I claim:
1. An H bridge regulating system for driving an electric load, the H bridge system comprising:
a linear output stage, the linear output stage having a linear mode amplifier with inverting and non-inverting inputs and a feedback circuit with a first element, the amplifier generating a first output signal, the first output signal passing through the first element of the feedback circuit to the inverting input of the linear mode amplifier;
a switch mode output stage, the switch mode output stage having a switch mode amplifier with inverting and non-inverting inputs and a feedback circuit with a first element, the switch mode amplifier generating a second output signal, the second output signal passing through the first element of the feedback circuit of the switch mode output stage to the inverting input of the switch mode amplifier, and wherein
the outputs of the linear mode amplifier and the switch mode amplifier are simultaneously connectable to an electric load to be driven.
2. The H bridge regulating system as in claim 1, further comprising an electric load including at least one thermoelectric cooler connected to the outputs of the linear mode amplifier and the switch mode amplifier.
3. The H bridge regulating system as in claim 1, further comprising:
an electric load being connected to the outputs of the linear mode amplifier and the switch mode amplifier, and wherein
the electric load is selected from the group of electric loads consisting of electric motors, coil motors, relay coils, solenoids, audio speakers, ultrasound transducers, horns, buzzers, and thermoelectric coolers.
4. The H bridge regulating system as in claim 1, wherein:
the feedback circuits of the linear mode output stage and the switch mode output stage each have at least a second element;
the second element of the linear mode output stage is in electrical communication with the inverting input of the linear mode amplifier; and
the second element of the switch mode output stage is in electrical communication with the non-inverting input of the switch mode amplifier.
5. The H bridge regulating system as in claim 1, further comprising an input to the H bridge system for receiving an input command signal, and wherein:
the feedback circuit of the switch mode output stage has at least third and fourth elements,
the third element of the switch mode output stage is in electrical communication with the inverting input of the switch mode amplifier and with the input for receiving the input command signal, and
the fourth element of the switch mode output stage is in electrical communication with the non-inverting input of the switch mode amplifier and the output of the linear mode amplifier.
6. The H bridge regulating system as in claim 1, further comprising:
an electric load connected to the outputs of the linear mode amplifier and the switch mode amplifier, and wherein
the electric load includes a thermoelectric cooler,
the feedback circuits of the linear mode output stage and the switch mode output stage each have at least a second element,
the second element of the linear mode output stage is in electrical communication with the inverting input of the linear mode amplifier; and
the second element of the switch mode output stage is in electrical communication with the non-inverting input of the switch mode amplifier.
7. The H bridge regulating system as in claim 6, wherein:
the feedback circuit of the switch mode output stage has at least third and fourth elements,
the third element of the switch mode output stage is in electrical communication with the non-inverting input of the linear mode amplifier and the output of the switch mode amplifier through the first element of the linear mode output stage; and
the fourth element of the switch mode output stage is in electrical communication with the non-inverting input of the switch mode amplifier and the output of the linear mode amplifier.
8. The H bridge regulating system as in claim 7, wherein all of the aforementioned elements of the feedback circuits of the linear mode output stage and the switch mode output stage are each substantially entirely resistive elements.
9. The H bridge regulating system as in claim 1, further comprising:
a positive voltage supply and a negative voltage supply, with the linear mode amplifier and the switch mode amplifier each being connected to both the positive voltage supply and the negative voltage supply, and wherein
the linear mode output stage is arranged such that the linear mode amplifier is operable in one of three regions depending upon a desired load current magnitude and direction, the first region having the linear mode amplifier being at least substantially fully saturated to the negative voltage supply, and the second region having the linear mode amplifier being operated linearly throughout at least most of the region, and the third region having the linear mode amplifier being at least substantially fully saturated to the positive voltage supply.
