Abstract:
Several methods and a system to implement an efficient power supply management are disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus of a voltage supply includes a power supply providing a voltage. The apparatus includes an active supply module communicating with a supply voltage to a voltage bus through an ORing element. The apparatus also includes a redundant supply module providing an additional voltage to the voltage bus if the active supply module fails, through an additional ORing element. The redundant supply module may be coupled with the power supply in parallel with the active supply module. Further, the apparatus includes an automatic changeover module detecting a failure of the active supply module disabling the active supply module and enabling the redundant supply module to supply the additional voltage supply to the voltage bus. Further, the apparatus also includes a voltage bus coupled with a load.

Description:
CLAIM FOR PRIORITY 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation of U.S. Utility patent application Ser. No. 12/464,106, titled “ACTIVE BACK UP AUTO CHANGEOVER VOLTAGE BUS” filed on May 12, 2009. 
     
    
     FIELD OF TECHNOLOGY 
       [0002]    This disclosure relates generally to fields of electronics and electrical technology, and more particularly to a power supply management. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    A voltage bus may be powered by a number of voltage supplies. The voltage supplies may be in parallel. If a particular voltage supply fails another voltage supply may be activated. For example, the particular voltage supply may be in an active state and the other voltage supply may be in an inactive state to conserve power. However, activation of the other voltage supply may take a period of time. During the period of time, the voltage to the voltage bus may be interrupted. A load of the voltage bus may be damaged as a result of the interruption of the voltage to the voltage bus. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    This summary is provided to comply with 37 C.F.R. §1.73, requesting a summary of the invention briefly indicating the nature and substance of the invention. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to limit the scope or meaning of the claims. 
         [0005]    Several methods and system to implement efficient management of power supply are disclosed. 
         [0006]    In an exemplary embodiment, an apparatus of a voltage supply includes a power supply providing a voltage. The apparatus includes an active supply module communicating with a supply voltage to a voltage bus through an ORing element. The active supply module may be coupled with the power supply. The apparatus also includes a redundant supply module providing an additional voltage to the voltage bus if the active supply module fails, through an additional ORing element. The redundant supply module may be coupled with the power supply in parallel with the active supply module. Further, the apparatus includes an automatic changeover module detecting a failure of the active supply module disabling the active supply module and enabling the redundant supply module to supply the additional voltage supply to the voltage bus. Furthermore, the apparatus also includes a voltage bus coupled with a load. The active backup module may be provided through a supplemental ORing element, a backup voltage to the voltage bus if the overall voltage value of the voltage bus decreases below a specified voltage value. The active backup module may include a power source. 
         [0007]    In an exemplary embodiment, a method of a voltage supply includes communicating a supply voltage to a voltage bus through an ORing element. The voltage supply may detect a failure to communicate to the voltage bus through the ORing element. The voltage supply may disable the communication to the voltage bus through the ORing element. Further, the method includes transmitting another supply voltage to the voltage through another ORing element in parallel to the ORing element. In addition, the method includes supplying an additional voltage to the voltage bus through an additional ORing element if a communication of the supply voltage through the ORing element fails. The method also includes providing a backup voltage to the voltage bus through a supplemental ORing element if the overall voltage value of the voltage bus decreases below a specified voltage value. 
         [0008]    An exemplary embodiment includes a system of voltage supply. The system of a voltage supply includes a voltage supply unit providing a voltage to an active supply and/or a redundant supply. The voltage supply may also include an active supply to supply the voltage to a load via a bus. Further, the system includes a redundant supply providing the voltage to the load if the active supply is disabled. The system also includes a control module to determine a failure of the active supply, to automatically disable the active supply and to enable the redundant supply if the active supply is disabled. Further, the system also includes an active backup supply providing an additional voltage with an ORing element to the load via the bus. The active backup supply may be provided during a period of an automatic disabling of the active supply until an enabling of the redundant supply. The additional voltage may be less than the voltage to the load supplied by the active supply. 
         [0009]    The methods, systems, and apparatuses disclosed herein may be implemented in any means for achieving various aspects, and may be executed in a form of a machine-readable medium embodying a set of instructions that, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform any of the operations disclosed herein. Other features will be apparent from the accompanying drawings and from the detailed description that follows. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    Example embodiments are illustrated by way of example and not limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which like references indicate similar elements and in which: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  is a system view illustrating active power supplies providing power to a load connected to a voltage bus, according to one embodiment. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a system view illustrating a supply of power to a voltage bus under normal operating conditions, according to one embodiment. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a system view illustrating transition of active power supply to an inactive state, according to one embodiment. 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a system view illustrating activation of a redundant supply module, according to one embodiment. 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a process flow illustrating management of a supply voltage, according to another embodiment. 
