Universal power-supply connection system for multiple electronic devices, and devices for use therewith

• US 6,054,846 A
• Filed: 10/29/1996
• Issued: 04/25/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/1994
• Status: Expired

• Current Assignee: Ergo Mechanical Systems, Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Ergo Mechanical Systems, Incorporated
• Inventors: Castleman, Neal J.
• Primary Examiner(s): BERHANE, ADOLF D
• Application Number:
  US08/739,460
• Time in Patent Office: 1,274 Days
• Field of Search: 323/234, 323/283, 323/285, 323/322, 307/11, 307/31, 307/33
• US Class Current: 323/283
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/577 for plural loads
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/00 Details not covered by groups G06F3/00 - G06F13/00 and G06F21/00 architectures of general purpose stored program computers G06F15/76

Abstract

The system provides electricity to operate any of a multiplicity of device and most typically receives power from a source and passes power to any of the devices. The system also accepts electronic-device identification information for any particular one of such devices. The system also has one or more programmed digital electronic microprocessors that use the identification information to select power parameters--for passage of power from the source to the powered device. The system activates its own power-passing capability to apply power to each device according to the power parameters selected by the microprocessor. A cable, which for some purposes may regarded as part of the system and for some purposes is a separate invention, connects the microprocessor and power-passing parts of the system to the powered device; the identification information is held either in the cable--typically in a ROM, PROM, EPROM or other memory chip in one of the end connectors of the cable--or in the device to be powered, or in a power adapter which is at either end of the cable or within the device to be powered, and is read by the system microprocessor before power is supplied. In some forms of the invention, a power adapter preferably receives a. c. power from the system and derives, from the a. c. power, power in a modified form for operation of the device.

Claims

1. A power-supply connection system for providing electrical power, from a source of electrical power, to operate any of a multiplicity of electronic devices, at least one of which electronic devices has an associated power adapter;

and said system comprising;

means for receiving electrical power from such a source;

means for passing electrical power to such a power adapter that is associated with any of such electronic devices;

automatic means, associated with said power-passing means, for automatically accepting, from or through any particular one of such power adapters respectively, electronic-device identification information for a particular device which is associated with that particular one power adapter;

programmed digital electronic microprocessor means for using said identification information to select power parameters, for passage of power from the power-receiving means and through the power-passing means to said particular one device-associated power adapter; and

means for activating the power-passing means to apply power therethrough to said particular one power adapter according to the power parameters.

2. The system of claim 1, for use with at least one electronic device whose associated power adapter holds a memory unit for identifying the device to the system;

and wherein;

the information-accepting means receive the identification information from such memory unit held by such power adapter.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein:

said power-passing means pass a. c. power to such power adapter.

4. The system of claim 1, for use in conjunction with any of a multiplicity of power adapters that are respectively associated with such electronic devices of the multiplicity:

further comprising at least one electrical power-adapter receptacle, with terminal configuration that is standard for connection to any of such multiplicity of power adapters, the at least one power-adapter receptacle comprising terminals that serve as part of the power-passing and information-accepting means; and

wherein the information-accepting means of the power-adapter receptacle receive the identification information from such power adapter and associated electronic device.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein:

the terminals serving as part of the information-accepting means are the identical terminals that serve as part of the power-passing means.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a tabulation of identification information with corresponding power parameters, for each of a multiplicity of electronic devices, held in association with the microprocessor means.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein:

for a class of electronic devices that are not acceptable for use with or whose identification information is not recognized by the system, the tabulation comprises corresponding power parameters that encompass passing no power to any device of said class of electronic devices.

8. The system of claim 7, particularly for use in environments sensitive to inadequately controlled electromagnetic-radiation emissions;

and wherein;

said class of electronic devices that are not acceptable for use with, or whose identification information is not recognized by, the system comprise electronic devices that produce electromagnetic-radiation emissions that are inadequately controlled.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

said source of electrical power.

10. The system of claim 1, for use in conjunction with at least one of such electronic devices, of the multiplicity, which substantially contains its associated power adapter, and wherein:

the power-passing and information-accepting means comprise an electrical cable having a termination that is standard for connection to any of such power adapters of the multiplicity.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the parameters for each of such devices comprise at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of supply voltage, supply impedance, and supplied current.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the parameters for each of such devices comprise at least supply voltage and supplied current.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the identification information itself comprises at least one of the power parameters.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the identification information itself comprises the power parameters.

15. A power-supply connection system for providing electrical power from a source of electrical power in a facility, to operate a plurality of electronic devices, each such device being one of a multiplicity of electronic devices that have associated power adapters which are compatible with the facility;

said system comprising;

means for receiving electrical power from such a source;

automatic means, including a plurality of connection ports, for automatically passing electrical power to a plurality of any of such compatible power adapters respectively, substantially concurrently;

means, associated with said power-passing means, for accepting, from any particular one of such power adapters at any of the plurality of ports, electronic-device identification information for a particular one device associated with that particular one power adapter;

programmed digital electronic microprocessor means for using said identification information to select power parameters, for passage of power from the power-receiving means and through the power-passing means to each particular one power adapter for its associated device; and

means for activating the power-passing means to apply power therethrough to any of such compatible power adapters for the associated electronic devices, substantially concurrently, according to their power parameters respectively.

