International Business Machines Corporation

Other

Adrian P Glover

Brent William Yardley

Edward L Blackwell

Holloway H Frost

Don D Davis

David Rico

Lance W Shelton

William Fast, Jr

Jacob Smalts

James M Fox

Abraham Garcia

A method, computer program product, and system for emulating a constant power (CP) electronic load (e-load) from a constant current (CC) e-load are disclosed. Testing metrics may be obtained for a power source to be tested, including one or more power thresholds. Further, an initial current level for a CC e-load may be obtained. The power-draw of the CC e-load connected to the power source may be determined. The determined power-draw may be compared to at least one of the one or more of the power thresholds. In response to the power-draw not satisfying the at least one power threshold, the current level of the CC e-load may be adjusted based on the power-draw and the at least one power threshold.

Emulating a constant power load using a constant current load

A technique for monitoring a passive element in a system includes determining, by a monitor, power supplied by a power supply coupled to the passive element and power consumed by a load coupled to the passive element. The monitor then determines power dissipated by the passive element based on the power supplied by the power supply and the power consumed by the load. The monitor initiates shut down of the power supply when the power dissipated by the passive element exceeds a threshold.

Techniques for monitoring passive elements in a system

A switching regulator sources a power rail and includes a top side or input rail side switch, a bottom side or ground side switch, and an inductor. When the switching regulator is disabled or generally turned off, a bottom side transistor in the bottom side switch is pulsed on and off, or held on, to drain or bleed the power rail to ground. When the bottom side transistor is off and if there is a voltage across the inductor from the power rail at a switching node, current flows through a body diode of the top side switch to the input rail of the switching regulator.

Bleeding switching regulator power rail through switching regulator ground side switch

Embodiments of the present disclosure include a method, computer program product, and system for emulating a constant power (CP) electronic load (e-load) from a constant current (CC) e-load. Testing metrics may be obtained for a power source to be tested, including one or more power thresholds. Further, an initial current level for a CC e-load may be obtained. The power-draw of the CC e-load connected to the power source may be determined. The determined power-draw may be compared to at least one of the one or more of the power thresholds. In response to the power-draw not satisfying the at least one power threshold, the current level of the CC e-load may be adjusted based on the power-draw and the at least one power threshold.

A system and methodology for effectively managing, without interrupting the overall system, the power and control logic of the system during the removal, insertion and programming of programmable components that control the logic. The system and methodology detect a removal of a first programmable component from its socket and switch at least one control signal from being driven by the first programmable component to being driven by the second programmable component. Upon detecting an insertion of the first programmable component into its socket, the system and methodology switch the at least one control signal from being driven by the second programmable component to being driven by the first programmable component.

Method for power control handshaking of hot swappable components using programmable logic devices

A method of backing up data from an electronic system is disclosed. The method may include detecting an operating mode of the battery subsystem that is a maintenance discharge cycle operating mode and in response, calculating, using a first algorithm, the available battery capacity relative to a minimum battery capacity. The method may also include detecting an operating mode of the battery subsystem that is a normal operating mode and in response, calculating, using a second algorithm, the available battery capacity relative to a maximum battery capacity. The method may also include comparing the available battery capacity to a battery capacity sufficient to complete a backup operation, detecting a backup trigger condition and in response to the backup trigger condition and the available battery capacity being sufficient to complete a backup operation, backing up, data from the electronic system.

Battery charge measurement algorithm management

A Flash-based memory system comprises a plurality of Flash memory devices, a Flash controller communicating independently with each Flash memory device to perform memory operations, a power circuit providing power the Flash memory devices, and a CPU configured to perform a controlled powering down procedure upon detecting a power failure. In some embodiments, the Flash-based memory system includes a backup power source having a charge storage device and charging circuitry, the CPU configured to perform one or more test procedures on the charge storage device to provide an indication of a charge storage capacity of the charge storage device. A plurality of Flash-based memory systems may be mounted on a Flash-based memory card, and multiple such Flash-based memory cards may be combined into a Flash-based memory module. A number of Flash-based memory modules may then be removably mounted in a rack-mountable housing to form unitary Flash-based memory unit.

Flash-based memory system with robust backup and restart features and removable modules

An active low-pass current filter apparatus and method reduces conducted emissions above a predefined cutoff frequency at high power levels. The apparatus and method use a bidirectional DC-DC converter to minimize current fluctuations on a power lead that may result in conducted emissions above the predefined cutoff frequency. The bidirectional DC-DC converter absorbs current from the power lead and feeds current to the load lead as needed to compensate for the current fluctuations on the power lead. Power to the DC-DC converter is provided by a separate auxiliary power source. A monitoring circuit compares the voltage level of the auxiliary power source to a reference voltage and compensates for variations in the voltage level of the auxiliary power source without interfering with the suppression of the conducted emissions.

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Katy, TX, United States of America

Adrian P Glover