US6157168A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Secondary power supply for an uninterruptible power system
Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Ltd
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Filing: 1999-10-29
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Granted: 2000-12-05
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Expires: 2019-10-29
Abstract
Abstract A secondary power supply with a battery charging circuit for use with a primary power supply having an AC power relay coupled to a AC power source and a DC/DC power converter is disclosed. The secondary power supply includes a battery bank having positive and negative terminals, wherein the negative terminal is coupled to a negative power rail of the primary power supply. An auxiliary switch in the AC power relay, having first and second contacts coupled to the positive terminal of the battery bank and a positive power rail of the primary power supply, respectively, is closed in response to a loss of the AC power source. A battery charger circuit, coupled to the auxiliary switch and the battery bank, utilizes a voltage output from the DC/DC power converter to regulate charging of the battery bank. The battery charger circuit, in one embodiment, includes a regulation circuit that senses a plurality of electrical characteristics of the battery bank and, in response thereto, generates a control signal. Next, a drive circuit, coupled to the regulation circuit, receives the control signal and, in response thereto, selectively couples the battery bank to a DC power rail of the power supply.
Inventors
- 👤 Randhir S. Malik
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 13:09
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F1/00; G06F1/26; G06F1/263; H; H02; H02J; H02J9/00; H02J9/04; H02J9/06; H02J9/061
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
127 words
A secondary power supply for use with a primary power supply having an AC power relay coupled to an AC power source and a DC/DC power converter, said secondary power supply comprising: a battery bank having positive and negative terminals, wherein said negative terminal is coupled to a negative power rail of said primary power supply; an auxiliary switch having first and second contacts coupled to said positive terminal and a positive power rail of said primary power supply, respectively, wherein said auxiliary switch is closed in response to a loss of said AC power source; and a battery charger circuit, coupled to said auxiliary switch and said battery bank, that utilizes a voltage output from said DC/DC power converter to regulate charging of said battery bank.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
127 words
A secondary power supply for use with a primary power supply having an AC power relay coupled to an AC power source and a DC/DC power converter, said secondary power supply comprising: a battery bank having positive and negative terminals, wherein said negative terminal is coupled to a negative power rail of said primary power supply; an auxiliary switch having first and second contacts coupled to said positive terminal and a positive power rail of said primary power supply, respectively, wherein said auxiliary switch is closed in response to a loss of said AC power source; and a battery charger circuit, coupled to said auxiliary switch and said battery bank, that utilizes a voltage output from said DC/DC power converter to regulate charging of said battery bank.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
The secondary power supply as recited in claim 1 wherein said auxiliary switch is an auxiliary switch of said AC power relay.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
68 words
The secondary power supply as recited in claim 1 wherein said battery charger circuit includes: a regulation circuit that senses a plurality of electrical characteristics of said battery bank and, in response thereto, generates a control signal; and a drive circuit, coupled to said regulation circuit, that receives said control signal and, in response thereto, selectively couples said battery bank to a power rail of said power supply.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
The secondary power supply as recited in claim 3 wherein said regulation circuit includes a pulse width modulator.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
The secondary power supply as recited in claim 3 wherein said plurality of electrical characteristics include a voltage across and a current through said battery bank.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
The secondary power supply as recited in claim 5 wherein said voltage across said battery bank is sensed with a voltage divider network.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
The secondary power supply as recited in claim 3 wherein said drive circuit includes a drive signal generator that controls the operation of a power switch.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
20 words
The secondary power supply as recited in claim 7 wherein said power switch is a metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET).
Claim 10
Independent Claim
117 words
A method for providing secondary back-up power supply to a primary power supply having a DC/DC power converter and an AC power relay coupled to a AC power source; comprising the steps of: utilizing an auxiliary switch in said AC power relay, said auxiliary switch having first and second contacts; connecting said first contact of said auxiliary switch to a positive terminal of a battery bank; connecting said second contact of said auxiliary switch to an input power rail of said primary power supply; charging said battery bank with a battery charger that utilizes an output voltage from said DC/DC power converter; and closing said auxiliary switch, in response to a loss of said AC power source.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
117 words
A method for providing secondary back-up power supply to a primary power supply having a DC/DC power converter and an AC power relay coupled to a AC power source; comprising the steps of: utilizing an auxiliary switch in said AC power relay, said auxiliary switch having first and second contacts; connecting said first contact of said auxiliary switch to a positive terminal of a battery bank; connecting said second contact of said auxiliary switch to an input power rail of said primary power supply; charging said battery bank with a battery charger that utilizes an output voltage from said DC/DC power converter; and closing said auxiliary switch, in response to a loss of said AC power source.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
54 words
The method as recited in claim 9 wherein said step of charging includes the steps of: sensing electrical characteristics of said battery bank; generating a control signal, in response to said sensed electrical characteristics; and providing said control signal to a drive circuit that selectively couples said battery bank to said input power rail.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method as recited in claim 10 wherein said step of providing said control signal further comprises the step of controlling the switching of a power switch.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method as recited in claim 11 wherein said power switch is a metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET).
