Patent ID: 7443055

Claim:
A system for providing redundant voltage regulation comprising: a first voltage regulator operative to power a load; a second voltage regulator operative to power the load, the second voltage regulator having output rectifiers, wherein, in a first mode of operation, the first voltage regulator communicates information to the second voltage regulator to set initial operating conditions of the second voltage regulator and the output rectifiers are disabled such that the second voltage regulator does not provide power to the load; and a fault detector operative to detect a fault of the first voltage regulator such that: in the first mode of operation, the fault detector enables the first voltage regulator to power the load independent of the second voltage regulator; in a second, transient, mode of operation responsive to a detected fault of the first voltage regulator, the fault detector enables the output rectifiers of the second voltage regulator such that the second voltage regulator and the first voltage regulator provide power to the load simultaneously; and in a third mode of operation responsive to a detected fault of the first voltage regulator, the fault detector enables electrical disconnection of the first voltage regulator such that the second voltage regulator powers the load independent of the first voltage regulator.