Power Supply Telemetry Multiplexing on Dedicated Pin

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Solution Overview

Problem

In computer systems, there is a need to communicate PSU characteristics like power consumption, environmental, and health information without adding pins to the hardware interface, which is challenging due to the constraints of existing power supply design standards like ATX12VO, where all pins are fully utilized.

Innovation Solution

A power supply design that uses a dedicated pin for telemetry information, where power consumption data is communicated, and additional information like environmental, component health, and historical data is multiplexed or modulated onto the same pin using frequency ranges, allowing for efficient communication without increasing the pin count.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If additional pins are added to communicate PSU information, then communication capability is improved, but hardware interface complexity and pin count increase

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovePSU information communicationVSAvoidhardware interface

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple communication functions (telemetry data, environmental information, health status) into a single dedicated pin, eliminating the need for additional pins while maintaining full communication capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The dedicated pin serves multiple functions including transmitting power consumption telemetry, environmental data, component health information, and historical data, making it a universal communication channel that replaces what would otherwise require multiple separate pins

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Loss of information

If pin count is increased to communicate all PSU information, then information completeness is improved, but compatibility with existing standards deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovePSU information completenessVSAvoidcompatibility with existing standards

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges all PSU information types into communications through a single dedicated pin, maintaining compatibility with existing power supply design standards that define specific pin functions, while still achieving complete information transfer

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Productivity

If multiple pins are used for different information types, then communication efficiency is improved, but hardware space and connector size increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication efficiencyVSAvoidconnector size

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines all communication functions into a single dedicated pin, maintaining efficient communication through structured data protocols while significantly reducing connector size and pin count requirements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS12093196B2Power supply communications via a shared channel for performance management

Publication Date: 2024.09.17 INTEL CORP

AI summary

A power supply comprising a hardware interface having conductive contacts and conforming to a power supply design standard comprising a pin-out definition specifying that a first conductive contact is to be dedicated to communicating first information of a first type. The power supply comprises first, second, and third circuitry. The first circuitry is to determine the first information. The second circuitry is to determine second information of a second type, wherein the second type of information is other than the first type. The third circuitry is to send, via the first conductive contact, a communication comprising the first information and the second information. In embodiments, a PCB comprises a connector to couple the PCB to the power supply via an interconnect to be coupled to the hardware interface, and an IC to receive the communication, and identify the first and second information.