Connection module for providing N+N and M+1 redundant power distribution

• US 8,212,387 B2
• Filed: 04/07/2011
• Issued: 07/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Juniper Networks Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Juniper Networks Incorporated
• Inventors: Gill, Jaspal
• Primary Examiner(s): Amrany, Adi
• Application Number:
  US13/081,900
• Publication Number:
  US 20110187187A1
• Time in Patent Office: 453 Days
• Field of Search: 307/11, 307 18- 19, 307/26, 307/43, 307/72, 307/75
• US Class Current: 307/19
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2015 Redundant power supplies power supply failure G06F1/30

Abstract

A device may include an interconnect module that includes a number of ports, where each port is configured to receive both an alternating current (AC) power supply and a direct current (DC) power supply; where the interconnect module provides power from the received power supplies to a plurality of field replaceable units (FRUs).

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a plurality of ports,

each port to;

selectively receive a connection from one of an alternating current (AC) power supply or a direct current (DC) power supply, and

provide power, from the one of the AC power supply or the DC power supply, to one or more other devices that are different than the device,

each port including a plurality of pins, one or more pins, of the plurality of pins, being connected to one or more pins of another port of the plurality of ports,

a first number of pins, of the plurality of pins, that receives power from and returns power to the DC power supply when the port is connected to the DC power supply being different than a second number of pins, of the plurality of pins, that receives power from and returns power to the AC power supply when the port is connected to the AC power supply,

the second number of pins including;

pins of the first number of pins, and

the one or more pins of the port, and

the first number of pins excluding the one or more pins of the port.

2. The device of claim 1, where a first device, of the one or more other devices, is included in a first power zone,

where a second device, of the one of more other devices, is included in a second power zone different than the first power zone, and

where the plurality of ports are to provide power to the first power zone and the second power zone,

when providing the power to the first power zone and the second power zone:

a first port, of the plurality of ports, is to provide power, received from a particular AC power supply, to the first power zone, and

a second port, of the plurality of ports, is to provide the power, received by the first port from the particular AC power supply, to the second power zone based on one or more pins of the first port being connected to one or more pins of the second port.

3. The device of claim 1, where, when a particular number of ports, of the plurality of ports, are connected to AC power supplies, the particular number of ports are to provide M+1 redundant power from the AC power supplies to the one or more other devices.

4. The device of claim 3, where, when providing the M+1 redundant power, the particular number of ports are to provide, to the one or more other devices, at least one of 3+1 redundant power or 5+1 redundant power.

5. The device of claim 1, where, when a particular number of ports, of the plurality of ports, are connected to DC power supplies, the particular number of ports are to provide N+N redundant power from the DC power supplies to the one or more other devices.

6. The device of claim 5, where, when providing the N+N redundant power, the particular number of ports are to provide, to the one or more other devices, at least one of 2+2 redundant power or 3+3 redundant power.

7. A method comprising:

connecting, by a device, a port that includes a plurality of pins,

one or more pins, of the plurality of pins, being connected to one or more pins of another port of the device,

the port selectively receiving a connection from one of an alternating current (AC) power supply or a direct current (DC) power supply,

a first number of pins, of the plurality of pins, that receives power from and returns power to the DC power supply when the port is connected to the DC power supply being different than a second number of pins, of the plurality of pins, that receives power from and returns power to the AC power supply when the port is connected to the AC power supply,

the second number of pins including pins of the first number of pins and the one or more pins of the port, and

the first number of pins excluding the one or more pins of the port;

receiving, by the device and via the port, a connection from one of the AC power supply or the DC power supply; and

providing, by the device and via the port, the power, received from the one of the AC power supply or the DC power supply, to another device.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

providing, using the port and the other port, redundant power to the other device.

9. The method of claim 8, where the redundant power includes at least one of M+1 redundant power or N+N redundant power.

10. The method of claim 9, where providing redundant power to the other device includes:

providing the M+1 redundant power to the other device when the port and the other port are connected to AC power supplies; and

providing the N+N redundant power to the other device when the port and the other port are connected to DC power supplies.

11. The method of claim 10, where providing the M+1 redundant power includes providing at least one of 3+1 redundant power or 5+1 redundant power.

12. The method of claim 10, where providing the N+N redundant power includes providing at least one of 2+2 redundant power or 3+3 redundant power.

13. The method of claim 7, where the other port includes a plurality of pins,

where the other port selectively receives a connection from one of an AC power supply or a DC power supply, and

where a first number of pins, of the plurality of pins, that receives power from and returns power to AC power supplies is different than a second number of pins, of the plurality of pins, that receives power from and returns power to DC power supplies.

14. A system comprising:

a port, including a plurality of pins, to;

selectively receive a connection from one of an alternating current (AC) power supply or a direct current (DC) power supply,

a first number of pins, of the plurality of pins, that receives power from and returns power to the DC power supply when the port is connected to the DC power supply being different than a second number of pins, of the plurality of pins, that receives power from and returns power to the AC power supply when the port is connected to the AC power supply,

one or more pins, of the plurality of pins, being connected to one or more pins of another port,

the second number of pins including at least one pin, of the first number of pins, and the one or more pins of the port, and

the first number of pins excluding the one or more pins of the port; and

provide the power, from one of the AC power supply or the DC power supply, to one or more devices.

15. The system of claim 14,

the port and the other port to:

provide M+1 redundant power to the one or more devices when the port and the other port are connected to AC power supplies, and

provide N+N redundant power to the one or more devices when the port and the other port are connected to DC power supplies.

16. The system of claim 15, where a first device, of the one or more other devices, is included in a first power zone,

where a second device, of the one of more other devices, is included in a second power zone different than the first power zone, the second device being different than the first device, and

where the port and the other port are to provide power to at least one of the first power zone or the second power zone.

17. The system of claim 16, where, when providing the power to the at least one of the first power zone or the second power zone, the port and the other port are to at least one of:

provide N+N redundant power or M+1 redundant power to the first power zone, or

provide N+N redundant power or M+1 redundant power to the second power zone.

18. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

a connection module,

where the connection module includes a plurality of ports,

where the plurality of ports include the port and the other port, and

where each of the plurality of ports is to selectively receive a connection from an AC power supply or a DC power supply.

19. The system of claim 18, where first ports, of the plurality of ports, are to provide redundant power to first devices, and

where second ports, of the plurality of ports, are to provide redundant power to second devices,

where the first devices are different than the second devices, and

where the second ports are different than the first ports.

20. The system of claim 19, where the redundant power provided to the first devices is different than the redundant power provided to the second devices.