System and method for communicating with a voltage regulator

• US 7,049,798 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2002
• Issued: 05/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bel Power Solutions Inc.
• Original Assignee: Power-One Incorporated (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Chapuis, Alain, Thaker, Mahesh N.
• Primary Examiner(s): BERHANE, ADOLF D
• Application Number:
  US10/293,001
• Publication Number:
  US 20040093533A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,287 Days
• Field of Search: 323/282, 323/318, 323/351, 714/22, 713/300, 713/310, 713/330, 713/340
• US Class Current: 323/282
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/08 Three-wire systems; Systems having more than three wires
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/082 Plural DC voltage, e.g. DC supply voltage with at least two different DC voltage levels
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/00 Details of apparatus for conversion
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/30 State monitoring, e.g. fault, temperature monitoring, insulator monitoring, corona discharge

Abstract

A system and method is provided for using a point-on-load (“POL”) control unit to program and/or monitor a POL regulator. Specifically, in one embodiment of the present invention, a power supply controller is adapted to provide initial-configuration data to at least one POL regulator. A POL control unit (located within the POL regulator) then stores at least a portion of the initial-configuration data in a storage device and uses at least a portion of the initial-configuration data to produce an output. The POL control unit is further adapted to store fault-monitoring data in the storage device and provide at least a portion of the fault-monitoring data to the controller. If the provided portion violates a known parameter, the controller (or POL control unit) may respond by perform a particular action (e.g., disable the POL regulator, etc.). In another embodiment of the present invention, the POL regulator further includes at least one sensor circuit adapted to produce fault monitoring data, or data that can be used to determine the fault-monitoring data. In another embodiment of the invention, the initial-configuration data and the fault-monitoring data are transmitted over a serial data bus.

Claims

1. A power control system comprising:

a power supply controller adapted to provide initial-configuration data and receive fault-monitoring data;

a serial data bus connected to said power supply controller to communicate said initial configuration data and fault-monitoring data; and

at least one point-of-load (“

POL”

) regulator connected to said data bus, adapted to produce an output in accordance with at least a portion of said initial-configuration data, said at least one POL regulator comprising;

a storage device adapted to store said initial-configuration data and said fault-monitoring data; and

a control unit adapted to provide at least a portion of said fault-monitoring data to said power supply controller.

2. The power control system of claim 1, wherein said at least one POL regulator further comprises at least one sensor circuit for detecting information corresponding to said fault-monitoring data.

3. The power control system of claim 1, wherein said initial-configuration data includes at least output-voltage-set-point data corresponding to a desired voltage level of said output.

4. The power control system of claim 1, wherein said initial-configuration data includes at least output-current-set-point data corresponding to a desired maximum current level of said output.

5. The power control system of claim 1, wherein said initial-configuration data includes at least low-voltage-limit data corresponding to a lowest desired voltage level of said output.

6. The power control system of claim 1, wherein said initial-configuration data includes at least high-voltage-limit data corresponding to a highest desired voltage level of said output.

7. The power control system of claim 1, wherein said initial-configuration data includes at least output-voltage-slew-rate data corresponding to a desired slew rate of said output.

8. The power control system of claim 1, wherein said initial-configuration data includes at least enable/disable data.

9. The power control system of claim 1, wherein said initial-configuration data includes at least timing data.

10. The power control system of claim 1, wherein said fault-monitoring data includes at least output-voltage data that is based upon a measured voltage level of said output.

11. The power control system of claim 10, wherein said output-voltage data corresponds to said measured voltage level of said output.

12. The power control system of claim 10, wherein said output-voltage data corresponds to a comparison of said measured voltage level of said output and a known voltage value.

13. The power control system of claim 1, wherein said fault-monitoring data includes at least output-current data that is based upon a measured current level of said output.

14. The power control system of claim 13, wherein said output-current data corresponds to said measured current level of said output.

15. The power control system of claim 13, wherein said output-current data corresponds to a comparison of said measured current level of said output and a known current value.

16. The power control system of claim 1, wherein said fault-monitoring data includes at least temperature-status data that is based upon a measured temperature level of said at least one point-of-load regulator.

17. The power control system of claim 16, wherein said temperature-status data corresponds to said measured temperature level of said at least one point-of-load regulator.

18. The power control system of claim 16, wherein said temperature-status data corresponds to a comparison of said measured temperature level of said at least one point-of-load regulator and a known temperature value.

19. The power control system of claim 1, wherein said data bus further comprises a bi-directional, single-wire serial data bus adapted to transmit said initial-configuration data and said fault-monitoring data synchronously.

20. The power control system of claim 1, wherein said data bus further comprises a bi-directional, dual-wire serial data bus adapted to transmit said initial-configuration data and said fault-monitoring data asynchronously.

21. The power control system of claim 19, wherein said data bus further provides power to said at least one POL regulator.

22. The power control system of claim 20, wherein at least a portion of said data bus further provides power to said at least one POL regulator.

23. The power control system of claim 1, wherein said initial-configuration data includes at least sequencing data, said data bus being allocated to said at least one POL regulator in accordance with said sequencing data.

