Patent ID: 8219832

Claim:
A method for managing a voltage regulator in an information handling system (IHS), the method comprising: enabling one or more operating phases associated with the voltage regulator; initializing a switch configuration within the voltage regulator, the switch configuration having at least one high-side switch and at least one low-side switch; initializing a dead-time value greater than a time interval where both the at least one high-side switch and the at least one low-side switch are powered off; sensing a load current through the voltage regulator; adjusting the number of operating phases, the switch configuration, or the dead-time value in response to the load current reaching a predetermined value; repeating the step of adjusting the dead-time value until the first duty ratio no longer exceeds the second duty ratio; comparing a first duty ratio corresponding to a present switching cycle with a second duty ratio corresponding to a prior switching cycle and adjusting the dead-time value further if the first duty ratio exceeds the second duty ratio; and determining whether the IHS is disabled if the first duty ratio no longer exceeds the second duty ratio.