# US 7,466,038 B2 · More compact and higher reliability power supply module > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,466,038 B2 - Document ID: US7466038B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/059,946 - Filed: 2005-02-17 - Published: 2005-08-18 - Granted: 2008-12-16 - Earliest claimed: 2004-02-18 - Assignees: Diversified Technologies, Inc. - Inventors: Marcel Pierre Joseph Gaudreau; Peter Andrew Dandridge; Michael Alan Kempkes; Jeffrey Allen Casey - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7466038B2 ## CPC - G06F 1/26: Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof (for memories G11C) - H02J 1/001: {Hot plugging or unplugging of load or power modules to or from power distribution networks} - H02J 1/102: being switching converters (H02J1/108, H02J1/12 take precedence) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY ## Abstract This invention features a more compact and higher reliability power supply module including a high voltage DC input, a low voltage DC output, a number of DC/DC converters connected in parallel between the high voltage DC input and the low voltage DC output, and a controller configured to modulate each DC/DC converter to convert the high voltage DC input to the low voltage DC output. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A compact and higher reliability power supply module comprising: a high voltage DC input; a low voltage DC output; a number of DC/DC converters connected in parallel between the high voltage DC input and the low voltage DC output; and a controller configured to modulate each DC/DC converter to convert the high voltage DC input to the low voltage DC output by utilizing pseudo-impedance to provide load sharing with other power supply modules without direct communication with other power supply modules and without feedback from a point of common reference. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The power supply module of claim 1 in which each DC/DC converter is configured as a buck converter with a switch cycled by the controller to modulate the DC/DC converter. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The power supply module of claim 2 in which the controller is configured to stagger the triggering of the switch of each DC/DC converter to reduce ripple on the low voltage DC bus. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The power supply module of claim 2 in which the controller is responsive to a fault signal input and programmed to open the switch of each DC/DC converter in response to the fault signal. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The power supply module of claim 2 in which the buck converter includes an input capacitor, an inductor, an output capacitor and the switch. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The power supply module of claim 1 in which each DC/DC converter includes an inverter, a transformer and a rectifier in which the inverter is cycled by the controller to modulate the DC/DC converter. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The power supply module of claim 6 in which the controller is configured to stagger the triggering of the inverter of each DC/DC converter to reduce ripple on the low voltage DC bus. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The power supply module of claim 6 in which the controller is responsive to a fault signal input and programmed to open the inverter of each DC/DC converter in response to the fault signal. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The power supply module of claim 1 in which the controller is configured to modulate each DC/DC source to control output voltage or current. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The power supply module of claim 1 in which the controller is further configured to output an error signal in response to a fault signal. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The power supply module of claim 10 further including a fault determination circuit for generating the fault signal. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The power supply module of claim 11 further including a cooling system for cooling the power module. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The power supply module of claim 11 in which the fault detection circuit generates a fault signal when the power supply module exceeds a predetermined temperature. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The power supply module of claim 1 in which the power supply module includes a fuse between the plurality of DC/DC converters and the low voltage DC bus designed to fail at a current level greater than the rated current output of the power supply module. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The power supply module of claim 1 in which the controller is configured to determine a desired output voltage based on the current output by the power supply module. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The power supply module of claim 15 in which the controller includes a switching voltage regulator configured to compare a desired system output voltage with the voltage level output by the power supply module and to adjust the voltage output by each DC/DC converter such that the output of the power supply module approximately equals the desired system output voltage. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The power supply module of claim 16 in which the switching voltage regulator adjusts the voltage output by each of the DC/DC converters by modulation. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The power supply module of claim 1 in which the low voltage DC output is in the range of about 6V DC to 100V DC. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The power supply module of claim 18 in which the low voltage DC output is about 48V DC. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The power supply module of claim 1 in which the power supply module is configured in a removable drawer. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The power supply module of claim 20 in which at least one removable drawer is disposed in a cabinet configured as a power source system. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The power supply module of claim 21 in which each at least one removable drawer includes a plurality of different length connectors that electrically connect the number of DC/DC converters of the power supply module to the high voltage DC bus at different times to reduce electrical discharge. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The power supply module of claim 22 in which the removable drawer can be removed, replaced, or added to the power source system while the power source system is operating. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) The power supply module of claim 22 in which each of the connectors includes a resistive material for reducing electrical discharge when connecting the power supply module to the high voltage DC bus. ### Claim 25 (depends on 21) The power supply module of claim 21 in which each removable drawer includes an auxiliary contact connected by a separate auxiliary resistor or spark-suppressing impedance network to reduce electrical discharge. ### Claim 26 A compact and higher reliability power supply module comprising: a high voltage DC input; a low voltage DC output; a number of DC/DC converters connected in parallel between the high voltage DC input and the low voltage DC output; and a controller configured to modulate each DC/DC converter to convert the high voltage DC input to the low voltage DC output by utilizing pseudo-impedance to provide load sharing with other power supply modules without direct communication with other power supply modules and without feedback from a point of common reference, wherein each DC/DC converter is configured as a buck converter with a switch cycled by the controller to modulate the DC/DC converter. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The power supply module of claim 26 in which the controller is configured to stagger the triggering of the switch of each DC/DC converter to reduce ripple on the low voltage DC bus. ### Claim 28 A compact and higher reliability power supply module comprising: a high voltage DC input; a low voltage DC output; a number of DC/DC converters connected in parallel between the high voltage DC input and the low voltage DC output; and a controller configured to modulate each DC/DC converter to convert the high voltage DC input to the low voltage DC output by utilizing pseudo-impedance to provide load sharing with other power supply modules without direct communication with other power supply modules and without feedback from a point of common reference, wherein each DC/DC converter includes an inverter, a transformer and a rectifier in which the inverter is cycled by the controller to modulate the DC/DC converter. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The power supply module of claim 28 in which the controller is configured to stagger the triggering of the inverter of each DC/DC converter to reduce ripple on the low voltage DC bus. ### Claim 30 A compact and higher reliability power supply module comprising: a high voltage DC input; a low voltage DC output; a number of DC/DC converters connected in parallel between the high voltage DC input and the low voltage DC output; a controller configured to modulate each DC/DC converter to convert the high voltage DC input to the low voltage DC output by utilizing pseudo-impedance to provide load sharing with other power supply modules without direct communication with other power supply modules and without feedback from point of a common reference, and wherein the power supply module is configured in a removable drawer that includes a plurality of different length connectors that electrically connect the number of DC/DC converters of the power supply module to the high voltage DC bus at different times to reduce electrical discharge. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) The compact and higher reliability power supply module of claim 30 in which at least one removable drawer is disposed in a cabinet configured as a power source system.