Method and apparatus to control power assist unit

A method comprising:

• providing, by a first power supply unit and by a second power supply unit, power to a power rail to power a load of an information handling system;
• providing, by the first power supply unit, a first constant current indication that indicates whether the first power supply unit is operating in a constant current mode;
• providing, by the first power supply unit, a first current level indication of a first current supplied by the first power supply unit to the load;
• providing, by the first power supply unit, a first power-OK indication that indicates whether a first input power to the first power supply unit is providing good power to the first power supply unit;
• providing a second constant current indication that indicates whether the second power supply unit is operating in the constant current mode;
• providing, by the second power supply unit, a second current level indication of a second current supplied by the second power supply unit to the load;
• providing, by the second power supply unit, a first power-OK indication that indicates whether a second input power to the second power supply unit is providing good power to the second power supply unit;
• receiving, by a controller of a power assist unit coupled to the power rail, an enable signal when the first and second constant current indications indicate that respective first and second power supply units are operating in the constant current modes and when both of the first and second power-OK indications indicate that the respective first and second power supply units are receiving good input power from respective first and second input powers;
• receiving, by the controller, an average current level indication, the average current level indication being an average of the first and the second current level indications;
• determining, by the controller, if the average current level indication is greater than a threshold;
• and
• controlling a converter of the power assist unit to provide current to the power rail from a power storage element of the power assist unit at a third current level to meet an additional demand of the load for power when the average current level indication is greater than a threshold.

A power assist unit of an information handling system, the power assist unit comprising:

• a power storage element;
• a converter coupled to the power storage element and to a power rail to a load of the information handling system;
• a controller configured to:
• receive an enable signal when each one of a plurality of power supply units of the information handling system are providing a constant current indication that indicates that the power supply units are operating in a constant current mode and when each one of the plurality of power supply units are providing a power-OK indication that indicates that the power supply units are receiving good power from respective input powers;
• receive a current level indication, the current level indication being an average of a plurality of power supply unit current level indications, each power supply unit current level indication indicating a current supplied by a power supply unit to the load;
• and
• when the controller receives the enable signal and the current level indication is greater than a threshold, the controller to direct the converter to provide a current to the power rail from the power storage element at a first current level to meet an additional demand of the load for power.