Safety-compliant PSU fault diagnosis mechanism to reduce PSU field returns

US9910103B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Dell Products L.P. · US

Inventors

• Mehran Mirjafari · Austin, US
• Mark A. Muccini · Georgetown, US
• Scott Michael Ramsey · Austin, US
• Wei-Yung Chen · Hengshan, TW
• Bhavesh Govindbhai Patel · Austin, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 1, 2015
• Grant date: Mar 6, 2018
• Expiry date: Dec 9, 2035

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01R31/2884
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A power supply unit (PSU) performs a PSU fault diagnosis using a PSU fault detection module. The PSU fault detection module detects a diagnostic trigger event and initiates a series of checks of selected sub-systems. The PSU fault detection module determines whether the trigger event occurred while the PSU was connected within an information handling system (IHS) or physically removed from the IHS. If the trigger event occurred while the PSU was connected within an information handling system (IHS), the PSU fault detection module electrically isolates the PSU from the IHS using an ORing device, which blocks current flowing into the PSU. The PSU fault detection module determines whether a short circuit exists within the electrically isolated PSU. If a short circuit is identified, the PSU fault detection module determines that the PSU is not functioning properly and provides a notification of a malfunction of the PSU.