Smart power system

A system comprising:

• a backplane including a connector;
• at least one electrical load configured to mate with the connector;
• and
• a smart power system integrated within the backplane, the smart power system comprising:
• a microcontroller;
• a power converter electrically connected to the microcontroller, the power converter configured to convert electrical energy from one form to another;
• a switch element electrically connected to the microcontroller, the switch element configured to control distribution of the converted electrical energy to at least one electrical load;
• a sense element electrically connected to the at least one electrical load and to the microcontroller, the sense element configured to monitor the converted electrical energy distributed to the at least one electrical load, the sense element configured to furnish a feedback signal based upon the converted electrical energy;
• and
• wherein the microcontroller is configured to verify and to monitor the power converter and configured to control and to monitor distribution of the converted electrical energy to the at least one electrical load based upon the feedback signal;
• and
• a controller integrated with the backplane and electrically connected to the at least one electrical load and to the microcontroller, the controller configured to receive diagnostic information from the at least one electrical load and to bi-directionally communicate with the microcontroller, the controller configured to furnish the diagnostic information to the microcontroller,
• wherein the controller and the microcontroller are each assigned a respective security key, the controller configured to prevent the microcontroller from operating if unable to identify the respective security key associated with the microcontroller, the microcontroller configured to prevent the controller from operating if unable to identify the respective security key associated with the controller.

A system comprising:

• a backplane including a connector;
• at least one electrical load configured to mate with the connector;
• and
• at least one smart power system integrated and carried within the backplane, each smart power system comprising:
• a microcontroller;
• a power converter electrically connected to the microcontroller, the power converter configured to convert electrical energy from one form to another;
• a switch element electrically connected to the microcontroller, the switch element configured to control distribution of the converted electrical energy to at least one electrical load;
• a sense element electrically connected to the at least one electrical load and to the microcontroller, the sense element configured to monitor the converted electrical energy distributed to the at least one electrical load, the sense element configured to furnish a feedback signal based upon the converted electrical energy;
• and
• a controller integrated with the backplane and electrically connected to the at least one electrical load and to the microcontroller, the controller configured to bi-directionally communicate with the microcontroller and at least partially control an operation of the microcontroller, the controller and the microcontroller each including a security parameter, the controller configured to prevent the operation of the microcontroller if unable to identify the respective security parameter associated with the microcontroller, the microcontroller configured to prevent the operation of the controller if unable to identify the respective security parameter associated with the controller;
• wherein the microcontroller is configured to verify and to monitor the power converter and configured to control and to monitor distribution of the converted electrical energy to the at least one electrical load based upon the feedback signal.