POWER SUPPLY VOLTAGE AND LOAD CONSUMPTION CONTROL

• US 20150370314A1
• Filed: 03/06/2013
• Published: 12/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Atkinson, Lee
• Granted Patent: US 9,703,367 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 5/00 Systems for regulating electric variables by detecting deviations in the electric input to the system and thereby controlling a device within the system to obtain a regulated output
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3296 by lowering the supply or operating voltage

Abstract

Examples of electronic circuits and methods are provided. A power adapter is coupled to load device such that a power node and a signal node and a ground node are common to both entities. A supply voltage is regulated and provided by the power adapter to the load device in accordance with a voltage sensed at the signal node. Electrical current drawn by the load device is limited in accordance with a voltage sensed at the signal node.

Claims

1. An electronic circuit, comprising:

a power circuit having one or more resistors either directly or selectively coupled to a signal node, the power circuit including a voltage controller to detect a voltage at the signal node and to provide a corresponding voltage control signal, the power circuit including a voltage regulator to provide a supply voltage to a power node in accordance with the voltage control signal; and

a load circuit to be removably coupled to the signal node and the power node, the load circuit including a programming resistor coupled between the signal node and a ground node, the load circuit including a load controller to sense a voltage at the signal node and to provide a corresponding load control signal.

2. The electronic circuit according to claim 1, the programming resistor characterized by an electrical resistance correlated to a voltage required by a load device including the load circuit.

3. The electronic circuit according to claim 2, the voltage controller and the voltage regulator respectively such that the supply voltage is in accordance with the voltage required by the load device.

4. The electronic circuit according to claim 1, at least one of the resistors of the power circuit characterized by an electrical resistance correlated to a power capacity of the power circuit.

5. The electronic circuit according to claim 4, the load controller such that electrical current drawn by a load entity is limited in accordance with the power capacity of the power circuit.

6. The electronic circuit according to claim 1, each of the resistors of the power circuit connected to the power node.

7. The electronic circuit according to claim 1, the resistors of the power circuit including a biasing resistor, the voltage controller to cause the biasing resistor to be coupled to the signal node while the voltage controller is detecting the voltage corresponding to the voltage control signal.

8. The electronic circuit according to claim 1, the resistors of the power circuit including a power capacity resistor, the voltage controller to cause the power capacity resistor to be coupled to the signal node while the load controller is sensing the voltage corresponding to the load control signal.

9. A system, comprising:

a computer including a load controller; and

a power adapter having a power node and a signal node and a ground node each to be disconnectably coupled to the computer, the power adapter to detect a voltage at the signal node and to provide a corresponding supply voltage at the power node, the load controller to detect a voltage at the signal node and to provide a load control signal causing the computer to limit current drawn from the power adapter in accordance therewith.

10. The system according to claim 9, the computer including a voltage programming resistor connected to the signal node, the voltage programming resistor connected to either the power node or the ground node.

11. The system according to claim 9, the power adapter including a current capacity resistor, the power capacitor resistor being coupled to the signal node at least during the detection of the voltage corresponding to the load control signal.

12. The system according to claim 11, the computer including a voltage programming resistor, the current capacity resistor and the voltage programming resistor coupled to define a voltage divider between the power node and the ground node during the detection of the voltage corresponding to the load control signal.

13. The system according to claim 9, the power adapter including a biasing resistor, the computer including a voltage programming resistor, the biasing resistor and the voltage programming resistor coupled to define a voltage divider between the power node and the ground node during the detection of the voltage corresponding to the supply voltage.

14. The power adapter according to claim 9, the power adapter configured to be coupled to a source of alternating-current electrical energy, the power adapter including a voltage regulator to provide the supply voltage at the power node.

15. A method, comprising:

coupling one or more resistors within an adapter one at a time into series relationship with a programming resistor within a load entity;

sensing one or more voltages at a signal node common to the adapter and the load entity;

providing a regulated source voltage from the adapter to the load entity in accordance with at least one of the sensed voltages; and

limiting electrical current drawn by the load entity in accordance with at least one of the sensed voltages.

16. The method according to claim 15 further comprising removably coupling the adapter to the load entity.