Intelligent direct current power supplies

• US 7,394,676 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2007
• Issued: 07/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Patel, Paritosh D.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, MATTHEW VAN
• Application Number:
  US11/944,341
• Publication Number:
  US 20080088177A1
• Time in Patent Office: 223 Days
• Field of Search: 363/84, 363/125, 363/142, 307 18- 22, 307 24- 26, 307/31, 307/35, 307 38- 41, 307/52, 307/60, 307/62, 307/72, 307/75, 307/85, 307/86
• US Class Current: 363/142
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6675 with built-in power supply
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 29/00 Coupling parts for selective co-operation with a counterpart in different ways to establish different circuits, e.g. for voltage selection, for series-parallel selection, programmable connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 31/06 Intermediate parts for linking two coupling parts, e.g. adapter with a holder adapted for supporting apparatus to which its counterpart is attached H01R33/94

Abstract

A power supply including a power supplying connector, a direct current (DC) connector, an information extractor, power adaptor electronics, and variable voltage electronics. The information extractor being configured to extract digitally encoded data from a carrier wave. The digitally encoded data can specify power requirements of the DC power receiving device. The variable voltage electronics can adapt DC power generated by the power adaptor in accordance with settings provided by the information extractor. This adapted power can be provided to the DC power receiving device connected to the power supply via the DC connector.

Claims

1. A power supply comprising:

an alternating current (AC) connector;

at least one direct current (DC) connector;

an information extractor configured to extract digitally encoded data from a carrier wave transmitted by a DC power receiving device, said digitally encoded data specifying power requirements of the DC power receiving device;

power adaptor electronics configured to convert power received from an AC source connected to the AC connector into DC power; and

variable voltage electronics configured to adapt DC power generated by the power supply in accordance with settings provided by the information extractor and to provide this adapted power to the DC power receiving device connected to the power supply via the DC connector.

2. The power supply of claim 1, wherein said AC connector is at least one of a 110V and a 220V connector.

3. The power supply of claim 1, wherein said DC connector can be coupled to a standardized receptacle, wherein a plurality of different DC power receiving devices having different power requirements are equipped with said standardized receptacle and utilize said power supply.

4. The power supply of claim 1, wherein aid at least one DC connector comprises a plurality of DC connectors, each configured to provide power from the AC source to a different DC power receiving device.

5. The power supply of claim 4, wherein the power adaptor electronics comprise a plurality of sets of power adaptor electronics, each set of power adaptor electronics selectively adjusting power for a corresponding to one of the plurality of DC connectors.

6. The power supply of claim 4, wherein a range of power requirements for which the power supply can be dynamically adapted depends upon a number of DC power receiving devices to which the power supply simultaneously provides DC power.

7. The power supply of claim 1, wherein the power supply further comprises:

at least one DC receptacle configured to be detachably connected to a cable, said cable having an opposing end that terminates with the DC connector.

8. The power supply of claim 7, wherein the at least one DC receptacle comprises a plurality of DC receptacles, each DC receptacle configured to provide power to a different DC power receiving device.

9. The power supply of claim 8, further comprising:

a wireless communication mechanism configured to wirelessly receive said carrier wave.

10. The power supply of claim 8, further comprising:

a power line communication mechanism configured to receive said carrier wave via a power line over which DC power is provided to the DC power receiving device.

11. A DC power receiving device comprising:

a data store specifying power requirements for the DC power receiving device;

a DC power receptacle for receiving DC power from a dynamically adjustable power supply that supplies the DC power from an AC source; and

a communication mechanism for providing the power requirements to the dynamically adjustable power supply using a carrier wave, wherein the power requirements for the power receiving device are digitally encoded into the carrier wave, wherein the dynamically adjustable power supply is configured to provide power conforming to a plurality of different devices, each device having different power requirements, wherein power supplied by the dynamically adjustable power supply to the power receiving device approximately conforms to the power requirements extracted from the carrier waver.

12. The DC power receiving device of claim 11,

a connection detection mechanism for automatically detecting a connection event of a powered connector being attached to the DC power receptacle, wherein the power requirements are automatically communicated by the communication mechanism responsive to a connection event being detected.