# US 11,451,046 B2 · Single switch electronic fuses with multiple power outputs

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- Number: US 11,451,046 B2
- Document ID: US11451046B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/975,234
- Filed: 2018-03-22
- Published: 2020-12-24
- Granted: 2022-09-20
- Earliest claimed: 2018-03-22
- Assignees: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
- Applicants: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
- Inventors: Nathan Logan; Robert G Mejia; Manuel Antonio Rodriguez; James Jensen
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11451046B2

## CPC

- H02H 3/105: {responsive to excess current and fault current to earth}
- H02H 3/08: responsive to excess current (responsive to abnormal temperature caused by excess current H02H5/04)
- H02H 3/42: responsive to product of voltage and current
- H02H 7/26: Sectionalised protection of cable or line systems, e.g. for disconnecting a section on which a short-circuit, earth fault, or arc discharge has occured (locating faults in cables G01R31/08)
- 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)

## Abstract

In example implementations, an apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes a plurality of power outputs, a logic controller and a single switch. Each one of the plurality of power outputs is communicatively coupled to a respective current/power sensor. The logic controller is communicatively coupled to the respective current/power sensor of each one of the plurality of power outputs. The single switch is communicatively coupled to the logic controller and the respective current/power sensor of each one of the plurality of power outputs. Power to each one of the plurality of power outputs is controlled by the logic controller via the single switch.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus, comprising:
a plurality of power outputs, wherein each one of the plurality of power outputs is communicatively coupled to a respective current/power sensor;
a logic controller communicatively coupled to a respective fault lite of the respective current/power sensor of each one of the plurality of power outputs; and
a single switch communicatively coupled to the logic controller and the respective current/power sensor of each one of the plurality of power outputs, wherein the logic controller controls power to each one of the plurality of power outputs via the single switch.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:
a single high reference signal;
a single low reference signal;
a single timing reference signal; and
a feedback sub-circuit.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the respective current/power sensor of each one of the plurality of power outputs receives the single hi reference signal, the single low reference signal and the single timing reference signal.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the logic controller toggles the single switch when a fault signal is received from the respective fault line of the respective current/power sensor of one of the plurality of power outputs.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the single switch comprises an electronic switch device.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is a discrete circuit or an integrated circuit.

### Claim 7

A method, comprising:
detecting that an amount of power at a current/power sensor of a plurality of different current/power sensors is greater than a threshold;
transmitting a fault signal generated by the current/power sensor to a logic controller; and
toggling a single switch in communication with the plurality of different current/power sensors via the logic controller in response to the fault signal.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, further comprising:
periodically comparing the amount of power at the current/power sensor;
determining that the amount of power at the current power sensor is below the threshold; and
toggling the single switch to provide power to the plurality of different current/power sensors.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, further comprising:
ceasing transmission of the fault signal in response to the amount of power falling below the threshold; and
toggling the single switch to provide power to the plurality of different current/power sensors.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein the threshold for each one of the plurality of different current/power sensors is different.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein the threshold for at least one of the plurality of different current/power sensors is a dynamic threshold.

### Claim 12

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
receive a fault signal from one of a plurality of current/power sensors when an amount of power exceeds a threshold; and
toggle a single electronic switch device in response to the fault signal to remove power from each one of the plurality of current/power sensors.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the processor to:
detect when the fault signal is stopped in accordance with a respective fault recover policy of one of the plurality of current/power sensors, wherein the respective fault recover policy is one of a plurality of different fault recover policies of the plurality of current/power sensors; and
toggle the single electronic switch device to resume providing power to each one of the plurality of current/power sensors.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the threshold is determined by a value of a single high reference signal.