Granted Patent B2

US 7,187,177 · App. 11/093,855 · Granted Mar 6, 2007

Abstract

Claims (38)

1. A power distribution unit, comprising:

a power distribution unit frame, wherein the power distribution unit frame has a 2U form factor, and wherein the power distribution unit frame is coupled to mount in an embedded computer frame;

a circuit breaker connection site;

a circuit breaker disposed to be coupled to the circuit breaker connection site, wherein the circuit breaker includes a set of auxiliary contacts; and

an alarm module, wherein the alarm module is coupled to detect the circuit breaker when the circuit breaker is coupled to the circuit breaker connection site via the set of auxiliary contacts, wherein if the alarm module detects the circuit breaker, the alarm module monitors a set of shelf conditions.

2. The power distribution unit of claim 1 , wherein if the alarm module fails to detect the circuit breaker coupled to the circuit breaker connection site, the alarm module not monitoring the set of shelf conditions.

3. The power distribution unit of claim 1 , wherein the set of shelf conditions includes at least one of a computing blade condition and a power feed condition.

4. The power distribution unit of claim 1 , wherein if the alarm module detects an alarm condition from the set of shelf conditions, the alarm module generates an alarm notice.

5. The power distribution unit of claim 1 , the circuit breaker is hot-swappable.

6. A method of monitoring a power distribution unit, comprising:

providing a power distribution unit frame, wherein the power distribution unit frame has a 2U form factor, and wherein the power distribution unit frame is coupled to mount in an embedded computer frame;

coupling an alarm module to a circuit breaker connection site in the power distribution unit frame;

the alarm module detecting whether a circuit breaker is coupled to the circuit breaker connection site via a set of auxiliary contacts;

if the alarm module detects the circuit breaker, the alarm module monitoring a set of shelf conditions; and

if the alarm module fails to detect the circuit breaker, the alarm module not monitoring the set of shelf conditions.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein if the alarm module detects the circuit breaker, the alarm module monitoring at least one of a computing blade condition and a power feed condition.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein if the alarm module detects an alarm condition from the set of shelf conditions, generating an alarm notice.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein monitoring the set of shelf conditions comprises monitoring the circuit breaker for a power feed fault condition, wherein if the power feed fault condition is detected, generating an alarm notice.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising the power distribution unit comprising a plurality of circuit breakers and delineating which of the plurality of circuit breakers generated the power feed fault condition.

11. The method of claim 6 , wherein monitoring the set of shelf conditions comprises monitoring a computing blade that is supplied power through the circuit breaker for a computing blade fault condition, wherein if the computing blade fault condition is detected, generating an alarm notice.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the computing blade is an AdvancedTCA computing blade.

13. The method of claim 6 , wherein the circuit breaker is hot-swappable.

14. A method of monitoring a power distribution unit, comprising:

providing a power distribution unit frame, wherein the power distribution unit frame has a 2U form factor, and wherein the power distribution unit frame is coupled to mount in an embedded computer frame;

coupling an alarm module to a circuit breaker connection site in the power distribution unit frame;

the alarm module detecting whether a circuit breaker is coupled to the circuit breaker connection site via a set of auxiliary contacts;

if the alarm module detects the circuit breaker, enabling monitoring a set of shelf conditions; and

if the alarm module fails to detect the circuit breaker, disabling monitoring the set of shelf conditions.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising without interrupting power to the power distribution unit:

removing the circuit breaker from the circuit breaker connection site;

the alarm module automatically disabling monitoring the plurality of shelf conditions;

coupling the circuit breaker to the circuit breaker connection site; and

the alarm module automatically enabling monitoring the plurality of shelf conditions.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein if the alarm module detects the circuit breaker, the alarm module monitoring at least one of a computing blade condition and a power feed condition.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein if the alarm module detects an alarm condition from the set of shelf conditions, generating an alarm notice.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein monitoring the set of shelf conditions comprises monitoring the circuit breaker for a power feed fault condition, wherein if the power feed fault condition is detected, generating an alarm notice.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising the power distribution unit comprising a plurality of circuit breakers and delineating which of the plurality of circuit breakers generated the alarm notice.

20. The method of claim 14 , wherein monitoring the set of shelf conditions comprises monitoring a computing blade that is supplied power through the circuit breaker for a computing blade fault condition, wherein if the computing blade fault condition is detected, generating an alarm notice.

Assignments (11)