POWER SUPPLY MONITOR

• US 20150035564A1
• Filed: 07/26/2013
• Published: 02/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Analog Devices, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Analog Devices, Inc.
• Inventors: Tobin, David
• Granted Patent: US 8,937,497 B1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 327/56
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C

Abstract

An electrical circuit includes a comparator that receives a first signal at a first input pin, where the first signal is indicative of a current drawn from a power supply unit (PSU) that delivers power to an electronic component. The comparator substantially simultaneously receives a second signal at a second input pin, where the second signal is indicative of a voltage provided by the PSU to the electronic component and is set to a predetermined threshold. An output of the comparator changes if a difference exists between the first signal and the second signal. The electrical circuit includes a variable gain amplifier that provides the first signal to the comparator, where a gain of the variable gain amplifier is set according to the predetermined threshold.

Claims

1. An electrical circuit, comprising:

a comparator that receives a first signal at a first input pin, wherein the first signal is indicative of a current drawn from a power supply unit (PSU), wherein the PSU delivers power to an electronic component, wherein the comparator receives a second signal at a second input pin, wherein the second signal is indicative of a voltage provided by the PSU to the electronic component and is set to a predetermined threshold, wherein an output of the comparator changes if a difference exists between the first signal and second signal; and

a variable gain amplifier that provides the first signal to the comparator, wherein a gain of the variable gain amplifier is set according to the predetermined threshold.

2. The electrical circuit of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of amplifiers that measures a differential of a portion of the voltage from a reference voltage and provide the reference voltage adjusted by the differential as the second signal to the comparator.

3. The electrical circuit of claim 2, wherein the plurality of amplifiers comprises:

a non-inverting unity gain buffer amplifier; and

an inverting voltage amplifier, wherein the non-inverting unity gain amplifier provides the portion of the voltage to the inverting voltage amplifier, wherein the inverting voltage amplifier generates the second signal as its output.

4. The electrical circuit of claim 2, wherein the reference voltage is substantially stable, wherein the reference voltage is provided by a voltage reference source.

5. The electrical circuit of claim 2, wherein the portion comprises voltage within a common mode voltage range of the amplifiers and the comparator.

6. The electrical circuit of claim 1, wherein the difference between the first signal and the second signal remains constant for a constant power drawn by the electronic component from the PSU.

7. The electrical circuit of claim 1, wherein the gain of the variable gain amplifier is set with a variable resistor.

8. The electrical circuit of claim 7, wherein the variable resistor is at least one of a digital potentiometer and a digital variable gain amplifier.

9. The electrical circuit of claim 1, further comprising:

a current sense amplifier that measures the current and converts the current to another voltage that is provided to the variable gain amplifier, wherein the variable gain amplifier amplifies the another voltage according to the gain to generate the first signal.

10. The electrical circuit of claim 1, wherein the comparator includes hysteresis.

11. The electrical circuit of claim 1, wherein the predetermined threshold is indicative of a power rating of the PSU.

12. The electrical circuit of claim 1, wherein the predetermined threshold is set to indicate a maximum load on the PSU is approximately 100% of the PSU'"'"'s power rating.

13. The electrical circuit of claim 1, wherein the change to the output of the comparator when the predetermined threshold is exceeded includes at least one action selected from a group consisting of pulling high, pulling low, pulsing, or resetting.

14. The electrical circuit of claim 1, wherein the output of the comparator provides a throttling signal to the electronic component.

15. The electrical circuit of claim 1, wherein the voltage and the current are measured concurrently.

16. The electrical circuit of claim 1, wherein substantially all current and voltage measurements and comparisons are performed in an analog domain.

17. The electrical circuit of claim 1, wherein a tolerance of the electrical circuit varies substantially with tolerances and offsets of its analog components.

18. The electrical circuit of claim 1, wherein the PSU includes at least one of an alternating current source or a direct current source.

19. A method comprising:

providing a first signal from a variable gain amplifier to a comparator at a first input pin, wherein the first signal is indicative of a current drawn from a PSU, wherein the PSU delivers power to an electronic component; and

providing a second signal at a second input pin to the comparator, wherein the second signal is indicative of a voltage provided by the PSU to the electronic component and is set to a predetermined threshold, wherein an output of the comparator changes if a difference exists between the first signal and second signal, wherein a gain of the variable gain amplifier is set according to the predetermined threshold.

20. An electrical circuit, comprising:

means for providing a first signal from a variable gain amplifier to a comparator at a first input pin;

a power supply means, wherein the first signal is indicative of a current drawn from the power supply means, wherein the power supply means delivers power to an electronic component; and

means for providing a second signal at a second input pin to the comparator, wherein the second signal is indicative of a voltage provided by the power supply means to the electronic component and is set to a predetermined threshold, wherein an output of the comparator changes if a difference exists between the first signal and second signal, wherein a gain of the variable gain amplifier is set according to the predetermined threshold.