Monitoring and control of power supply functions using a microcontroller
First Claim
1. A system for monitoring power supply parameters, the system comprising:
- a power supply receiving an input voltage and current and providing an output voltage and current;
means connected to said power supply for developing analog signals representative of said input voltage and current and output voltage and current;
means connected to said means for developing analog signals for converting said analog signals to digital values;
a microcontroller connected to said analog to digital converting means for calculating voltage and current values from said digital values, said microcontroller including a serial port;
a host computer system having a serial port, said host computer system serial port connected to said microcontroller serial port to allow communication between said microcontroller and said host computer system, said host computer system including means for requesting voltage and current values from said microcontroller; and
wherein said microcontroller includes means responsive to said host computer system requests for providing voltage and current values to said host computer system.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A power supply monitoring and control circuit using a microcontroller to remotely monitor and control the functions and conditions of a power supply. The power supply monitoring and control circuit is coupled to the primary and secondary sides of a power supply to monitor important voltage and current signals of the power supply, such as the output voltages and currents, and to control the various parameters of the power supply such as the output voltage and current limits. Analog to digital interface circuitry is provided to convert the power supply voltage and current signals to digital signals which are retrieved by a microcontroller which converts the digital signals to numbers representing the values of the power supply signals, and then stores the numbers. The microcontroller is also interfaced to reference and feedback signals of the power supply to control the power supply'"'"'s operation. The microcontroller further keeps track of the total elapsed time of operation and the total number of times the power supply has been powered up. The power supply monitoring and control circuit operates as a slave to a host computer system so that a system operator can retrieve all of the monitored information and can control the operation of power supply. The host computer system communicates with the power supply monitoring and control circuit through a serial link, so that the host computer can be remotely located. The present invention also provides self-calibration to assure accurate data.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A system for monitoring power supply parameters, the system comprising:
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a power supply receiving an input voltage and current and providing an output voltage and current; means connected to said power supply for developing analog signals representative of said input voltage and current and output voltage and current; means connected to said means for developing analog signals for converting said analog signals to digital values; a microcontroller connected to said analog to digital converting means for calculating voltage and current values from said digital values, said microcontroller including a serial port; a host computer system having a serial port, said host computer system serial port connected to said microcontroller serial port to allow communication between said microcontroller and said host computer system, said host computer system including means for requesting voltage and current values from said microcontroller; and wherein said microcontroller includes means responsive to said host computer system requests for providing voltage and current values to said host computer system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification