Power supply method for computer system, and related apparatus

Abstract

The present application relates to the field of computers. Disclosed are a power supply method for a computer system, and a related apparatus. The method comprises: when a power supply circuit supplies power to an electric device at a first voltage, a sensor in a computer system collecting power supply parameters which indicate the degree of aging of the computer system; and according to the power supply parameters, controlling the power supply circuit to output a second voltage, so as to supply power to the electric device at the second voltage. The degree of aging of a computer system is estimated in real time, and a power supply voltage of an electric device is dynamically and accurately controlled in real time according to the degree of aging of the computer system, so as to avoid continuously supplying power to the electric device at a fixed voltage, thereby effectively reducing the electric energy consumption, improving the energy efficiency of the electric device, and prolonging the service life of the electric device.

Description

Power supply method and related device for computer system

[0001] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the State Intellectual Property Office on June 28, 2023, with application number 202310782507.6 and application name “A power supply control method”. This application also claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the State Intellectual Property Office on September 4, 2023, with application number 202311138811.3 and application name “Power supply method and related device for computer system”. All of these contents are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0002] The present application relates to the field of computers, and in particular to a power supply method, controller, mainboard, computer equipment, and computer system for a computer system. Background Art

[0003] Currently, computer systems, such as integrated circuits, processors, and memory, are powered by a fixed voltage to support normal operation. For example, a component may be powered at a voltage higher than its required voltage. However, continuously powering a component at a voltage higher than its required voltage results in energy waste and accelerates component aging. Therefore, reducing energy consumption, improving the energy efficiency of components, and extending their lifespan have become pressing challenges.

[0004] Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present application provides a power supply method, controller, mainboard, computer equipment and computer system for a computer system, thereby reducing power consumption, improving the energy efficiency of electrical components and extending the life of electrical components.

[0006] In a first aspect, a method for powering a computer system is provided. The computer system includes a controller, at least one sensor, a power supply circuit, and an electrical device. The controller is connected to the power supply circuit and the at least one sensor, and the power supply circuit is connected to the electrical device. The method is executed by the controller. The method includes: when the power supply circuit supplies power to the electrical device at a first voltage, a sensor in the computer system collects power supply parameters indicating the degree of aging of the computer system, controls the power supply circuit to output a second voltage based on the power supply parameters, and supplies power to the electrical device at the second voltage.

[0007] Compared with the solution of continuously supplying power to devices at a voltage higher than that required by the devices, the solution provided in the present application estimates the aging degree of the computer system in real time, and accurately controls the power supply voltage of the electrical devices in real time and dynamically according to the aging degree of the computer system, thereby avoiding continuously supplying power to the electrical devices at a fixed voltage, thereby effectively reducing power consumption, improving the energy efficiency of the electrical devices, and extending the life of the electrical devices.

[0008] In a possible implementation, the at least one sensor includes a first sensor disposed around the electrical device, and the power supply parameter includes a first power supply parameter of the electrical device collected by the first sensor.

[0009] Therefore, sensors are set around electrical devices to collect the power supply parameters of the electrical devices, and the aging degree of the electrical devices is estimated in real time based on the power supply parameters of the electrical devices. The power supply voltage of the electrical devices is accurately controlled in real time and dynamically according to the aging degree of the electrical devices to avoid continuously supplying power to the electrical devices with a fixed voltage, thereby effectively reducing energy consumption, improving the energy efficiency of electrical devices and delaying the life of electrical devices.

[0010] In another possible implementation, the at least one sensor includes a second sensor disposed around the power supply circuit, and the power supply parameter includes a second power supply parameter of the power supply circuit collected by the second sensor.

[0011] Therefore, sensors are set around the power supply circuit to collect the power supply parameters of the power supply circuit. Based on the power supply parameters of the power supply circuit, the impact of the aging degree of the power supply circuit on the electrical devices is estimated in real time. According to the aging degree of the power supply circuit, the power supply voltage of the electrical devices is accurately controlled in real time and dynamically to avoid continuously supplying power to the electrical devices with a fixed voltage, thereby effectively reducing energy consumption, improving the energy efficiency of electrical devices and delaying the life of electrical devices.

[0012] In another possible implementation, the power supply parameter includes at least one of humidity, temperature, power, or operating time.

[0013] In another possible implementation, the power supply parameter further includes at least one of an external environment parameter of the electrical device or an external environment parameter of the power supply circuit.

[0014] In another possible implementation, controlling the power supply circuit to output the second voltage according to the power supply parameter includes: adjusting the first voltage according to the power supply parameter to obtain the second voltage, and controlling the power supply circuit to output the second voltage.

[0015] In another possible implementation, adjusting the first voltage according to the power supply parameter to obtain the second voltage includes: adjusting the first voltage according to the voltage adjustment value corresponding to the power supply parameter to obtain an intermediate voltage; and obtaining the second voltage according to the intermediate voltage and the voltage margin value.

[0016] Therefore, the current voltage of the electrical device is adjusted based on the voltage margin value, so as to ensure the power supply demand of the electrical device and enable the electrical device to operate normally.

[0017] In another possible implementation, controlling the power supply circuit to output the second voltage according to the power supply parameters includes: controlling the power supply circuit to output the second voltage according to external parameters and power supply parameters, the external parameters including at least one of power supply requirements, supply voltage change trend, or expected life of electrical devices.

[0018] Therefore, the current voltage adjusted based on the external parameters ensures the power supply demand of the electrical device and the normal operation of the electrical device.

[0019] In another possible implementation, the electrical device includes at least one of a processor, a memory, or a peripheral device.

[0020] Optionally, the electrical device may also be an electronic component inside the processor.

[0021] In a second aspect, a power supply device is provided, the power supply device including modules for executing the power supply method in the first aspect or any possible design of the first aspect. For example, the power supply device includes a communication module and a control module.

[0022] For example, the communication module is used to obtain a power supply parameter collected by at least one sensor, and the power supply parameter is used to indicate the aging degree of the computer system.

[0023] The control module is used to control the power supply circuit to output a second voltage according to the power supply parameters, and supply power to the electrical device with the second voltage.