24. A method of controlling at least one point-of-load (“

POL”

) regulator comprising;

receiving initial-configuration data from a controller via a serial data bus;

storing at least a portion of said initial-configuration data in a POL storage device;

using at least a portion of said initial-configuration data to determine at least one output-parameter of an output of said at least one POL regulator;

generating said output;

storing fault-monitoring data in said POL storage device;

providing at least a portion of said fault-monitoring data to said controller via said serial data bus; and

using said at least a portion of said fault-monitoring data to monitor at least one POL-parameter of said at least one POL regulator.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising detecting said fault-monitoring data before said fault-monitoring data is stored in said POL storage device.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein said initial-configuration data includes at least enable data, and said step of generating said output further comprises generating said output in response to receiving said enable data.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein said step of providing at least a portion of said fault-monitoring data to said controller is performed in response to receiving a request for said at least a portion of said fault-monitoring data.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein said step of providing at least a portion of said fault-monitoring data to said controller is performed independent of a request for said at least a portion of said fault-monitoring data.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein said step of providing at least a portion of said fault-monitoring data to said controller is performed if said at least a portion of said fault-monitoring data changes.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein said step of providing at least a portion of said fault-monitoring data to said controller is performed if said at least one POL-parameter violates a known parameter.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising said at least one POL regulator disabling itself if said at least one POL parameter violates said known parameter, and said step of providing at least a portion of said fault-monitoring data to said controller further comprises providing data indicating that said at least one POL regulator has been disabled to said controller.

32. The method of claim 24, wherein said initial-configuration data includes output-voltage-set-point data, and said step of using said at least a portion of said initial-configuration data further includes using said output-voltage-set-point data to determine the voltage level of said output of said at least one POL regulator.

33. The method of claim 24, wherein said initial-configuration data includes output-voltage-slew-rate data, and said step of using said at least a portion of said initial-configuration data further includes using said output-voltage-slew-rate data to determine the slew rate of said output of said at least one POL regulator.

34. The method of claim 24, wherein said initial-configuration data includes timing data, and said step of using said at least a portion of said initial-configuration data further includes using said timing data to determine when said at least one POL regulator is to perform a particular action.

35. The method of claim 24, wherein said fault-monitoring data includes actual-output-voltage data, and said step of using said at least a portion of said fault-monitoring data further includes using said actual-output-voltage data to monitor the output voltage level of said at least one POL regulator.

36. The method of claim 24, wherein said fault-monitoring data includes voltage-comparison data, and said step of using said at least a portion of said fault-monitoring data further includes using said voltage-comparison data to monitor the output voltage level of said at least one POL regulator in relation to a known parameter.

37. The method of claim 24, wherein said fault-monitoring data includes actual-output-current data, and said step of using said at least a portion of said fault-monitoring data further includes using said actual-output-current data to monitor the output current level of said at least one POL regulator.

38. The method of claim 24, wherein said fault-monitoring data includes current-comparison data, and said step of using said at least a portion of said fault-monitoring data further includes using said current-comparison data to monitor the output current level of said at least one POL regulator in relation to a known parameter.

39. The method of claim 24, wherein said fault-monitoring data includes actual-temperature data, and said step of using said at least a portion of said fault-monitoring data further includes using said actual-temperature data to monitor the temperature of said at least one POL regulator.

40. The method of claim 24, wherein said fault-monitoring data includes temperature-comparison data, and said step of using said at least a portion of said fault-monitoring data further includes using said temperature-comparison data to monitor the temperature of said at least one POL regulator in relation to a known parameter.

41. The method of claim 24, further comprising providing unique ID data corresponding to said at least one POL regulator to said controller.

42. The method of claim 24, further comprising performing a particular action if said at least a portion of said fault-monitoring data violates a known parameter.

43. The method of claim 24, wherein said step of performing a particular action further comprises disabling said at least one POL regulator if said at least a portion of said fault-monitoring data violates a known parameter.

44. A method of controlling at least one point-of-load (“

POL”

) regulator comprising;

storing fault-monitoring data in a storage device;

sending a request for at least a portion of said fault-monitoring data;

providing said at least a portion of said fault-monitoring data in response to receiving said request;

using said at least a portion of said fault-monitoring data to monitor at least one parameter of said at least one POL regulator; and

disabling said at least one POL regulator if said at least one parameter violates a known parameter.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein said at least a portion of said fault-monitoring data includes actual-output-voltage data, and said step of using said at least a portion of said fault-monitoring data further includes using said actual-output-voltage data to monitor the output voltage level of said at least one POL regulator.

46. The method of claim 44, wherein said at least a portion of said fault-monitoring data includes voltage-comparison data, and said step of using said at least a portion of said fault-monitoring data further includes using said voltage-comparison data to monitor the output voltage level of said at least one POL regulator in relation to a known parameter.

47. The method of claim 45, wherein said at least a portion of said fault-monitoring data includes actual-output-current data, and said step of using said at least a portion of said fault-monitoring data further includes using said actual-output-current data to monitor the output current level of said at least one POL regulator.

48. The method of claim 44, wherein said at least a portion of said fault-monitoring data includes current-comparison data, and said step of using said at least a portion of said fault-monitoring data further includes using said current-comparison data to monitor the output current level of said at least one POL regulator in relation to a known parameter.

49. The method of claim 44, wherein said at least a portion of said fault-monitoring data includes actual-temperature data, and said step of using said at least a portion of said fault-monitoring data further includes using said actual-temperature data to monitor the temperature of said at least one POL regulator.

50. The method of claim 44, wherein said at least a portion of said fault-monitoring data includes temperature-comparison data, and said step of using said at least a portion of said fault-monitoring data further includes using said temperature-comparison data to monitor the temperature of said at least one POL regulator in relation to a known parameter.