# US 9,436,256 B2 · Dynamic CPU voltage regulator phase shedding > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,436,256 B2 - Document ID: US9436256B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/566,424 - Filed: 2014-12-10 - Published: 2015-04-09 - Granted: 2016-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2008-06-04 - Assignees: Dell Products L.P. - Applicants: Dell Products L.P. - Inventors: John E. Jenne - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9436256B2 ## CPC - G06F 1/3203: Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode - G05F 1/10: Regulating voltage or current (G05F1/02 takes precedence) - G05F 3/02: Regulating voltage or current - G06F 1/26: Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof (for memories G11C) - H02M 3/156: with automatic control of output voltage or current, e.g. switching regulators - H02M 3/1586: {switched with a phase shift, i.e. interleaved} - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - G05F: SYSTEMS FOR REGULATING ELECTRIC OR MAGNETIC VARIABLES - 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 A voltage regulator phase shedding system includes one or more subsystems to receive a system management interrupt (SMI), gather processor utilization information, determine whether to adjust a performance state, lookup voltage regulator information for new performance state, adjust active voltage regulator phase, and adjust performance state. The voltage regulator phase shedding system can also include one or more subsystems to read a power measurement, calculate throttling requirements, determine whether to adjust a throttling, lookup voltage regulator information for new performance state capacity, adjust active voltage regulator phase, and adjust throttling. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for shedding voltage regulator phases, comprising: determining, by a management system, that an Information Handling System (IHS) component is operating at a first performance level; determining, by the management system, that a voltage regulator is operating at a first efficiency with the IHS component operating at the first performance level; determining, by the management system, that shedding at least one voltage regulator phase of the voltage regulator will cause the voltage regulator to operate at a higher efficiency; and causing, by the management system, the voltage regulator to shed the at least one voltage regulator phase while the IHS component is operating at the first performance level. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the management system is operating system independent. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the management system is Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) based. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the causing the voltage regulator to shed the at least one voltage regulator phase is performed based on a maximum allowable load of the IHS component. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the causing the voltage regulator to shed the at least one voltage regulator phase results in a load of the IHS component shifting such that the voltage regulator operates at the higher efficiency. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the causing the voltage regulator to shed at least one voltage regulator phase such that the voltage regulator operates at the higher efficiency is performed at the intersection of efficiency curves for phases of the voltage regulator. ### Claim 7 A method for changing performance levels of an Information Handling System (IHS) component, comprising: operating, by an IHS component, at a first performance level; determining, by a management system, that a voltage regulator will operate more efficiently with the IHS component operating at a higher performance level if at least one additional voltage regulator phase is enabled and, in response, enabling the at least one voltage regulator phase in the voltage regulator; and causing, by the management system, the IHS component to operate at the higher performance level subsequent to enabling the at least one voltage regulator phase. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, further comprising: determining, by the management system, that the voltage regulator is operating at a first efficiency subsequent to the IHS component operating at the higher performance level; and causing, by the management system, the voltage regulator to enable at least one voltage regulator phase, wherein, in response to the enabling, the voltage regulator operation operates at a higher efficiency. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the management system is operating system independent. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the management system is Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) based. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, further comprising: controlling, by the management system, the highest performance level allowed for the IHS component. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the highest performance level is set by a user. ### Claim 13 A method for performing throttling, comprising: calculating, by a management system, throttling requirements for an information handling system (IHS) component, wherein the calculating is performed while the IHS component is operating at a first performance level; determining, by the management system, voltage regulator phase efficiency information for a voltage regulator based on the throttling requirements for the IHS component; adjusting, by the management system, at least one voltage regulator phase for the voltage regulator using the voltage regulator phase efficiency information; and throttling, by the management system, according to the throttling requirements subsequent to adjusting the at least one voltage regulator phase, wherein the IHS component remains operating at the first performance level subsequent to the throttling. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising: retrieving, by the management system, power usage information, wherein the throttling requirements for the IHS component are calculated, at least in part, using the power usage information. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the throttling requirements include decreased throttling requirements that decrease the throttling. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the adjusting the at least one voltage regulator phase includes enabling at least one voltage regulator phase in response to the decreased throttling requirements. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising: retrieving, by the management system, requirements for a performance level cap, wherein the at least one voltage regulator phase is enabled according to the requirements. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the throttling requirements include increased throttling requirements that increase the throttling. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the adjusting the at least one voltage regulator phase includes shedding at least one voltage regulator phase in response to the increased throttling requirements. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, further comprising: retrieving, by the management system, requirements for a performance level cap, wherein the at least one voltage regulator phase is shed according to the requirements.