Power consumption limit associated with power over ethernet (PoE) computing system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9639135-B2
Application number	US-201114232918-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 18, 2011
Priority date	Jul 18, 2011
Publication date	May 2, 2017
Grant date	May 2, 2017

Abstract

A computing system is associated with power consumption based on Power over Ethernet (PoE). Power consumption is compared to a threshold, and a signal is asserted that power consumption is to be limited based on the comparison to the threshold.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computing system comprising:
a power converter to draw power from Power over Ethernet (PoE) to power the computing system with an amount of available PoE converted power;
a power meter to compare a total amount of converted PoE power consumption of the computing system on a first voltage rail to an upper threshold corresponding to a PoE power class associated with the computing system, and assert a signal indicating that the total converted PoE power consumption of the computing system is to be limited based on the comparison to the upper threshold; and
a display including backlight, wherein converted PoE power consumption of the display is limited based on the signal so a total amount of converted PoE power consumption of display is less than the amount of available PoE converted power, wherein the display including the backlight that derives power only from a second voltage rail that is separate and distinct from the first voltage rail and wherein the backlight varies in brightness as converted PoE power provided via the second rail to the backlight varies, wherein the power meter is to:
compare the total converted POE power consumption of the computing system to a second threshold;
maintain assertion of the signal based on the power consumption exceeding the second threshold; and
de-assert the signal based on the power consumption being below the second threshold; and
wherein at least an amount of power provided to a processor in the computing system is not limited.

2. The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the power converter is to provide power comprising a first voltage and a second voltage, the power meter is to compare power consumption based on the first voltage, and the component is to be powered based on the second voltage.

3. A power converter of a computing system, comprising:
an input to receive Power over Ethernet (PoE) from power sourcing equipment;
a transformer to convert the PoE received from the power sourcing equipment to an amount of available PoE converted power provided by a first voltage rail;
a power meter to determine a total amount of converted PoE power consumption of the computing system based on the converted power provided by at least the first voltage rail, compare the total amount of converted PoE power consumption to an upper threshold corresponding to a PoE power class associated with the computing system, and assert a signal indicating that the total converted PoE power consumption of the computing system is to be limited based on the comparison to the upper threshold so a total amount of converted PoE power consumption of the computing system is less than the amount of available PoE converted power, wherein the computing system includes a display including a backlight to that derives power only from a second voltage rail that is separate and distinct from the first voltage rail and wherein the backlight varies in brightness as converted PoE power provided via the second rail to the backlight varies to limit the total amount of converted PoE power consumption, wherein the power meter is to:
compare the total converted POE power consumption of the computing system to a second threshold;
maintain assertion of the signal based on the power consumption exceeding the second threshold; and
de-assert the signal based on the power consumption being below the second threshold; and
wherein at least an amount of power provided to a processor in the computing system is not limited.

4. The power converter of claim 3 , wherein the power meter is to assert the signal that power consumption is to be limited based on power consumption exceeding the upper threshold by a first amount.

5. The power converter of claim 3 , wherein the power meter is to assert the signal that power consumption is to be limited based on power consumption exceeding the upper threshold during a first duration.

6. The power converter of claim 3 , wherein the power meter is to de-assert the signal based on a delay of time during which power consumption does not exceed the second threshold.

7. A method, comprising:
monitoring, via a first rail, a total amount of converted PoE (Power over Ethernet) power consumption of a computing system that is to draw power from an amount of available PoE converted power to power a plurality of computing systems components of the computing system;
comparing the total amount of converted PoE power consumption to an upper threshold corresponding to a PoE power class associated with the computing system;
asserting a signal to limit the total amount of converted PoE power consumption at the computing system based on the comparing; and
limiting converted PoE power consumption of a computing system component of the plurality of computing system components while a converted PoE power consumption of at least one other computing system component in the computing system is not limited, wherein the computing system component is a display including a back light deriving power only from a second voltage rail that is separate and distinct from the first voltage rail and a brightness of the back light is reduced based on the signal to limit the total amount of converted PoE power consumption;
comparing the total converted POE power consumption of the computing system to a second threshold;
maintaining assertion of the signal based on the power consumption exceeding the second threshold; and
de-asserting the signal based on the power consumption being below the second threshold; and
wherein at least an amount of power provided to a processor in the computing system is not limited.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising de asserting the signal based on power consumption not exceeding the second threshold for the duration of a time delay.

9. The method of claim 7 , further comprising asserting the signal to limit power consumption based on a first power reduction rate associated with the upper threshold, and asserting the signal to limit power consumption based on a second power reduction rate associated with the second threshold.

10. The method of claim 7 , further comprising monitoring power consumption based on a first voltage output of a PoE power converter, and adjusting power consumption of components of the computing system associated with a second voltage output of the PoE power converter.

11. The method of claim 7 , further comprising asserting a signal to reduce the display brightness successively over time if a total amount of converted PoE power consumption remains within a range of the upper threshold of a PoE power class associated with the computing system despite earlier power consumption reduction signal assertions.

12. The method of claim 7 , further comprising asserting a signal to reduce the display brightness by a variable amount depending on proximity of the total amount of converted PoE power consumption to the upper threshold of a PoE power class associated with the computing system.

13. The method of claim 7 , further comprising asserting a signal to reduce the display brightness when the total amount of converted PoE power consumption is proximate to but below the upper threshold of a PoE power class associated with the computing system.

14. The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the brightness of the back light is reduced based on the signal.

Assignees

• Brooks Robert C
• Stevens Jeffrey C
• Ferguson Patrick L
• Shaver Charles N
• Hewlett Packard Development Co Lp

Inventors

• Brooks Robert C
• Stevens Jeffrey C
• Ferguson Patrick L
• Shaver Charles N

Classifications

• G06F1/28 Primary

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

• Y02B60/1242

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• G06F1/3206 Primary

  Monitoring of events, devices or parameters that trigger a change in power modality · CPC title

• H04L12/10

  Current supply arrangements · CPC title

• G06F1/3265

  Power saving in display device · CPC title