Patent Application
20070252440
This invention relates generally to power supplies and more particularly to a method and system for providing power.
Power supplies are used in association with telecommunication switches and other devices. It is commonplace for a redundant power supply to be utilized in conjunction with a telecommunication switch, or other device, in instances where it is important that the telecommunication switch provide continuous operation in the event of failure in the primary power supply. Conventionally, if the primary power supply fails, the redundant power supply turns on and provides power to the telecommunications switch.
Conventionally, in order to detect the proper operation of the redundant power supply, the primary power supply was physically brought down, and operation of the backup power supply (also known as redundant power supply (RPS)) was examined. Further, the backup power supply would have to be disconnected from the telecommunication switch when the test concluded. This testing procedure can be problematic because it requires hands-on attention by personnel to shut down the primary supply and to shut down the backup supply after the test is completed. In addition, backup power supplies conventionally could not receive communications from the associated telecommunication switch, but could only provide one way status information from the power supply to the switch.
According to one embodiment of the invention, a method for providing power includes providing a telecommunication switch coupled to a backup power supply by a communication path that allows communication of control information from the telecommunication switch to the backup power supply. The method also includes providing a primary power supply operable to provide power to the telecommunication switch and terminating, by the telecommunication switch, power to the telecommunication switch from the primary power supply.
Embodiments of the invention may provide numerous technical advantages. Some, none, or all embodiments may benefit from the below described advantages. According to one embodiment, proper working of a backup power supply may be tested without manual intervention. This provides an efficient manner of confirming that uninterrupted power is available, without the conventional associated costs of manually bringing down a power supply to determine if the associated backup power supply would function properly. Further, in some embodiments, the primary power supply may be automatically turned on by a telecommunication switch and the backup power may be turned off by the telecommunication switch, allowing return to normal operating conditions without manual intervention.
Other technical advantages will be apparent to one of skill in the art.
A more complete understanding of embodiments of the invention will be apparent from the detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
Example embodiments of the present invention and their advantages are best understood by referring to
Telecommunication switch 12 may be any telecommunication switch operable to switch, or route, telecommunication messages, including those formatted in the IP protocol, or other protocol. Alternatively, telecommunication switch 12 could be replaced with other apparatuses that utilize both primary and backup power that are not telecommunication switches. In this example, telecommunication switch 12 includes a power control module 26 and a switching operations module 24. Switching operations module 24 is associated with telecommunication switch 12 performing its switching function. Power control module 26 contains logic associated with provision of power to telecommunication switch 12 by primary power supply 14 and backup power supply 16. In particular, power control module 26 may communicate with backup power supply 16 over communication channel 22, as described in greater detail below.
As described above, in order to test conventional backup power supply systems the primary power supply must be physically shut down, and then a check is made to determine whether the backup power supply provided power in response. Such an approach required manual intervention which could be time consuming and costly. According to the teachings of the invention, telecommunication switch 12, and in particular power control module 26, is able to automatically terminate power supply from primary power supply 14 to telecommunication switch 12. And power control module 26 is able to communicate with backup power supply 16 to determine if backup power supply 16 is available to provide backup power.
Communication between power control module 26 of telecommunication switch 12 and backup power supply 16 occurs over communications path 22. In particular, communication path 22 provides two-way communication between power control module 26 and backup power supply 16, as described in greater detail below. Control over the supply of power from primary power supply 14 may occur in several ways. For example, in one example the power is terminated by a physical switch on telecommunication switch 12. Conversely, a communications path may be provided between telecommunication switch 12 and primary power supply 14 that allows communication from telecommunication switch 12 to primary power supply 14 that primary power supply 14 should terminate power to telecommunication switch 12. This communications path 28, illustrated in a dotted line in
In one example, communications channel 22 may be a serial management bus. Example information that may be provided by backup power supply 16 is the identity of the power supply, what it is capable of backing up, and whether it is already in use. It is not uncommon for a single backup power supply, such as backup power supply 16, to be coupled to a plurality of different telecommunication switches, and thus it is possible that a backup power supply will already be in use when needed by telecommunication switch 12.
This enabling of the power at primary power supply 14 may take place, in one example, by use of an enable bit to disable supply of power from primary power supply 14 to telecommunication switch 12. As described above, in one example, the power may be shut off at primary power supply 14; however, in an alternative embodiment the power may be terminated at telecommunication switch 12, or another suitable location, such as within line 18. The instruction to terminate power may involve receiving an instruction from a keyboard, such as from a user, through a scheduled maintenance, or through another approach. Additional details are described with reference to
At step 108, assuming backup power supply 16 is available, telecommunication switch 12 terminates power from primary power supply 14. This occurs at step 108. In one example, such power from primary power supply 14 is terminated through the transmission of an enable bit from telecommunication switch 12 to primary power supply 14 over path 22. In response to the disabling of power, backup power supply 16 detects the loss of power by a telecommunication switch according to conventional techniques. Alternatively, future developments may present additional ways in which backup power supply 16 may detect loss of power to telecommunication switch 12. In response to the loss of power to telecommunication switch, backup power supply 16 provides power over path 20 to telecommunication switch 12 at step 112. The method concludes at step 114.
Thus, according to the teachings of the invention, a test of the proper operation of backup power supply 16 can be effected without manually pulling the plug to primary power supply 14. Once backup power supply 16 has been tested, it is useful to restore telecommunication switch 12 to operate using power supplied by primary power supply 14. Conventionally, in order to effect such return to standard operations, the backup power supply had to be manually disconnected to bring the primary power supply back up to operation. According to another aspect of the invention, this manual disconnection of backup power supply 16 may be avoided, as described in greater detail in
Although the present invention and its advantages have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions, and alterations can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
