Multi-node server and rack server

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12512669-B2
Application number	US-202418772558-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 15, 2024
Priority date	Dec 7, 2023
Publication date	Dec 30, 2025
Grant date	Dec 30, 2025

Abstract

A multi-node server includes a plurality of nodes. Each of the nodes includes a power supply, a transmission circuit, and a control circuit. The power supply is configured to provide a power source. The transmission circuit is configured to transmit the power source and a power status signal to the transmission circuit of the two adjacent nodes, and receive the power source and the power status signal of the two adjacent nodes. The control circuit is configured to control the transmission circuit and the power supply to transmit the power source and the power status signal to the transmission circuit of the two adjacent nodes. The transmission circuit of each of the nodes are connected in series as a ring circuit. The number of the nodes is N, the power of the power supply is P s , the total power budget of the multi-node server is P b , and P s =P b /(N−1).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A multi-node server, comprising a plurality of nodes, wherein each of the nodes comprises:
a power supply configured to provide power; a transmission circuit coupled to the power supply, wherein the transmission circuit is configured to transmit the power and a power status signal to the transmission circuit of the two adjacent nodes, and is configured to receive the power and the power status signal of the two adjacent nodes; and a control circuit coupled to the power supply and the transmission circuit, wherein the control circuit is configured to control the transmission circuit and the power supply to transmit the power and the power status signal to the transmission circuit of the two adjacent nodes; wherein the transmission circuit of each of the nodes are connected in series as a ring circuit; wherein a number of the nodes is N, the power of the power supply is P s , a total power budget of the multi-node server is P b , and P s =P b /(N−1).

2 . The multi-node server according to claim 1 , wherein when one of the power supplies of the nodes fails, the control circuit of the node comprising the failed power supply records failure information of the power supply in the power status signal.

3 . The multi-node server according to claim 2 , wherein the control circuit is further configured to receive the power status signal of the two adjacent nodes through the transmission circuit, and when the control circuit receives the power status signal of the two adjacent nodes, the control circuit sends a boosting power signal to the power supply to increase the power provided.

4 . The multi-node server according to claim 3 , wherein the nodes comprise a first node, a second node, and a third node, the transmission circuit comprises a first connection circuit and a second connection circuit, and the first connection circuit of the first node is configured to transmit the power and the power status signal of the first node to the second connection circuit of the second node coupled to a first side of the first node and is configured to receive the power and the power status signal of the second node transmitted by the second connection circuit of the second node, and the second connection circuit of the first node is configured to transmit the power and the power status signal of the first node to the first connection circuit of the third node coupled to a second side of the first node and is configured to receive the power and the power status signal of the third node transmitted by the first connection circuit of the third node.

5 . The multi-node server according to claim 4 , wherein the first connection circuit and the second connection circuit comprise a signal splitter circuit and a power distribution circuit, the signal splitter circuit of the first connection circuit of the first node is configured to transmit the power status signal of the first node to the signal splitter circuit of the second connection circuit of the second node coupled to the first side of the first node, and to receive the power status signal of the second node transmitted by the signal splitter circuit of the second connection circuit of the second node, the power distribution circuit of the first connection circuit of the first node is configured to transmit the power of the first node to the power distribution circuit of the second connection circuit of the second node coupled to the first side of the first node, and to receive the power of the second node transmitted by the power distribution circuit of the second connection circuit of the second node, the signal splitter circuit of the second connection circuit of the first node is configured to transmit the power status signal of the first node to the signal splitter circuit of the first connection circuit of the third node coupled to the second side of the first node, and to receive the power status signal of the third node transmitted by the signal splitter circuit of the first connection circuit of the third node, and the power distribution circuit of the second connection circuit of the first node is configured to transmit the power of the first node to the power distribution circuit of the first connection circuit of the third node coupled to the second side of the first node, and to receive the power of the third node transmitted by the power distribution circuit of the first connection circuit of the third node.

6 . The multi-node server according to claim 5 , wherein the power status signal comprises a local fault signal, a first fault signal, and a second fault signal, when the power supply of the first node fails, the control circuit of the first node sends the local fault signal of the first node to the first connection circuit of the first node and the second connection circuit of the first node, when the control circuit of the first node receives the local fault signal or the first fault signal of the second node through the first connection circuit of the first node, the control circuit of the first node sends the first fault signal of the first node to the second connection circuit of the first node, and when the control circuit of the first node receives the local fault signal or the second fault signal of the third node through the second connection circuit of the first node, the control circuit of the first node sends the second fault signal of the first node to the first connection circuit of the first node.

7 . The multi-node server according to claim 6 , wherein the transmission circuit comprises a selection circuit, the control circuit selectively transmits the local fault signal to the first connection circuit or the second connection circuit through the selection circuit, and selectively transmits the second fault signal to the first connection circuit or transmits the first fault signal to the second connection circuit through the selection circuit.

8 . The multi-node server according to claim 7 , wherein the transmission circuit is further configured to transmit a load sharing signal to the transmission circuit of the two adjacent nodes, the load sharing signal is jointly provided by the non-failed power supply of each of the nodes, and each of the power supplies adjusts the load sharing signal according to its own output status of the power.

9 . The multi-node server according to claim 8 , wherein the power supply of each of the nodes directly transmits and receives the load sharing signal through the transmission circuit, and each of the power supplies adjusts the power provided according to the received load sharing signal.

10 . The multi-node server according to claim 8 , wherein each of the control circuits receives the load sharing signal through the transmission circuit and controls the power supply to adjust the power according to the load sharing signal and output the adjusted power.

11 . A rack server, comprising a plurality of servers, wherein each of the servers comprises:
a power supply configured to provide power; a transmission circuit coupled to the power supply, wherein the transmission circuit is configured to transmit the power and a power status signal to the transmission circuit of the two adjacent servers, and is configured to receive the power and the power status signals of the two adjacent servers; and a control circuit coupled to the power supply and the transmission circuit, wherein the control circuit is configured to control the transmission circuit and the power supply to transmit the power and the power status signal to the transmission circuit of the two adjacent servers; wherein the transmission circuit of each of the servers are connected in series as a ring circuit; wherein a

Assignees

• Mitac Computing Tech Corp

Inventors

• Lei yun-shan
• Chang Lung-Chiao

Classifications

• H02J2103/35

  Grid-level management of power transmission or distribution systems, e.g. load flow analysis or active network management · CPC title

• H02J3/0073

  by providing alternative feeding paths when the main path fails · CPC title

• G06F1/305

  in the event of power-supply fluctuations · CPC title

• G06F1/189

  Power distribution · CPC title

• G06F1/263

  Arrangements for using multiple switchable power supplies, e.g. battery and AC (G06F1/30 takes precedence) · CPC title