International Business Machines Corporation

Steven G Shevach

Kevin Robert Covi

Robert Philip Makowicki

Edward Joseph Seminaro

Gary Franklin Goth

Xiaojin Wei

Raymond J Harrington

Allan C VanDeventer

Dale F Sorenson

Cyril Cabral, Jr

William Louis Brodsky

Peilin Song

Franco Stellari

Mitchell Zapotoski

Luke L Jenkins

Peter Adam Wendling

Raymond A Longhi

Brian C Tucker

Mark L DeMarie

William J Petrowsky

Dale F Soreson

Brain C Tucker

Embodiments for linking separate eFuse and ORING controllers for output overvoltage protection in power conversion applications. Voltage regulators are configured in parallel. An input circuit includes an input controller, the input circuit being coupled to an input of at least one voltage regulator of the voltage regulators. An output circuit includes an output controller, the output circuit being coupled to an output of the at least one voltage regulator. The output controller is coupled to the input circuit to cause the input circuit to prevent power to the at least one voltage regulator in response to the output controller detecting an overvoltage condition.

Linking separate eFuse and ORING controllers for output overvoltage protection in redundant power converters

Circuit board inspection by receiving a near infrared (NIR) image of at least a portion of a circuit board, analyzing the NIR image using a machine learning model, and detecting anomalous circuit board portions according to the analysis.

Machine learning-based circuit board inspection

One aspect is a method that includes applying a plurality of incrementally varying voltage targets to a plurality of power phase converters operating in parallel between a source voltage rail and a load voltage rail. A phase temperature of each of the power phase converters is monitored. The phase temperature of each of the power phase converters is compared to a thermal adjustment limit. One or more of the power phase converters are adjusted to reduce an associated output current based on determining that at least one of the power phase converters exceeds the thermal adjustment limit. Power phase converter adjustments can be performed in a balanced manner such that a net sum voltage at the load voltage rail is substantially unchanged after the adjustments.

Thermal management in a multi-phase power system

A protection circuit for a parallel power system having at least two parallel coupled voltage regulators is disclosed. The protection circuit includes at least two isolation control circuits, each control circuit being coupled to a respective voltage regulator. Each isolation control circuit includes a current sense circuit for sensing current polarity at an output of the respective voltage regulator, and a controller for automatically isolating the respective voltage regulator when an over-voltage condition exists at an output of the parallel power system and a positive current polarity is sensed at the output of the respective voltage regulator. The at least two isolation control circuits isolate only a voltage regulator having positive current outflow during the over-voltage condition. In one embodiment, each isolation control circuit further includes an over-voltage detection circuit for detecting when the over-voltage condition exists at the output of the parallel power system.

Over-voltage protection for voltage regulator modules of a parallel power system

A connector for a voltage regulator module (VRM) that provides for a parallel coupling to a printed wiring board (PWB) without surface mounting of the VRM includes a plurality of conductive power blades mounted within slots of insulators. The VRM connector is coupled to PWB and VRM and provides for spacing between the VRM and the PWB. The VRM connector provides for high current flow and reduced circuit heating.

Connector for mezzanine mounting of a printed wiring board

A method and apparatus for measuring the temperature on an electronic chip. The Apparatus includes a thermal sense element on the chip, a power supply passing electrical current through said thermal sense element at a known voltage and temperature, and a measuring circuit determining the initial resistance of the thermal sense element at said known voltage and temperature. The measuring circuit measures the change of the resistance of the thermal sense element as the temperature of the electronic chip changes, and compares the change in resistance of the thermal sense element to the initial resistance. The measuring circuit determines the temperature of the electronic chip from the initial resistance and change in resistance of the thermal sense element during the operation of the electronic chip.

Device for sensing temperature of an electronic chip

An over-voltage protection circuit for power supplies employing phase-shift controllers is provided. The power supplies typically comprise a redundant system for maintaining availability of bus voltage in the event of the failure of one of the supplies. The circuitry provides advantages in high power applications over prior art by overcoming the inefficiencies of connecting the supplies to a common bus through a diode. Additional circuitry eliminates the false shutdown of working power supplies.

Conditional over-voltage protection for redundant phase-shift converters

An electronic circuit breaker includes multiloop control loops based upon a current sensing loop and a voltage sensing loop. The current sensing loop also operates to drive a timer which ultimately controls whether current flows through the load or not. Additionally, the current loop is made to be dominant over the voltage loop. However, during normal operation the voltage loop and current loop act cooperatively to effectively control the impedance as seen by the load.

Growing community of inventors

Hurley, NY, United States of America

Steven G Shevach