System and method for control of power consumption of information handling system devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9466982-B2
Application number	US-93943210-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 4, 2010
Priority date	Nov 4, 2010
Publication date	Oct 11, 2016
Grant date	Oct 11, 2016

Abstract

Systems and methods for controlling power usage of devices in information handling systems are provided. A device for use in an information handling system may include a connector and an auxiliary power connector. The connector may be configured to electrically couple to a device connector such that the device transmits and receives data via the device connector and receives electrical current from a power supply via the device connector. The auxiliary power connector may be configured to electrically couple the device to the power supply such that the device receives electrical current from the power supply via the device connector, the auxiliary power connector including at least one sense line, the at least one sense line configured to receive at least one power control signal. The device may be configured to establish its power usage in response to receiving the at least one power control signal.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device for use in an information handling system, comprising:
a device connector configured to:
communicatively couple a device to a processor such that the device transmits and receives data via the device connector; and
electrically couple the device to a power supply such that the device receives power via the device connector; and

an auxiliary power connector configured to electrically couple the device to the power supply, the auxiliary power connector including at least one sense line configured to receive at least one power control signal;
wherein the power drawn by the device from the power supply via the auxiliary power connector is configured to be adjusted by:
receiving a first stimulus indicative of a power availability for the power supply and a power usage of other components of an information handling system;
receiving the at least one power control signal at the device via the at least one sense line, the at least one power control signal communicated in response to receipt of the first stimulus and indicative of power requirements of the other components of the information handling system;
determining an amount of power drawn by the device via the auxiliary power connector based on the at least one power control signal;
monitoring the power availability of the power supply during operation of the device;
receiving a second stimulus indicative of a reduction in the power availability of the power supply; and
reducing the amount of power drawn by the device via the auxiliary power connector in response to receipt of the second stimulus, wherein the auxiliary power connector continues to provide power from the power supply to the device.

2. A device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one power control signal is indicative of a change in power availability of the power supply; and
the device is configured to adjust its power usage in response to receiving the at least one power control signal.

3. A device in accordance with claim 1 , the device configured to establish a maximum amount of power to be drawn by the device via the auxiliary power connector.

4. A device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the device is a Peripheral Component Interconnect expansion card.

5. A device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the device is a general purpose graphics processing unit.

6. An information handling system comprising:
a processor;
a power supply;
power control logic configured to determine whether a first stimulus has been received and transmit at least one power control signal in response to receiving the stimulus, the first stimulus and the at least one power control signal indicative of power requirements of other components of the information handling system; and
a device configured to adjust its power usage based on the power requirements of other components of the information handling system indicated by the at least one power control signal, the device including a device connector configured to:
communicatively couple the device to the processor such that the device transmits data to and receives data from the processor via the device connector; and
electrically couple the device to a power supply such that the device receives power from the power supply via the device connector; and

an auxiliary power connector configured to electrically couple the device to the power supply, the auxiliary power connector including at least one sense line configured to receive the at least one power control signal, the power drawn by the device from the power supply via the auxiliary power connector is configured to be adjusted by:
receiving the at least one power control signal at the device via the at least one sense line;
determining an amount of power drawn by the device via the auxiliary power connector based on the at least one power control signal;
monitoring the power availability of the power supply during operation of the device;
receiving a second stimulus indicative of a reduction in the power availability of the power supply; and
reducing the amount of power drawn by the device via the auxiliary power connector in response to receipt of the second stimulus, wherein the auxiliary power connector continues to provide power from the power supply to the device.

7. An information handling system in accordance with claim 6 , the device configured to establish a maximum amount of power to be drawn by the device via the auxiliary power connector.

8. An information handling system in accordance with claim 6 , wherein the device is a Peripheral Component Interconnect expansion card.

9. An information handling system in accordance with claim 6 , wherein the device is a general purpose graphics processing unit.

10. A method comprising:
transmitting and receiving data at a device via a device connector;
receiving power at the device from a power supply via the device connector;
receiving power at the device from the power supply via an auxiliary power connector;
receiving a first stimulus indicative of a power availability for the power supply and a power usage of other components of an information handling system;
receiving at least one power control signal at the device via at least one sense line of the auxiliary power connector, the at least one power control signal communicated in response to receipt of the first stimulus and indicative of power requirements of the other components of the information handling system;
determining an amount of power drawn by the device via the auxiliary power connector based on the at least one power control signal;
monitoring the power availability of the power supply during operation of the device;
receiving a second stimulus indicative of a reduction in the power availability of the power supply; and
reducing the amount of power drawn by the device via the auxiliary power connector in response to receipt of the second stimulus, wherein the auxiliary power connector continues to provide power from the power supply to the device.

11. A method in accordance with claim 10 , wherein the at least one power control signal is indicative of a change in power availability of the power supply and establishing power usage for the device comprises adjusting power usage for the device in response to receiving the at least one power signal.

12. A method in accordance with claim 10 , wherein establishing power usage for the device comprises establishing a maximum amount of power to be drawn by the device via the auxiliary power connector.

13. A method in accordance with claim 10 , wherein the device is a Peripheral Component Interconnect expansion card.

14. A method in accordance with claim 10 , wherein the device is a general purpose graphics processing unit.

Assignees

• Lambert Timothy M
• Dube Shawn Joel
• Dell Products Lp

Inventors

• Lambert Timothy M
• Dube Shawn Joel

Classifications

• G06F1/26

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

• G06F11/30

  Monitoring · CPC title

• H02J1/14 Primary

  Balancing load and power generation in DC networks · CPC title

• G06F1/3296

  by lowering the supply or operating voltage · CPC title

• Y02B60/1217

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic