Patent ID: 6636977
Filing Date: 2003-10-21
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A multi-processor control device adapted for use in a power supplying apparatus that includes a plurality of power supplying units, said multi-processor control device comprising:at least two separate processors adapted to be connected to the power supplying units, said processors being adapted to jointly perform separate control functions associated with status monitoring and load balancing control of the power supplying units, said processors being connected to each other and further performing a continuous verification operation, in which signal exchange between said processors is continuously executed to enable each of said processors to verify whether or not other said processors are operating normally, each of said processors being capable of generating a warning signal in the event that any one of said processors fails to respond thereto due to malfunctioning of any one of said processors; an alarm generator connected to said processors and activated by the warning signal from any of said processors so as to generate a warning output; and an analog-to-digital converting circuit connected to said processors and adapted to be connected to the power supplying units, said analog-to-digital converting circuit being adapted to convert analog voltage outputs of the power supplying units into corresponding digital signals that are provided to said processors, wherein said processors include a load balancing processor adapted to control the power supplying units so as to balance power load of the power supplying units in accordance with the digital signals received from said analog-to-digital converting circuit.