Apparatus for testing a power supply

• US 7,436,200 B1
• Filed: 11/30/2006
• Issued: 10/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NetApp, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Network Appliance Incorporated (NetApp, Inc.)
• Inventors: Holland, Thomas, Zansky, Zoltan, Jacobsen, Bill
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Ha
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kusumakar; Karen M
• Application Number:
  US11/607,085
• Time in Patent Office: 684 Days
• Field of Search: 324/117.R, 324/771, 324/769
• US Class Current: 324/764.01
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/40 Testing power supplies testing photovoltaic devices H02S50/10

Abstract

The present invention is an apparatus for testing a power supply. A power supply testing apparatus may include a remote load which may sink an adjustable amount of current with an adjustable slew rate and may test the response of the power supply to determine its operability with a dynamic load. Additionally, in an alternative embodiment of the invention, the testing apparatus may source an adjustable amount of current with an adjustable slew rate to the output of a power supply. In yet another embodiment of the invention, the testing apparatus may include an adjustable current sink and adjustable current source with an adjustable slew rate. The power supply testing apparatus of the present invention may be implemented with standard circuit components on a circuit board and thus provide a small form factor. Additionally, due to the small form factor and low weight implementation, the power supply testing apparatus may utilize reduced length test wires which reduce the inductance in the test wires and increases the apparatus'"'"' slew rate for more effective testing.

Claims

1. A power supply testing apparatus, comprising:

a current source;

a current sink; and

a controller, said controller being coupled to said current source and current sink, wherein said power supply testing apparatus is configured for dynamic load testing of a load current between a first amperage value and a second amperage value, said controller controlling said current source and current sink for sourcing current and sinking current with variable slew rate, said slew rate being a change of current over a change of time, said slew rate being determined by adjustment of potentiometers, an amount of current being sourced or sunk being determined by operation of one or more stages wherein each stage comprises a transistor and a current setting resistor.

2. The power supply testing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said current source and current sink is housed on a circuit board.

3. The power supply testing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising supply wires for coupling to a power supply.

4. The power supply testing apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein said supply wires are a length of less than two inches.

5. The power supply testing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said controller includes a function generator.

6. The power supply testing apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein said function generator supplies a waveform to a power supply coupled to said power supply testing apparatus.

7. The power supply testing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein each stage operates to at least one of source or sink a particular amount of current.

8. The power supply testing apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein a stage is selected to at least one of source or sink said particular amount of current by a switch associated with said stage.

9. A power supply testing apparatus, comprising:

a controller,

at least one potentiometer; and

a current sink circuitry, said current sink circuitry including a plurality of stages for sinking a variable amount of current, each stage of said plurality of stages including a transistor and current setting resistor, wherein said power supply testing apparatus is configured for dynamic load testing of a load current between a first amperage value and a second amperage value, said controller controlling said current sink circuitry for sinking current with variable slew rate, said slew rate being a change of current over a change of time, said slew rate being determined by adjustment of said at least one potentiometer, an amount of current being sunk being determined by operation of one or more stages of said plurality of stages.

10. The power supply testing apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein said current sink circuitry is housed on a circuit board.

11. The power supply testing apparatus as claimed in claim 9, further comprising supply wires for coupling to a power supply.

12. The power supply testing apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein said supply wires are a length of less than two inches.

13. The power supply testing apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein said controller includes a function generator.

14. The power supply testing apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein said function generator supplies a waveform to a power supply coupled to said power supply testing apparatus.

15. The power supply testing apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein each stage operates to sink a particular amount of current.

16. The power supply testing apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein a stage is selected to sink said particular amount of current by a switch associated with said stage.

17. The power supply testing apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein said circuit board has a length of three inches.

18. The power supply testing apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein said circuit board has a width of two inches.

19. A power supply testing apparatus, comprising:

a controller,

at least one potentiometer;

a current sink circuitry, said current sink circuitry housed on a circuit board; and

at least one supply wire for coupling to a power supply;

said current sink circuitry including a plurality of stages for sinking a variable amount of current, each stage of said plurality of stages including a transistor and current setting resistor, wherein said power supply testing apparatus is configured for dynamic load testing of a load current between a first amperage value and a second amperage value, said controller controlling said current sink circuitry for sinking current with variable slew rate, said slew rate being a change of current over a change of time, said slew rate being determined by adjustment of said at least one potentiometer, an amount of current being sunk being determined by operation of one or more stages of said plurality of stages selectable by a switch associated with each stage, said at least one supply wire being coupled to a common drain of said plurality of stages of transistors.

20. The power supply testing apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein said at least one supply wire is a length of less than two inches.

21. The power supply testing apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein said controller includes a function generator.

22. The power supply testing apparatus as claimed in claim 21, wherein said function generator supplies a waveform to a power supply coupled to said power supply testing apparatus.

23. A method, executable by current sink circuitry, said current sink circuitry including a plurality of stages for sinking a variable amount of current, each stage of said plurality of stages including a transistor and current setting resistor, an amount of current being sunk being determined by operation of one or more stages of said plurality of stages, for testing a power supply, comprising:

receiving a selection of an amount of current sink for testing, said amount of current being between a first amperage value and a second amperage value;

receiving said amount of current sink drawn from said power supply;

varying said slew rate of said current, said slew rate being a change of current over a change of time;

testing load dynamics of said power supply during said change of current over said change in time; and

determining whether said power supply operates within a particular set of load dynamic specifications.

24. The method as claimed in claim 23, wherein said receiving said selection includes closing of a switch of a stage associated with said amount of current sink for testing.

25. The method as claimed in claim 23, wherein said slew rate is varied through adjustment of resistance of potentiometers of said current sink circuitry.