Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
139 words
A regulated voltage D.C. power supply system comprising, in combination, a master switching regulator (21) for providing an output to a load, a plurality of slave switching regulators (23, 25) connected in parallel with the master regulator to supply the load, the master and slave switching regulators comprising a redundant configuration of N+1 switching regulators wherein each of the regulators contributes a substantially equal amount to the load, the master switching regulator having a current mode control circuit operative to compare the output signal from the master switching regulator with a reference to generate an error signal, each of the slave switching regulators also having a current mode control circuit, and means responsive to the failure of the master switching regulator to transfer control from the master to the slave regulators while maintaining a stable output to the load.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
139 words
A regulated voltage D.C. power supply system comprising, in combination, a master switching regulator (21) for providing an output to a load, a plurality of slave switching regulators (23, 25) connected in parallel with the master regulator to supply the load, the master and slave switching regulators comprising a redundant configuration of N+1 switching regulators wherein each of the regulators contributes a substantially equal amount to the load, the master switching regulator having a current mode control circuit operative to compare the output signal from the master switching regulator with a reference to generate an error signal, each of the slave switching regulators also having a current mode control circuit, and means responsive to the failure of the master switching regulator to transfer control from the master to the slave regulators while maintaining a stable output to the load.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
43 words
A power supply system as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the master and slave switching regulators include a feedback loop from the load whereby each of the slave switching regulators can control its own output current upon failure of the master switching regulator.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
39 words
A power supply system as claimed in Claim 1, wherein each of the slave regulators has an individual auxiliary error signal feedback means switchable into operation to control the respective slave regulator upon failure of the master switching regulator.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
A power supply system as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the failure of the master switching regulator is detected in terms of excursion of the master error signal outside predetermined limits.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
A power supply system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the current mode control of the master switching regulator comprises a pulse width modulation technique.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
A power supply system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the current control of the slave switching regulators comprises a pulse width modulation technique.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
A power supply system as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein failure of one of the slave switching regulators is compensated for by the redundant configuration.