[0024] Optionally, the control module is specifically configured to adjust the first voltage according to the power supply parameter to obtain the second voltage, and control the power supply circuit to output the second voltage.

[0025] In a third aspect, a controller is provided, which is used to execute the operating steps of the method in the first aspect or any possible implementation of the first aspect to control the power supply voltage of electrical devices as the aging degree of the computer system changes.

[0026] In a fourth aspect, a mainboard is provided, which includes a power supply circuit, an electrical device, at least one sensor, a memory and a controller, wherein the sensor is used to obtain power supply parameters collected by at least one sensor, the memory is used to store the power supply parameters, and the controller is used to execute the operating steps of the method in the first aspect or any possible implementation of the first aspect to control the voltage supplied by the power supply circuit to the electrical device.

[0027] In a fifth aspect, a computer device is provided, which includes the mainboard as described in the fourth aspect.

[0028] In a sixth aspect, a computer system is provided, which includes a power supply device and a computer device as described in the fifth aspect, the power supply device is used to supply power to the computer device, and the computer device is used to execute the operating steps of the method in the first aspect or any possible implementation of the first aspect to control the voltage of the power supplied by the power supply circuit to the electrical device.

[0029] In the seventh aspect, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, comprising: computer software instructions; when the computer software instructions are executed in a processor, the processor executes the operating steps of the method described in the first aspect or any possible implementation of the first aspect.

[0030] In an eighth aspect, a computer program product is provided. When the computer program product is run on a computer, the computer is caused to execute the operating steps of the method described in the first aspect or any possible implementation of the first aspect.

[0031] The technical effects brought about by any design method in the second to eighth aspects can be referred to the technical effects brought about by the first aspect or different design methods in the first aspect, and will not be repeated here.

[0032] Based on the implementation methods provided in the above aspects, this application can also be further combined to provide more implementation methods. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of the composition of a computer system provided by the present application;

[0034] FIG2 is a schematic diagram of the composition of a power supply circuit and a voltage control circuit provided by the present application;

[0035] FIG3 is a schematic diagram of the composition of a power supply circuit and a voltage control circuit provided by the present application;

[0036] FIG4 is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between a power supply circuit and electrical components provided by the present application;

[0037] FIG5 is a flow chart of a method for powering a computer system provided in the present application;

[0038] FIG6 is a schematic diagram of the relationship between power supply parameters and voltage provided by the present application;

[0039] FIG7 is a flow chart of another method for powering a computer system provided by the present application;

[0040] FIG8 is a schematic structural diagram of a power supply device provided in this application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0041] To facilitate understanding, the main terms involved in the embodiments of the present application are first explained.

[0042] A power supply unit (PSU) is a device mounted on a printed circuit board. It provides power to various components in a computer system. These components include, but are not limited to, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), digital signal processors (DSPs), microprocessors, memory, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), and other digital or analog loads.

[0043] Voltage: Also known as potential difference or electric potential difference, it is a physical quantity that measures the energy difference generated by the different electric potentials of unit charges in an electrostatic field.

[0044] Voltage Regulator Module (VRM): This module controls the DC-DC converter circuit on the motherboard, providing stable voltage for power-consuming devices. A power supply circuit designed according to VRM standards can meet the requirements of different processors, reduce the complexity of manual intervention, and simplify the voltage control design of the voltage stabilization circuit.

[0045] Power: A physical quantity that indicates the amount of work done per unit time. It represents the speed at which work is done. The unit of power is the watt (W), also known as watt. Power can be expressed as P, where P = W / t, where W represents work, measured in joules, and t represents time, measured in seconds.

[0046] Energy efficiency: Also known as energy efficiency, this refers to the ratio of the amount of energy utilized to the amount of energy actually consumed. Higher energy efficiency translates to greater energy savings. For example, if an air conditioner can provide greater cooling performance while consuming less electricity, it is considered energy-efficient and energy-efficient.

[0047] Aging refers to the phenomenon in which a material gradually deteriorates and loses its value due to the combined effects of internal and external factors. Aging is an irreversible change. For example, during the use of polymer materials, due to the combined effects of environmental factors such as heat, oxygen, water, light, microorganisms, and chemical media, the chemical composition and structure of the polymer material undergo a series of changes, and the physical properties also deteriorate accordingly, such as becoming hard, sticky, brittle, discolored, and losing strength. These changes and phenomena are called aging.

[0048] During computer operation, electronic components within computers also age. This aging can lead to performance degradation (e.g., decreased capacitance and increased resistance), increased failure rates, and even component failure (e.g., transistor and diode failure). Therefore, component aging is crucial for improving the reliability and stability of computer equipment.

[0049] The causes of aging of electronic components include the following.

[0050] 1. Changes in the internal structure of electronic components.

[0051] As electronic components age, their internal structures change, impacting their performance. These changes can include metal surface oxidation, dielectric aging, and loose solder joints. These changes can increase component temperature and affect the stability of electronic equipment.

[0052] 2. Temperature changes and humidity changes.

[0053] Temperature and humidity changes are one of the important factors that affect the aging of electronic components. In high temperature and high humidity environments, the internal structure of electronic components will change, leading to aging of electronic components.

[0054] 3. Voltage changes and current changes.

[0055] During computer equipment operation, voltage and current fluctuations can also cause electronic components to age. For example, electronic components exposed to high voltage and high current for extended periods of time are susceptible to damage.

[0056] In order to solve the problem of continuously supplying power to electrical devices at a voltage higher than that required by the electrical devices, resulting in energy waste and accelerated aging of the electrical devices. The present application provides a power supply method for a computer system, that is, when the power supply circuit supplies power to the electrical devices at a first voltage, a sensor in the computer system collects power supply parameters indicating the aging degree of the computer system, controls the power supply circuit to output a second voltage according to the power supply parameters, and supplies power to the electrical devices at the second voltage. Since the aging degree of the computer system is estimated in real time, the supply voltage (supply voltage) of the electrical devices is accurately and dynamically controlled in real time according to the aging degree of the computer system, thereby avoiding continuously supplying power to the electrical devices at a fixed voltage, thereby effectively reducing power consumption, improving the energy efficiency of the electrical devices, delaying the life of the electrical devices, and improving the reliability and stability of the computer equipment.

