A Controlled-Capacity Power Unit for High-Density Backplane Protection

Signal-carrying conductors located near power conductors can be damaged by fault currents. Previously, these signal conductors have been protected in high-density backplanes by segmenting the load and limiting the current available per segment to a safe level using one of three methods: current-limited power supplies, electronic monitors in the power distribution network, or distribution fuses. This paper describes a system that uses a controlled-capacity power unit to protect signal conductors without the inherent expense of segmentation.