Power supply continuous input voltage extender
View Patent ↗A system and method for providing acceptable output power from a wide range of received power, comprising: outputting a received voltage as an output voltage if the received voltage does not exceed a threshold; and limiting the output voltage to the threshold if the received voltage exceeds the threshold. Limiting the output voltage may comprise dropping an excess voltage across a switching element, wherein the excess voltage is the received voltage minus the threshold.
1. A method of providing acceptable output power from a wide range of received power, the method comprising the steps of:
outputting a received voltage as an output voltage if the received voltage does not exceed a threshold; and
limiting the output voltage to the threshold if the received voltage exceeds the threshold;
wherein limiting the output voltage comprises dropping an excess voltage across a switching element, wherein the excess voltage is the received voltage minus the threshold.
2. The method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the received voltage comprises multi-phase power and the output voltage remains acceptable during a phase loss in the received voltage.
3. The method as set forth in claim 1 , further including rectifying the received voltage, such that the output voltage is a rectified version of the received voltage.
4. The method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the switching element is a transistor.
5. The method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein a current of the output power flows though the switching element.
6. The method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the threshold is between about 330 volts and 375 volts.
7. The method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the threshold is above 300 volts.
8. The method as set forth in claim 1 , further including the step of powering a universal input power supply with the output voltage.
9. A method of converting a received power to an output power, the method comprising the steps of:
receiving an alternating current at a received voltage;
rectifying the alternating current into a direct current;
outputting the received voltage as an output voltage if the received voltage does not exceed a threshold; and
limiting the output voltage to the threshold if the received voltage exceeds the threshold;
wherein limiting the output voltage comprises dropping an excess voltage across a switching element, wherein the excess voltage is the received voltage minus the threshold.
10. The method as set forth in claim 9 , wherein the received voltage comprises multi-phase power and the output voltage remains acceptable during a phase loss in the received voltage.
11. The method as set forth in claim 9 , further including rectifying the received voltage, such that the output voltage is a rectified version of the received voltage.
12. The method as set forth in claim 9 , wherein the switching element is a transistor.
13. The method as set forth in claim 9 , wherein a current of the output power flows though the switching element.
14. The method as set forth in claim 9 , wherein the threshold is between about 330 volts and 375 volts.
15. The method as set forth in claim 9 , wherein the threshold is above 300 volts.
16. The method as set forth in claim 9 , further including the step of powering a universal input power supply with the output voltage.