[0057] The power supply method of the computer system provided in the present application is described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a computer system provided in the present application. As shown in Figure 1, the computer system 100 includes a voltage control circuit 110, an electrical device 120 and a power supply circuit 130. The voltage control circuit 110, the electrical device 120 and the power supply circuit 130 are connected. For example, the voltage control circuit 110, the electrical device 120 and the power supply circuit 130 are connected via a bus. The bus may include a path for transmitting information between the above-mentioned components (such as the voltage control circuit 110, the electrical device 120 and the power supply circuit 130). For example, the electrical device 120 feeds back real-time power supply parameters to the voltage control circuit 110, and the voltage control circuit 110 controls the power supply circuit 130 to provide a supply voltage to the electrical device 120. The bus may be a Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe) bus, an I2C bus, a Power Management Bus (PMBus) bus, an Adaptive Voltage Scaling Bus (AVS) bus, or the like.

[0058] The electrical devices 120 include electronic components used for data processing or communication in a computer system, such as processors, memory and storage units (also known as main memory units), and network adapters (such as network interface cards (NICs) and intelligent network interface cards (iNICs)). The processor can be a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), a data processing unit (DPU), a neural processing unit (NPU), an embedded neural-network processing unit (NPU), or other XPUs used for data processing.

[0059] Alternatively, the electrical device 120 may refer to electronic components within a chip, such as a processor, memory, or storage unit. Alternatively, the electrical device 120 may be a circuit board powered by multiple power supplies. This application does not limit the specific form of the electrical device. The electrical device may also be referred to as an electrical unit.

[0060] For ease of description, the following embodiments are described by taking the electrical device 120 as a CPU as an example.

[0061] The power supply circuit 130 is used to adjust the voltage provided by the power module to supply power to the electrical device 120. The power module can be provided in the computer system 100 or outside the computer system 100.

[0062] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 2 , the power supply circuit 130 includes a voltage regulation module 131 , a voltage conversion module 132 , and a voltage filtering module 133 .

[0063] The voltage regulation module 131 is used to control the voltage conversion module 132 to provide a stable DC voltage for the electrical device 120 .

[0064] The voltage conversion module 132 is used to convert the DC voltage provided by the voltage regulation module 131 into the DC voltage required by the electrical device 120. The voltage conversion module 132 may include power field-effect transistors and inductors. The number of power field-effect transistors and inductors included in the voltage conversion module 132 is not limited.

[0065] The voltage filter module 133 is used to filter out interference components such as clutter and noise in the voltage signal input to the electrical device 120, output a stable DC voltage signal, and ensure the normal operation of the electrical device 120. Among them, the voltage filter module 133 may include capacitors and inductors. The filter network composed of capacitors and inductors filters out the high-frequency components in the voltage signal and retains the low-frequency components for output. The capacitor can filter out the high-frequency noise in the voltage signal by accumulating and releasing the voltage, while the inductor can pass the low-frequency components through its self-inductance, thereby avoiding voltage instability. According to specific design requirements, a single voltage filter module or a combination of multiple voltage filter modules can be used to achieve better filtering effect. For example, the voltage filter module includes a low-pass filter, a band-pass filter, and a band-stop filter.

[0066] The voltage control circuit 110 is used to monitor the aging degree of the computer system 100 in real time, and dynamically control the supply voltage provided by the power supply circuit 130 to the electrical device 120 in real time according to the aging degree of the computer system 100 .

[0067] In some embodiments, because electronic components in a computer system age for different reasons, resulting in varying degrees of aging, the computer system can be divided into multiple ranges or regions, and the degree of aging in each range or region can be monitored separately. This allows for precise, real-time, dynamic control of the supply voltage of electrical components, reducing power consumption, improving component energy efficiency, extending component lifespan, and enhancing the reliability and stability of computer equipment.

[0068] The voltage control circuit 110 can monitor different ranges of aging levels in the computer system 100 and control the supply voltage provided by the power supply circuit 130 to the power consumption device 120 based on the different ranges of aging levels. The different ranges of aging levels can refer to different ranges of aging levels in the power supply path. The power supply path can refer to the path from the power supply circuit to the power consumption device. The power supply path includes at least the power supply circuit and the power consumption device.

[0069] For example, the voltage control circuit 110 monitors the aging degree of the electrical device 120 , and dynamically controls the supply voltage provided by the power supply circuit 130 to the electrical device 120 in real time based on the aging degree of the electrical device 120 as the aging degree of the computer system 100 .

[0070] For another example, the voltage control circuit 110 also monitors the aging degree of the power supply circuit 130 , and dynamically controls the supply voltage provided by the power supply circuit 130 to the electrical device 120 in real time based on the aging degree of the power supply circuit 130 as the aging degree of the computer system 100 .

[0071] For another example, the voltage control circuit 110 dynamically controls the supply voltage provided by the power supply circuit 130 to the electrical device 120 in real time based on the aging degree of the electrical device 120 and the aging degree of the power supply circuit 130 as the aging degree of the computer system 100 .

[0072] 2 , the voltage control circuit 110 includes a controller 111 and at least one sensor 112. The controller 111 is connected to the power supply circuit 130 and the at least one sensor 112. The at least one sensor 112 can be disposed around the power supply circuit 130 and the electrical device 120.

[0073] The controller 111 may be other general-purpose processors, digital signal processors (DSP), application-specific integrated circuits (ASIC), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGA), system on chip (SoC), complex programmable logical devices (CPLD) or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, discrete hardware components, etc. The general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor or a microcontroller unit (MCU) or any conventional processor, etc.

[0074] At least one sensor 112 is used to collect power supply parameters of the computer system 100 , which are used to indicate the aging degree of the computer system 100 . For example, at least one sensor 112 is used to monitor power supply parameters of the power supply circuit 130 and power supply parameters of the electrical device 120 .

[0075] The controller 111 is configured to control the output voltage of the power supply circuit 130 according to the power supply parameters, and to supply power to the electrical device 120 with the output voltage of the power supply circuit 130 .

[0076] Optionally, the voltage control circuit 110 further includes a memory 113. The memory 113 is used to store the power supply parameters collected by the sensor 112 and the current voltage of the electrical device 120. For example, the memory 113 can be a flash memory, an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), a hard disk, or other storage media.