       
    
    
       [0016]    Other features of the present embodiments will be apparent from the accompanying drawings and from the detailed description that follows. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0017]    Several systems and a method for an active backup auto changeover voltage bus are disclosed. 
         [0018]    Although the present embodiments have been described with reference to specific example embodiments, it will be evident that various modifications and changes may be made to these embodiments without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the various embodiments. 
         [0019]      FIG. 1  is a system view illustrating active power supplies providing power to a load connected to a voltage bus, according to one embodiment. In particular,  FIG. 1  illustrates an active backup module  100 , a voltage bus  102 , an ORing element  104 , a stored energy charge line  106 , an active supply module  108 A-N, a redundant supply module  110 , an automatic changeover module  112 , a power supply  114  and a system load  116 A-N, according to one embodiment. 
         [0020]    The power supply  114  may be any source of power. In other embodiments, it may be a voltage or a current input. The source of electrical power may be a as rectifier, inverter, linear regulator, switching power supply, a transformer, a generator or an alternator. 
         [0021]    An active supply module  108 A-N includes a source of electrical power. The system load  116 A-N is a device that receives electrical power. The active supply module  108 A-N may be implemented in hardware and software or in other example embodiments in hardware alone. 
         [0022]    The active backup module  100  provides a voltage to the system load  116 A-N. The active backup module  100  includes a power supply that supplies power to the voltage bus  102  during a period when the voltage value of the voltage bus  102  drops below a specified level. The transition may occur during a switching of an active supply module  108  to a redundant supply module  110 . During the transition, the power to the system load  116 A-N may be provided by the active supply module  108 B and active supply module  108 N. 
         [0023]    The automatic changeover module  112  includes both firmware and software functionalities. The automatic changeover module  112  may be coupled with a server in other example embodiments. The automatic changeover module  112  detects a failure of the active supply module  108 A, disables the active supply module  108 A and enables the redundant supply module  110  to supply the additional voltage supply to the voltage bus  102 . For example, in a particular example embodiment, the switching of one or more power supply from active state to an inactive state may occur with the help of automatic changeover module  112 . The active supply module  108 A-N generates the required voltage from the power supply  114 . The automatic changeover module  112  detects the failure of the active supply module  108 A-N. The automatic changeover module  112  may be implemented in hardware and software or in other example embodiments in hardware alone. The active supply module  108 A-N and/or the redundant supply module  110  are voltage sources that may be designed to supply the power requirement to the system load  116 A-N in an entity. 
         [0024]    The redundant supply module  110  is coupled in series with the power supply  114  and in parallel with the active supply module  108 A-N. If the active supply module  108  fails the automatic logic changeover module  112  deactivates the active supply module  108 . The automatic logic changeover module  112  then activates the redundant supply module  110 . In other example embodiments, there may be a plurality of redundant supply modules. 
         [0025]    The voltage bus  102  is a medium (e.g., a wire, a cable) for transfer of power from the power supply  114  to the system load  116 A-N. The voltage bus  102  may be coupled to the system load  116 A-N. 
         [0026]    The active backup module  100  provides additional backup power to the system load  116 A-N during an event of failure of one or more active supply modules  108 A-N and during the period of activation of the redundant supply module  108 . The active backup module  100  provides surge power if the overall voltage of the voltage bus  102  drops below a threshold voltage value. 
         [0027]    The ORing operation is achieved with the ORing element  104 . An ORing element  104  may be an ORing diode, an ORing Mosfet and/or any other semiconductor device utilizing OR logic. 
         [0028]    The stored energy charge line  106  couples the voltage bus  102  to a battery included in the active backup module  100 . The stored energy charge line  106  recharges a battery. 
         [0029]      FIG. 2  is a system view illustrating a supply of power to a voltage bus under normal operating conditions, according to one embodiment. In particular,  FIG. 2  illustrates an active backup module  200 , a voltage bus  202 , an ORing element  204 , a stored energy charge line  206 , an active supply module  208 A-N, a redundant supply module  210 , an automatic changeover module  212 , a power supply  214 , a system load  216 A-N and a current α  218 , according to one embodiment. 
         [0030]    In the example embodiment, the active supply module  208 A-N generates the current a  218  required for the system load  216 A-N at an instance T=1. The active supply module  208 A is in an active state of generating power to the voltage bus  202 . During normal operating condition, a redundant supply module  210  is in an inactive state and does not consume power. The redundant supply module  210  is in a non-operating condition and does not provide the load power. The redundant supply module  210  remains in a non-operating condition when the active supply module  208 A-N is operating. The active backup module  200  does not yet provide the backup voltage to the voltage bus  202  during an activation period of the redundant supply module  210  as the current α  218  maintains a sufficient voltage value in voltage bus  202 . 
