System and method for dynamically identifying a power adaptor power rating based on operating conditions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11467641-B2
Application number	US-201916248318-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 15, 2019
Priority date	Jan 15, 2019
Publication date	Oct 11, 2022
Grant date	Oct 11, 2022

Abstract

A power adaptor system may comprise a power source supplying input voltage according to a dynamic power rating to an operably connected host information handling system, a power source identification (PSID) module of the power adaptor receiving an adjustable setting voltage from the power source via a setting voltage port of the PSID module, and a controller of the PSID module executing code instructions to select the dynamic power rating for the power source based on a measurement of the adjustable setting voltage indicating an operating condition of the power adaptor or based on an indication of an operating condition the operably connected host information handling system, wherein the dynamic power rating is one of a plurality of dynamic power ratings in including an adjustable range of power levels at each dynamic power rating at which the power source is capable of operating.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A power adapter system comprising:
a power source supplying a power source input voltage to a power source identification (PSID) module;
the PSID module to convert the power source input voltage to a host power connection voltage for an operably connected host information handling system;
the PSID module of the power adapter to receive an adjustable setting voltage from the power source based on the power connection host voltage that is dependent on the power source input voltage received via a setting voltage port of the PSID module; and
a controller of the PSID module executing code instructions to:
select a PSID data record for a power source identified by the adjustable setting voltage received that is dependent on the power source input voltage and select a dynamic power rating from a plurality of dynamic power ratings for the power source, where the PSID module has a plurality of PSID data records associated with a plurality of adjustable setting voltages for candidate power sources and the dynamic power rating associated with the identified power source is based on a measurement of the adjustable setting voltage indicating an operating condition of the power adapter and based on an indication of an operating condition of the operably connected host information handling system,
wherein the dynamic power rating is one of a plurality of dynamic power ratings including an adjustable range of power levels at each dynamic power rating available for selection by the PSID module at which the power source is capable of operating; and
a voltage line for providing input power according to a selected dynamic power rating to a power supply unit on the host information handling system.

2. The power adapter system of claim 1 , wherein the operating condition of the power adapter that forms the basis of the selection of the power rating for the power source is a measured temperature of an internal component of the power adapter system.

3. The power adapter system of claim 1 further comprising:
a thermal sensor to measure a temperature of an internal component of the power adapter system and to adjust, via an electronic switch, the adjustable setting voltage based on the temperature of the internal component, wherein the temperature of the internal component is the operating condition of the power adapter system that forms the basis of the selection of the dynamic power rating.

4. The power adapter system of claim 3 , wherein the temperature sensor is a thermistor.

5. The power adapter system of claim 1 further comprising:
the controller to determine the operating condition of the operably connected host information handling system based on receipt of an override signal from the operably connected host information handling system via a data line between the power adapter system and the information handling system, wherein the controller receives the override signal when the host information handling system has been receiving the host power connection voltage at a peak power level within the adjustable range of power levels of selected dynamic power rating for a preset maximum duration of time; and
the controller selecting a default power level from the adjustable range of power levels of the selected dynamic power rating.

6. The power adapter system of claim 1 further comprising:
the controller transmitting a reset instruction to the operably connected host information handling system upon a startup event of the host information handling system;
the controller determining the operating condition of the operably connected host information handling system is capable of accepting peak power at startup based on receipt of a reply to the reset instruction from the operably connected host information handling system; and
the controller selecting a peak power level from the adjustable range of power levels of the selected dynamic power rating.

7. The power adapter system of claim 1 further comprising:
a light emitting diode of the power adapter system receiving current from the power source and emitting light;
a fault detection circuit of the PSID module determining a fault condition has occurred; and
the fault detection circuit interrupting the flow of current to the light emitting diode such that the light emitting diode discontinues emitting light via an electronic switch upon detection of the fault condition.

8. A method of determining a dynamic power source identification (PSID) for a power adapter comprising:
supplying a host power connection voltage according to a selected dynamic power rating for a detected power source its power source voltage at a power adapter for an operably connected host information handling system via a voltage line providing the host power connection voltage according to the selected dynamic power rating to a power supply unit on the host information handling system, where the selected dynamic power rating is selected from a plurality of dynamic power ratings determined for the detected power source based on the power source voltage determined for the detected power source and identified from a plurality of candidate coupled power sources as determined by an adjustable set voltage by a PSID module;
measuring the adjustable setting voltage at a setting voltage pin of the PSID module that is dependent upon the power source voltage received from the detected power source as converted to the host power connection voltage, wherein the value of the adjustable setting voltage is further dependent upon a measured internal temperature of a power adapter component to electronically switch a voltage divider of the host power connection voltage to set the adjustable setting voltage; and
identifying, via a controller, the dynamic power rating for the detected power source and the power adapter based on a measurement of the adjustable setting voltage and identifying the dynamic power rating further based on an operating condition of the operably connected host information handling system, wherein the dynamic power rating is one of a plurality of power ratings each with an adjustable range of power levels at which the power adapter is capable of operating to supply the host power connection voltage on the voltage line.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:
controlling the adjustable setting voltage based on the temperature of the internal component via a thermal sensor controlled electronic switch to adjust an adjustable voltage divider via a plurality of resistors.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the electronic switch is a metal-oxide substrate field effect transistor (MOSFET).

11. The method of claim 8 further comprising:
receiving an override signal from the host information handling system indicating that the host information handling system has been receiving the host power connection voltage at a peak power level for a preset maximum duration of time as the operating condition of the operably connected host information handling system; and
selecting a default power level from the adjustable range of power levels of the identified dynamic power rating.

12. The method of claim 8 further comprising:
transmitting a reset instruction to the operably connected host information handling system, via the controller, upon a startup event of the host information handling system;
determining the capability of accepting peak power at startup as the operating condition of the operably connected host information handling system based on a receipt of a reply to the reset instruction from the operably connected host information handling system; and
selecting a peak power level from the adjustable range of power levels of

Assignees

• Dell Products Lp

Inventors

• Yu Wei-Cheng
• Liao Tsung-Cheng
• Liang Tun-Chieh
• Chang Wen-Yung
• Wu Chi-Che

Classifications

• G06F1/30

  Means for acting in the event of power-supply failure or interruption, e.g. power-supply fluctuations (for resetting only G06F1/24) · CPC title

• G06F1/28

  Supervision thereof, e.g. detecting power-supply failure by out of limits supervision · CPC title

• G06F1/26 Primary

  Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof (for memories G11C) · CPC title