Anticipatory power failure detection apparatus and method
First Claim
1. An apparatus for anticipating a power failure condition in a regulated power supply system having a regulated output signal comprisingmeans for generating a regulation control signal representative of the difference between said regulated output signal and an optimum operating point of the regulated output signal,means responsive to said control signal for generating said regulated output signal,means for determining when said control signal is in a saturation state, andmeans for signalling an input power failure if said control signal is in said saturated state.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An anticipatory power failure detection apparatus and method, for use in connection with power supplies providing a regulated voltage signal to an electronic load such as a computer, employing circuitry for determining whether a control signal, within the regulated power supply circuit, is in a saturation state. Upon detecting a saturation state for the control signal, circuitry signals that an input power failure is occurring. The regulated power supply system can be a switching-type voltage regulation control system, wherein a pulse-width modulated switching system controls the periodic input of energy to an energy-storage network which generates the regulated voltage output signal. A derivative of the error signal is periodically sampled for determining whether it is in the saturation state. The regulated power supply control signal will be in the saturation state when the unregulated input voltage supply is insufficient to maintain the regulated voltage signal at the specified optimum operating point.
41 Citations
9 Claims
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1. An apparatus for anticipating a power failure condition in a regulated power supply system having a regulated output signal comprising
means for generating a regulation control signal representative of the difference between said regulated output signal and an optimum operating point of the regulated output signal, means responsive to said control signal for generating said regulated output signal, means for determining when said control signal is in a saturation state, and means for signalling an input power failure if said control signal is in said saturated state.
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2. An apparatus for anticipating a power failure condition in a regulated voltage power supply system having a regulated voltage output signal comprising
a switching-type voltage regulation control system, said system having a voltage regulation monitor means for generating an error signal representing the difference between a regulated voltage output of said power supply system and an optimum operating point voltage output, and switching signal generating means responsive to said error signal for generating a control signal for controlling periodic input of energy to an energy-storage network of said regulation control system for generating said regulated voltage output, and means for periodically sampling said control signal for signalling a power failure condition at a time when said error signal is in a saturation state.
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5. A method for anticipating a power failure condition in a regulated power supply system having a regulated output signal comprising the steps of
generating a regulation control signal representative of the difference between said regulated output signal and an optimum operating point of the output signal, using said control signal for generating said regulated output signal, determining when said control signal is in a saturation state, and signalling an input power failure if said control signal is in said saturated state.
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6. A method for anticipating a power failure condition in a regulated voltage power supply system having a regulated voltage output signal comprising the steps of
generating an error signal representing the difference between an optimum operating point output voltage and the regulated voltage output of said voltage power supply system, generating, in response to said error signal, a switching control signal for controlling a periodic energy input to an energy-storage network of a switching-type voltage regulation control system for generating said regulated voltage output, and periodically sampling said switching control signal for signalling a power failure condition at a time when said error signal is in a saturation state.
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9. An apparatus for anticipating a power failure condition in a regulated power supply system having a regulated output signal comprising
means for generating a regulation control signal representative of the difference between said regulated output signal and an optimum operating point of the regulated output signal, means responsive to said control signal for generating said regulated output signal, means for determining when said control signal is in a saturation state, a relay having a relay coil and at least one set of contacts, a first transistor in series with said relay coil, said coil and said transistor being connected across a power source, means for connecting a normally closed contact of said set to a source of power, a second transistor connected between said source of power and an armature contact of said set, and means responsive to said determining means for activating, in a first no-alarm condition, said first transistor to a conductive state for actuating said relay coil and for maintaining said second transistor in a cut-off condition, and for turning said first transistor, in an alarm condition, to release said coil, and for activating said second transistor for applying said source voltage to signal an input power failure when the control signal is in the saturated state.
Specification