Patent ID: 8352758

Claim:
A method of managing current supplied to a power distribution bus in a subsystem having multiple device connectors for attaching multiple corresponding devices, the method comprising: enumerating devices connected to the subsystem to determine individual multiple devices that are connected to the subsystem; responsive to determining the individual multiple devices that are connected to the subsystem, determining maximum current consumption values for the individual multiple devices, wherein the maximum current consumption values indicate the maximum current that can be required by the corresponding individual multiple devices; programming current limit values that control the current supplied to corresponding ones of the multiple devices in conformity with the corresponding maximum current consumption values; adding the maximum current limit values to obtain an indication of a total maximum current or power required by the power distribution bus; and adjusting one or both of a power supply current overhead of the power distribution bus or a cooling overhead of the subsystem according to the indication of the total maximum current or power, such that a current supply capability of the power distribution bus meets or exceeds the total maximum current computed by the adding.