[0077] For example, as shown in FIG3 , assuming that the power-consuming device 120 is a CPU, the controller 111 is an MCU, the voltage conversion module 132 includes a voltage output device and an inductor, and the voltage filtering module 133 includes a capacitor. The voltage output device can be implemented using a driver and metal oxide silicon field effect transistor module (DRMOS), which is a voltage regulator module (VRM) that uses an external pulse-width modulation (PWM) controller in a buck configuration.

[0078] Sensor 1 is arranged around the DRMOS, sensor 2 is arranged around the capacitor, and sensor 3 is arranged inside the CPU.

[0079] The controller 111 is connected to the sensor 1 , the sensor 2 , and the sensor 3 through the I 2 C bus.

[0080] The controller 111 is connected to the voltage regulation module 131 via a power management bus (PMBus).

[0081] The sensor 1 is used to collect power supply parameters of the electronic components included in the power supply circuit 130. For example, the sensor 1 collects the temperature, humidity and power of the DRMOS.

[0082] Sensor 2 is a temperature sensor used to collect the average temperature of the board-level filter capacitor. For example, sensor 2 collects the board-level filter capacitor temperature within a preset time period and calculates the average temperature of the board-level filter capacitor.

[0083] The sensor 3 is used to collect the power and temperature of the electrical device 120 during operation.

[0084] Optionally, the electrical device 120 feeds back its current voltage to the voltage regulation module 131. This allows the controller 111 to obtain the current voltage of the electrical device 120 and the power supply parameters collected by the sensor, and dynamically control the power supply voltage provided by the power supply circuit 130 to the electrical device 120 in real time. The current voltage can be the peak voltage of the electrical device under actual service conditions.

[0085] The present application does not limit the arrangement of the sensors or the number of the sensors.

[0086] In some embodiments, sensors may be connected to devices, or they may not be connected to devices. For example, temperature and humidity sensors may be placed around the device to collect temperature and humidity information from the device's surroundings. Another example is a power sensor connected to a device to collect device power.

[0087] Optionally, the sensor may be provided in the device or outside the sensor. For example, the processor includes a sensor, and the sensor inside the processor is reused to collect the power, temperature, and humidity of the processor.

[0088] In some embodiments, each electronic component and each electrical device in the power supply circuit may share a sensor, which is used to collect power supply parameters of each electronic component and each electrical device in the power supply circuit. For example, a temperature sensor may be used to collect the temperature of each electronic component and each electrical device in the power supply circuit.

[0089] Alternatively, each electronic component and consumer in the power supply circuit is connected to a sensor, with each sensor collecting power supply parameters from the connected device. For example, each electronic component in the power supply circuit is connected to a power sensor to collect the power of the electronic component in the power supply circuit, and each consumer is connected to a power sensor to collect the power of the consumer.

[0090] Alternatively, the sensor shared by each electronic component and electrical device in the power supply circuit can be a comprehensive sensor that can collect power supply parameters such as temperature, humidity, and power.

[0091] This application does not limit the connection method between the power supply circuit and the electrical device, nor the number of electrical devices that the power supply circuit supplies voltage to. One power supply circuit can be connected to one or more electrical devices to provide power to one or more electrical devices. In addition, this application does not limit the number of voltage control circuits or the number of sensors included in the voltage control circuit. One voltage control circuit can be set for each power supply circuit and electrical device, or one voltage control circuit can be set for multiple power supply circuits and electrical devices.

[0092] For example, as shown in (a) of Figure 4 , three power supply circuits are each connected to an electrical device. Each power supply circuit supplies power to the electrical device to which it is connected. Power supply circuit 1 is connected to electrical device 1 and supplies power to the connected electrical device 1. Voltage control circuit 1 is connected to power supply circuit 1 and electrical device 1, respectively. Voltage control circuit 1 is used to monitor the degree of aging of electrical device 1 in real time and dynamically control the supply voltage provided by power supply circuit 1 to electrical device 1 in real time based on the degree of aging of electrical device 1. The explanation of voltage control circuit 2 and voltage control circuit 3 refers to the explanation of voltage control circuit 1 and is not repeated here.

[0093] As shown in (b) of Figure 4 , the voltage control circuit 1 is respectively connected to the power supply circuit 1, the power supply circuit 2, the power supply circuit 3, the electrical device 1, the electrical device 2, and the electrical device 3. The voltage control circuit 1 is used to monitor the aging degree of electrical device 1, the aging degree of electrical device 2, and the aging degree of electrical device 3 in real time, and dynamically control the supply voltage provided by the power supply circuit 1 to the electrical device 1 in real time based on the aging degree of electrical device 1, dynamically control the supply voltage provided by the power supply circuit 2 to the electrical device 2 in real time based on the aging degree of electrical device 2, and dynamically control the supply voltage provided by the power supply circuit 3 to the electrical device 3 in real time based on the aging degree of electrical device 3.

[0094] As shown in (c) of FIG4 , one power supply circuit is connected to three electrical devices. Among them, the multiple electrical devices connected to one power supply circuit may belong to the same module or different modules. For example, the power supply circuit 1 is connected to different electronic components in the processor 1, and the power supply circuit 1 can provide the required voltages to the different electronic components in the processor 1. The voltage control circuit 1 is connected to the power supply circuit 1 and the processor 1. The voltage control circuit 1 dynamically controls the supply voltage provided by the power supply circuit 1 to the different electronic components in the processor 1 in real time according to the aging degree of different electronic components in the processor 1. Optionally, since the power supply circuit 1 supplies power to different electronic components in the processor 1, when the voltage control circuit 1 regulates the voltage of each electronic component, it dynamically controls the supply voltage provided by the power supply circuit 1 to the electronic components in real time according to the aging degree of the electronic components and the aging degree of the power supply circuit 1.

[0095] In Figure 1, a computer system 100 including a voltage control circuit 110, an electrical device 120 and a power supply circuit 130 is taken as an example. Here, the voltage control circuit 110 and the electrical device 120 are respectively used to indicate a type of device or equipment. In a specific embodiment, the number of each type of device or equipment can be determined according to business requirements.

