Abstract: Managing power consumption in a computing system that includes a plurality of integrated technology elements (‘ITEs’) that receive power from a plurality of common form factor power supplies, including: determining the maximum amount of power that can be delivered by each of the common form factor power supplies; determining whether the maximum amount of power that can be delivered by a first common form factor power supply is different than the maximum amount of power that can be delivered by a second common form factor power supply; and responsive to determining that the maximum amount of power that can be delivered by the first common form factor power supply is different than the maximum amount of power that can be delivered by the second common form factor power supply, throttling one or more of the ITEs.

Abstract: A direct current (DC) power supply supplies at least a first output and a second output having opposite voltage polarities. A protection circuit is coupled to the first and second outputs of the DC power supply, where the protection circuit includes a summing circuit that sums the voltages of the first and second outputs, an over-voltage detection circuit coupled to the summing circuit, and a shutdown latch. In the event of an overload or short circuit fault on one of the outputs of the power supply, the sum of the voltages of the first and second outputs exceeds a threshold voltage, causing the over-voltage detection circuit to output an over-voltage signal. In response to the over-voltage signal, the shutdown latch disables are at least one output of the DC power supply in order to prevent damage to its internal components.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for transferring data between at least one direct access storage device in a media console and devices in a system unit. The system unit is separate from the media console and includes a microprocessor coupled to a local bus and an expansion bus. An electrical connector having one end coupled to the media console and another end coupled to the system unit is used for electrically connecting device(s) in the console to devices in the system unit. The method includes the steps of monitoring the expansion bus with a first interface in the system unit to determine when a bus cycle initiated by a device in the system unit is directed to the direct access storage device and transferring data from the expansion bus to the direct access storage device via the electrical connector and a second interface in the console when a bus cycle is directed to the direct access storage device.

Abstract: Disclosed is a personal computer system that includes a media console coupled to a system unit with a multi-conductor cable. The media console includes a direct access storage device having an opening for receiving a removable storage medium. The system unit is separate from the console and includes a microprocessor coupled to a local bus and an expansion bus, a non-volatile storage device coupled to the local bus and a power supply for supplying power to the system. The cable has one end coupled to the console and another end coupled to the system unit for electrically connecting devices in the console to devices in the system unit. The system unit has a first interface coupled to the expansion bus and the cable, and the console has a second interface coupled to the cable and the direct access storage device in the console.

Abstract: A local area network (LAN) interface port with a simple overcurrent protection circuit which isolates the power supply connection for the port from fault conditions on the LAN. The circuit has a normally-on field effect pass transistor in line with the load terminal. The pass transistor shuts off when a fault condition is detected. Such a condition is detected when the voltage across a sense resistor becomes greater than the voltage across a reference resistor. A current mirror is made up of a transistor array and the sense and reference resistors. The current mirror compares the two voltages, and a bipolar transistor switches the gate voltage of the pass transistor on when the fault condition is detected. The design is particularly useful with the LAN system specified in ANSI/IEEE Standard 802.3, commonly known as Ethernet.