Server Power Supply Control with Abnormality Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional server power supply control methods use a unitary processing approach, leading to server shutdowns that can disrupt normal operations and result in data loss during abnormal power supply conditions.
Innovation Solution
A power supply control method and apparatus for a server with multiple power supply modules, which detects abnormal conditions, records the number of shutdowns, and either cyclically powers on the modules if shutdowns are below a threshold or maintains them off if the threshold is exceeded.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a unitary processing method is used to deal with power supply abnormality by simply shutting down the server, then the power supply abnormality can be addressed, but the server normal operation is affected and data loss may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the power supply modules into multiple independent units, each with its own power supply. When an abnormality is detected in one module, only that specific module is shut down rather than the entire server, allowing other modules to continue operating normally. This segmentation approach resolves the contradiction by isolating the failure impact while preserving overall system productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a counter parameter to track the number of times power supply modules are turned off. By monitoring this parameter and comparing it against a threshold, the system dynamically adjusts its response behavior. This parameter-based approach allows the system to learn from repeated abnormalities and make informed decisions about when to restart modules versus when to maintain shutdown state, thereby balancing reliability with operational continuity.
2Reliability
If the power supply modules are turned off repeatedly to handle abnormalities, then the abnormality can be addressed, but the server stability may be compromised due to frequent restarts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism through the counter that tracks the number of times power supply modules have been turned off. This feedback information is used to make intelligent decisions about future restart operations. When the counter reaches a predetermined threshold, the system determines that repeated restarts are not beneficial and maintains the shutdown state instead. This feedback-based approach resolves the stability-reliability contradiction by preventing futile restart cycles while still addressing genuine abnormalities.
3Device complexity
If a simple shutdown operation is performed without tracking restart history, then the processing is simple, but the ability to prevent data loss and ensure stability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary action by tracking the restart history in a counter before making the decision to restart power supply modules. This historical information is prepared and stored in advance, allowing the system to quickly determine whether a restart is beneficial or harmful. The preliminary tracking of restart counts enables the system to prevent data loss and ensure stability without adding complex real-time analysis during the critical shutdown/restart decision moment.
Data Source
AI summary
A power supply control method is applied to the server, where the server includes a plurality of power supply modules. The power supply control method includes a detection step, which includes: detecting whether there is an abnormal power supply module among a plurality of power supply modules; if so, turning off all the power supply modules, and recording the number of times of turning off; if the number of times of turning off all the power supply modules is less than a pre-set number of times, powering on all the power supply modules again, and cyclically executing the detection step; and if the number of times of turning off all the power supply modules is greater than or equal to the pre-set number of times, maintaining all the power supply modules in a turned-off state.