Patents by Inventor Douglas E. Messick
Douglas E. Messick has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20250245021Abstract: Systems and methods to identify peer nodes in a multi-node enclosure are described. In an illustrative, non-limiting embodiment, an Information Handling System (IHS) may include: a baseboard management controller (BMC) or a Datacenter-Secure Control Module (DC-SCM); and a memory coupled to or integrated with the BMC or DC-SCM, where the memory includes program instructions stored thereon that, upon execution by the BMC or DC-SCM, cause the IHS to: obtain configuration information associated with a first compute node of a multi-node enclosure; write the configuration information associated with the first compute node to a shared storage device that is accessible to other compute nodes of the multi-node enclosure; and obtain other configuration information associated with one or more other compute nodes of the multi-node enclosure from the shared storage device.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 25, 2024Publication date: July 31, 2025Applicant: Dell Products L.P.Inventors: Douglas E. Messick, Kyle E. Cross, Binay A. Kuruvila, Thomas Foxworth Archer
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Publication number: 20250244812Abstract: Systems and methods for disaggregated power control of a server rack are described. In an illustrative, non-limiting embodiment, an Information Handling System (IHS) may include: a processor; and a memory coupled to the processor, where the memory includes program instructions stored thereon that, upon execution by the processor, cause the IHS to: obtain power telemetry from a plurality of nodes of a server rack; obtain power shelf telemetry from one or more power shelves of the server rack; determine, based at least in part on the power telemetry and the power shelf telemetry, respective power limits for respective individual nodes of the plurality of nodes, including a first power limit for a first node of the plurality of nodes; and provide the determined respective power limits to the respective individual nodes of the server rack, including the first power limit to the first node.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 25, 2024Publication date: July 31, 2025Applicant: Dell Products L.P.Inventors: Douglas E. Messick, Kyle E. Cross, Binay A. Kuruvila, Thomas Foxworth Archer
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Publication number: 20250231071Abstract: Systems and methods support a server rack mechanically and gather sensor data from the server rack. For instance, the system may include an apparatus having a frame that is configured to add stiffening to a server rack. On the frame may be disposed various sensors and a computing system to measure stress and strain of the server rack as well as any other appropriate characteristic. The frame may include struts having strain gauges therein, where the strain gauges provide a measurement of stress or strain. Various sensor data may be transmitted from the apparatus to a component outside of the apparatus, such as a data center monitoring application.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 12, 2024Publication date: July 17, 2025Applicant: Dell Products L.P.Inventors: Douglas E. Messick, Sean P. O'Donnell, Daniel Alvarado
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Patent number: 11928000Abstract: An information handling system includes a management controller that may determine average power consumption of a processor, and determine average power measurement at a power supply unit. If the average power consumption of the processor does not match the average power measurement at the power supply unit, then the system may calibrate the average power consumption of the processor to match the average power measurement at the power supply unit.Type: GrantFiled: August 25, 2022Date of Patent: March 12, 2024Assignee: Dell Products L.P.Inventors: Douglas E. Messick, Craig A. Klein, John E. Jenne, Ralph H. Johnson
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Publication number: 20240069612Abstract: An information handling system includes a management controller that may determine average power consumption of a processor, and determine average power measurement at a power supply unit. If the average power consumption of the processor does not match the average power measurement at the power supply unit, then the system may calibrate the average power consumption of the processor to match the average power measurement at the power supply unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 25, 2022Publication date: February 29, 2024Inventors: Douglas E. Messick, Craig A. Klein, John E. Jenne, Ralph H. Johnson
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Patent number: 11844192Abstract: A number of slots in a chassis of an information handling system and a number of a plurality of sleds to be housed in the chassis may be determined. An airflow for each of the plurality of sleds in each of the plurality of placement configurations may be determined based, at least in part, on the number of slots in the chassis and the number of the plurality of sleds to be housed in the chassis. A recommended placement for each of the sleds may be determined based at least in part on the airflow for each of the plurality of sleds for the plurality of placement configurations. A notification may be generated comprising the recommended placements for each of the plurality of sleds.Type: GrantFiled: July 20, 2021Date of Patent: December 12, 2023Assignee: Dell Products L.P.Inventors: Douglas E. Messick, Muhammad Ahmed, Richard Eiland
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Patent number: 11703924Abstract: An information handling system includes a chassis having multiples sleds and an embedded controller. The embedded controller retrieves relative impedances for all of the sleds, and calculates a maximum available airflow for the first sled based the relative impedances of all other sleds. A baseboard management controller (BMC) of a first sled requests a boot operation for the first sled. The BMC collects configuration information for the first sled, and determines an airflow impedance of the first sled based on the configuration information. The BMC provides the airflow impedance and a power allocation request to the embedded controller. The BMC compares the maximum available airflow to a minimum airflow requirement for the first sled. If the maximum available airflow is less than the minimum airflow requirement, the BMC implements power limits for processors in the first sled to prevent overheating of components within the first sled.Type: GrantFiled: April 28, 2021Date of Patent: July 18, 2023Assignee: Dell Products L.P.Inventors: Muhammad B. Ahmed, Richard M. Eiland, Douglas E. Messick
