Method and apparatus for power distribution using a multiphase voltage regulator with phase redundancy and fault tolerant operation
US10481626B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 21, 2018 |
| Grant date | Nov 19, 2019 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 21, 2038 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH02M3/1586
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A fault-tolerant multiphase voltage regulator includes a plurality of power stages, each of which is configured to deliver a phase current to a processor, and a controller. The controller is configured to: control the plurality of power stages to regulate an output voltage provided to the processor; detect and disable a faulty power stage; generate a throttling signal to indicate if one or more of the power stages is faulty and disabled; and communicate the throttling signal to the processor over a physical line running between the processor and the controller. A corresponding method of operating a fault-tolerant power distribution system is also described.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.