Heterogeneous Power Supply Management for Energy Efficiency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional redundant power supply systems for computing systems are expensive, inefficient, and require significant space and cooling, making them unsuitable for high-availability environments where downtime can result in substantial revenue losses.
Innovation Solution
A power management system utilizing heterogeneous power supplies with primary and secondary power supplies of different ratings, where the power control agent dynamically manages power delivery to ensure continuous operation and optimize energy usage by switching between supplies based on load and efficiency ratings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional redundant power supply systems are used to ensure high availability, then system reliability is improved, but cost, space requirements, and cooling needs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the power rating parameter of power supplies from identical (conventional redundancy) to heterogeneous (different ratings). The system uses a primary power supply with a first power rating and a secondary power supply with a second power rating, where the ratings differ. This allows the secondary supply to be smaller and less expensive while still providing adequate backup capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a secondary power supply that is intentionally designed to be less expensive and smaller than traditional redundant supplies. While it may have lower capacity, it provides sufficient backup functionality for non-critical operations, reducing overall system cost and complexity while maintaining acceptable availability.
2Reliability
If redundant power supplies are implemented to prevent power delivery interruptions, then system reliability is improved, but space requirements and cooling needs worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by using power supplies with different power ratings rather than identical units. The secondary power supply has a lower power rating appropriate for backup operations, reducing its physical size and space requirements while still providing necessary redundancy functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by assigning different capabilities to different power supplies based on their role. The primary power supply is sized for full system capacity, while the secondary power supply is sized appropriately for backup operations only, optimizing space usage while maintaining reliability.
3Ease of manufacture
If heterogeneous power supplies with different power ratings are used, then cost and space efficiency are improved, but power management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms through a power management system that monitors the status of both primary and secondary power supplies. The system detects failures and automatically switches between supplies based on their operational status and capacity, managing the complexity of heterogeneous power ratings through intelligent control rather than simple mechanical switching.
4Reliability
If traditional redundant power supplies are used, then power delivery reliability is improved, but energy efficiency and operational cost worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the operational parameters by using a secondary power supply with appropriate power rating for backup operations. This reduces unnecessary energy consumption associated with oversized redundant supplies while maintaining adequate power delivery capability for failover scenarios.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for managing heterogeneous supply of power includes a plurality of heterogeneous power supplies having a primary power supply and a secondary power supply. The primary power supply has a first power rating and the secondary power supply has a second power rating, where the first power rating differs from the second power rating. In addition, power is supplied to the electronic system through at least one of the primary power supply and the secondary power supply.