Power supply system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9389659-B2
Application number	US-201313966334-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 14, 2013
Priority date	Sep 28, 2012
Publication date	Jul 12, 2016
Grant date	Jul 12, 2016

Abstract

A power supply system for an information handling system is provided. The information processing system is electrically coupled to an AC power source and includes at least one computer unit. The power supply system includes: at least one AC power supply unit electrically coupled to the at least one computer unit and the AC power source; at least one DC power supply unit electrically coupled to the at least one computer unit; and a backup power unit electrically coupled to the at least one DC power supply unit. In response to the at least one AC power supply unit not supplying power, the at least one DC power supply unit supplies power to the at least one computer unit. A data center having the power supply system is further provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A power supply system for providing power to an information processing system, the information processing system being electrically coupled to an AC power source and comprising at least one computer unit, the power supply system comprising:
at least one AC power supply unit electrically coupled to the at least one computer unit and the AC power, respectively;
at least one DC power supply unit electrically coupled to the at least one computer unit; and
a backup power unit electrically coupled to the at least one DC power supply unit, wherein, in response to the at least one AC power supply unit not supplying power, the at least one DC power supply unit automatically supplies power to the at least one computer unit; and
wherein the at least one computer unit comprises a system administration module, the at least one AC power supply unit comprises an AC power supply unit microcontroller, and the DC power supply unit comprises a DC power supply unit microcontroller, wherein the system administration module is electrically coupled to the AC power supply unit microcontroller and the DC power supply unit microcontroller via a communication bus to thereby control one of the at least one AC power supply unit and the DC power supply unit to supply power to the at least one computer unit; and
wherein the at least one AC power supply unit comprises a first switching module, wherein the at least one DC power supply unit comprises a second switching module and a DC power supply unit output control module, wherein an output of the first switching module is electrically coupled to an input of the second switching module, wherein an output of the second switching module is electrically coupled to an input of the DC power supply unit output control module, wherein, in response to the at least one AC power supply unit not supplying power, the first switching module sends an enabling signal for enabling the second switching module and thereby enabling the DC power supply unit output control module to control the at least one DC power supply unit to supply power to the at least one computer unit.

2. The power supply system of claim 1 , wherein, in response to the at least one AC power supply unit supplying power well, the at least one DC power supply unit operates in a standby mode, such that components of the at least one DC power supply unit operate in a standby mode and with a wattage output of about zero.

3. The power supply system of claim 1 , wherein, if power interruption does not occur to one of an input end and an output end of the AC power supply unit, a load output of the DC power supply unit will be about zero, wherein, if power interruption occurs to one of the input end and the output end of the AC power supply unit, the DC power supply unit will instantly provide a load output.

4. The power supply system of claim 1 , wherein the backup power unit comprises an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) system or a battery.

5. The power supply system of claim 1 , wherein the first switching module comprises a first OR gate, and the at least one AC power supply unit further comprises an AC power supply unit input power interruption detection module and an AC power supply unit output power interruption detection module, wherein a failure pin of the AC power supply unit input power interruption detection module is electrically coupled to a first input of the first OR gate and a failure pin of the AC power supply unit output power interruption detection module is electrically coupled to a second input of the first OR gate.

6. The power supply system of claim 5 , wherein the second switching module comprises a second OR gate, wherein an output of the first OR gate is electrically coupled to a first input of the second OR gate and an output of the DC power supply unit microcontroller is electrically coupled to a second input of the second OR gate, wherein an output of the second OR gate is electrically coupled to an input of the DC power supply unit output control module.

7. The power supply system of claim 6 , wherein the AC power supply unit input power interruption detection module and the AC power supply unit output power interruption detection module detect whether power interruption occurs to an input end and an output end of the AC power supply unit, respectively, wherein, if power interruption occurs to one of the input end and the output end of the AC power supply unit, the first OR gate will output an enabling signal for enabling the second OR gate, and an output of the second OR gate will enable the DC power supply unit output control module to control the DC power supply unit to supply power to the at least one computer unit.

8. The power supply system of claim 1 , wherein the system administration module comprises an integration management module (IMM).

9. The power supply system of claim 5 , wherein the AC power supply unit input power interruption detection module comprises a power factor correction controller.

10. The power supply system of claim 5 , wherein the AC power supply unit output power interruption detection module comprises a pulse width modulation (PWM) controller.

11. The power supply system of claim 5 , wherein the DC power supply unit output control module comprises a power factor correction controller.

12. A data center, comprising:
an information processing system electrically coupled to an AC power source and comprising at least one computer unit; and
a power supply system comprising:
at least one AC power supply unit electrically coupled to the at least one computer unit and the AC power, respectively;
at least one DC power supply unit electrically coupled to the at least one computer unit; and
a backup power unit electrically coupled to the at least one DC power supply unit, wherein, in response to the at least one AC power supply unit not supplying power, the at least one DC power supply unit automatically supplies power to the at least one computer unit; and

wherein the at least one computer unit comprises a system administration module, the at least one AC power supply unit comprises an AC power supply unit microcontroller, and the DC power supply unit comprises a DC power supply unit microcontroller, wherein the system administration module is electrically coupled to the AC power supply unit microcontroller and the DC power supply unit microcontroller via a communication bus to thereby control one of the at least one AC power supply unit and the DC power supply unit to supply power to the at least one computer unit; and
wherein the at least one AC power supply unit comprises a first switching module, wherein the at least one DC power supply unit comprises a second switching module and a DC power supply unit output control module, wherein an output of the first switching module is electrically coupled to an input of the second switching module, wherein an output of the second switching module is electrically coupled to an input of the DC power supply unit output control module, wherein, in response to the at least one AC power supply unit not supplying power, the first switching module sends an enabling signal for enabling the second switching module and thereby enabling the DC power supply unit output control module to control the at least one DC power supply unit to supply power to the at least one computer unit.

13. The data center of claim 12 , wherein, in response to the at least one AC power supply unit supplying power well, the at least one DC power supply unit operates in a standby mode, such that components of the at least one DC power supply unit operate in a standby mode and with a wattage output of about zero.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Chen Jung-Tai
• Chen Wei-Tien
• Cheng George
• Chiu Chih-Chiang
• Huang Chin-Yu
• Lin Junhom
• Tseng W J

Classifications

• G06F1/26 Primary

  Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof (for memories G11C) · CPC title

• G06F1/30 Primary

  Means for acting in the event of power-supply failure or interruption, e.g. power-supply fluctuations (for resetting only G06F1/24) · CPC title