Isolated power input architecture
AssigneeI-Bus Corporation
InventorsJohni Chan, Guy Thrap
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An isolated power input architecture that includes hot swappable input modules that are electrically isolated from each other so that each may provide input power to power supplies for an electronic device without adverse interactions between the voltages provided by each input module. The isolated input modules are each configured to lock the other out so that only one input module is providing power to the power supplies for the electronic device. The power supply for the electronic device preferably includes N+1 power supplies where N power supplies are required by the electronic device. Either of the isolated input modules provides enough power to supply power to all the N+1 power supplies.
Claims20
A power input architecture for a computing system comprising:
- a first input module comprising a second input module inhibitor and a first input module switch wherein the first input module is configured to receive power from a first power source wherein the first input module switch detachably couples the first input module to a power supply system for the computing system;
- and
- a second input module comprising a first input module inhibitor and a second input module switch wherein the second input module is configured to receive power from a second power source wherein the second input module switch detachably couples the second input module to the power supply system for the computing system;
- wherein the first and second power input modules and the power supply system for the computing system are configured to be housed in a chassis of the computing system;
- wherein the second input module inhibitor is coupled to the second input module switch and is configured to provide a second input module inhibit signal wherein the second input module switch is configured to open in response to the second input module inhibit signal.
A method of providing input power to a computing system comprising the steps of:
- receiving a first voltage from a first power source at a first input module wherein the first input module is detachably coupled to the computing system;
- communicating an inhibit signal from the first input module to a second input module in response to the first voltage from the first power source being at least a first predetermined voltage level;
- receiving a second voltage from a second power source at the second input module wherein the second input module is detachably coupled to the computing system;
- isolating the second voltage received at the second input module from the power supply system in response to the inhibit signal from the first input module being received at the second input module;
- providing power from the first power source to a power supply system for the computing system through the first input module in response to the first voltage from the first power source being at least the first predetermined voltage level;
- and
- providing power from the second power source to the power supply system for the computing system through the second input module in response to both the inhibit signal from the first input module not being received at the second input module and the second voltage being at least a second predetermined voltage level.
An input module system for providing input power to a computing system comprising:
- means for receiving a first voltage from a first power source at a first input module wherein the first input module is detachably coupled to the computing system;
- means for communicating an inhibit signal from the first input module to a second input module in response to the first voltage from the first power source being at least a first predetermined voltage level;
- means for receiving a second voltage from a second power source at the second input module wherein the second input module is detachably coupled to the computing system;
- means for isolating the second voltage received at the second input module from the power supply system in response to the inhibit signal from the first input module being received at the second input module;
- means for providing power from the first power source to a power supply system for the computing system through the first input module in response to the first voltage from the first power source being at least the first predetermined voltage level;
- and
- means for providing power from the second power source to the power supply system for the computing system through the second input module in response to both the inhibit signal from the first input module not being received at the second input module and the second voltage being at least a second predetermined voltage level.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.