Programmable power supply

• US 20050024907A1
• Filed: 08/26/2004
• Published: 02/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/1994
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Comarco Wireless Technologies Incorporated (Comarco Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Comarco Wireless Technologies Incorporated (Comarco Incorporated)
• Inventors: Lanni, Thomas W.
• Granted Patent: US 6,922,347 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 363/144
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 2027/2819 Planar transformers with printed windings, e.g. surrounded by two cores and to be mounted on printed circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/24 resilient; resiliently-mounted
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6675 with built-in power supply
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/16 for telephony
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/24 for radio transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/20 Charging or discharging characterised by the power electronics converter
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00041 in response to measured battery parameters, e.g. voltage, current or temperature profile
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00047 with provisions for charging different types of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0068 Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply H02J7/0013 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/02 for charging batteries from ac mains by converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/4258 using a single converter stage both for correction of AC input power factor and generation of a regulated and galvanically isolated DC output voltage H02M1/4241 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/003 Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/156 with automatic control of output voltage or current, e.g. switching regulators
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/28 using discharge tubes with control electrode or semiconductor devices with control electrode to produce the intermediate ac
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/33507 with automatic control of the output voltage or current, e.g. flyback converters H02M3/33561, H02M3/33569 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/33523 with galvanic isolation between input and output of both the power stage and the feedback loop
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/3372 of the parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/3378 in a push-pull configuration of the parallel type H02M3/3374 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/3382 in a push-pull circuit arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/3387 : in a push-pull configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/003 : Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0203 : Cooling of mounted components H05K1/0272 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0262 : Arrangements for regulating voltages or for using plural voltages
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/029 : having a programmable lay-out, i.e. adapted for choosing between a few possibilities
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/16 : incorporating printed electric components, e.g. printed resistor, capacitor, inductor
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/165 : incorporating printed inductors
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/086 : for inductive purposes, e.g. printed inductor with ferrite core
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09063 : Holes or slots in insulating substrate not used for electrical connections
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 40/00 : Technologies aiming at improving the efficiency of home appliances, e.g. induction cooking or efficient technologies for refrigerators, freezers or dish washers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/10 : Technologies improving the efficiency by using switched-mode power supplies [SMPS], i.e. efficient power electronics conversion e.g. power factor correction or reduction of losses in power supplies or efficient standby modes

Abstract

A progammable power supply for providing a regulated DC output power is disclosed. The power supply provides the output power to any one of a plurality of electronic devices adapted for receiving the output power at an operational voltage or an operational current. The power supply receives a programming signal to maintain the output power at the operational voltage or operational current associated with a particular selected electronic device. Accordingly, by varying the programming signal, the power supply can be programmed to provide output power to any one of several electronic devices having differing input power requirements.

Claims

1-23. -23. (cancelled).

24. A power supply system, comprising:

a power source to provide a DC power signal; and

a control circuit, remote to the power source, to receive the DC power signal and provide a first DC power signal to a first electronic device, wherein the control circuit includes at least one passive component to provide at least one of a voltage control output and a current control output to the power source to regulate the first DC power signal.

25. The power supply system according to claim 24, wherein the electronic device is a rechargeable battery.

26. The power supply system according to claim 24, wherein at least one passive component is a resistor.

27. The power supply system according to claim 26, wherein a magnitude of the first DC power signal is dependent upon a set value of the resistor.

28. A power supply system comprising:

a power source to provide a DC power signal;

a control circuit, remote to the Dower source, to receive the DC power signal and to provide a first DC power signal to a first electronic device, wherein the control circuit includes at least one passive component to provide at least one of a voltage control output and a current control output to the power source to regulate the first DC power signal; and

including an interface to provide the first DC power signal to the first electronic device via a first output port, and a second DC power signal to a second electronic device via a second output port, wherein the interface includes a voltage regulator to tap off of the first DC power signal and produce the second DC power signal.

29. The power supply system according to claim 28, wherein the voltage regulator steps up the first DC power signal to produce the second DC power signal.

