# US 11,309,707 B2 · Variable overcurrent protection for power supplies > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,309,707 B2 - Document ID: US11309707B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/227,895 - Filed: 2018-12-20 - Published: 2020-06-25 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2018-12-20 - Assignees: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP - Applicants: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP - Inventors: Rama Prasad Atluri; William James Walker - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11309707B2 ## CPC - H02H 9/02: responsive to excess current {(current limitation for voltage regulators G05F1/573; disconnection after limiting H02H3/025)} - G06F 1/28: Supervision thereof, e.g. detecting power-supply failure by out of limits supervision - G06F 1/30: Means for acting in the event of power-supply failure or interruption, e.g. power-supply fluctuations (for resetting only G06F1/24) - H02H 3/08: responsive to excess current (responsive to abnormal temperature caused by excess current H02H5/04) - H02M 1/32: Means for protecting converters other than automatic disconnection - H02H: EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS (indicating or signalling undesired working conditions G01R, e.g. G01R31/00, G08B; locating faults along lines G01R31/08; emergency protective devices H01H) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H02M: APPARATUS FOR CONVERSION BETWEEN AC AND AC, BETWEEN AC AND DC, OR BETWEEN DC AND DC, AND FOR USE WITH MAINS OR SIMILAR POWER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; CONVERSION OF DC OR AC INPUT POWER INTO SURGE OUTPUT POWER; CONTROL OR REGULATION THEREOF (transformers H01F; dynamo-electric converters H02K47/00; controlling transformers, reactors or choke coils, control or regulation of electric motors, generators or dynamo-electric converters H02P) ## Abstract Systems and methods are provided for overcurrent protection in a power supply. In some embodiments, the method comprises determining a load of the power supply; selecting an over-current limit, among a plurality of the over-current limits, based on the measured load of the power supply; and responsive to an input current of the power supply, an output current of the power supply, or both exceeding the identified over-current limit, taking one or more overcurrent protection measures. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for a power supply, the method comprising: determining a load of the power supply; receiving an indication of a planned increase in the load of the power supply; selecting an over-current limit, among a plurality of over-current limits, based on the planned increase in the load of the power supply; and responsive to an input current of the power supply, an output current of the power supply, or both exceeding the selected over-current limit, taking the one or more overcurrent protection measures prior to the increase in the load of the power supply. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining an input voltage of the power supply; selecting a second over-current limit of the over-current limits based on the determined load of the power supply and the determined input voltage of the power supply; and responsive to an input current of the power supply exceeding the selected second over-current limit, taking the one or more overcurrent protection measures. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein taking the one or more overcurrent protection measures comprises: taking the one or more overcurrent protection measures only after a delay interval; and reducing the delay interval responsive to the load being greater than a load rating. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, further comprising: detecting a change in the input voltage of the power supply; selecting a third over-current limit of the over-current limits based on the load of the power supply and the change in the input voltage of the power supply; and taking the one or more overcurrent protection measures in accordance with the third over-current limit. ### Claim 5 A system, comprising: a hardware processor; and a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium encoded with instructions executable by the hardware processor to perform a method comprising: determining a load of the power supply; receiving an indication of a planned increase in the load of the power supply; selecting an over-current limit, among a plurality of over-current limits, based on the planned increase in the load of the power supply; and responsive to an input current of the power supply, an output current of the power supply, or both exceeding the selected over-current limit, taking the one or more overcurrent protection measures prior to the increase in the load of the power supply. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5, the method further comprising: determining an input voltage of the power supply; selecting a second over-current limit of the over-current limits based on the determined load of the power supply and the determined input voltage of the power supply; and responsive to an input current of the power supply exceeding the selected second over-current limit, taking the one or more overcurrent protection measures. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein taking the one or more overcurrent protection measures comprises: taking the one or more overcurrent protection measures only after a delay interval; and reducing the delay interval responsive to the load being greater than a load rating. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7, wherein reducing the delay interval comprises at least one of: reducing the delay interval linearly according to the load and the load rating; and reducing the delay interval parabolically according to the load and the load rating. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, the method further comprising: detecting a change in the input voltage of the power supply; selecting a third overcurrent limit of the over-current limits based on the load of the power supply and the change in the input voltage of the power supply; and taking the one or more overcurrent protection measures in accordance with the third over-current limit. ### Claim 10 A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium encoded with instructions executable by a hardware processor of a computing component, the machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions to cause the hardware processor to perform a method comprising: determining a load of the power supply; selecting an over-current limit, among a plurality of the over-current limits, based on the determined load of the power supply; responsive to an input current of the power supply, an output current of the power supply, or both exceeding the identified over-current limit, taking one or more overcurrent protection measures; receiving an indication of a planned increase in the load of the power supply; selecting a second over-current limit of the over-current limits based on the planned increase in the load of the power supply; and responsive to an input current of the power supply, an output current of the power supply, or both exceeding the selected second over-current limit, taking the one or more overcurrent protection measures prior to the increase in the load of the power supply. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The medium of claim 10, the method further comprising: determining an input voltage of the power supply; selecting a third overcurrent limit of the over-current limits based on the determined load of the power supply and the determined input voltage of the power supply; and responsive to an input current of the power supply, an output current of the power supply, or both exceeding the selected third over-current limit, taking the one or more overcurrent protection measures. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The medium of claim 11, wherein limiting the input current of the power supply in accordance with the one of the over-current limits comprises: taking the one or more overcurrent protection measures only after a delay interval; and reducing the delay interval responsive to the load being greater than a load rating. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The medium of claim 12, wherein reducing the delay interval comprises at least one of: reducing the delay interval linearly according to the load and the load rating; and reducing the delay interval parabolically according to the load and the load rating. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The medium of claim 11, the method further comprising: detecting a change in the input voltage of the power supply; selecting a fourth overcurrent limit of the over-current limits based on the load of the power supply and the change in the input voltage of the power supply; and taking the one or more overcurrent protection measures in accordance with the fourth over-current limit.