[0096] A power supply method for a computer system provided by the present application is described below in conjunction with Figure 5 , as shown in Figure 5 . Here, the computer system shown in Figure 1 is used as an example in which the voltage control circuit 110 controls the power supply circuit 130 to supply power to the electrical device 120 .

[0097] Step 510: When the power supply circuit supplies power to the electrical device at a first voltage, the controller obtains a power supply parameter collected by at least one sensor.

[0098] The first voltage refers to the current voltage of the electrical device or the real-time voltage supplied to the electrical device. When the power supply circuit supplies power to the electrical device for the first time, the first voltage may refer to the real-time voltage that the power supply circuit initially supplies to the electrical device. For example, the power supply circuit may supply power to the electrical device based on the initial voltage, and the first voltage is the initial voltage. The initial voltage may be a system default voltage or a pre-configured voltage. Alternatively, the initial voltage may refer to the voltage required when the electrical device has not aged. For another example, the power supply circuit may supply power to the electrical device based on the initial voltage and a first voltage margin value, and the first voltage may be the sum of the initial voltage and the first voltage margin value. Thus, an additional margin voltage is provided to the electrical device to ensure the voltage required by the electrical device, thereby avoiding the phenomenon of performance degradation of the electrical device, reliability, and stability degradation due to the voltage supplied by the power supply circuit being lower than the voltage required by the electrical device.

[0099] After the power supply circuit initially supplies power to an electrical device, the controller may obtain power supply parameters collected by at least one sensor and control the voltage supplied by the power supply circuit to the electrical device based on the power supply parameters. This means that the voltage supplied to the electrical device is regulated based on the power supply parameters. Therefore, after the power supply circuit initially supplies power to the electrical device, the first voltage may refer to any real-time voltage supplied by the power supply circuit to the electrical device after any regulation.

[0100] The power supply parameters are used to indicate the aging degree of the computer system. The controller obtains the power supply parameters collected by the sensor and uses the power supply parameters collected by the sensor to sense the aging degree of the computer system.

[0101] Since the causes of computer system aging include changes in the internal structure, temperature, humidity, voltage, and current of the electronic components in the computer system, the power supply parameters include but are not limited to: humidity, temperature, power, voltage, current, operating time, etc. Humidity can refer to the temperature of the electronic component itself or the temperature of the external environment of the electronic component. Temperature can refer to the temperature of the electronic component itself or the temperature of the external environment of the electronic component. Power can refer to the power of the electronic component. Voltage can refer to the current voltage of the electronic component. Current can refer to the current current of the electronic component. Operating time can refer to the cumulative power-on time of the electronic component. In other words, there is no need to time the power-off time of the electronic component, only the power-on time of the electronic component needs to be timed. The operating time can refer to the total power-on time of the electronic component.

[0102] For example, the controller obtains power supply parameters collected by a first sensor set in a cycle of the electrical device, where the power supply parameters include a first power supply parameter of the electrical device collected by the first sensor.

[0103] In another example, the controller acquires power supply parameters collected by a second sensor set during a power supply circuit cycle. The power supply parameters include second power supply parameters of the power supply circuit collected by the second sensor. For example, the power supply circuit includes a voltage regulation module, a voltage conversion module, and a voltage filtering module. The second power supply parameters of the power supply circuit include the power supply parameters of the voltage regulation module, the voltage conversion module, and the voltage filtering module.

[0104] Optionally, the temperature in the power supply parameter may include at least one of the temperature of the electrical device, the temperature of the power supply circuit, the temperature of the external environment of the electrical device, or the temperature of the external environment of the power supply circuit.

[0105] Optionally, the humidity in the power supply parameter may include at least one of the humidity of the electrical device, the humidity of the power supply circuit, the humidity of the external environment of the electrical device, or the humidity of the external environment of the power supply circuit.

[0106] Step 520: The controller controls the power supply circuit to output a second voltage according to the power supply parameter.

[0107] The controller adjusts the first voltage based on the power supply parameters to obtain a second voltage. Specifically, it adjusts the current voltage of the electrical device based on the power supply parameters to obtain the second voltage, and controls the power supply circuit to output the second voltage. The second voltage refers to the adjusted voltage. Because the longer the electrical device operates, the more pronounced the aging of the device, and the higher the voltage required by the device, the second voltage adjusted based on the power supply parameters can be greater than the first voltage. It is understood that the first voltage adjusted by the controller for the i-th time is the second voltage obtained after the i-1-th adjustment.

[0108] The following is an example of how to adjust the power supply voltage of an electrical device.

[0109] In a first approach, the controller obtains a voltage adjustment value corresponding to the power supply parameter, and adjusts the first voltage according to the voltage adjustment value to obtain the second voltage.

[0110] The controller obtains an aging-voltage correspondence, queries the aging-voltage correspondence according to power supply parameters collected by the sensor, determines a voltage adjustment value corresponding to the power supply parameter in the correspondence, and adjusts the first voltage according to the voltage adjustment value to obtain a second voltage.

[0111] The aging-voltage correspondence is used to indicate the correspondence between aging data and voltage adjustment values. The aging data includes data related to the cause of aging. For example, the aging data includes at least one of temperature, humidity, power, voltage, or operating hours.

[0112] The aging-voltage correspondence relationship may be stored in a memory in a computer system or in a memory in the voltage control circuit described in the above embodiment.

[0113] For example, aging-voltage correspondences are stored for each device type. Device types include, but are not limited to, processors, memories, network cards, and so on. The memory can store the aging-voltage correspondences for processors, memories, and network cards.

[0114] For another example, the aging-voltage correspondence is stored for device models. For different models of the same device, the memory can store the aging-voltage correspondence for the same model of devices.

[0115] The memory is also used to store power supply parameters collected by sensors. For example, the memory stores the power supply parameters of each electronic component in a computer system, collected by sensors. These power supply parameters are used to indicate the operating status of the electronic component and to estimate the degree of aging of the electronic component.

[0116] The memory is further used to store the current voltage of the electrical device, ie, the first voltage of the electrical device, so that the controller can control the power supply circuit to output the second voltage according to the power supply parameters.

[0117] This application does not limit the storage method of the aging-voltage correspondence relationship and the power supply parameter method.

