Operating a redundant power supply regulator using a transition control signal

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11196285-B2
Application number	US-201916683738-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 14, 2019
Priority date	Nov 14, 2019
Publication date	Dec 7, 2021
Grant date	Dec 7, 2021

Abstract

Operating a redundant power supply regulator using a transition control signal including supplying an operating voltage through an ORing in the redundant power supply regulator, wherein the ORing is connected to a comparator configured to turn off the ORing in response to detecting a fault; receiving the transition control signal indicating that the redundant power supply regulator is transitioning to a reduced voltage, wherein the reduced voltage is less than the operating voltage; receiving the reduced voltage by the ORing; and supplying the reduced voltage through the ORing by using the transition control signal to prevent the comparator from turning off the ORing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of operating a redundant power supply regulator using a transition control signal, the method comprising:
supplying an operating voltage through an ORing in the redundant power supply regulator, wherein the ORing is connected to a comparator configured to turn off the ORing in response to detecting a fault;
receiving the transition control signal indicating that the redundant power supply regulator is transitioning to a reduced voltage, wherein the reduced voltage is less than the operating voltage;
receiving the reduced voltage by the ORing; and
supplying the reduced voltage through the ORing by using the transition control signal to prevent the comparator from turning off the ORing, wherein the ORing is based on an output of an AND gate.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the transition control signal is received via a transition control signal line connected to an input of the comparator.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the transition control signal adjusts the input of the comparator to a value that is inversely proportional to a load current present prior to receiving the reduced voltage.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein an output of the comparator is connected to a first input of an OR gate used to control the ORing, and wherein the transition control signal is received via a transition control signal line connected to a second input of the OR gate.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ORing is controlled by an output of an AND gate, wherein a first input of the AND gate is connected to a fault control logic line, and wherein a second input of the AND gate is operated by an output of the comparator.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the fault control logic line is operated by a phase controller.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein using the transition control signal to prevent the comparator from turning off the ORing comprises allowing discharge of an output capacitance independent of load conditions.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the transition control signal includes a delay allowing the redundant power supply regulator to return to normal operation.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the transition control signal is received from one selected from a group consisting of a main controller and a phase controller.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ORing is one selected from a group consisting of a field-effect transistor and a bipolar switch.

11. A redundant power supply regulator using a transition control signal comprising:
an ORing configured to supply an operating voltage in the redundant power supply regulator;
a comparator configured to turn off the ORing in response to detecting a fault; and
a transition control signal line providing the transition control signal that indicates that the redundant power supply regulator is transitioning to a reduced voltage, wherein the reduced voltage is less than the operating voltage,
wherein the redundant power supply regulator is configured to supply the reduced voltage through the ORing by using the transition control signal to prevent the comparator from turning off the ORing, wherein the ORing is based on an output of an AND gate.

12. The redundant power supply regulator of claim 11 , wherein the transition control signal is received via a transition control signal line connected to an input of the comparator.

13. The redundant power supply regulator of claim 12 , wherein the transition control signal adjusts the input of the comparator to a value that is inversely proportional to a load current present prior to receiving the reduced voltage.

14. The redundant power supply regulator of claim 11 , wherein an output of the comparator is connected to a first input of an OR gate used to control the ORing, and wherein the transition control signal is received via a transition control signal line connected to a second input of the OR gate.

15. The redundant power supply regulator of claim 11 , wherein the ORing is controlled by an output of an AND gate, wherein a first input of the AND gate is connected to a fault control logic line, and wherein a second input of the AND gate is operated by an output of the comparator.

16. The redundant power supply regulator of claim 15 , wherein the fault control logic line is operated by a phase controller.

17. The redundant power supply regulator of claim 11 , wherein using the transition control signal to prevent the comparator from turning off the ORing comprises allowing discharge of an output capacitance independent of load conditions.

18. The redundant power supply regulator of claim 11 , wherein the transition control signal includes a delay allowing the redundant power supply regulator to return to normal operation.

19. The redundant power supply regulator of claim 11 , wherein the transition control signal is received from one selected from a group consisting of a main controller and a phase controller.

20. The redundant power supply regulator of claim 11 , wherein the ORing is one selected from a group consisting of a field-effect transistor and a bipolar switch.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Miller Michael L
• Egan Patrick K

Classifications

• G06F1/3296 Primary

  by lowering the supply or operating voltage · CPC title

• H02J9/06

  with automatic change-over {, e.g. UPS systems} · CPC title

• H02J9/061

  for DC powered loads · CPC title

• G06F1/324

  by lowering clock frequency · CPC title

• Y02D10/00

  Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management · CPC title