Apparatus and method for controlling supply voltage in multiple interface card

• US 7,332,896 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2005
• Issued: 02/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Choi, Jong-Sang, Cho, Zang-Hee, Kim, Seong-Hyun, Im, Jeon-Taek, Park, Yong-Joo, Kim, Kyoung-Hun, Shin, Jong-Hoon
• Primary Examiner(s): Laxton; Gary L
• Application Number:
  US11/315,704
• Publication Number:
  US 20060158809A1
• Time in Patent Office: 789 Days
• Field of Search: 323/299, 307/80, 307/72, 307/75, 307/82, 307/85, 307/86
• US Class Current: 307/80
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/10 Parallel operation of dc sources
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0034 using reverse polarity correcting or protecting circuits mechanical means of polarity protection H02J7/0045

Abstract

An apparatus and method for controlling a supply voltage of a multiple interface card includes a first voltage adjustment unit, a second voltage adjustment unit, an internal circuit, a first voltage controller, and a second voltage controller. The first voltage controller adjusts a first supply voltage to a first internal supply voltage used as an operating voltage of the internal circuit and supplies the first internal supply voltage to the internal circuit. The second voltage adjustment unit adjusts a second supply voltage to a second internal supply voltage used as an operating voltage of the internal circuit and supplies the second internal supply voltage to the internal circuit. The first voltage controller detects the first supply voltage and, according to the first supply voltage, either applies the first supply voltage to the first voltage adjustment unit or blocks the first supply voltage from the first voltage adjustment unit. The second voltage controller detects the second supply voltage and, according to the detected voltage, either applies the second supply voltage to the second voltage adjustment unit or blocks the second supply voltage from the second voltage adjustment unit.

Claims

1. A supply voltage control apparatus comprising:

a first voltage adjustment unit adjusting a first supply voltage to a first internal supply voltage used as an operating voltage of an internal circuit and supplying the first internal supply voltage to the internal circuit;

a second voltage adjustment unit adjusting a second supply voltage to a second internal supply voltage used as the operating voltage of the internal circuit and supplying the second internal supply voltage to the internal circuit;

a first voltage controller detecting the first supply voltage by comparing the first supply voltage with a predetermined first detection voltage and outputting a first control signal as a result of the comparison and, according to the first control signal, either applying the first supply voltage to the first voltage adjustment unit or blocking the first supply voltage from the first voltage adjustment unit; and

a second voltage controller detecting the second supply voltage by comparing the second supply voltage with a predetermined second detection voltage and outputting a second control signal as a result of the comparison and, according to the second control signal, either applying the second supply voltage to the second voltage adjustment unit or blocking the second supply voltage from the second voltage adjustment unit.

2. The supply voltage control apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first voltage controller comprises:

a first switch selectively providing first conductive path for supplying the first supply voltage to the first voltage adjustment unit.

3. The supply voltage control apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first voltage controller further comprises:

a first voltage detector producing the first control signal for controlling the first switch in response to comparing the first supply voltage and the predetermined first detection voltage.

4. The supply voltage control apparatus of claim 3, wherein the first control signal from the first voltage detector opens the first switch if the first supply voltage is lower than the predetermined first detection voltage.

5. The supply voltage control apparatus of claim 4, wherein the second voltage controller comprises:

a second switch selectively providing a second conductive path for supplying the second supply voltage to the second voltage adjustment unit.

6. The supply voltage control apparatus of claim 5, wherein the second voltage controller further comprises:

a second voltage detector producing the second control signal for controlling the second switch in response to comparing the second supply voltage and the predetermined second detection voltage.

7. The supply voltage control apparatus of claim 6, wherein the second control signal from the second voltage detector opens the second switch if the second supply voltage is lower than the predetermined second detection voltage.

8. The supply voltage control apparatus of claim 7, wherein the predetermined first detection voltage is the same as the predetermined second detection voltage.

9. The supply voltage control apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a first supply voltage receiver receiving a first supply voltage generated by a predetermined first host and applying the first supply voltage to the first voltage controller; and

a second supply voltage receiver receiving a second supply voltage generated by a predetermined second host and applying the second supply voltage to the second controller.

10. The supply voltage control apparatus of claim 9, wherein the first supply voltage receiver communicates with the first host based on a contact-type smart card interface standard.

11. The supply voltage control apparatus of claim 10, wherein the contact-type smart card interface standard is an ISO 7816 protocol.

12. The supply voltage control apparatus of claim 9, wherein the first supply voltage receiver communicates with the first host based on a contactless-type smart card standard.

13. The supply voltage control apparatus of claim 9, wherein the contactless-type smart card standard is an ISO 14443 protocol.

14. The supply voltage control apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first supply voltage is different from the second supply voltage.

15. The supply voltage control apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first internal supply voltage is the same as the second internal supply voltage.

16. A supply voltage control method comprising:

adjusting a first supply voltage to a first internal supply voltage used as an operating voltage of an internal circuit and supplying the first internal supply voltage to the internal circuit;

adjusting a second supply voltage to a second internal supply voltage used as an operating voltage of an internal circuit and supplying the second internal supply voltage to the internal circuit;

detecting the first supply voltage by comparing the first supply voltage with a predetermined first detection voltage and outputting a first control signal as a result of the comparison and, according to the first control signal, either applying the first supply voltage to a first circuit element or blocking the first supply voltage from the first circuit element; and

detecting the second supply voltage by comparing the second supply voltage with a predetermined second detection voltage and outputting a second control signal as a result of the comparison and, according to the second control signal, either applying the second supply voltage to a second circuit element or blocking the second supply voltage from the second circuit element.

17. The supply voltage control method of claim 16, wherein the first supply voltage is different from the second supply voltage.

18. The supply voltage control method of claim 16, wherein the first internal supply voltage is the same as the second internal supply voltage.