[0118] For example, the aging-voltage correspondence relationship and the power supply parameters are stored in a database manner. In another example, the aging-voltage correspondence relationship and the power supply parameters are stored in a list manner.

[0119] For example, as shown in (a) of Figure 6 , the power supply parameters include the operating hours and current voltage of the electrical device, as well as the aging data of electrical device 1 collected by the sensor. The aging data includes temperature, humidity, and power collected at multiple times. As shown in (b) of Figure 6 , this is a schematic diagram of the aging-voltage correspondence. Operating hours refers to the operating hours of the electrical device. Current voltage refers to the current voltage of the electrical device. Device 1 can refer to the aging data of the electrical device. Device 2 can refer to the aging data of the power supply circuit.

[0120] Optionally, the power supply parameters and corresponding relationships may be recorded in a table format for each device, as shown in Table 1 and Table 2.

[0121] Table 1

[0122] Table 1 records the power supply parameters of electrical device 1, including operating hours, current voltage, temperature, humidity, and power. The power supply parameters of electrical device 1 indicate the degree of aging of electrical device 1. The longer the operating hours of electrical device 1, the more obvious the aging of electrical device 1, and the higher the voltage of electrical device 1. For example, if t2 is greater than t1, then V2 is greater than V1. The power supply parameters collected at time t1 when electrical device 1 is operating for T1 are: current voltage V1, temperature T1°C, humidity H1, and power P1.

[0123] Table 2

[0124] Table 2 shows the aging-voltage relationship for electrical device 1, including the relationship between operating hours, power supply parameters, and voltage adjustment values. For example, if electrical device 1 has an operating time of 100 hours and the power supply parameters collected by the sensor include temperature 1, humidity 1, and power 1, the voltage adjustment value is 1mV.

[0125] The aging-voltage correspondence can be obtained based on empirical values ​​of the relationship between the aging process of the electrical device and the required voltage. For example, the relationship between the aging process of the electrical device and the required voltage can be obtained through testing.

[0126] It should be noted that Table 1 only illustrates the storage form of the corresponding relationship in the storage device in the form of a table, and does not limit the storage form of the corresponding relationship in the storage device. Of course, the storage form of the corresponding relationship in the storage device can also be stored in other forms, and this embodiment does not limit this.

[0127] For example, assume that the power supply circuit supplies power to the electrical device at a first voltage, where the first voltage is the sum of the initial voltage required by the electrical device and the first voltage margin. For example, V0 = V-init + VA, where V0 represents the first voltage, V-init represents the initial voltage, and VA represents the first voltage margin.

[0128] The controller obtains the power supply parameters of the electrical device and the power supply circuit collected by the sensor, determines a first voltage adjustment value based on the power supply parameters of the electrical device, and determines a second voltage adjustment value based on the power supply parameters of the power supply circuit. The voltage adjustment value used by the controller to adjust the first voltage includes the first voltage adjustment value and the second voltage adjustment value. For example, V-ex = V-ex-device 1 + V-ex-device 2 + ..., where V-ex represents the voltage adjustment value, V-ex-device 1 represents the voltage adjustment value of device 1, and V-ex-device 2 represents the voltage adjustment value of device 2. V-ex-device 1, V-ex-device 2, etc. can be obtained by looking up in a table. Device 1 is an electronic component in the electrical device. Device 2 can be an electronic component in the power supply circuit.

[0129] The controller obtains an adjusted voltage according to the voltage adjustment value and the initial voltage, and compares the adjusted voltage with the first voltage.

[0130] When the adjusted voltage is greater than the first voltage, it indicates that the first voltage cannot meet the voltage requirements of the electrical device and the supply voltage of the electrical device needs to be increased. For example, the adjusted voltage and the second voltage margin value can be determined as the second voltage, that is, the power supply circuit supplies power to the electrical device at the second voltage.

[0131] When the adjusted voltage is less than or equal to the first voltage, it indicates that the first voltage meets the voltage requirement of the electrical device, and the supply voltage of the electrical device may be increased or not increased. For example, the adjusted voltage and the second voltage margin value may be determined as the second voltage, i.e., the power supply circuit supplies power to the electrical device at the second voltage.

[0132] For example, V1 = Vinit + V-ex, where V1 represents the adjusted voltage, V' = V0 - V1 = V-init + VA - Vinit + V-ex = VAV-ex, and V' represents the difference between the adjusted voltage and the first voltage. If the difference is greater than 0, it indicates that the first voltage meets the voltage requirements of the electrical device. If the difference is less than or equal to 0, it indicates that the first voltage cannot meet the voltage requirements of the electrical device. VA represents the first voltage margin value.

[0133] Optionally, the controller adjusts the first voltage according to the voltage adjustment value corresponding to the power supply parameter to obtain an adjusted voltage; and obtains a second voltage according to the adjusted voltage and a second voltage margin value. This ensures that the power supply voltage meets the voltage requirements of the electrical device. The second voltage margin value may be the same as or different from the first voltage margin value.

[0134] For example, when the difference between the adjusted voltage and the first voltage is less than the second voltage margin, the second voltage is obtained based on the adjusted voltage and the second voltage margin. For example, V'<=VB, V2=Vinit+V-ex+VB. V2 represents the second voltage. VB is the second voltage margin.

[0135] In a second approach, the controller predicts the voltage adjustment value or the second voltage based on a neural network model. For example, the neural network model is trained based on empirical data on the relationship between the aging process of electrical components and the required voltage, enabling the neural network model to adjust the supply voltage based on power supply parameters. The acquired power supply parameters are input into the neural network model, which outputs the voltage adjustment value. Alternatively, the acquired power supply parameters are input into the neural network model, which outputs the second voltage.

[0136] In a third approach, the controller controls the power supply circuit to output the second voltage according to external parameters and power supply parameters. The external parameters include at least one of power supply requirements, supply voltage variation trends, or life cycles.

[0137] For example, the controller adjusts the first voltage to obtain a second voltage based on the power supply parameters and determines whether the second voltage meets the power supply requirement. If the second voltage meets the power supply requirement, the controller controls the power supply circuit to supply power to the electrical device at the second voltage. If the second voltage does not meet the power supply requirement, the controller controls the power supply circuit to supply power to the electrical device at the voltage indicated by the power supply requirement.

[0138] In another example, the controller uses a neural network model to predict the second voltage based on power supply parameters, supply voltage trends, and the expected lifespan of the electrical device. The supply voltage trend can be estimated based on the historical supply voltage of the electrical device, allowing the required voltage to be supplied to the electrical device in advance to ensure stable power supply to the electrical device. The expected lifespan of the electrical device can refer to the product lifespan of the electrical device. Later in the product lifespan of the electrical device, a higher supply voltage can be provided to the electrical device to ensure stable operation.

[0139] Step 530: The power supply circuit supplies power to the electrical device at the second voltage.

[0140] For example, the power supply circuit includes a voltage regulation module, a voltage conversion module, and a voltage filtering module. The voltage regulation module controls the voltage conversion module to provide a stable second voltage for the electrical device. The voltage conversion module converts the DC voltage provided by the voltage regulation module into the second voltage required by the electrical device. The voltage filtering module filters out interference components such as clutter and noise from the second voltage input to the electrical device, outputting a stable second voltage to ensure normal operation of the electrical device.

[0141] It should be noted that, when controlling the power supply circuit to supply power to an electrical device according to the power supply method provided in this application, if the electrical device is powered at an initial voltage early in its lifecycle, the supply voltage in the early stages of the electrical device's lifecycle is lower than the supply voltage when the device is powered at a fixed voltage. This prevents powering the device at a voltage higher than the required voltage, which can waste energy and accelerate device aging. Furthermore, by assessing the aging of the electrical device throughout its lifecycle and accurately controlling the supply voltage of the electrical device in real time and dynamically based on the aging of the electrical device, it is possible to ensure that the supply voltage of the electrical device meets the required voltage of the electrical device, while the supply voltage of non-electrical devices remains at a higher voltage. The supply voltage at the end of the electrical device's lifecycle can be lower than the supply voltage when the device is powered at a fixed voltage. For example, if the aging of either the power supply circuit or the electrical device is lower than the estimated aging level, including but not limited to the power not being at full load or the device temperature being lower than the estimated temperature, the supply voltage at the end of the electrical device's lifecycle can be lower than the supply voltage when the device is powered at a fixed voltage. Alternatively, the supply voltage at the end of the lifecycle of an electrical device can be equal to the supply voltage used to power the device at a fixed voltage. Thus, by optimizing the supply voltage throughout the lifecycle of an electrical device, energy consumption can be effectively reduced, energy efficiency can be improved, the lifespan of the device can be extended, and the reliability and stability of computer equipment can be enhanced.

[0142] FIG7 is a flow chart of another method for powering a computer system provided in the present application.

[0143] The power supply circuit supplies power to the electrical device with the initial voltage, and the electrical device is powered on (step 710). The controller obtains the power supply parameters collected by the sensor (step 720). The power supply parameters stored in the system are updated based on the power supply parameters collected by the sensor (step 730). The controller determines the adjusted voltage based on the power supply parameters (step 740). It is determined whether the adjusted voltage meets the safety threshold (such as the second voltage margin value mentioned above) (step 750). If the adjusted voltage meets the safety threshold, the power supply circuit is controlled to supply power to the electrical device with the adjusted voltage (step 760), the adjusted voltage is stored (step 770), and step 720 is continued; if the adjusted voltage does not meet the safety threshold, step 720 is continued. Alternatively, the adjusted voltage is increased, for example, the adjusted voltage is added to the second voltage margin value to obtain the second voltage, and the electrical device is powered at the second voltage.

[0144] For example, assuming the initial voltage of an electrical device is 1.0V, the power supply circuit in a conventional solution provides a power supply voltage of V0 = 1.15V to the device. In the solution provided by this application, the power supply circuit provides a power supply voltage of V0 = 1.01V to the device. As the power supply circuit and the device age, the power supply voltage gradually increases. At the end of the device's lifecycle, the power supply voltage can reach V0 = 1.13V. Compared to conventional solutions, the power supply voltage is reduced by an average of 80mV over the device's lifecycle, equivalent to a 7% improvement in the device's power supply energy efficiency.

[0145] The power supply method for a computer system described in this application can be applied to any power supply system, such as computing nodes, servers, personal computers, and other systems in a data center.

[0146] The power supply circuit described in this application can be a power supply circuit for any electrical device in the system.

[0147] The voltage control circuit described in the present application may be a circuit independent of the power supply circuit and the electrical device, or it may be integrated inside the electrical device, inside the power module, or inside the voltage regulation module, etc.

[0148] The sensors described in this application are not limited to temperature sensors, power sensors, and voltage sensors. All sensors that can be used to evaluate device aging or lifespan can be integrated into this system.

[0149] It is understandable that in order to implement the functions in the above embodiments, the controller includes hardware structures and / or software modules that perform the corresponding functions. Those skilled in the art should easily appreciate that, in combination with the units and method steps of each example described in the embodiments disclosed in this application, the present application can be implemented in the form of hardware or a combination of hardware and computer software. Whether a function is executed in the form of hardware or computer software driving hardware depends on the specific application scenario and design constraints of the technical solution.

[0150] The power supply method for the computer system provided according to the present embodiment is described in detail above with reference to FIG. 1 to FIG. 7 . The power supply device provided according to the present embodiment will be described below with reference to FIG. 8 .

[0151] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a possible power supply device provided in this embodiment. These power supply devices can be used to implement the functions of the controller in the above method embodiments, thereby also achieving the beneficial effects of the above method embodiments. In this embodiment, the power supply device can be the controller shown in Figure 2, or it can be a module (such as a chip) applied to the controller.

[0152] As shown in Figure 8 , the power supply device 800 includes a communication module 810, a control module 820, and a storage module 830. The power supply device 800 is used to implement the functions of the controller in the method embodiment shown in Figure 5 above.

[0153] The communication module 810 is used to obtain power supply parameters collected by at least one sensor, where the power supply parameters are used to indicate the aging degree of the computer system. For example, the communication module 810 is used to execute step 510 in FIG5 .

