the switch is configured to an ON state if the output current is equal to or greater than the threshold value and configured to an OFF state if the output current is below the threshold value.

12. The power management framework of claim 10, wherein the switch is operable to adjust the configuration of the plurality of resistors by switching between the ON state and the OFF state.

13. A method for providing indirect voltage detection in a power supply, the method comprising:

providing an output current and an output voltage from a power supply to an information handling system (IHS) via a power cable;

calculating a voltage drop across the power cable by measuring the output current at the power supply and a known impedance of the power cable;

adjusting the output voltage of the power supply if the output current reaches a threshold value dependent on the impedance of the power cable; and

providing more than one threshold value for adjusting the output voltage of the power supply.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the power supply comprises a resistor network.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the resistor network comprises:

a switch operable to switch between an ON state and an OFF state depending on whether the output current has reached the threshold value; and

a plurality of resistors coupled to the switch, wherein a configuration of the plurality of resistors is operable to determine the output voltage.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the switch is operable to adjust the configuration by switching between the ON state and the OFF state.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein adjusting the output voltage comprises adjusting the configuration of the plurality of resistors in the resistor network.