30. The power supply system according to claim 28, wherein the voltage regulator steps down the first DC power signal to produce the second DC power signal.

31. The power supply signal according to claim 28, wherein the voltage regulator regulates the first DC power signal to produce the second DC power signal.

32. The power supply system according to claim 28, wherein the interface is located within a cable.

33. The power supply system according to claim 28, wherein the interface is located within a tip coupled between the power supply and one of the first electronic device and the second electronic device.

34. A power supply system, comprising:

a power source to a provide DC power; and

a control circuit, remote to the power source, to receive the DC power and provide a first DC power signal to a first electronic device, wherein the control circuit includes at least one active component to provide at least one of a voltage control output and a current control output to the power source to regulate the DC power.

35. A power supply system, comprising:

a power source to a provide DC power; and

a control circuit, remote to the power source, to receive the DC power and provide a first DC power signal to a first electronic device, wherein the control circuit includes an amplifier to provide at least one of a voltage control output and a current control output to the power source to regulate the DC power.

36. A power supply system, comprising:

a power source to a provide DC power;

a control circuit, remote to the power source, to receive the DC power and provide a first DC power signal to a first electronic device, wherein the control circuit includes at least one active component to provide at least one of a voltage control output and a current control output to the Power source to regulate the DC power, and

an interface to provide the first DC power signal to the first electronic device via a first output port, and a second DC power signal to a second electronic device via a second output port, wherein the interface includes a voltage regulator to tap off of the first DC power signal and produce the second DC power signal.

37. The power supply system according to claim 36, wherein the voltage regulator steps up the first DC power signal to produce the second DC power signal.

38. The power supply system according to claim 36, wherein the voltage regulator steps down the first DC power signal to produce the second DC power signal.

39. The power supply signal according to claim 36, wherein the voltage regulator regulates the first DC power signal to produce the second DC power signal.

40. The power supply system according to claim 36, wherein the interface is located within a cable.

41. The power supply system according to claim 36, wherein the interface is located within a tip coupled between the power supply and one of the first electronic device and the second electronic device.

42. A power supply system, comprising:

a power source to provide DC power; and

a control circuit, remote to the power source, to receive the DC power and provide the DC power to an electronic device, wherein the control circuit includes a microprocessor to provide at least one of a voltage control output and a current control output to the power source to regulate the DC power.

43. The power supply system according to claim 42, further including an interface to provide the first DC power signal to the first electronic device via a first output port, and a second DC power signal to a second electronic device via a second output port, wherein the interface includes a voltage regulator to tap off of the first DC power signal and produce the second DC power signal.

44. The power supply system according to claim 43, wherein the voltage regulator steps up the first DC power signal to produce the second DC power signal.

45. The power supply system according to claim 43, wherein the voltage regulator steps down the first DC power signal to produce the second DC power signal.

46. The power supply signal according to claim 43, wherein the voltage regulator regulates the first DC power signal to produce the second DC power signal.

47. The power supply system according to claim 43, wherein the interface is located within a cable.

48. The power supply system according to claim 43, wherein the interface is located within a tip coupled between the power supply and one of the first electronic device and the second electronic device.

49. A power supply system, comprising:

a power source to provide DC power; and

a cable to receive the power and provide the power to a first electronic device, wherein the cable includes at least one passive component to provide at least one of a voltage control output and a current control output to the power source to regulate the DC power, and

the cable includes an interface to provide a first DC power signal to the first electronic device via a first output port, and a second DC power signal to a second electronic device via a second output port, wherein the interface includes a voltage regulator to tap off of the first DC power signal and produce the second DC power signal.

50. The power supply system according to claim 49, wherein the electronic device is a rechargeable battery.

51. The power supply system according to claim 49, wherein the at least one passive component is a resistor.

52. The power supply system according to claim 49, wherein the voltage regulator steps up the first DC power signal to produce the second DC power signal.

53. The power supply system according to claim 49, wherein the voltage regulator steps down the first DC power signal to produce the second DC power signal.

54. The power supply signal according to claim 49, wherein the voltage regulator regulates the first DC power signal to produce the second DC power signal.