[0154] The control module 820 is configured to control the power supply circuit to output a second voltage according to the power supply parameter, and to supply power to the electrical device at the second voltage. For example, the control module 820 is configured to execute step 520 in FIG5 .

[0155] Optionally, the regulating module 820 is specifically configured to adjust the first voltage according to the power supply parameter to obtain the second voltage, and control the power supply circuit to output the second voltage.

[0156] The storage module 830 is used to store power supply parameters and the first voltage of the electrical device, so that the control module 820 can control the power supply circuit to output the second voltage according to the power supply parameters and supply power to the electrical device with the second voltage.

[0157] It should be understood that the power supply device 800 of the embodiment of the present application can be implemented by an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) or a programmable logic device (PLD), and the above-mentioned PLD can be a complex programmable logical device (CPLD), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), a generic array logic (GAL) or any combination thereof. The power supply shown in Figure 5 can also be implemented by software, and its various modules can also be software modules. The power supply device 800 and its various modules can also be software modules.

[0158] According to the embodiment of the present application, the power supply device 800 can correspond to executing the method described in the embodiment of the present application, and the above-mentioned and other operations and / or functions of each unit in the power supply device 800 are respectively for implementing the corresponding processes of each method in Figure 5. For the sake of brevity, they will not be repeated here.

[0159] The present application also provides a mainboard, including: a power supply circuit, an electrical device, at least one sensor, a memory and a controller; wherein the sensor is used to obtain power supply parameters collected by at least one sensor, the memory is used to store the power supply parameters, and the controller is used to execute the operating steps of the methods described in the above embodiments to realize the control of the voltage supplied by the power supply circuit to the electrical device.

[0160] The present application also provides a computer system, which includes a power supply device and a computer device, and the computer device is used to execute the operating steps of the methods described in the above embodiments.

[0161] The method steps in this embodiment can be implemented by hardware or by a processor executing software instructions. The software instructions can be composed of corresponding software modules, which can be stored in random access memory (RAM), flash memory, read-only memory (ROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), registers, hard disks, mobile hard disks, CD-ROMs, or any other form of storage medium known in the art. An exemplary storage medium is coupled to the processor so that the processor can read information from the storage medium and write information to the storage medium. Of course, the storage medium can also be an integral part of the processor. The processor and storage medium can be located in an ASIC. In addition, the ASIC can be located in a computing device. Of course, the processor and storage medium can also exist as discrete components in a computing device.

[0162] In the above embodiments, all or part of the embodiments can be implemented by software, hardware, firmware or any combination thereof. When implemented using software, all or part of the embodiments can be implemented in the form of a computer program product. The computer program product includes one or more computer programs or instructions. When the computer program or instructions are loaded and executed on a computer, the process or function described in the embodiments of the present application is performed in whole or in part. The computer can be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, a network device, a user device or other programmable device. The computer program or instruction can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium or transmitted from one computer-readable storage medium to another computer-readable storage medium. For example, the computer program or instruction can be transmitted from one website, computer, server or data center to another website, computer, server or data center via wired or wireless means. The computer-readable storage medium can be any available medium that can be accessed by a computer or a data storage device such as a server or data center that integrates one or more available media. The available medium can be a magnetic medium, such as a floppy disk, a hard disk, or a tape; it can also be an optical medium, such as a digital video disc (DVD); it can also be a semiconductor medium, such as a solid state drive (SSD). The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present application, but the scope of protection of the present application is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art can easily conceive of various equivalent modifications or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in the present application, and such modifications or substitutions should be included in the scope of protection of the present application. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present application should be based on the scope of protection of the claims.

Claims

1. A power supply method for a computer system, characterized in that: The computer system includes a controller, at least one sensor, a power supply circuit and an electrical device, the controller is connected to the power supply circuit and the at least one sensor respectively, the power supply circuit is connected to the electrical device, the method is executed by the controller, and the method includes: When the power supply circuit supplies power to the electrical device at a first voltage, obtaining a power supply parameter collected by the at least one sensor, wherein the power supply parameter is used to indicate the aging degree of the computer system; The power supply circuit is controlled to output a second voltage according to the power supply parameter, and the electrical device is powered by the second voltage.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The at least one sensor includes a first sensor disposed around the electrical device, and the power supply parameter includes a first power supply parameter of the electrical device collected by the first sensor.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The at least one sensor includes a second sensor disposed around the power supply circuit, and the power supply parameter includes a second power supply parameter of the power supply circuit collected by the second sensor.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that Controlling the power supply circuit to output a second voltage according to the power supply parameter includes: The first voltage is adjusted according to the power supply parameter to obtain the second voltage, and the power supply circuit is controlled to output the second voltage.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that Adjusting the first voltage according to the power supply parameter to obtain the second voltage includes: Adjusting the first voltage according to the voltage adjustment value corresponding to the power supply parameter to obtain an intermediate voltage; The second voltage is obtained according to the intermediate voltage and the voltage margin value.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that The power supply parameter includes at least one of humidity, temperature, power or working time.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that The power supply parameters also include at least one of external environmental parameters of the electrical device or external environmental parameters of the power supply circuit.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that Controlling the power supply circuit to output a second voltage according to the power supply parameter includes: The power supply circuit is controlled to output a second voltage according to external parameters and the power supply parameters, wherein the external parameters include at least one of power supply requirements, supply voltage variation trends, or expected lifespans of electrical devices.

9. A controller, characterized in that: The controller is used to execute the operation steps of the method described in any one of claims 1 to 8 to control the voltage supplied by the power supply circuit to the electrical device.

10. A motherboard, characterized in that: The mainboard includes a power supply circuit, an electrical device, at least one sensor, a memory and a controller. The sensor is used to obtain power supply parameters collected by the at least one sensor, the memory is used to store the power supply parameters, and the controller is used to execute the operating steps of the method described in any one of claims 1 to 8 to control the voltage of the power supply circuit to supply power to the electrical device.

11. A computer device, characterized in that: The computer device comprises the mainboard as claimed in claim 10.

12. A computer system, characterized in that: The computer system includes a power supply device and a computer device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the power supply device is used to supply power to the computer device, and the computer device is used to execute the operation steps of the method described in any one of claims 1 to 8 to control the voltage supplied by the computer device.

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