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Publication number: 20230027111Abstract: A number of slots in a chassis of an information handling system and a number of a plurality of sleds to be housed in the chassis may be determined. An airflow for each of the plurality of sleds in each of the plurality of placement configurations may be determined based, at least in part, on the number of slots in the chassis and the number of the plurality of sleds to be housed in the chassis. A recommended placement for each of the sleds may be determined based at least in part on the airflow for each of the plurality of sleds for the plurality of placement configurations. A notification may be generated comprising the recommended placements for each of the plurality of sleds.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 20, 2021Publication date: January 26, 2023Applicant: Dell Products L.PInventors: Douglas E. Messick, Muhammad Ahmed, Richard Eiland
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Publication number: 20220350383Abstract: An information handling system includes a chassis having multiples sleds and an embedded controller. The embedded controller retrieves relative impedances for all of the sleds, and calculates a maximum available airflow for the first sled based the relative impedances of all other sleds. A baseboard management controller (BMC) of a first sled requests a boot operation for the first sled. The BMC collects configuration information for the first sled, and determines an airflow impedance of the first sled based on the configuration information. The BMC provides the airflow impedance and a power allocation request to the embedded controller. The BMC compares the maximum available airflow to a minimum airflow requirement for the first sled. If the maximum available airflow is less than the minimum airflow requirement, the BMC implements power limits for processors in the first sled to prevent overheating of components within the first sled.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 28, 2021Publication date: November 3, 2022Inventors: Muhammad B. Ahmed, Richard M. Eiland, Douglas E. Messick
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Patent number: 11126236Abstract: A physical power supply unit (PSU) may be connected to several load subsystems. A first load subsystem may receive a first portion of a first load power directly from the physical PSU via a main power connector, the main power connector having a power limit less than the first load power. A second load subsystem may receive a second load power directly from the physical PSU to provide a second portion of the first load power to the first load subsystem via a power connection between the second load subsystem and the first load subsystem. A sum of the first portion of the first load power and the second portion of the first load power may be greater than the power limit of the main power connector.Type: GrantFiled: August 14, 2019Date of Patent: September 21, 2021Assignee: Dell Products L.P.Inventors: Douglas E. Messick, Aaron Michael Rhinehart, Jeffrey S. Thelen
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Patent number: 11099620Abstract: A fail-safe power limit (FSPL) can be applied to components that lose communication with a management module (MM) to determine a safe power level at which to operate. The FSPL may be computed by the management module (MM) for the information handling system and distributed to components in the information handling system. By computing a FSPL and transmitting the FSPL to the components, a larger amount of the available power can be used by the components. This allows the components to continue operating at performance levels closer to or equivalent to levels available when the management module (MM) is operating normally. The FSPL may be updated at set times and/or on a periodic schedule such that the FSPL used by the components when communication is lost with the management module (MM) reflects a recent operating state of the components.Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 2018Date of Patent: August 24, 2021Assignee: Dell Products L.P.Inventors: Douglas E. Messick, Kyle Eric Cross, Dan Rao, Shawn Joel Dube
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Publication number: 20210048875Abstract: A physical power supply unit (PSU) may be connected to several load subsystems. A first load subsystem may receive a first portion of a first load power directly from the physical PSU via a main power connector, the main power connector having a power limit less than the first load power. A second load subsystem may receive a second load power directly from the physical PSU to provide a second portion of the first load power to the first load subsystem via a power connection between the second load subsystem and the first load subsystem. A sum of the first portion of the first load power and the second portion of the first load power may be greater than the power limit of the main power connector.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 14, 2019Publication date: February 18, 2021Inventors: Douglas E. Messick, Aaron Michael Rhinehart, Jeffrey S. Thelen