10. The H bridge regulating system as in claim 9, wherein the linear mode output stage and the switch mode output stage are arranged such that:
a changing input signal to the non-inverting input of the linear mode amplifier results in the output signal from the switch mode amplifier changing in the opposite direction when the linear mode amplifier is in its first and third regions, and
a changing input signal to the non-inverting input of the linear mode amplifier results in the output signal from the switch mode amplifier changing in the same direction when the linear mode amplifier is in its second region.
11. The H bridge regulating system as in claim 9, wherein:
the gain of the linear mode amplifier is set such that the second region of the linear mode amplifier is sufficiently narrow to result in the linear mode amplifier having an efficiency greater than about eighty percent, whereby more than about 80 percent of the electrical power supplied to the linear mode amplifier is transferred to the electrical load.
12. The H bridge regulating system of claim 1, wherein the switch mode amplifier uses pulse width modulation.
13. The H bridge regulating system of claim 1, wherein the switch mode amplifier uses switch mode modulation.
14. The H bridge regulating system of claim 1, wherein the feedback circuit of the switch mode output stage is arranged to provide electrical communication (1) between the output of the switch mode amplifier and the input command signal, and (2) between the output of the linear mode amplifier and the non-inverting input of the switch mode amplifier.
15. An electronic control system for driving an electric load in a regulated manner, the control system including an H bridge arrangement for driving an electric load having at least two terminals, the electronic control system comprising:
a linear mode amplifier having an input and having an output electrically connectable to the first terminal end of an electric load to be driven;
a switch mode amplifier having an input and having an output, the output being electrically connectable to the second terminal end of an electric load to be driven;
a load sensing circuit electrically connectable to the first and second terminal ends of the electric load to be driven, the load sensing circuit having at least one sensing output signal for providing information about at least one sensed electrical condition of the electric load;
an electronic processing circuit having first and second inputs and first and second outputs, the first input being for receiving a master input command signal, the second input being for receiving the sensing output signal of the load sensing circuit, the first and second outputs being for providing first and second input signals to the input of the linear mode amplifier and to the input of the switch mode amplifier respectively, and wherein
the linear mode amplifier and switch mode amplifier are arranged in an H bridge configuration with the electric load being electrically connectable between the outputs of the linear mode amplifier and the switch mode amplifier, and
the electronic processing circuit is arranged to operate the linear mode amplifier in first, second and third regions and the switch mode amplifier in first, second and third regions, with the first and third regions of operation of the linear mode amplifier being regions in which at least a portion of the linear mode amplifier is at least substantially saturated, and with the second region of operation of the linear mode amplifier being a region in which the linear mode amplifier is operating linearly through a substantial portion of the second region.
16. The electronic control system of claim 15, wherein the linear mode amplifier has a closed-loop gain which is sufficient to provide a power efficiency for that amplifier of at least about 80 percent, whereby at least about 80 percent of the electrical power being supplied to the linear mode amplifier is passed therethrough to the electric load to be driven.
17. The electronic control system of claim 15, wherein the linear mode amplifier as arranged to have a closed-loop gain which is sufficient to provide a power efficiency for that amplifier of at least about 90 percent, whereby at least about 90 percent of the electrical power being supplied to the linear mode amplifier is passed therethrough to the electric load to be driven.
18. The electronic control system of claim 15, wherein the linear mode amplifier is arranged to have a closed-loop gain which is sufficient to provide a power efficiency for that amplifier of at least about 99 percent, whereby at least about 99 percent of the electrical power being supplied to the linear mode amplifier is passed therethrough to the electric load to be driven.
19. The electronic control system of claim 15, wherein:
the system includes a positive voltage supply and a negative voltage supply, with the linear mode amplifier and the switch mode amplifier each being connected to both the positive voltage supply and the negative voltage supply, and
the linear mode amplifier is arranged such that, in its first region, the linear mode amplifier is at least substantially saturated to the negative voltage supply, and that in substantially all of its second region, the linear mode amplifier is operated linearly, and that in its third region, the linear mode amplifier is at least substantially saturated to the positive voltage supply.
