Tip having active circuitry

• US 6,836,101 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2002
• Issued: 12/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Comarco Wireless Systems LLC (AppBrilliance, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Comarco Wireless Technologies Incorporated (Comarco Incorporated)
• Inventors: Lanni, Thomas W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Bao Q.
• Application Number:
  US10/313,662
• Publication Number:
  US 20040108843A1
• Time in Patent Office: 754 Days
• Field of Search: 323/273, 323/274, 323/283, 323/284, 323/221, 323/282
• US Class Current: 323/274
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/56 using semiconductor devices in series with the load as final control devices G05F1/461 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0045 Converters combining the concepts of switch-mode regulation and linear regulation, e.g. linear pre-regulator to switching converter, linear and switching converter in parallel, same converter or same transistor operating either in linear or switching mode
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/007 Plural converter units in cascade push-pull DC/DC converters with pre-regulator H02M3/3374; DC-AC converters following a DC-DC stage including a high frequency transformer H02M7/4807; DC-AC converters following a DC-DC conversion stage generating periodically varying voltages H02M7/4826
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/10 Arrangements incorporating converting means for enabling loads to be operated at will from different kinds of power supplies, e.g. from ac or dc

Abstract

A power supply system includes an adapter to receive power from a power source, and output a regulated output voltage (V_out). A tip receives V_out from the adapter, and output V_out to an electronic device. The tip includes active circuitry to adjust a programming voltage (V_prog). V_prog is fed back to the adapter to control a magnitude of V_out.

Claims

1. A power supply system, comprising:

an adapter to receive power from a power source, the adapter including a regulation device which receives feedback from itself to provide a regulated output voltage (V_out);

a tip to receive V_out from the adapter, and output V_out to an electronic device, wherein the tip includes active circuitry to adjust a programming voltage (V_prog), wherein V_prog is fed back to the regulation device in the adapter to control a magnitude of V_out.

2. The power supply system of claim 1, wherein the active circuitry includes a voltage regulator to set V_prog, based on the magnitude of V_out.

3. The power supply system according to claim 2, wherein the voltage regulator compares V_out with an internal reference voltage to set V_prog.

4. The power supply system according to claim 3 wherein the tip includes a circuit coupled to Vout and to the voltage regulator to apply a predetermined fraction of Vout to the voltage regulator, the predetermined fraction corresponding to a predetermined supply voltage requirement of the electronic device.

10. The power supply system of claim 1, wherein the power source provides DC power.

11. The power supply system of claim 1, wherein the power source provides A/C power.

5. A power supply system, comprising:

an adapter to receive power from a power source, the adapter including a regulation device which receives feedback from itself to provide a regulated output voltage (V_out)

a tip to receive V_out from the adapter, and output V_out to an electronic device, wherein the tip includes active circuitry to adjust a programming voltage (V_prog), wherein V_prog is fed back to the adapter to control a magnitude of V_out and

wherein the tip includes circuitry to detect an error in a relationship between V_out and V_prog.

6. The power supply system of claim 5, wherein the tip includes a first lighting device to light when the error is detected.

7. The power supply system of claim 5, further including a switch, located in the tip, to open to prevent V_out from reaching the electronic device, when the error is detected.

8. The power supply system of claim 5, wherein the tip includes a second lighting device to light when no error is detected.

9. The power supply system of claim 5, further including a switch, located in the tip to close, to allow V_out to reach the electronic device, when no error is detected.

12. A tip, comprising:

a first connector, to receive a regulated output voltage (V_out), and output a programming voltage (V_prog), wherein V_prog is utilized to control V_out;

a voltage regulator to set V_prog, based on the magnitude of V_out, wherein V_out is equal to a multiple of V_prog, and V_out is adjusted by adjusting V_prog; and

a second connector to provide V_out to an electronic device.

13.The tip according to claim 12, wherein the voltage regulator compares a fraction of V_out with an internal reference voltage to set V_prog.

13. The tip according to claim 12, wherein the voltage regulator is selected based upon its predetermined regulation characteristics.

14. A tip, comprising:

a first connector, to receive a regulated output voltage (V_out), and output a programming voltage (V_prog), wherein Vprog is utilized to control V_out;

a voltage regulator to set V_prog, based on the magnitude of V_out, wherein V_out is equal to a multiple of V_prog, and Vout is adjusted by adjusting V_prog;

a second connector to provide V_out to an electronic device; and

a comparator to detect an error in a relationship between V_out and V_prog.

15. The tip of claim 15, further including a first lighting device to light when the error is detected.

16. The tip of claim 15, further including a switch to open, to prevent V_out from reaching the electronic device, when the error is detected.

17. The tip of claim 15, further including a second lighting device to light when no error is detected.

18. The tip of claim 15, further including a switch to close, to allow V_out to reach the electronic device, when no error is detected.

19. A method of of supplying power to an electronic device, the method comprising:

receiving, at a tip, an output voltage (V_out) from an adapter;

setting, at the tip, a programming voltage (V_prog) based on a comparison between V_out and a reference voltage;

feeding back V_prog to the adapter to control a magnitude of V_out;

outputting, via the tip, V_out to the electronic device; and

detecting, at the tip an error in of a relationship between V_prog and V_out.

20. The method of claim 20, further including lighting a lighting device located in the tip, when the error is detected.

21. The method of claim 20, further including opening a switch located in the tip, to prevent V_out from reaching the electronic device, when the error is detected.

22. The method of claim 20, further including lighting a lighting device located in the tip when no error is detected.

23. The method of claim 20, further including closing a switch located in the tip, to allow V_out to reach the electronic device, when no error is detected.