Data processing system power control

• US 4,204,249 A
• Filed: 06/27/1977
• Issued: 05/20/1980
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hyde, Richard C. J., Dye, Malcolm
• Primary Examiner(s): Nusbaum, Mark E.
• Application Number:
  US05/810,560
• Time in Patent Office: 1,058 Days
• Field of Search: 364/200 MS File, 364/900 MS File, 364/492, 318/567, 318/565, 307/64, 307/65, 307/43, 235/301, 324/73 R
• US Class Current: 713/330
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/577 for plural loads
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/28 Supervision thereof, e.g. detecting power-supply failure by out of limits supervision

Abstract

The data processing system consists of a plurality of interconnected data processing subsystems one of which is a service subsystem devoted to servicing the remainder of the system and provides communication between the operator and the system to facilitate maintenance. A plurality of power supply units provide electrical power for the system, together with power supply means dedicated to the service subsystem to start up.

The service subsystem includes a power adapter unit with measuring and logic circuits which cooperate with a power control microprogram to control and monitor the plurality of power supply units. The power adapter unit collects analog and digital data from the plurality of power supply units and distributes digital data to the plurality of power supply units in a multiplex mode as directed by the power control microprogram.

The basic functions provided are sequencing turn-on and turn-off of the plurality of power supplies, monitoring voltage, temperatures, and air flows of the system and checking the correct operation of the plurality of power supply units.

Claims

1. Data processing apparatus including a service subsystem and a plurality of other subsystems having service link communication with said service subsystem and including at least one processing sybsystem, a plurality of power supply units to provide electrical power to respective ones of said other subsystems, and power supply means dedicated to provide electrical power to enable the service subsystem to start up, the service subsystem including an adapter and a microprogram controlled processor having address and data bus means connected to said adapter, said power control adapter unit being connected between said processor and said power supply units and including measuring and logic curcuits operable under the control of said processor to provide data collection from and data distribution to said plurality of power supply units, said service subsystem also including a power control microprogram storage arranged in operation of the service subsystem to control and monitor said plurality of power supply units by operation of said processor and said adapter.

2. Data processing apparatus comprising a service subsystem and a plurality of other subsystems having service link communication with said service subsystem and including at least one processing subsystem, a plurality of power supply units to provide electrical power to respective ones of said other subsystems, and power supply means dedicated to provide electrical power to enable the service subsystem to start up, the service subsystem including a microprogram control unit comprising microprogram storage means and a processor responsive thereto, a power control adapter including address means controlled by said processor, and measuring and logic circuits connected to said power supply units selected by said address means for collecting data from said plurality of power supply units and issuing control signals thereto, said processor operating under a power control microprogram from said storage cooperate with said measuring and logic circuits to control and monitor said plurality of power supply units.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 in which said power control adapter includes means to collect analog and digital data from said plurality of power supply units and to distribute digital data to said plurality of power supply units and to communicate digitally with the remainder of the service subsystem,

said means to collect and distribute comprising a plurality of circuits for receiving analog data and status bits from said power supply units, a plurality of circuits for transmitting control data to said power supply units, and address and data control logic responsive to said processor for cooperating with said power control microprogram to multiplex the receiving and transmission of data.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 in which said measuring circuits comprise means to normalize analog voltages, means to compare the normalized voltages with reference voltages to generate difference voltages and means to convert the difference voltages to digital values.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 comprising a digital to analog converter connected to generate said difference voltages under the control of said power control microprogram to produce said digital values.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 in which said measuring circuits receive power supply voltages and voltages representing temperature from thermistors.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 in which in operation said power control microprogram sequences the turn-on and turn-off of said plurality of power supply units.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 in which in operation said power control microprogram monitors voltage levels of said plurality of power units.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 in which in operation said power control microprogram monitors termperatures.

10. Apparatus claimed in claim 2 in which in operation said power control microprogram checks the correct operation of said measuring and logic circuits.