20. The electronic control system of claim 15 wherein the switch mode amplifier is arranged such that, in its first and third regions, the output signal of the switch mode amplifier is proportional to the input command signal, and that in its second region, the output signal of the switch mode amplifier is proportional to the difference between the output signal of the linear mode amplifier and the input command signal.
21. The electronic control system of claim 15, further comprising:
an electric load having first and second terminal ends respectively connected to the outputs of the linear mode amplifier and the switch mode amplifier, the electric load being a thermoelectric cooler, and wherein the electronic processing circuit and the load sensing circuit are at least substantially comprised primarily of resistive elements.
22. The electronic control system of claim 15, further comprising an electric load having first and second terminal ends respectively connected to the outputs of the linear mode amplifier and the switch mode amplifier, the electric load being selected from the groups of electric loads consisting of electric motors, coil motors, relay coils, solenoids, audio speakers, ultrasound transducers, horns, buzzers, and thermoelectric coolers.
23. The electronic control system of claim 15, wherein the load sensing circuit senses a voltage across the load.
24. The electronic control system of claim 15, wherein the load sensing circuit senses both a current flowing through the load and a voltage associated with the load.
25. The electronic control system of claim 15, wherein the load sensing circuit senses both a current flowing through the load and a voltage across the load.
26. The electronic control system of claim 15, wherein the load sensing circuit is arranged:
(a) to sense in real time both a current associated with the load and a first voltage associated with the load, whereby information as to the phase angle relationship of the load current and the first voltage associated with the load is obtained, and
(b) to pass along to the electronic processing unit at least periodically information as to the current and first voltage associated with the load, and as to the phase angle relationship therebetween.
27. The electronic control system of claim 15, wherein:
the load sensing circuit is arranged (1) to produce a first sensed signal associated with the current of the load and a second sensed signal associated with a first voltage associated to the load, and (2) to provide the first and second sensed signals to the electronic processing circuit.
28. A method of driving an electric load, using an H bridge system, in proportion to a value of an input command signal, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) providing an H bridge system including first and second nodes for connecting an electric load to be driven thereto, the H bridge system having a linear mode amplifier and a switch mode amplifier, the linear mode amplifier being provided with an input and with an output which is connected to the first node, and the switch mode amplifier being provided with an input and with an output which is connected to the second node;
(b) connecting an electric load having two opposed terminal ends to the first and second nodes;
(c) providing an input command signal;
(d) communicating a first input signal related to the input command signal to the input of the linear mode amplifier;
(e) communicating a second input signal related to the input command signal to the input of the switch mode amplifier;
(f) generating a first output signal at the output of the linear mode amplifier in response to the first input signal;
(g) generating a second output signal at the output of the switch mode amplifier; and
(h) simultaneously applying the first and second output signals to the first and second to drive the electric load, such that the difference between the first and second output signals across the load is substantially proportional to the input command signal over at least a substantial portion of the full range of the input command signal.
29. A method of driving an electric load using an H bridge system as in claim 28, wherein, in step (f), the linear mode amplifier:
(1) operates in one of first, second and third regions, depending upon the value of the input command signal,
(2) operates in opposite saturation states when in the first and third regions, and
(3) operates substantially linearly in at least most of the second region, the second region being between the first and third regions, whereby the second region serves to smoothly transition the first output signal from a first saturation state associated with the first region to a second and opposite saturation state associated with the third region.
30. A method of driving an electric load using an H bridge system as in claim 29, wherein:
the first region of the linear mode amplifier is characterized by the output signal thereof being substantially clamped at a first supply voltage;
the third region of the linear mode amplifier is characterized by the output signal thereof being substantially clamped at a second supply voltage which is different from the first supply voltage; and
the second region of the linear mode amplifier is characterized by the first output signal being a function that is dependent upon the load current.
31. A method of driving an electric load as in claim 29, wherein in step (g), the switch mode amplifier operates substantially linearly in first, second and third distinct regions which are respectively associated with but are different from the first, second and third regions of the linear mode amplifier.
32. A method of driving an electric load using an H bridge system as in claim 28, wherein the second output signal in the second region of operation of the switch mode amplifier is proportional to a difference between a value associated with the first output signal and a value associated with the first input command signal.
33. A method of driving an electric load using an H bridge system as in claim 28, wherein the electric load is selected from the group of electrical loads consisting of electric motors, coil motors, relay coils, solenoids, audio speakers, ultrasound transducers, horns, buzzers, and thermoelectric coolers.
34. An electronic control system including a H bridge arrangement for driving an electric load having three terminal ends, each of which are to be driven, the electronic control system comprising:
a linear mode amplifier having an input and having an output electrically connectable to the first terminal end of an electric load to be driven;
a first switch mode amplifier having an input and having an output, the output being electrically connectable to the second terminal end of an electric load to be driven;
a second switch mode amplifier having an input and having an output, the output being electrically connectable to the third terminal end of an electric load to be driven;
a load sensing circuit having at least one sensing output signal for providing information about at least one sensed electrical condition of the electric load;
an electronic processing circuit having first and second inputs and first, second and third outputs, the first input being for receiving a master input command signal, the second input being for receiving the sensing output signal of the load sensing circuit, the first, second and third outputs being for providing first, second and third input signals to the input of the linear mode amplifier and to the inputs of the first and second switch mode amplifiers respectively, and wherein
the linear mode amplifier and switch mode amplifiers are arranged in an H bridge configuration with the electric load being electrically connectable between the outputs of the linear mode amplifier and the first and second switch mode amplifiers, and
the electronic processing circuit is arranged to operate the linear mode amplifier in first, second and third regions, the first switch mode amplifier in first, second and third regions, and the second switch mode amplifier in first, second and third regions, with the first and third regions of operation of the linear mode amplifier being regions in which at least a portion of the linear mode amplifier is at least substantially saturated, and with the second region of operation of the linear mode amplifier being a region in which the linear mode amplifier is operating linearly through a substantial portion of the second region.
35. An electronic control system as in claim 34, further comprising an electric load which is a three-phase electrical device.
36. An electronic control system as in claim 35, wherein the three-phase electrical device is a three-phase electric motor.
37. The electronic control system of claim 34, wherein:
the system includes a first source for connecting to positive voltage supply and a second source for connecting a negative voltage supply, with the linear mode amplifier and the first and second switch mode amplifier each being connected to both the first source and the second source, and
the linear mode amplifier is arranged to be operable such that, in its first region, the linear mode amplifier is at least substantially saturated to the negative voltage supply, and that in substantially all of its second region, the linear mode amplifier is operated linearly, and that in its third region, the linear mode amplifier is at least substantially saturated to the positive voltage supply.
38. The electronic control system of claim 34 wherein the first and second switch mode amplifiers are each arranged to be operable such that, in its first and third regions, the output signal of each switch mode amplifier is proportional to its input signal, and that in its second region, the output signal of each switch mode amplifier is proportional to the difference between the output signal of the linear mode amplifier and its input signal.
39. An electronic control system as in claim 34 wherein:
the load sensing circuit is electrically connectable to at least two of the first, second and third terminal ends of the electric load to be driven,
the load sensing circuit is arranged to generate at least two sensing output signals for providing information about at least two sensed electrical conditions of the electric load, and
the electronic processing circuit further has at least a third input for receiving the second sensing output signal of the load sensing circuit, and
the electronic processing circuit is arranged to utilize the first and second sensing output signals from the load sensing circuit to help control the operation of the linear mode amplifier and the first and second switch mode amplifiers.
