Adaptive Laptop Charging PDO Allocation Under Power Limits
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing laptop computer storage systems face challenges in efficiently allocating charging power to multiple connected laptops without exceeding the total system power budget, leading to limitations in the number of devices that can be charged simultaneously.
Innovation Solution
An adaptive laptop computer charging system that negotiates power delivery objects with each connected laptop, monitoring total power consumption and limiting maximum charging rates to optimize charging for a larger number of devices using a smaller power supply.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If a single high-power power supply is used to charge multiple laptops simultaneously, then the charging speed for each individual laptop can be high, but the cost and size of the power supply increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The power supply system dynamically adjusts the power delivery to each connected laptop based on real-time monitoring of total power consumption and available power budget. The system negotiates power delivery objects (PDOs) with each laptop to determine appropriate charging rates, allowing the charging speed to vary over time rather than being fixed, thereby optimizing the balance between charging speed and power supply requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the power delivery parameters (voltage and current levels) negotiated with each laptop individually through PDO negotiation. By adjusting these parameters dynamically based on system state and power availability, the system can provide high charging speeds when power is available while preventing the total power consumption from exceeding the power supply capacity, thus avoiding the need for an oversized power supply
2Speed
If the maximum power threshold is set high to accommodate fast charging, then individual laptops can charge quickly, but fewer laptops can be charged simultaneously within the power budget
Solution Approach 1:
The power supply is segmented into multiple negotiable power delivery objects (PDOs), each representing a different voltage-current combination. The system can allocate different PDOs to different laptops based on their charging needs and the current system state, allowing fine-grained control over power distribution to maximize the number of simultaneously charging devices while maintaining acceptable charging speeds
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically reallocates power among connected laptops as their charging states change. When a laptop reaches full charge or reduces its power demand, the system renegotiates power delivery with remaining laptops, allowing them to increase their charging rates. This dynamic adjustment enables the system to maintain high overall charging throughput while serving more devices simultaneously
3Ease of operation
If power is allocated equally among all connected laptops, then fairness is maintained, but the total power consumption may exceed the power budget when many laptops are connected
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements dynamic power allocation that adjusts each laptop's power share based on real-time conditions. Rather than static equal allocation, the system continuously monitors total power consumption and renegotiates power delivery objects with connected laptops, dynamically adjusting individual allocations to ensure the total remains within the power budget while still providing fair access to all devices
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs feedback mechanisms by monitoring the total power consumption from all connected laptops and using this information to adjust future power allocation decisions. When power consumption approaches the budget limit, the system reduces allocated power to individual laptops or prevents new laptops from receiving high-power allocations, thereby maintaining fairness while preventing budget exhaustion
Data Source
AI summary
A laptop computer storage system includes a power delivery system configured to negotiate charging Power Delivery Objects (PDOs) with each laptop computer connected to the computer storage system. The charging power delivery objects specify, for each laptop computer, the voltage and amount of current to be supplied to the particular laptop computer. Different charging power delivery objects are individually negotiated, and the computer storage system monitors the total amount of power being drawn by the connected set of laptop computers. As new laptop computers are connected to the computer storage system, power delivery objects that would cause the computer storage system to exceed a maximum power threshold are not presented to the newly connected laptop computer. As laptop computers become fully charged, the amount of current being drawn by the charged laptops will decrease, thus enabling additional charging power to be provided to other laptops within the computer storage system.