Power supply interface light load signal

A power supply unit (PSU), comprising:

• an interface connector comprising a first pin corresponding to a first power line, a second pin corresponding to a second power line, a third pin corresponding to an idle control line, and a fourth pin corresponding to a power on line;
• a voltage converter to convert an alternating current to a direct current and to provide a first DC voltage on the first power line and a second DC voltage on the second power line, the voltage converter having a plurality of phases;
• a power controller to receive an indication that a computing device coupled to the PSU via the interface is on, and responsive to the indication, provide the first DC voltage on the first power line and the second DC voltage on the second power line, the computing device comprising a processor;
• and
• an idle controller to receive, via the idle control line, an indication that the processor is in an idle state based on a C-State of the processor, the idle controller to configure the voltage converter to only provide the second DC voltage on the second DC power line based on the indication, and to selectively turn off one of the plurality of phases of the voltage converter based on the indication.

A method comprising:

• receiving, via an interface at a power supply unit (PSU), a power on signal from a computing device coupled to the PSU, the PSU comprising a voltage converter having a plurality of phases, the interface comprising at least one voltage line, an idle control line and an on control line, the power received via one or more of the at least one voltage lines, the power on signal received via the on control line;
• providing, responsive to the power on signal, power to the computing device via one or more of the at least one voltage lines, the computing device comprising a processor;
• receiving, via the idle control line, an indication that the processor is in an idle state;
• and
• selectively turning of one of the plurality of phases of the voltage converter based on the indication that the computing device is in the idle state to provide a reduced current on the one or more of the at least one voltage lines.

At least one non-transitory machine readable medium comprising a plurality of instructions that in response to being executed by a power supply unit (PSU) controller cause the PSU controller to:

• receive, via an interface at the power supply unit (PSU), a power on signal from a computing device coupled to the PSU, the PSU comprising a voltage converter having a plurality of phases, the interface comprising at least one voltage line, an idle control line and an on control line, the power received via one or more of the at least one voltage lines, the power on signal received via the on control line;
• send, responsive to the power on signal, a control signal to the voltage converter to include an indication to convert an alternating current to a direct current;
• provide, responsive to the power on signal, a first DC voltage to the computing device via one or more of the at least one voltage lines, the computing device comprising a processor;
• receive, via the idle control line, an idle control signal comprising an indication that the computing device is in an idle state based on a C-State of the processor;
• and
• selectively turn off one of the plurality of phases of the voltage converter responsive to the idle control signal, to reduce a power consumption of the PSU and to provide a reduced current for the first DC voltage provided on the one or more of the at least one voltage lines.