40. An electronic control system including a H bridge arrangement for driving an electric load having three terminal ends, each of which are to be driven, the electronic control system comprising:
a first linear mode amplifier having an input and having an output electrically connectable to the first terminal end of an electric load to be driven;
a second linear mode amplifier having an input and having an output, the output being electrically connectable to the second terminal end of an electric load to be driven;
a switch mode amplifier having an input and having an output, the output being electrically connectable to the third terminal end of an electric load to be driven;
a load sensing circuit having at least one sensing output signal for providing information about at least one sensed electrical condition of the electric load;
an electronic processing circuit having first and second inputs and first, second and third outputs, the first input being for receiving a master input command signal, the second input being for receiving the sensing output signal of the load sensing circuit, the first, second and third outputs being for providing first, second and third input signals to the inputs of the first and second linear mode amplifiers and to the input of the switch mode amplifier respectively, and wherein
the linear mode amplifiers and switch mode amplifiers are arranged in an H bridge configuration with the electric load being electrically connectable between the outputs of the first and second linear mode amplifiers and the switch mode amplifier, and
the electronic processing circuit is arranged to operate the first and second linear mode amplifiers in first, second and third regions, and the switch mode amplifier in first, second and third regions, with the first and third regions of operation of the first and second linear mode amplifiers each being regions in which at least a portion of the respective linear mode amplifier is at least substantially saturated, and with the second region of operation of the respective linear mode amplifier being a region in which the linear mode amplifier is operating linearly through a substantial portion of the second region.
41. An electronic control system as in claim 40, further comprising an electric load which is a three-phase electrical device.
42. An electronic control system as in claim 41, wherein the three-phase electrical device is a three-phase electric motor.
43. The electronic control system of claim 40, wherein:
the system includes a first source for connecting to positive voltage supply and a second source for connecting a negative voltage supply, with the linear mode amplifier and the first and second switch mode amplifier each being connected to both the first source and the second source, and
the linear mode amplifiers are each arranged to be operable such that, in its respective first region, the linear mode amplifier is at least substantially saturated to the negative voltage supply, and that in substantially all of its respective second region, the linear mode amplifier is operated linearly, and that in its third respective region, the linear mode amplifier is at least substantially saturated to the positive voltage supply.
44. The electronic control system of claim 40 wherein the switch mode amplifier is arranged to be operable such that, in its first and third regions, the output signal of the switch mode amplifier is proportional to its input signal, and that in its second region, the output signal of the switch mode amplifier is proportional to the difference between the output signal of at least one of the linear mode amplifiers and the input signal to the switch mode amplifier.
45. An electronic control system as in claim 40 wherein:
the load sensing circuit is electrically connectable to at least two of the first, second and third terminal ends of the electric load to be driven,
the load sensing circuit is arranged to generate at least two sensing output signals for providing information about at least two sensed electrical conditions of the electric load, and
the electronic processing circuit further has at least a third input for receiving the second sensing output signal of the load sensing circuit, and
the electronic processing circuit is arranged to utilize the first and second sensing output signals from the load sensing circuit to help control the operation of the first and second linear mode amplifiers and the switch mode amplifier.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method for use in managing a plurality of field replaceable units (FRUs) mounted within receiving bays of a computing rack, comprising:
receiving, at a management controller over one of a plurality of I2C data lines connected between the management controller and a circuit board of each of the plurality of receiving bays of the computing rack, a signal that a first FRU is to be inserted into or removed from the one of the plurality of receiving bays to which the one of the I2C data lines is connected;
reading, by the management controller over the one of the plurality of I2C data lines in response to the received signal, a memory of the respective one of the plurality of circuit boards connected to the one of the I2C data lines to determine geographical location data of the first FRU within the computing rack;
performing, by the management controller, one or more out of band (OOB) management routines for the first FRU using the geographical location data.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the performing comprises:
obtaining, from a memory associated with the management controller, management records corresponding to the geographical location data; and
managing, by the management controller, the first FRU using the obtained management records.
3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
controlling, by the management controller, one or more indicators resident adjacent the one of the plurality of receiving bays of the computing rack or the management controller based on the performing.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the received signal comprises an interrupt generated by the one of the plurality of circuit boards associated with the insertion or removal of the first FRU into or from the one of the plurality of receiving bays.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the management controller is implemented in a server resident on the computing rack.
6. The method of claim 2, wherein the managing comprising:
receiving, at the management controller from the first FRU, first properties of the first FRU;
evaluating, by the management controller, the obtained management records in relation to the received first properties; and
taking, by the management controller, at least one action based on a result of the evaluating.
