Patent ID: 8607080

Claim:
A system comprising: an array of networked three dimensional (3D) voltage regulation modules (VRMs), configured to communicate directly within said array via a host control circuit, wherein each VRM in the array of networked three dimensional 3D VRMs is connected to a corresponding voltage bus, and wherein the host control circuit is common to the array of networked three dimensional 3D VRMs and controls a power output of each 3D VRM in the array of networked 3D VRMs; a processor; a data bus coupled to the processor; a memory coupled to the data bus; and a non-transitory computer-usable storage medium embodying computer program code, the computer program code comprising instructions executable by the processor and configured to enable said host control circuit to: determine a power requirement for each VRM in the array of networked 3D VRMs; measure a current power usage for each VRM in the array of networked 3D VRMs; determine whether a critical event exists where a power output from one or more critical VRMs among the array of networked 3D VRMs that powers one or more components of a plurality of components is inadequate to maintain proper operation of the one or more components; and in response to the host control circuit determining the power output to the one or more components is inadequate to maintain proper operation of the one or more components: instruct one or more non-critical VRMs from among the array of networked 3D VRMs that have a surplus power to redirect a surplus voltage to a corresponding one or more voltage buses through one or more voltage vias; and instruct the one or more critical VRMs to utilize the surplus voltage on the corresponding one or more voltage buses as supplementary voltage to aid powering of the one or more components until the critical event has subsided.