US 11,963,327 B2Granted

Front and rear loading control circuit for a server power shelf

AssigneeAES Global Holdings PTE Ltd.

InventorJerome Emmanuel G. Antaran

Life of this patent

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Abstract

Electrical interconnect systems for a server power shelf are disclosed. An electrical interconnect system, which can include multiple connectors and a printed circuit board or other wiring, can allow a control circuit, such as a shelf management controller (SMC), to be accessible via a front or rear of a server power shelf. The control circuit can be communicatively coupled to the backplane of the server power shelf through the electrical interconnect system in either the front or rear position without having to reconfigure or redesign a server power shelf configuration. Further, the control circuit can be hot swappable from both the front-loading position and the rear loading position. Even further, when utilized in the front-loading position, neither the electrical interconnect system nor the control circuit occupy a slot of the server power shelf intended for a power supply or reduce a number of power supplies the shelf can include.

Claims17

Dependent claims

An electrical device comprising:

a backplane of a power shelf, the backplane comprising a backplane connector;
and
a shelf management control circuit having wiring, or traces, to provide a connection between the backplane and a power management controller, the shelf management control circuit including:
a first connector coupled with the backplane connector;
a second connector configured to have a first interface that physically couples the power management controller to the shelf management control circuit such that the wiring or traces provide a connection between the first connector and the second connector to allow the power management controller to communicate with the backplane;
a third connector configured to have a second interface that physically couples the power management controller to the shelf management control circuit such that the wiring or traces provide a connection between the first connector and the third connector to allow the power management controller to communicate with the backplane;
and
an interconnect circuit including:
a fourth connector at a proximal end of the interconnect circuit and configured to connect to the third connector;
and
a fifth connector at a distal end of the interconnect circuit and configured to connect to the power management controller;
wherein the proximal end is located near a rear of the power shelf and the distal end is located near a front of the power shelf when the interconnect circuit is installed in the power shelf;
and
when the shelf management control circuit is installed in the power shelf, the second connector is accessible via the rear of the power shelf and the third connector is accessible via the front of the power shelf.

11 more elements

An electrical system comprising:

a backplane of a server power shelf, the backplane comprising a backplane connector;
and
a first printed circuit board (PCB) comprising:
wiring to provide a connection between the backplane and a power management controller;
a first connector coupled to the backplane connector;
a second connector including a first interface configured to communicatively couple to the power management controller, where the wiring provides an electrical connection between the first connector and the second connector;
a third connector including a second interface configured to communicatively couple to the power management controller, where the wiring provides an electrical connection between the first connector and the third connector;
and
a second PCB including:
a fourth connector at a proximal end of the second PCB and configured to connect to the first PCB via the third connector;
and
a fifth connector at a distal end of the second PCB and configured to communicatively connect to the power management controller;
wherein the proximal end is located near a rear of the power shelf and the distal end is located near a front of the power shelf when the second PCB is installed in the power shelf;
and
when the electrical system is installed in the server power shelf, the second connector is accessible at the rear of the server power shelf and the third connector is accessible at the front of the server power shelf.

12 more elements

A device comprising:

a backplane of a server power shelf, the backplane comprising a connector;
a first printed circuit board (PCB) including:
first traces to provide a connection between the backplane and a management controller;
second traces to provide a connection between the backplane and the management controller;
a first connector coupled to the connector of the backplane;
a second connector configured to communicatively couple the management controller to the second connector such that the first traces provide an electrical connection between the first connector and the second connector;
a third connector configured to communicatively couple the management controller to the third connector such that the second traces provide an electrical connection between the first connector and the third connector;
and
the first PCB configured to be installed in the server power shelf such that the second connector is accessible at a proximal end of the server power shelf nearest the backplane and the third connector is accessible at a distal end of the server power shelf;
and
a second PCB including a fourth connector at a proximal end of the second PCB and a fifth connector at a distal end of the second PCB, the fourth connector configured to connect to the first PCB via the third connector, and the fifth connector configured to connect to the management controller.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/211,377Filed 24 Mar 2021
Published: US 2022/0312625 A129 Sep 2022
Granted: 16 Apr 2024
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification4 codes

H05K 7/1492
Cabinets therefor, e.g. chassis or racks or mechanical interfaces between blades and support structures: having electrical distribution…
H05K 1/181
Structurally associated with non-printed electric components: associated with surface mounted components
H05K 7/1491
Cabinets therefor, e.g. chassis or racks or mechanical interfaces between blades and support structures: having cable management arrangements
H05K
Printed circuits