Apparatus and method for distributed standby power provision
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorJames S. Mason
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus and method for providing standby power to a node of a distributed system of devices. The apparatus includes: a current manager operable to manage supply of current to a device at the node; a normal current supplier operable to supply normal operating current to the device; and a super capacitor at the node operable to supply standby operating current to the device under control of the current manager when the normal current supplier fails to supply the normal operating current to the device. The apparatus preferably further comprises a switching regulator, operable in electrical communication with the super capacitor and the device, to regulate the standby operating current to the device.
Claims16
An apparatus for providing standby power to a node of a distributed system of devices, comprising:
- multiple nodes, each of the nodes having a super capacitor associated with the node;
- a current manager operable to manage supply of current to a device at the node;
- a normal current supplier operable to supply normal operating current to the device;
- and
- the super capacitor at the node operable to supply standby operating current to the device under control of the current manager when the normal current supplier fails to supply the normal operating current to the device, wherein the standby power from one super capacitor is distributed to super capacitors at other nodes.
A method for controlling apparatus for providing standby power to a node of a distributed system of devices, comprising:
- managing power at multiple nodes, each of the nodes having a super capacitor associated with the node;
- managing supply of current by a current manager to a device at the node;
- supplying normal operating current by a normal current supplier to the device;
- and
- supplying standby operating current by the super capacitor at the node to the device under control of the current manager when the normal current supplier fails to supply the normal operating current to the device, wherein the standby power from one super capacitor is distributed to super capacitors at other nodes.
A method for providing standby power to a storage device node, comprising:
- providing multiple storage device nodes, each of the nodes having a super capacitor associated with the node;
- managing supply of current by a current manager to a storage device in communication with the node;
- supplying normal operating current by a normal current supplier to the storage device in communication with the node;
- and
- supplying standby operating current by the super capacitor at the node to the device when the normal current supplier fails to supply the normal operating current to the device,
- wherein the standby power from one super capacitor is distributed to super capacitors at other nodes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.