Dual mode power supply with inductor detection
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A dual mode power supply module comprising:
- a switch operable to connect an output node of the power supply module to a power supply of the power supply module;
a detector for detecting a signal at the output node indicative of the presence or absence of an inductor at the output node; and
means for selecting either a first operating mode or a second operating mode of the dual mode power supply module according to a signal output by the detector, wherein if the signal at the output node is indicative of the presence of an inductor the first operating mode is selected and if the signal at the output node is indicative of the absence of an inductor the second operating mode is selected, and wherein in the first operating mode the dual mode power supply is configured to operate as a switch mode power supply only and in the second operating mode the dual mode power supply is configured to operate as a linear mode power supply only;
wherein the signal at the output node that is indicative of the presence of an inductor is governed by a first time constant; and
wherein the signal at the output node that is indicative of the absence of an inductor is governed by a second time constant, wherein the first time constant is different from the second time constant.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present application relates to a power supply module which is operable in a switch mode and in a linear mode. The power supply module includes a detector for detecting the presence of an inductor at an output node of the power supply module If an inductor is detected, the detector outputs a signal indicating the presence of the inductor, and the power supply module selects the switch mode as its operating mode. If no inductor is detected, the detector outputs a signal indicative of the absence of an inductor and the power supply module selects its linear mode as its operating mode.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A dual mode power supply module comprising:
-
a switch operable to connect an output node of the power supply module to a power supply of the power supply module; a detector for detecting a signal at the output node indicative of the presence or absence of an inductor at the output node; and means for selecting either a first operating mode or a second operating mode of the dual mode power supply module according to a signal output by the detector, wherein if the signal at the output node is indicative of the presence of an inductor the first operating mode is selected and if the signal at the output node is indicative of the absence of an inductor the second operating mode is selected, and wherein in the first operating mode the dual mode power supply is configured to operate as a switch mode power supply only and in the second operating mode the dual mode power supply is configured to operate as a linear mode power supply only; wherein the signal at the output node that is indicative of the presence of an inductor is governed by a first time constant; and wherein the signal at the output node that is indicative of the absence of an inductor is governed by a second time constant, wherein the first time constant is different from the second time constant. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A method of operating a dual mode power supply module, the method comprising:
-
connecting an output node of the power supply module to a power supply of the power supply module; detecting a signal at the output node indicative of the presence or absence of an inductor at the output node; and selecting either a first operating mode or a second operating mode of the dual mode power supply module according to a signal output by the detector, wherein if the signal at the output node is indicative of the presence of an inductor the first operating mode is selected and if the signal at the output node is indicative of the absence of an inductor the second operating mode is selected, and wherein in the first operating mode the dual mode power supply is configured to operate as a switch mode power supply only and in the second operating mode the dual mode power supply is configured to operate as a linear mode power supply only; wherein the signal at the output node that is indicative of the presence of an inductor is governed by a first time constant; and wherein the signal at the output node that is indicative of the absence of an inductor is governed by a second time constant, wherein the first time constant is different from the second time constant. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification