Patent ID: 7363520

Claim:
A power supply subsystem, comprising: a first power supply having a first power circuit, a first controller adapted to control operation of the first power circuit, a first interface adapted to connect the first controller to an external device, and a first bi-directional peer-to-peer port, wherein the first controller includes a first local processor and a first local memory adapted to store first power supply firmware, wherein the first local processor is adapted to direct the first power circuit to provide power to the external device in response to execution of the first power supply firmware stored in the first local memory, wherein the first controller further includes a first set of sensors coupled to the first processor, wherein the first controller, when executing the first power supply firmware stored in the first local memory, is adapted to detect a first set of operating conditions from the first set of sensors and direct operation of the first power circuit based on the first set of operating conditions during a normal operating mode, and wherein the first controller is further adapted to selectively ignore at least some of the first set of operating conditions while directing operation of the first power circuit during a test mode; a second power supply having a second power circuit, a second controller adapted to control operation of the second power circuit, a second interface adapted to connect the second controller to the external device, and a second bi-directional peer-to-peer port, wherein the second controller includes a second local processor and a second local memory adapted to store second power supply firmware, wherein the second local processor is adapted to direct the second power circuit to provide power to the external device in response to execution of the second power supply firmware stored in the second local memory, wherein the second controller further includes a second set of sensors coupled to the second processor, and wherein the second controller, when executing the second power supply firmware stored in the second local memory, is adapted to detect a second set of operating conditions from the second set of sensors and direct operation of the second power circuit based on the second set of operating conditions during the normal operating mode, and wherein the second controller is further adapted to selectively ignore at least some of the second set of operating conditions while directing operation of the second power circuit during the test mode; and a bi-directional peer-to-peer communications channel interconnecting the first bi-directional peer-to-peer port of the first power supply and the second bi-directional peer-to-peer port of the second power supply to form, between the first and second power supplies, a communications link that is separated from the first and second interfaces.