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Publication number: 20200192451Abstract: A fail-safe power limit (FSPL) can be applied to components that lose communication with a management module (MM) to determine a safe power level at which to operate. The FSPL may be computed by the management module (MM) for the information handling system and distributed to components in the information handling system. By computing a FSPL and transmitting the FSPL to the components, a larger amount of the available power can be used by the components. This allows the components to continue operating at performance levels closer to or equivalent to levels available when the management module (MM) is operating normally. The FSPL may be updated at set times and/or on a periodic schedule such that the FSPL used by the components when communication is lost with the management module (MM) reflects a recent operating state of the components.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 14, 2018Publication date: June 18, 2020Applicant: Dell Products L.P.Inventors: Douglas E. Messick, Kyle Eric Cross, Dan Rao, Shawn Joel Dube
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Patent number: 10254808Abstract: A method that budgets power allocation for an information handling system (IHS) includes: in response to determining that the IHS is to be powered by a redundant configuration of PSUs, budgeting a first amount of power that is less than a maximum power that can be utilized by the system, and configuring the system to autonomously utilize unused operating margin of the secondary PSU(s) in a redundant configuration of the PSUs during periods in which the system requires greater than the first amount of power; and in response to the information handling system not being powered by a redundant configuration of multiple PSUs, budgeting a second amount of power for the system that is at least equal to the maximum power that can be utilized by the system and is within the output of the primary PSU.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2017Date of Patent: April 9, 2019Assignee: Dell Products, L.P.Inventors: Douglas E. Messick, Kyle E. Cross, John Erven Jenne
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Patent number: 9632552Abstract: A method that budgets power allocation for an information handling system (IHS) includes: in response to determining that the IHS is to be powered by a redundant configuration of PSUs, budgeting a first amount of power that is less than a maximum power that can be utilized by the system, and configuring the system to autonomously utilize unused operating margin of the secondary PSU(s) in a redundant configuration of the PSUs during periods in which the system requires greater than the first amount of power; and in response to the information handling system not being powered by a redundant configuration of multiple PSUs, budgeting a second amount of power for the system that is at least equal to the maximum power that can be utilized by the system and is within the output of the primary PSU.Type: GrantFiled: April 10, 2013Date of Patent: April 25, 2017Assignee: Dell Products L.P.Inventors: Douglas E. Messick, Kyle E. Cross, John Erven Jenne
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Patent number: 9239601Abstract: A power controller of an information handling system (IHS) controls power allocation for the IHS with components that intermittently exhibit power transients. The power controller is configured to: identify an enhanced power state during which a maximum power required by the information handling system is greater than the amount of power provided by a primary PSU of a redundant configuration of PSUs; and allocate a portion of the unused operating margin of backup reserve power from the redundant PSUs to support intermittent power transients that occur during enhanced power state operation. The power controller is further configured to, in response to a detection of a condition that reduces an amount of unused operating margin of backup reserve power to less than an amount of additional power required to support the intermittent power transients, autonomously disable/limit the enhanced power state to prevent/limit an occurrence or magnitude of the intermittent power transients.Type: GrantFiled: April 10, 2013Date of Patent: January 19, 2016Assignee: DELL PRODUCTS, L.P.Inventors: Douglas E. Messick, Kyle E. Cross, John Erven Jenne
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Publication number: 20140310539Abstract: A power controller of an information handling system (IHS) controls power allocation for the IHS with components that intermittently exhibit power transients. The power controller is configured to: identify an enhanced power state during which a maximum power required by the information handling system is greater than the amount of power provided by a primary PSU of a redundant configuration of PSUs; and allocate a portion of the unused operating margin of backup reserve power from the redundant PSUs to support intermittent power transients that occur during enhanced power state operation. The power controller is further configured to, in response to a detection of a condition that reduces an amount of unused operating margin of backup reserve power to less than an amount of additional power required to support the intermittent power transients, autonomously disable/limit the enhanced power state to prevent/limit an occurrence or magnitude of the intermittent power transients.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 10, 2013Publication date: October 16, 2014Applicant: Dell Products L.P.Inventors: Douglas E. Messick, Kyle E. Cross, John Erven Jenne
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Publication number: 20140310537Abstract: A method that budgets power allocation for an information handling system (IHS) includes: in response to determining that the IHS is to be powered by a redundant configuration of PSUs, budgeting a first amount of power that is less than a maximum power that can be utilized by the system, and configuring the system to autonomously utilize unused operating margin of the secondary PSU(s) in a redundant configuration of the PSUs during periods in which the system requires greater than the first amount of power; and in response to the information handling system not being powered by a redundant configuration of multiple PSUs, budgeting a second amount of power for the system that is at least equal to the maximum power that can be utilized by the system and is within the output of the primary PSU.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 10, 2013Publication date: October 16, 2014Applicant: Dell Products L.P.Inventors: Douglas E. Messick, Kyle E. Cross, John Erven Jenne