         [0031]      FIG. 3  is a system view illustrating transition of active power supply to an inactive state, according to one embodiment. In particular,  FIG. 2  illustrates an active backup module  300 , a voltage bus  302 , an ORing element  304 , a stored energy charge line  306 , a deactivated supply module  326  an active supply module  308 B-N, a redundant supply module  310 , an automatic changeover module  312 , a power supply  314 , a system load  316 A-N, current β  318 , current Δ  330 , and the sum of current β and current Δ  322 , according to one embodiment. 
         [0032]    In an example embodiment, the active supply module  308 B generates the current β. The active supply module  308 A may be in an inactive state at an instance T=2. The automatic changeover module  312  has disabled the deactivated supply module  326  which has failed. The redundant supply module  310  is in the process of being activated. The current β  318  is generated by the active supply module  308 B and active power supply  308  N. The current β  318  does not include any current from the deactivated supply module  326  and therefore is now less than current α  218  of  FIG. 2 . Thus, there is a voltage value in the voltage bus  302  that is less than the specified value. The active backup module  300  is automatically activated and provides a backup voltage to the voltage bus  302 . This is represented by the current Δ  330 . In this particular embodiment, current Δ  330  is the difference between in the current α  218  and current β  318 . Consequently, the voltage supplied to the system load  216  remains substantially constant during the activation of the redundant voltage supply module  210  despite the failure of deactivated supply module  326 . 
         [0033]      FIG. 4  is a system view illustrating activation of a redundant supply module, according to one embodiment. In particular,  FIG. 4  illustrates an active backup module  400 , a voltage bus  402 , an ORing element  404 , a stored energy charge line  406 , an active supply module  408 B-N, a redundant supply module  410 , an automatic changeover module  412 , a power supply  414 , a system load  416 A-N, current α′  418  and a deactivated supply module  426 . 
         [0034]    In an example embodiment, the current α′  420  is generated by active supply module  408 B, active supply module  408  N and the redundant supply module  410 . The operation occurs at an instance T=3 which represents the time after the redundant supply module  410  has been activated. Current α′  420  is greater than the specified threshold for activating the active backup module  400 . Current α′  420  is substantially equal to Current α  218  of  FIG. 2 . Consequently, the active backup module  400  is no longer supplying a voltage to the voltage bus  402  at T=3. 
         [0035]    The currents of  FIGS. 2-4  may be represented by power and/or voltage values in other example embodiments. 
         [0036]      FIG. 5  is a process flow illustrating management of a supply voltage, according to another embodiment. In operation  502 , a supply voltage to the voltage bus  102  communicates through the ORing element  104 . The ORing operation is a selection of power from any of the active supply module  108 A-N and the redundant supply module  110 . In operation  504 , a failure to communicate the supply voltage to the voltage bus  102  through the ORing element  104  is detected. For example, the automatic changeover module  112  detects the failure to communicate the supply voltage to the voltage bus  102 . In operation  506 , a communication of the supply voltage to the voltage bus  102  is disabled through the ORing element  104 . The automatic changeover module  112  may perform this operation. 
         [0037]    In operation  508 , another supply voltage is transmitted to the voltage bus  102  through an other ORing element in parallel to the ORing element  104 . In operation  510 , an additional voltage to the voltage bus  102  through the other ORing element  104  is supplied if a communication of the supply voltage through the ORing element  104  fails. In operation  512 , a backup voltage to the voltage bus  102  through a supplemental ORing element is provided if the overall voltage value of the voltage bus  102  decreases below a specified voltage value. In operation  514 , the stored energy source is charged through a line coupled with the voltage bus  102 . For example, the stored energy charge line  106  may a battery that serves as the stored energy source of the active backup module  100 .  FIG. 1-FIG .  4  provides example structures for performing operation  502  through operation  514 . 
         [0038]    Although the present embodiments have been described with reference to specific example embodiments, it will be evident that various modifications and changes may be made to these embodiments without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the various embodiments. For example, the various devices, modules, analyzers, generators, etc. described herein may be enabled and operated using hardware circuitry (e.g., CMOS based logic circuitry), firmware, software and/or any combination of hardware, firmware, and/or software (e.g., embodied in a machine readable medium). For example, the various electrical structure and methods may be embodied using transistors, logic gates, and electrical circuits (e.g., application specific integrated (ASIC) circuitry and/or in Digital Signal Processor (DSP) circuitry). 
         [0039]    Particularly, the invention may be enabled using software and/or using transistors, logic gates, and electrical modules (e.g., application specific integrated ASIC circuitry) such an active backup module, an active supply module, a redundant supply module, an automatic changeover module and other module. 
         [0040]    In addition, it will be appreciated that the various operations, processes, and methods disclosed herein may be embodied in a machine-readable medium and/or a machine accessible medium compatible with a data processing system (e.g., a computer system), and may be performed in any order (e.g., including using means for achieving the various operations). Accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense.