User-configurable power architecture with hot-pluggable power modules

• US 20040010649A1
• Filed: 07/12/2002
• Published: 01/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Babb, Samuel M., Weaver, Jeffrey S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,634,667 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/302
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/00 Circuit arrangements for emergency or stand-by power supply, e.g. for emergency lighting

Abstract

A power management system for use in a power-consuming system is disclosed. The system comprises one or more power module bays each adapted to have a power module hot-pluggably installed therein, the power module comprising an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) power module and a power supply unit (PSU) power module each adapted to be installed in the one or more power module bays; and a power module interface that connects power signals generated by installed power modules with one or more power buses in the system.

Claims

1. A power management system for use in a power-consuming system comprising:

one or more power module bays each adapted to have a power module hot-pluggably installed therein, the power module comprising an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) power module and a power supply unit (PSU) power module each adapted to be installed in the one or more power module bays; and

a power module interface that provides an electrical connection between power modules installed in the one or more power module bays and one or more power buses in the power-consuming system.

2. The power management system of claim 1, further comprising:

a power controller that determines a combination of the one or more installed power modules to provide power to the one or more power buses.

3. The power management system of claim 2, wherein the power module interface comprises:

one or more power lines electrically connecting a hot-plug connector in each of the one or more power module bays to the power buses; and

one or more signal lines electrically connecting the hot-plug connector in each of the one or more power module bays with the power controller.

4. The power management system of claim 1, wherein the power modules and power module bays are dimensioned such that each power module bay can have installed therein either the UPS power module or the PSU power module.

5. The power management system of claim 1, wherein the UPS power module and the PSU power module have compatible electrical interfaces, and wherein a same power module interface is provided in the one or more power module bays for mating with the compatible electrical interfaces.

6. The power management system of claim 1, wherein all elements for enabling each power module to operate as a DC power source are located in each power module and not the power-consuming system.

7. The power management system of claim 2, wherein the power controller controls the installed power modules based on the power requirements of the power-consuming system.

8. The power management system of claim 2, wherein the power controller controls the installed power modules based on the operational status of the installed power modules.

9. The power management system of claim 2, wherein the power module interface comprises:

one or more power lines electrically connecting a hot-plug connector in each of the one or more power module bays to the power buses, wherein the power lines are switched lines controlled by the power controller to selectively interconnect installed power modules with the one or more power buses; and

one or more signal lines electrically connecting the hot-plug connector in each of the one or more power module bays with the power controller.

10. The power management system of claim 1, wherein the power modules and power module bays are dimensioned such that each power module bay can have installed therein a specific one of either the UPS power module and the PSU power module.

11. A set of power modules for providing a DC voltage to a power-consuming system when one or more of the power modules is installed in a power module bay thereof, the set of power modules comprising:

a power supply unit (PSU) power module configured to generate DC power derived from AC power provided to the PSU power module, the PSU power module comprising a first hot-plug connector and having a first form factor; and

an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) power module configured to generate DC power derived from a rechargeable energy source within the UPS power module, the UPS power module comprising a second hot-plug connector electrically compatible with the first electrical connector and a second form factor substantially the same as the first form factor.

12. The set of power modules of claim 11,

wherein the PSU power module generates a signal indicating the cessation of AC power to the PSU power module, and wherein the PSU power module continues to generate power after loss of AC power for a hold-up time;

and

wherein the UPS power module receives an indication of the cessation of AC power to installed PSU power modules, and generates DC power within the hold-up time.

13. The set of power modules of claim 11, wherein the electrical interface provided in the UPS power module comprises:

a pin at which the UPS power module generates a DC power signal derived from power generated by a rechargeable energy source in the UPS power module; and

a pin at which the UPS power module receives a power enable command generated by the power-consuming system, wherein the UPS power module becomes operational in response to the power enable command.

14. The set of power modules of claim 11, wherein the electrical interface provided in the UPS power module comprises:

a pin at which the UPS power module receives remote sensing signals indicating a voltage level of DC power provided to the power-consuming device;

a pin at which the UPS power module receives a current share signal, wherein the UPS power module modulates the current generated by the UPS power module to balance the load between those installed power modules that are generating power.

15. The set of power modules of claim 11, wherein the electrical interface provided in the UPS power module comprises:

a pin at which the UPS power module generates a power source present signal indicating whether a rechargeable energy source in the UPS power module has sufficient energy stored therein to power the power-consuming system; and

a pin at which the UPS power module generates a fault condition status signal indicating whether any faults have been detected in the UPS power module.

16. The set of power modules of claim 11, wherein the electrical interface provided in the PSU power module comprises:

a pin at which the PSU power module generates a power source present signal indicating the presence of an AC power source providing AC power to the PSU power module.

17. In a system having a plurality of power module bays, a hot-pluggable UPS power module removably insertable into one of the power module bays to mate with a hot-plug connector carried in the bay, the UPS power module comprising:

a rechargeable battery;

a converter circuit that converts DC power generated by a battery into DC power for the system;

a controller that controls the operations the UPS power module based on whether an installed power supply unit (PSU) power modules are receiving AC power; and

a hot-plug connector configured to provide an electrical interface with the hot-plug connector carried in the bay when the UPS power module is installed in one of the power module bays.

18. The UPS power module of claim 17, further comprising:

a rechargeable battery.

19. A method for controlling a uninterruptible power supply (UPS) power module adapted to be installed in a power module bay of a system in which a power supply unit (PSU) power module can be installed in another power module bay, the method comprising:

determining whether a power signal currently delivered to the system by the PSU power module is within specification;

determining whether AC power is being delivered to the PSU power module; and

causing the UPS power module to generate power when the monitored power signal in not within specification and when AC power to the PSU power supply is interrupted.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

monitoring a system-generated power enable command,

wherein the step of causing is performed only when the power enable command indicates that the UPS power module is permitted to generate power.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

determining capability of the UPS power module to generate power;

wherein the step of causing is performed only when the UPS power module is capable of generating power.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

checking periodically whether the UPS power module is installed in a power module bay; and

generating a power module identification signal identifying the UPS power module when the UPS power module is installed in a power module bay.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the UPS power module comprises a rechargeable battery, a DC-to-DC converter circuit coupled to the rechargeable battery, and UPS control logic coupled to the converter circuit and providing an external electrical interface, wherein the step of determining the capability of the UPS module comprises:

performing a self-test to detect faults in the DC-to-DC converter circuit and the UPS control logic; and

generating a fault condition status signal indicating the results of the self-test.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein the UPS power module comprises a rechargeable battery, wherein the step of determining the capability of the UPS module comprises:

measuring the energy stored in the UPS power module; and

generating a signal indicating imminent failure of UPS power module when the energy level stored in the UPS power module falls below a second threshold value greater than the minimum threshold value.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of determining whether a power signal currently delivered to the system is within specification comprises:

monitoring power bus voltage to determine whether it falls below a predetermined threshold.

26. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of determining whether a power signal currently delivered to the system is within specification comprises:

determining a rate at which the power voltage signal on the main power bus changes.

27. The method of claim 19, wherein the PSU power module continues to generate power for a first time duration after cessation of AC power to the PSU power module, wherein the step of causing comprises:

causing the UPS power module to generate power within a second time duration after cessation of AC power to the PSU power module, wherein the second time duration is shorted than the first time duration.

28. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

recharging the UPS power module when UPS power module is not generating power.

31. The method of claim 27, wherein the step of disabling installed PSU power modules comprises:

(a) removing AC power supply to each installed PSU power module.

29. A method for controlling UPS and PSU power modules installed in a plurality of power module bays of a power-consuming system, comprising;

determining system power requirement;

determining which power modules are installed in each of the power module bays;

causing installed UPS power modules to monitor installed PSU power modules and power buses to determine whether UPS power should be generated;

causing installed PSU power modules to generate power and load share with other power modules that are concurrently generating power; and

monitoring status signals generated by installed power modules to determine which installed power modules are generating DC power.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein, when the system has requested to be powered down, the method further comprising:

disabling installed UPS power modules; and

after disabling the UPS power modules, disabling installed PSU power modules.