Patent ID: 8276000

Claim:
A system, comprising: plural power supplies, each including an input converter, an output converter and a standby converter, each configured to have its output converter connected to a load, and each configured to operate in at least an online mode in which the input, output and standby converters are enabled for switching, and a deep sleep mode in which the input, output and standby converters are disabled from switching; and a system controller configured to place a first set of the plural power supplies in the online mode and a second set of the plural power supplies in the deep sleep mode while the load is operating and the power supplies in the first set are supplying power to the load; a mode control circuitry in each of the power supplies for changing the mode of the power supplies from the online mode to the deep sleep mode and vice versa; wherein: standby power outputs of all of the standby converters are connected together; the standby power outputs of the plural power supplies in the first set provide power to the mode control circuitry in each of the plural power supplies in the second set; and each of the plural power supplies is configured to transition back and forth between the deep sleep mode and the online mode by passing through a standby mode in which the standby converters of the power supplies are enabled for switching but the input and output converters of the power supplies are disabled from switching.