Patent ID: 6625736
Filing Date: 2003-09-23
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A method for managing power supplies in a power consuming system having a first plurality of power consumption devices to be powered up by one or several voltages from a set of voltages V1, V2 . . . Vm, a second plurality of power supplies providing said set of voltages, wherein each power supply providing at least one of said set of voltages and a control point for controlling the power supplied to said first plurality of power consumption devices, said method comprising the steps of:(a) determining a first set of linear inequations linking each variable Pv1, Pv2 . . . Pvm representing the power being consumed for each of said set of voltages, or combinations of several of said variables, to predetermined power limits (PVC); (b) determining a real power value (P) requested for each voltage in order to power up each of said first plurality of power consumption devices; (c) dividing each of said real power value by the number of power supplies (p) providing power for the associated voltage in order to determine the components of a power consumption vector (PC) for each of said power supply; (d) replacing said variables Pv1, Pv2 . . . Pvm in said set of linear inequations with said corresponding components of said power consumption vector for each of said power supply to obtain a requested power value for each of said linear inequations; (e) comparing said requested power values to said predetermined power limits wherein said control point determines that a new power supply is requested only if at least one of said requested power values is greater than said predetermined power limits.