International Business Machines Corporation

Eric Y K Hew

Craig Anthony Klein

Robert George Emberty

Gregory Allen Williams

A redundant power system that includes switch array and component failure detection circuitry is disclosed. The redundant power system includes a plurality of available AC power lines, one of which is coupled to a load through the switch array. A controller instructs the switch array to couple an available AC power line to the load, based upon status information received about the condition of a particular AC power line. Each switch within the switch array includes detection circuitry to determine if the switch has failed, for example, in a stuck closed position.

Redundancy and component failure detection within a switching power system

An AC power interruption detection system is provided which compares an AC signal with a phased AC reference signal to determine the presence or absence of an AC power signal. By comparing the AC power signal with a phased reference signal, power interruption detection occurs within a predetermined minimum time frame, for example, with &frac12; cycle. In exemplary embodiments, the detection system includes AC power signal frequency multiplying circuitry to improve speed and performance. In other exemplary embodiments, the detection system includes threshold detection circuitry to detect undervoltage (e.g., brownout) and/or overvoltage (e.g., spike) conditions of the AC power. In system-level embodiments, the interruption detection system is implemented in a switch array environment in which a switch controller controls a redundant switch array based on the detection signal generated by the power interruption detection system to couple a selected AC power line, from one or more redundant AC power lines available, to a load.

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Tucson, AZ, United States of America

Eric Y K Hew