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method as recited in claim 10 wherein said step of sensing electrical characteristics includes the step of sensing a voltage across and a current through said battery bank.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method as recited in claim 10 wherein said step of generating a control signal further includes providing said sensed electrical characteristics to a pulse width modulator.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
124 words
An uninterruptible power supply (UPS), comprising: a current limiting resistor coupled to an AC input power source; an AC power relay, coupled to said current limiting resistor, having a current limiting resistor bypass switch and an auxiliary switch with first and second contacts, wherein said auxiliary switch is closed in response to a loss of said AC input power source; a switching regulator; a bias regulator; and a secondary power supply, including: a battery bank having positive and negative terminals, wherein said positive terminal is coupled to said first contact of said auxiliary switch; and a battery charger circuit, coupled to said auxiliary switch and said battery bank, that utilizes a voltage output from said bias regulator to regulate charging of said battery bank.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
124 words
An uninterruptible power supply (UPS), comprising: a current limiting resistor coupled to an AC input power source; an AC power relay, coupled to said current limiting resistor, having a current limiting resistor bypass switch and an auxiliary switch with first and second contacts, wherein said auxiliary switch is closed in response to a loss of said AC input power source; a switching regulator; a bias regulator; and a secondary power supply, including: a battery bank having positive and negative terminals, wherein said positive terminal is coupled to said first contact of said auxiliary switch; and a battery charger circuit, coupled to said auxiliary switch and said battery bank, that utilizes a voltage output from said bias regulator to regulate charging of said battery bank.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
17 words
The UPS as recited in claim 15 further comprising a rectifier coupled to said current limiting resistor.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
66 words
The UPS as recited in claim 15 wherein said battery charger circuit includes: a regulation circuit that senses a plurality of electrical characteristics of said battery bank and, in response thereto, generates a control signal; and a drive circuit, coupled to said regulation circuit, that receives said control signal and, in response thereto, selectively couples said battery bank to a power rail of said power supply.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
16 words
The UPS as recited in claim 17 wherein said regulation circuit includes a pulse width modulator.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
24 words
The UPS as recited in claim 17 wherein said plurality of electrical characteristics include a voltage across and a current through said battery bank.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
24 words
The UPS as recited in claim 17 wherein said drive circuit includes a drive signal generator that controls the operation of a power switch.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
131 words
A server, comprising: a central processing unit; a memory; and an uninterruptible power supply (UPS), including: a current limiting resistor coupled to an AC input power source; an AC power relay, coupled to said current limiting resistor, having a current limiting resistor bypass switch and an auxiliary switch with first and second contacts, wherein said auxiliary switch is closed in response to a loss of said AC input power source; a DC/DC converter; and a secondary power supply, comprising: a battery bank having positive and negative terminals, wherein said positive terminal is coupled to said first contact of said auxiliary switch; and a battery charger circuit, coupled to said auxiliary switch and said battery bank, that utilizes a voltage output from said DC/DC converter to regulate charging of said battery bank.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
131 words
A server, comprising: a central processing unit; a memory; and an uninterruptible power supply (UPS), including: a current limiting resistor coupled to an AC input power source; an AC power relay, coupled to said current limiting resistor, having a current limiting resistor bypass switch and an auxiliary switch with first and second contacts, wherein said auxiliary switch is closed in response to a loss of said AC input power source; a DC/DC converter; and a secondary power supply, comprising: a battery bank having positive and negative terminals, wherein said positive terminal is coupled to said first contact of said auxiliary switch; and a battery charger circuit, coupled to said auxiliary switch and said battery bank, that utilizes a voltage output from said DC/DC converter to regulate charging of said battery bank.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
17 words
The server as recited in claim 21 further comprising a rectifier coupled to said current limiting resistor.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
66 words
The server as recited in claim 21 wherein said battery charger circuit includes: a regulation circuit that senses a plurality of electrical characteristics of said battery bank and, in response thereto, generates a control signal; and a drive circuit, coupled to said regulation circuit, that receives said control signal and, in response thereto, selectively couples said battery bank to a power rail of said power supply.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-12-05 | 2004-06-05 | 2004-12-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-12-05 | 2008-06-05 | 2008-12-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-12-05 | 2012-06-05 | 2012-12-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |