February 26, 2007
Members of the Power Management Bus (PMBus trade;) Implementers Forum introduced version 1.1 of the open communications interface specification for the control of power systems. The new specification offers enhancements which simplify the management of system power supplies while extending the PMBus protocol to address the needs of ac-dc supplies as well as dc-dc converters.
The PMBus 1.1 spec simplifies the design and implementation of the PMBus protocol into servers, storage systems, routers and other systems. System original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) now have an improved open standard protocol for dc-dc conversion and ac-dc power supplies.
Enhanced fan and cooling management features plus improved fault management capabilities allow designer to have even better control of the power system. The PMBus v1.1 specification rsquo;s query and capability command features reduce demands placed on the host-system, and new clarifications make the standard easier to understand and implement.
"The latest version of the PMBus specification extends the 1.0 spec, enabling OEMs to take advantage of the system power management capabilities provided by this open communications standard. These changes are a direct result of continued collaboration among the PMBus adopters and industry stakeholders," said Dave Heacock, Director of the PMBus-Implementers Forum (PMBus-IF).
The PMBus-IF was launched in 2005 by a core group of power management companies to address the market need for an open standard for communication between elements of a power system. Implemented over the industry-standard SMBus trade; serial interface, the PMBus protocol facilitates the programming, control and real-time monitoring of compliant power conversion products. With over 36 adopter companies, the PMBus protocol has enjoyed industry-wide acceptance by power semiconductor suppliers, power supply manufacturers and system OEMs as a truly open standard for system power management.
News RSS