Tip having active circuitry

• US 7,193,398 B2
• Filed: 08/26/2004
• Issued: 03/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Comarco Wireless Technologies Incorporated (Comarco Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Comarco Wireless Technologies Incorporated (Comarco Incorporated)
• Inventors: Lanni, Thomas W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Bao Q.
• Application Number:
  US10/927,619
• Publication Number:
  US 20050024030A1
• Time in Patent Office: 936 Days
• Field of Search: 323/273, 323/274, 323/283, 323/284, 323/221
• 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, and output an output voltage (V_out); and

a tip to receive V_out from the adapter, and output V_out to an electronic device, the tip including,

a first connector, to receive the output voltage, and to output a programming voltage (V_prog),

a circuit to provide a predetermined fraction of V_out,

a regulator to compare the predetermined fraction of V_out with a reference voltage so that V_prog and V_out are controlled to respective values,

a second connector to provide the desired value of V_out to the electronic device, and

a comparator to detect an error in a relationship between V_out and V_prog and to generate an error signal if there is the error in the relationship between V_out and V_prog, wherein V_prog is fed back to the adapter to control a magnitude of V_out.

2. The power supply system of claim 1, wherein the tip includes a first lighting device to light when the error in the relationship between V_out and V_prog is detected.

3. The power supply system of claim 1, the tip further including a switch to open, to prevent V_out from reaching the electronic device, when the error is detected.

4. The power supply system of claim 1, wherein the tip includes a second lighting device to light when no error is detected.

5. The power supply system of claim 1, the tip further including a switch to close, to allow V_out to reach the electronic device, when no error is detected.

11. The power supply system of claim 1, wherein the tip includes an opposite connector adapted to mate with a first end of a cable, which is coupled to the adapter, the adapter being a small form factor power supply.

13. The power supply system of claim 1, wherein the tip receives a voltage from the adapter, in addition to the output voltage, and the voltage is utilized by the regulator.

6. A tip, comprising:

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

a circuit to provide a predetermined fraction of V_out;

a regulator to compare the predetermined fraction of V_out with a reference voltage so that V_prog and V_out are controlled to respective desired values;

a second connector to provide the desired value of V_out to an electronic device; and

a comparator to detect an error in a relationship between V_out and V_prog and to generate an error signal if there is the error in the relationship between V_out and V_prog.

7. The tip of claim 6, further including a first lighting device to light when the error in the relationship between V_out and V_prog is detected.

8. The tip of claim 6, further including a switch to open, to prevent V_out from reaching the electronic device, when the error is detected.

9. The tip of claim 6, further including a second lighting device to light when no error is detected.

10. The tip of claim 6, further including a switch to close, to allow V_out to reach the electronic device, when no error is detected.

12. The tip of claim 6, wherein the first connector is adapted to mate with a first end of a cable, which is coupled to the adapter, the adapter being a small form factor power supply.

14. The tip of claim 6, wherein the tip receives a voltage from the adapter, in addition to the output voltage, and the voltage is utilized by the regulator.

15. The tip of claim 6, wherein the comparator detects a voltage error.

16. A tip, comprising:

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

a regulator to compare a predetermined fraction of V_out with a reference voltage to set V_prog to control V_out to a desired value;

a second connector to provide the desired value of V_out to an electronic device; and

a comparator, which is a different component from the regulator, to detect an error in a relationship between V_out and V_prog if there is the error in the relationship between V_out and V_prog.

17. The tip of claim 16, further including a first lighting device to light when the error in the relationship between V_out and V_prog is detected.

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

19. The tip of claim 16, further including a second lighting device to light when no error is detected.

20. The tip of claim 16, further including a switch to close, to allow V_out to reach the electronic device, when no error is detected.