Fault detection in a redundant power converter
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsBrian A. Carpenter, Girish C. Johari
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Aspects for sensing faults in a redundant power converter are described. An exemplary circuit aspect includes a signal transition monitor for monitoring signal transitions at a predetermined node within the redundant power converter, and a detector for detecting a fault condition in the redundant power converter when a proper signal transition fails to occur during a base period of switching. The aspects sense faults in a manner which allows replacement during a scheduled downtime, so that redundancy is restorable without having an unscheduled outage.
Claims20
A circuit for sensing faults in a redundant power converter, the circuit comprising:
- a signal transition monitor for monitoring signal transitions at a predetermined node within the redundant power converter;
- and
- a detector for detecting a fault condition in the redundant power converter when a proper signal transition fails to occur during a base period of switching.
A redundant power converter with fault detection capability, the redundant power converter comprising:
- a control unit for utilization in controlling the redundant power converter;
- first and second switches coupled at a summing node and to the control unit;
- and
- fault detection circuit coupled to the summing node and to the control unit, the fault detection circuit monitoring the summing node for fault detection based on signal transition at the summing node during a predetermined time period.
A method of sensing faults in a redundant power converter, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) monitoring a predetermined node within the redundant power converter for proper signal transitioning during a base period of switching;
- and
- (b) detecting a fault condition in the redundant power converter when the proper signal transitioning does not occur during the base period of switching.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.