7. The method of claim 2, wherein the managing comprises:
communicating, by the management controller over a network data line connected between the management controller and the circuit board of the one of the plurality of receiving bays of the computing rack, with an out of band (OOB) service processor of the first FRU to perform the one or more OOB management routines for the first FRU using the read information.
8. The method of claim 2, wherein the managing includes performing at least one of on-lining the first FRU, offlining the first FRU, and verifying power andor cooling parameters related to the first FRU.
9. The method of claim 7, wherein the network data line is connected to a pass-through circuit of the circuit board of the one of the plurality of receiving bays.
10. The method of claim 3, wherein the indicators comprise one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs).
11. The method of claim 3, wherein the controlling includes at least one of turning the one or more indicators on or off, or changing a color of the one or more indictors.
12. A method for use with a plurality of field replaceable units (FRUs) mounted within a plurality of receiving bays of a computing rack, comprising:
reading a memory of a management controller of the computing rack to obtain a physical topology of a plurality of communication lines expected to be electrically interconnected between the management controller and each of a plurality of receiving structures respectively fixed adjacent each of the plurality of receiving bays, wherein each of the plurality of receiving structures is adapted to interface with one of the plurality of FRUs; and
ascertaining, by the management controller, whether each of the plurality of communication lines is electrically interconnected between the management controller and each of the plurality of receiving structures according to the read physical topology.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein the ascertaining comprises:
sending, from the management controller, a plurality of signals over the plurality of communication lines; and
verifying receipt of each of the plurality of signals by the one of the plurality of receiving structures respectively associated with the one of the plurality of communication lines in the read physical topology.
14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:
determining that at least one of the plurality of communication lines is not electrically interconnected between the management controller and one of the plurality of receiving structures according to the read physical topology; and
generating a signal based on the determining.
15. The method of claim 13, wherein the receiving structures are respectively physically located in a particular order within the computing rack, wherein each of the plurality of signals is successively sent over the one of the plurality of communication lines expected to be associated with the particular order of the receiving structures within the computing rack from the read topology.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein the particular order of receiving structures within the computing rack is as a function of distance from a top or bottom of the computing rack.
17. The method of claim 15, wherein each of the plurality of receiving structures comprises at least one indicator that is adapted to be electrically interconnected to at least one of the plurality of communication lines, and wherein the verifying comprises:
confirming that each of the plurality of indicators of each of the plurality of receiving structures activates according to the particular order of the receiving structures within the computing rack responsive to receipt of the plurality of signals.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein each of the at least one indicator comprises an LED.
19. An out of band (OOB) services manager module that allows for central OOB management of rack mount equipment in a computing rack, comprising:
a service processor module;
an I2C data bus interconnected to the service processor module and including a plurality of general purpose inputoutput (GPIO) pins, wherein each of the plurality of GPIO pins is configured to transmit and receive, over at least one of a plurality of I2C data lines, I2C signals to and from one of a plurality of circuits boards disposed at fixed locations adjacent a respective plurality of receiving bays of the computing rack;
a plurality of network ports interconnected to the service processor, wherein each of the plurality of network ports is configured to transmit and receive, via respective pass-through circuits of the plurality of circuit boards, data to and from a plurality of pieces of rack mount equipment respectively mounted within the plurality of receiving bays; and
a memory storing physical topology definitions of connections between the OOB services manager module and the plurality of circuit boards, wherein the physical topology definitions comprise data indicating fixed locations of each of the circuit boards within the computing rack, and wherein the service processor module utilizes the physical topology definitions to perform central OOB management of the plurality of pieces of rack mount equipment respectively mounted within the plurality of receiving bays of the computing rack.
20. The OOB services manager module of claim 19, further comprising:
a plurality of indicators interconnected to the I2C data bus and configured to activate based on one or more statuses of the OOB services manager module or the plurality of pieces of rack mount equipment.