Secondary source of energy system for powering communications hardware and services and associated method

• US 5,818,125 A
• Filed: 10/09/1996
• Issued: 10/06/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Comcast MO Group Incorporated (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: U S West Inc.
• Inventors: Manchester, Earl E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shoop, Jr., William M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PALADINI, ALBERT WILLIAM
• Application Number:
  US08/727,891
• Time in Patent Office: 727 Days
• Field of Search: 307/66, 307/64, 307/44, 320/2, 320/166, 379/322, 379/413, 361/104, 361/167, 361/275.4, 361/275.7, 361/272, 337/142
• US Class Current: 307/66
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/06 with automatic change-over , e.g. UPS systems

Abstract

A system for providing backup power for a communications system is disclosed. The backup power system of the present invention includes a device for supplying capacitively stored power and a device for monitoring a power level in the communications system. When the monitoring device detects that the power level in the telecommunications system has decreased below a predetermined level, the monitoring device directs the device for supplying capacitively stored power to deliver power to the communications system such that no interruption in power is experienced by the system.

Claims

1. A backup power system for a telecommunications system, wherein a primary power system supplies power to operate the telecommunications system operating in a first state corresponding to a first power level, said backup power system comprising:

first means for monitoring power supplied to the telecommunication system; and

a plurality of capacitors connected in parallel with each other by a fine gauge wire that will disintegrate when a capacitor becomes shorted, thereby isolating the shorted capacitor from the others, said plurality of capacitors interconnected with said first means for monitoring, for delivering power to the telecommunication system when said first means for monitoring detects a second state corresponding to a second power level of the telecommunications system, wherein the first power level is greater than the second power level.

2. A backup power system, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first means for monitoring is capable of directing said plurality of capacitors to deliver power to the telecommunications system when the telecommunication system is operating in the second state.

3. A backup power system, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first means for monitoring comprises a voltage monitor being electrically interconnected with the telecommunications system and capable of detecting a first and second voltage corresponding to the first and second power levels.

4. A backup power system, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said plurality of capacitors is capable of supplying a third power level to the telecommunications system, the third power level being at least the difference between the first power level and the second power level.

5. A backup power system, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first power level is greater than a first pre-selected power level, and the second power level is less than said first pre-selected power level.

6. A backup power system, as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a switching device for interconnecting at least the primary power source to the telecommunications system when the telecommunications system is operating in the first state and for connecting at least said plurality of capacitors to the telecommunications system when the telecommunications system is operating in the second state.

7. A backup power system, as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a charger connected to said plurality of capacitors; and

a second means for monitoring at least one of a voltage level corresponding to an amount of voltage in said plurality of capacitors and a charging time corresponding to a time required to fully charge said plurality of capacitors.

8. A backup power system, as claimed in claim 7, wherein said charger charges said plurality of capacitors using a constant current supply source.

9. A backup power system, as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a voltage regulator interconnected with said plurality of capacitors for regulating the voltage output from said plurality of capacitors.

10. A backup power system, as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a failure detector interconnected to said plurality of capacitors for detecting when said plurality of capacitors is unable to capacitively store power.

11. A backup power system, as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a failure detector interconnected to said plurality of capacitors for detecting a decrease in charging time to charge said plurality of capacitors to a maximum charge capacity.

12. A method for supplying backup power to a telecommunications system, comprising the steps of:

capacitively storing power from an external source in at least one capacitor;

measuring the time required to fully store power is said at least one capacitor, indicating a failure if the time required to capacitively store power is significantly shorter than the time previously required to capacitively store power,

monitoring a power level supplied to the telecommunications system from a primary power source to detect a change in power level from a first power level corresponding to a first state to a second power level corresponding to a second state, wherein the first power level is greater than the second power level; and

supplying, upon detection of the second state, said capacitively stored power to the telecommunications system.

13. A method for supplying backup power, as claimed in claim 12, wherein said monitoring step comprises at least one of detecting a first and second voltages corresponding to the first and second power levels.

14. A method for supplying backup power, as claimed in claim 12, wherein said monitoring step comprises:

receiving at least a first input corresponding to an instantaneous power level being supplied to the telecommunications system from the primary power supply; and

comparing the instantaneous power level to a predetermined power level, wherein the telecommunications system is operating in said first state when said instantaneous power level is greater than said predetermined power level and the telecommunications system is operating in said second state when said instantaneous power level is less than said predetermined power level; and

performing at least one of first and second steps, wherein said first step comprises directing said primary power source to supply power to the telecommunications system when the telecommunications system is operating in said first state and said second step comprises directing a backup power system to supply capacitively stored power to said telecommunications system when said telecommunications system is operating in said second state.

15. A method for supplying backup power, as claimed in claim 12, wherein the first power level is greater than a pre-selected power level, and the second state power level is less than said pre-selected power level.

16. A method for supplying backup power, as claimed in claim 12, wherein said supplying step supplies said capacitively stored power at a supplemental third power level to the telecommunications system, the supplemental third power level being the difference between the first power level and the second power level.

17. A secondary power supply for a telecommunications system, the telecommunications system operating in a first state corresponding to a first power level, said secondary power supply comprising:

means for monitoring a power level supplied to the telecommunications system; and

a plurality of capacitors connected in parallel with each other by a fine gauge wire that will disintegrate when a capacitor becomes shorted, thereby isolating the shorted capacitor from the others, said plurality of capacitors interconnected to said means for monitoring, for supplying capacitively stored power to the telecommunications system when said means for monitoring detects a second state corresponding to a second power level of the telecommunications system, wherein the first power level is greater than the second power level.

18. A secondary power supply, as claimed in claim 17, wherein said plurality of capacitors is capable of supplying a supplemental third power level to the telecommunications system, the supplemental third power level being at least the difference between the first power level and the second power level.

19. A secondary power source, as claimed in claim 17, further comprising:

a switching device for interconnecting at least a primary power source to the telecommunications system when the telecommunications system is operating is the first state and for connecting said plurality of capacitors to the telecommunications system when the telecommunications system is operating in the second state.

20. A secondary power source, as claimed in claim 17, further comprising:

a means for delaying switching of said switching device.

21. A secondary power supply, as claimed in claim 17, wherein said said plurality of capacitors are connected in series with the telecommunications system.

22. A secondary power supply, as claimed in claim 17, wherein said plurality of capacitors possess a capacitance level of at least 0.1 farads.