16. The system of claim 15, for use with at least one such electronic device whose associated power adapter holds an electronic memory unit;

and wherein;

the information-accepting means receive the identification information from such electronic memory unit held by such associated power adapter.

17. A power adapter for use in connecting a particular electronic device to an electrical power-supply system in a facility, for passage of electrical power from the system to the device through the adapter;

said power adapter comprising;

a first electrical connector for connection to the electronic device;

a second electrical connector having terminals for connection to the power-supply system;

means for receiving electrical power at the second electrical connector and deriving therefrom electrical power in a different form for provision to the electronic device at the first electrical connector; and

a memory unit interconnected with at least one of the terminals for connection to the power-supply system, for identifying the electronic device to the power-supply system through said at least one terminal.

18. The power adapter of claim 17, wherein:

the memory unit identifies the electronic device for validation of compatibility of the electronic device with the facility.

19. The power adapter of claim 17, wherein:

the memory unit is in the second electrical connector.

20. The power adapter of claim 17, wherein:

the memory unit is a memory chip selected from the group consisting of the Dallas®

memory chips model DS 2400, 2401 and 2502 and later refinements if any, and substantial equivalents thereof if any.

21. The power adapter of claim 17, wherein:

the memory unit is a programmed ROM chip.

22. An electronic device for use with an electrical power-supply system which supplies power to any of a multiplicity of electronic devices, in response to received identification information for each of the supplied devices, said identification information being for use in determining power parameters for each of the devices respectively;

said electronic device comprising;

at least one main chassis;

identifying means for providing identification information to the system, for identifying the device to the system; and

connection means for receiving power from the system and transmitting identification information from the identifying means to the system;

wherein the identification information identifies the device to the system, through the connection means.

23. The electronic device of claim 22, wherein:

the identifying means identify the electronic device for validation of compatibility of the electronic device with the system.

24. The electronic device of claim 22, wherein:

the identifying means comprise a memory unit held substantially at or within the main chassis.

25. The electronic device of claim 24, wherein:

the identifying means comprise a memory unit held adjacent to the main chassis.

26. The electronic device of claim 25, wherein:

the memory unit is held in a power adapter adjacent to the main chassis.

27. The electronic device of claim 26, wherein:

the power adapter receives a. c. electrical power from the system and derives, from said a. c. power, electrical power in a modified form for operating the device.

28. The electronic device of claim 22, wherein:

said identification information identifies the device to the system adequately for establishing necessary power parameters for the device.

29. The electronic device of claim 28, wherein:

said parameters comprise at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of supply voltage, supply impedance, and supplied current.

30. The electronic device of claim 28, wherein:

the parameters comprise at least supply voltage and supplied current.

31. The electronic device of claim 28, wherein:

the identification information itself comprises at least one of the power parameters.

32. The electronic device of claim 28, wherein:

the identification information itself comprises the power parameters.

33. The electronic device of claim 32, wherein:

the parameters comprise at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of supply voltage, supply impedance, and supplied current.

34. The electronic device of claim 32, wherein:

the parameters comprise at least supply voltage and supplied current.

35. The electronic device of claim 22, wherein:

the identifying means comprise a memory unit that is a memory chip selected from the group consisting of the Dallas®

memory chips model DS 2400, 2401 and 2502 and later refinements if any, and substantial equivalents thereof if any.

36. The electronic device of claim 22, wherein:

the identifying means comprise a memory unit that is a programmed ROM chip.

37. The electronic device of claim 22, for use in performing a useful function such as but not limited to computing, communicating, illuminating, calculating, displaying, examining, recording, reproducing, printing, fastening, or controlling:

further comprising one or more operating electronic memory modules used directly in and as part of such a useful function; and

wherein the identifying means comprise a memory unit that is distinct from every operating electronic memory module of the device.

38. An electronic device for use with an electrical power-supply system which supplies any of a multiplicity of electronic devices, in response to received identification information for each of the supplied devices, said identification information being for use in determining power parameters for each of the devices respectively;

said electronic device comprising;

at least one main chassis;

identifying means, comprising a memory unit held substantially at or within the main chassis, for providing identification information to the system, for identifying the device to the system; and

connection means for receiving power from the system and transmitting identification information from the identifying means to the system; and

wherein;

the identification information identifies the device to the system, through the connection means, for validation of compatibility of the electronic device with the system and for establishing necessary power parameters for the device;

said parameters comprise at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of supply voltage, supply impedance, and supplied current;

the identification information itself comprises at least one of the power parameters.

39. The device of claim 38, wherein:

the memory unit is a memory chip selected from the group consisting of the Dallas®

memory chips model DS 2400, 2401 and 2502 and later refinements if any, and substantial equivalents thereof if any.

40. The device of claim 38, wherein:

the identifying means comprise a memory unit that is a programmed ROM chip.

41. The device of claim 38, for use in performing a useful function such as but not limited to computing, communicating, illuminating, calculating, displaying, examining, recording, reproducing, printing, fastening, or controlling:

further comprising one or more operating electronic memory modules used directly in and as part of such a useful function; and

wherein the identifying means comprise a memory unit that is distinct from every operating electronic memory module of the device.