Power supply for limited power sources and audio amplifier using power supply

• US 8,577,061 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2008
• Issued: 11/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Audera Acoustics Inc.
• Original Assignee: Audera Acoustics Inc.
• Inventors: French, John B., Mason, Andrew John
• Primary Examiner(s): Lun-See, Lao
• Application Number:
  US12/175,573
• Publication Number:
  US 20090016549A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,936 Days
• Field of Search: 381/120, 381/28, 381/123, 381/55, 381/323, 330/10, 330/297, 330/273, 323/299, 323/276, 323/224, 323/282, 323/313, 323/317, 323/315
• US Class Current: 381/120
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/266 Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/28 Supervision thereof, e.g. detecting power-supply failure by out of limits supervision
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/102 being switching converters H02J1/108, H02J1/12 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/345 using capacitors as storage or buffering devices
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/025 by using a signal derived from the input signal
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2203/21196 the supply voltage of a power amplifier being switchable controlled
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/004 Control by varying the supply voltage

Abstract

A power supply for limited power sources and an audio amplifier using the power supply comprising power sources to provide an output power signal that can be used by load with a high peak to average power requirement ratio. When such power sources are used to power devices that have a high peak to average power consumption, the average power output of the device is severely limited if the peak power is kept below the power supply limits of the limited power source.

Claims

1. A power supply comprising:

a power input terminal for receiving an input power signal at a source voltage from a limited power source;

a step-up converter coupled to the power input terminal to receive the input power signal and to provide a storage power signal at a storage voltage, wherein the storage voltage is higher than the source voltage;

an energy storage element coupled to the step-up converter for receiving the storage power signal and for storing power at the storage voltage; and

a power output terminal coupled to the energy storage element and the step-up converter for providing an output power signal to a load;

wherein the step-up converter isolates the source voltage at the power input terminal from the storage voltage at the energy storage element.

2. The power supply of claim 1 wherein the step-up converter includes a source power sensing circuit to measure the power level of the input power signal and includes a power limiting circuit to reduce the power level of the input power signal if the power level of the input power signal exceeds a threshold.

3. The power supply of claim 2 wherein the threshold is chosen based on power supply limitations of the limited power source.

4. The power supply of claim 2 wherein the threshold is a proportion of a power rating of the limited power source.

5. The power supply of claim 1 wherein the step-up converter includes a power sensing circuit to measure the source voltage, and includes a power limiting circuit to reduce the power level of the input power signal if the source voltage falls below a threshold.

6. The power supply of claim 1 further comprising a step-down converter coupled between the energy storage element and the power output terminal, wherein the step-down converter receives power from the energy storage element at the storage voltage and provides output power signal at the power output terminal at a supply voltage, wherein the storage voltage is higher than the supply voltage.

7. A power supply comprising:

a power input terminal;

a first energy storage element for storing energy at a first storage voltage;

a second energy storage element for storing energy at a second storage voltage;

a two output step-up converter coupled to the power input terminal to receive an input power signal from a limited power source at a source voltage and to provide a first storage power signal to the first energy storage element at the first storage voltage and to provide a second storage power signal to the second energy storage element at a second storage voltage;

a power output terminal for providing an output power signal to a load, wherein the first energy storage element is coupled to the power output terminal;

and

a controller coupled to the load for receiving a load power signal indicating an amount of power required by the load and to selectively couple the second energy storage element to the power output terminal in response to the load power signal.

8. The power supply of claim 7 further comprising a switch for coupling the first and second energy storage elements such that when the switch is open, the output power signal is provided by the first energy storage element, and when the switch is closed, the output power signal is provided by both the first and second energy storage elements, and wherein the controller couples the second energy storage element to the power output terminal by closing the switch.

9. The power supply of claim 7 further comprising a load input signal terminal coupled to the load and the controller, wherein the load input signal terminal provides the load power signal to the controller.