Power supply detection device and method

1. A power circuit, comprising:

a power supply detection circuit, including

an input voltage magnitude detector circuit configured to receive a first supply voltage from a power supply input and generate a magnitude signal representative of the magnitude of the first supply voltage;

a timing signal generation circuit configured to generate timing signals that are relative to a transient condition associated with the first supply voltage upon connection to the power supply input; and

a data store circuit connected to the input voltage magnitude detector circuit and the timing signal generation circuit and configured to store the magnitude signal upon receiving a first timing signal from the timing signal generation circuit; and

a power supply circuit connected to the power supply detection circuit and configured to operate in one of a plurality of magnitude modes, the magnitude modes dependent on the value of the magnitude signal.

2. The power circuit of claim 1 , wherein the power supply circuit is further configured to be activated upon receiving a second timing signal from the timing signal generation circuit, the second timing signal occurring after a time period following the first timing signal.

3. The power circuit of claim 1 , wherein the magnitude signal is representative of a predetermined power supply voltage magnitude.

4. The power circuit of claim 1 , wherein the input voltage magnitude detector circuit includes

a voltage divider circuit configured to generate a divided voltage proportional to the first supply voltage;

a comparison circuit configured to compare the divided voltage to a reference voltage and generate magnitude signal based on the comparison.

5. The power circuit of claim 1 , wherein the timing signal generation circuit includes

a first time delay circuit configured to generate a reset signal relative to the transient condition associated with the first supply voltage upon connection to the power supply input; and

a second time delay circuit configured to generate the first timing signal after a time period following the generation of the reset signal.

6. The power circuit of claim 5 , wherein the data store comprises a latch configured to receive the reset signal as a reset input, the first timing signal as a clock input, and the magnitude signal as a data input.

7. The power circuit of claim 1 , wherein the power supply circuit includes a load management circuit including a plurality of state transition circuits configured to provide a plurality of corresponding control signals indicative of when a plurality of corresponding load elements may draw current, each state transition circuit generating its corresponding control signal in response to a comparison of the first supply voltage to corresponding reference voltages, wherein one or more of the state transition circuits is configured to operate in a first magnitude mode by setting its corresponding reference voltages to a first magnitude reference scale in response to the magnitude signal and operate in a second magnitude mode by setting its corresponding reference voltages to a second magnitude reference scale in response to the value of the magnitude signal.

8. The power circuit of claim 1 , wherein the power supply circuit includes a power input protection circuit including

a pass circuit for controlling power distribution to a load, the pass device configured to block current flow to a load when in an off state;

a high-voltage sensing circuit coupled to the pass circuit and configured to detect an over-voltage condition and generate an over-voltage signal that causes the pass circuit to switch to the off state; and

a current sensing circuit coupled to the pass circuit and configured to detect a high current condition and to generate a current limiting signal to limit the current flow in the pass circuit in response to the high current condition;

wherein at least one of the current limiter circuit and the high-voltage sensing circuit is configured to operate in a first magnitude mode or a second magnitude mode, the first and second magnitude modes selected in response to the value of the magnitude signal.

9. The power circuit of claim 2 , wherein the power supply circuit includes a pumped capacitive storage element including

an energy storage device coupled to the power supply input and configured to store at least a portion of input power from the first supply voltage and supply stored energy to the power supply input; and

a pump circuit coupled to the power supply input and the energy storage device and configured to cause the energy storage device to store at least a portion of the input power when the first supply voltage is above a first threshold level, and to cause the energy storage device to stop receiving energy from the power supply input when the energy storage device voltage is at a second threshold level, wherein the first and second threshold levels are set to respective first and second reference values in a first magnitude mode and set to respective third and fourth reference values in a second magnitude mode, the first and second magnitude modes selected in response to the value of the magnitude signal.

10. The power circuit of claim 1 , wherein the first supply voltage is a direct current (DC) voltage.

11. The power circuit of claim 10 , wherein the first supply voltage is transmitted over a transmission line, and wherein the transient condition associated with the first supply voltage is a resisitive-capacitive charge characteristic.

12. A power supply detection device, comprising:

an input voltage magnitude detector circuit configured to receive a first supply voltage from a power supply input and generate a magnitude signal representative of the magnitude of the first supply voltage;

a timing signal generation circuit configured to generate timing signals that are proportional to a transient condition associated with the first supply voltage upon connection to the power supply input; and

a memory circuit connected to the timing signal generation circuit and the input voltage magnitude detector circuit and configured to be enabled upon receiving a first timing signal from the timing signal generation circuit and to store the magnitude signal upon receiving a second timing signal from the timing signal generation circuit;

wherein the magnitude signal is representative of a predetermined power supply magnitude.

13. The power supply detection device of claim 12 , wherein the input voltage magnitude detector circuit includes

a voltage divider circuit configured to generate a divided voltage proportional to the first supply voltage; and

a comparison circuit configured to compare the divided voltage to a reference voltage and generate magnitude signal based on the comparison.

14. The power supply detection device of claim 12 , wherein the timing signal generation circuit includes

a first time delay circuit configured to generate the first timing signal relative to the transient condition associated with the first supply voltage upon connection to the power supply input; and

a second time delay circuit configured to generate the first timing signal after a time period following the generation of first timing signal.

15. The power supply detection device of claim 12 , further comprising a power supply circuit connected to the power supply detection circuit and configured to operate in one of a plurality of magnitude modes, the magnitude modes dependent on the value of the magnitude signal stored in the memory circuit.

16. The power supply detection device of claim 15 , wherein the power supply circuit includes a load management circuit included a plurality of state transition circuits configured to provide a plurality of corresponding control signals indicative of when a plurality of corresponding load elements may draw current, each state transition circuit generating its corresponding control signal in response to a comparison of the first supply voltage to corresponding reference voltages, wherein one or more of the state transition circuits is configured to operate in a first magnitude mode by setting its corresponding reference voltages to a first magnitude reference scale in response to the magnitude signal and operate in a second magnitude mode by setting its corresponding reference voltage to a second magnitude reference scale in response to the value of the magnitude signal.

17. The power supply detection device of claim 15 , wherein the power supply circuit includes a power input protection circuit including

a pass circuit for controlling power distribution to a load, the pass device configured to block current flow to a load when in an off state;

a high-voltage sensing circuit coupled to the pass circuit and configured to detect an over-voltage condition and generate an over-voltage signal that causes the pass circuit to switch to the off state; and

a current sensing circuit coupled to the pass circuit and configured to detect a high current condition and to generate a current limiting signal to limit the current flow in the pass circuit in response to the high current condition;

wherein at least one of the current limiter circuit and the high-voltage sensing circuit is configured to operate in a first magnitude mode or a second magnitude mode, the first and second magnitude modes selected in response to the value of the magnitude signal.

18. The power supply detection device of claim 15 , wherein the power supply circuit includes a pumped capacitive storage element including

an energy storage device coupled to the power supply input and configured to store at least a portion of input power from the first supply voltage and supply stored energy to the power supply input; and

a pump circuit coupled to the power supply input and the energy storage device and configured to cause the energy storage device to store at least a portion of the input power when the first supply voltage is above a first threshold level, and to cause the energy storage device to stop receiving energy from the power supply input when the energy storage device voltage is at a second threshold level, wherein the first and second threshold levels are set to respective first and second reference values in a first magnitude mode and set to respective third and fourth reference values in a second magnitude mode, the first and second magnitude modes selected in response to the value of the magnitude signal.

19. A power processing method, comprising:

receiving a first supply voltage from a power supply input;

generating a magnitude signal representative of the magnitude of the first supply voltage;

generating timing signals that are proportional to a transient condition associated with the first supply voltage upon receiving the first supply voltage;

selectively enabling a memory circuit by a first generated timing signal;

selectively storing the magnitude signal according to a second generated timing signal;

wherein the timing signals are generated at timing intervals so that the stored magnitude signal is representative of a predetermined power supply magnitude.

20. The power processing method of claim 19 , further comprising:

configuring a power supply circuit to operate in a plurality of magnitude modes; and

selecting one of the magnitude modes in response to the value of the stored magnitude signal.

21. The power processing method of claim 20 , further comprising enabling energization of the power supply circuit only after selectively storing of the magnitude signal.

22. A power processing circuit, comprising:

means for receiving a first supply voltage from a power supply input;

means for generating a magnitude signal representative of the magnitude of the first supply voltage;

means generating timing signals that are proportional to a transient condition associated with the first supply voltage upon receiving the first supply voltage;

means for selectively storing the magnitude signal;

wherein the timing signals are generated at timing intervals so that the stored magnitude signal is representative of a predetermined power supply magnitude.