Power supply system

• US 7,152,175 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2003
• Issued: 12/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Madany, Peter W., Kawahara, Hideya
• Primary Examiner(s): Browne, Lynne H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sugent, James F.
• Application Number:
  US10/383,455
• Publication Number:
  US 20040177283A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,384 Days
• Field of Search: 323/143, 323/212, 323/213, 323/318, 323/322, 326/10, 326/14, 326/37, 326/48, 713/340, 714/14, 714/22
• US Class Current: 713/340
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/263 Arrangements for using multiple switchable power supplies, e.g. battery and AC G06F1/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/30 Means for acting in the event of power-supply failure or interruption, e.g. power-supply fluctuations for resetting only G06F1/24

Abstract

Disclosed is a system having a power input line. A power supply facility provides the system with a combined set of signals including a power signal and a status signal over the power input line.

Additionally, disclosed is a system having at least two power input lines. Uninterruptible power supply facilities provide the system with combined sets of signals including a power signal and a status signal over the power input lines. Each combined set of signals includes a unique UPS identifier, which can be used to determine whether power sources for power input lines are unique.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a plurality of power input lines; and

a power supply facility configured to provide a combined set of signals including a power signal and an identifier over each of the plurality of power input lines, wherein the power supply facility comprises;

a first uninterruptible power supply and a first power input line, wherein the first power input line is configured to convey a first combined set of signals provided by the first uninterruptible power supply, the first combined set of signals including a first power signal and a first identifier;

a second uninterruptible power supply and a second power input line, wherein the second power input line is configured to convey a second combined set of signals provided by the second uninterruptible power supply, the second combined set of signals including a second power signal and a second identifier; and

wherein the system further comprises a redundant system coupled to receive each of the first and second combined sets of signals, the redundant system including control logic configured to determine whether the first uninterruptible power supply is providing power separately and distinctly from the second uninterruptible power supply.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first combined set of signals includes a first status signal and the second combined set of signals includes a second status signal, and wherein the power supply facility comprises a first multiplexer configured to multiplex the first power signal and the first status signal, wherein the first status signal includes the first identifier, and wherein the power supply facility further includes a second multiplexer configured to multiplex the second power signal and the second status signal, wherein the second status signal includes the second identifier.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the redundant system further comprises:

a first demultiplexer, the first demultiplexer coupled to receive the first combined set of signals from the first power supply facility; and

a second demultiplexer, the second demultiplexer coupled to receive the second combined set of signals from the second power supply facility.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the first demultiplexer is configured to demultiplex the first power signal and the first status signal from the first combined set of signals and provide the system with the first power signal over a third power input line and the first status signal over a first data line and wherein the second demultiplexer is configured to demultiplex the second power signal and the second status signal from the second combined set of signals and provide the system with the second power signal over a fourth power input line and the second status signal over a second data line.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the system represents at least one of a storage system, a data processing system, or a network device.

6. A system, comprising:

a first power input line coupled to a first of at least two uninterruptible power supply facilities;

a second power input line coupled to a second of the at least two uninterruptible power supply facilities;

a first data line;

a second data line;

a first demultiplexer coupled to receive first input signals, which include a first power signal and a first status signal, wherein the first demultiplexer is configured to demultiplex the first power signal and the first status signal;

a second demultiplexer coupled to receive second input signals, which include a second power signal and a second status signal, wherein the second demultiplexer is configured to demultiplex the second power signal and the second status signal; and

a computer system coupled to the first demultiplexer via the first power input line and the first data line and coupled to the second demultiplexer via the second power input line and the second data line, wherein the computer system is coupled to receive the first power signal over the first power input line and the first status signal over the first data line, wherein the computer system is coupled to receive the second power signal over the second power input line and the second status signal over the second data line, wherein the first status signal includes a first identifier and the second status signal includes a second identifier, and wherein the computer system is configured to compare the first identifier with the second identifier to determine whether two different of the at least two uninterruptible power supply facilities are being used to power the computer system independently and distinctly from each other.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the computer system is configured to:

when the first identifier and the second identifier match, determine that two different uninterruptible power supply facilities are not being used to power the system; and

when the first identifier and the second identifier do not match, determine that two different uninterruptible power supply facilities are being used to power the system.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein:

the first uninterruptible power supply facility is configured to provide the system with the first status signal; and

the second uninterruptible power supply facility is configured to provide the system with a second status signal.