System and method for controlling a point-of-load regulator
US6949916B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 12, 2002 |
| Grant date | Sep 27, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 10, 2024 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY04S40/124
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A system and method is provided for using a serial bus to communicate (either passively or actively) with a point-of-load (“POL”) regulator. Specifically, a power supply controller (“controller”) communicates with at least one POL regulators by writing and/or reading data (either synchronously or asynchronous) over a unidirectional or bi-directional serial bus. In one embodiment of the present invention, the controller is adapted to write initial-configuration data (e.g., output voltage set-point, current limit set-point, etc.) to at least one POL regulator via the serial bus. At least a portion of the initial-configuration data is then used by the POL regulator to produce a particular output. In another embodiment of the invention, each POL regulator includes at least one register for maintaining POL information, such as unique identification information, fault protection information, output voltage set-point data, current limit set-point data, etc. The controller is then adapted to monitor and retrieve this information (i.e., fault-monitoring data) via the serial bus while the POL regulators are operating.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.