System and method for interchangeably powering single or multiple motherboards
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsRalph Murray Begun, Raymond Mathew Clemo, Brian Gormley, Michael Sven Miller
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In one embodiment, a single electrical power supply is used to interchangeably power either a single motherboard or dual motherboards. Switchable output power and individual sequencing may be provided to each motherboard using FETs, such that the power supply may respond to the sequencing of each motherboard as if it were dedicated to that motherboard. In a two motherboard system, power to the first motherboard is reduced by removing some output voltages from the first motherboard. Fault circuitry may also be provided so that a power related fault on one domain does not affect operation of the other motherboard.
Claims19
A system, comprising:
- a first motherboard configured for generating a first power-on signal;
- a second motherboard configured for generating a second power-on signal;
- and
- an electrical power supply configured for electrical communication with the first and second motherboards, the power supply having a plurality of bulk voltage outputs, each bulk voltage output configured for providing one or more output voltages to the first motherboard in response to receiving the first power-on signal and for providing one or more output voltages to the second motherboard in response to receiving the second power-on signal.
A method of managing power to servers, comprising:
- selectively generating a first power-on signal from a first motherboard and a second power-on signal from a second motherboard;
- electronically detecting the selectively generated first and second power-on signals;
- providing one or more output voltages from each of a plurality of bulk voltage outputs to the first motherboard in response to detecting the first power-on signal;
- providing one or more output voltages from each of the plurality of bulk voltage outputs to the second motherboard in response to detecting the second power-on signal;
- and
- supplying more output voltages to the first motherboard in response to receiving only the first power-on signal than in response to receiving both the first power-on signal and the second power-on signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.