Digital power manager for controlling and monitoring an array of point-of-load regulators

• US 7,646,382 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2007
• Issued: 01/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bel Power Solutions Inc.
• Original Assignee: Power-One Incorporated (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Chapuis, Alain, Guz, Mikhail
• Primary Examiner(s): Shankar; Vijay
• Application Number:
  US11/932,796
• Publication Number:
  US 20080074373A1
• Time in Patent Office: 804 Days
• Field of Search: 345 89-104, 345204-215, 713/300, 713/310, 713330-340, 323/282
• US Class Current: 345/211
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/28 Supervision thereof, e.g. detecting power-supply failure by out of limits supervision
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/08 Three-wire systems; Systems having more than three wires
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/008 Plural converter units for generating at two or more independent and non-parallel outputs, e.g. systems with plural point of load switching regulators

Abstract

A power control system comprises a plurality of point-of-load (POL) regulators each adapted to convey regulated power to a load, a serial data bus operatively connecting the plurality of POL regulators, and a digital power manager connected to the data bus. The digital power manager includes a controller adapted to execute stored instructions to program operational parameters of the plurality of POL regulators via the serial data bus and receive monitoring data from the plurality of POL regulators via the serial data bus. The digital power manager further comprises a user interface, such as an I²C interface, adapted to receive programming data therefrom and send monitoring data thereto. The digital power manager further comprises a non-volatile memory containing a plurality of registers, including a digital power manager configuration register containing data values defining a configuration of the power control system, a POL set-up register containing data values reflecting programming state of one of the POL regulators, a POL monitor register containing data values reflecting status of operating conditions within one of the POL regulators, and a user-definable space. The digital power manager is adapted to program voltage margining of each of the POL regulators.

Claims

1. A power control system comprising:

a plurality of voltage regulators each adapted to convey regulated power to a load;

a serial data communication line operatively connecting said plurality of voltage regulators; and

a digital power manager connected to said serial data communication line, said digital power manager including a controller adapted to execute stored instructions to program operational parameters of said plurality of voltage regulators via said serial data communication line and receive monitoring data from said plurality of voltage regulators via said serial data communication line.

2. The power control system of claim 1, wherein said digital power manager further comprises a user interface adapted to receive programming data therefrom and send said monitoring data thereto.

3. The power control system of claim 2, wherein said user interface further comprises an I²C interface.

4. The power control system of claim 1, wherein said digital power manager comprises a non-volatile memory containing a plurality of registers.

5. The power control system of claim 4, wherein said plurality of registers includes a digital power manager configuration register containing data values defining a configuration of the power control system.

6. The power control system of claim 4, wherein said plurality of registers includes at least one voltage regulator set-up register containing data values reflecting programming state of one of said plurality of voltage regulators.

7. The power control system of claim 4, wherein said plurality of registers includes at least one voltage regulator monitor register containing data values reflecting status of operating conditions within one of said plurality of voltage regulators.

8. The power control system of claim 7, wherein said at least one voltage regulator monitor register further comprises a ring buffer.

9. The power control system of claim 4, wherein said plurality of registers includes a user-definable space.

10. The power control system of claim 1, wherein said digital power manager further comprises a power-on reset device adapted to delay initialization of the controller until input power has stabilized at an appropriate level.

11. The power control system of claim 1, wherein said digital power manager further comprises a monitoring device adapted to receive plural inputs reflecting system level conditions.

12. The power control system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of voltage regulators further comprises plural groups of plural voltage regulators.

13. The power control system of claim 12, further comprising a plurality of OK status lines coupled to respective ones of said plural groups of voltage regulators.

14. The power control system of claim 1, wherein said digital power manager is adapted to program voltage margining of each of said plurality of voltage regulators.

15. The power control system of claim 1, further comprising at least one host user system operatively coupled to said digital power manager, said at least one host user system further comprising a graphical user interface providing monitoring and programming of said power control system.

16. The power control system of claim 15, wherein said graphical user interface further provides an interface for programming voltage margining of each of said plurality of voltage regulators.

17. The power control system of claim 15, wherein said graphical user interface further provides an interface for monitoring operating conditions of said plurality of voltage regulators.

18. The power control system of claim 15, wherein said graphical user interface further provides an interface for programming said plurality of voltage regulators.

19. The power control system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of voltage regulators each further comprises respective voltage converters.

20. The power control system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of voltage regulators each further comprises respective DC-DC converters.

21. The power control system of claim 1, wherein at least two of said plurality of voltage regulators are grouped to provide current sharing.

22. The power control system of claim 1, wherein said digital power manager is adapted to receive fault detection information from said plurality of voltage regulators via said serial data communication line.

23. A power manager for use in a power control system comprising a plurality of voltage regulators each having a respective power conversion circuit adapted to convey power to a load, and a serial data communication line operatively connecting said plurality of voltage regulators, said power manager comprising a controller adapted to execute stored instructions to program operational parameters of said plurality of voltage regulators via said serial data communication line and receive monitoring data from said plurality of voltage regulators via said serial data communication line.

24. The power manager of claim 23, further comprising a user interface adapted to receive programming data therefrom and send said monitoring data thereto.

25. The power manager of claim 24, wherein said user interface further comprises an I²C interface.

26. The power manager of claim 23, further comprising a non-volatile memory containing a plurality of registers.

27. The power manager of claim 26, wherein said plurality of registers includes a power manager configuration register containing data values defining a configuration of the power control system.

28. The power manager of claim 23, wherein said plurality of registers includes at least one voltage regulator set-up register containing data values reflecting programming state of one of said plurality of voltage regulators.

29. The power manager of claim 23, wherein said plurality of registers includes at least one voltage regulator monitor register containing data values reflecting status of operating conditions within one of said plurality of voltage regulators.

30. The power manager of claim 29, wherein said at least one voltage regulator monitor register further comprises a ring buffer.

31. The power manager of claim 26, wherein said plurality of registers includes a user-definable space.

32. The power manager of claim 23, further comprising a power-on reset device adapted to delay initialization of the controller until input power has stabilized at an appropriate level.

33. The power manager of claim 23, further comprising a monitoring device adapted to receive plural inputs reflecting system level conditions.

34. The power manager of claim 23, further comprising an interface operatively coupled to a plurality of OK status lines coupled to respective ones of said plurality of voltage regulators.

35. The power manager of claim 23, wherein said controller is adapted to program voltage margining of each of said plurality of voltage regulators.

36. The power manager of claim 23, wherein said controller is adapted to receive fault detection information from said plurality of voltage regulators via said serial data communication line.

37. The power manager of claim 23, further comprising an integrated circuit.