Power distribution system

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/287,645 filed on Nov. 28, 2005. The disclosure of the above application is incorporated herein by reference.

Although an embedded computer system may include redundant cards such that the failure of one card will not cause overall system downtime, power outages can cause an entire chassis or shelf to fail. In the prior art, when one card catastrophically fails, its redundant counterpart is often on the same set of power rails, which can lead to both cards failing. This catastrophic power failure can also lead to other cards failing in the embedded computer system.

There is a need, not met in the prior art, to protect redundant pairs of cards from catastrophic power failure. Accordingly, there is a significant need for an apparatus and method that overcomes the deficiencies of the prior art outlined above.

Elements in the Figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the Figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help improve understanding of various embodiments. Furthermore, the terms “first”, “second”, and the like herein, if any, are used inter alia for distinguishing between similar elements and not necessarily for describing a sequential or chronological order. Moreover, the terms “front”, “back”, “top”, “bottom”, “over”, “under”, and the like in the Description and/or in the Claims, if any, are generally employed for descriptive purposes and not necessarily for comprehensively describing exclusive relative position. Any of the preceding terms so used may be interchanged under appropriate circumstances such that various embodiments described herein may be capable of operation in other configurations and/or orientations than those explicitly illustrated or otherwise described.