Power converter responsive to device connection status

1. A power converter, comprising:

a primary controller configured to control an operating status of a first coil of a transformer during a standby mode, a powered mode, and a transition from the standby mode to the powered mode, the primary controller comprising:

a primary switch controller and driver circuit; and

a first circuit configured to initiate transition of the primary switch controller and driver circuit from the standby mode to the powered mode upon receipt of a wake-up signal;

wherein the first circuit is a first wake-up circuit that is powered during standby mode; and

a secondary controller, electrically connected to a second coil of the transformer, comprising:

a second circuit configured to detect a connecting of a device to the power converter;

wherein the second circuit is configured to detect the connecting of the device to the power converter by monitoring voltage potential changes arising across a voltage divider circuit; and

wherein the power converter and the device form the voltage divider circuit when the device is electrically connected to the power converter.

2. The power converter of claim 1 ,

wherein the second circuit is a secondary wake-up circuit;

wherein the secondary controller is powered by the device during the transition from the standby mode to the powered mode;

wherein the secondary controller is configured to output the wake-up signal when the device is connected to the power converter; and

wherein the primary switch controller and driver circuit is not powered during standby mode.

3. The power converter of claim 2 , comprising:

an opto-coupler configured to transmit the wake-up signal from the secondary controller to the primary controller.

4. The power converter of claim 3 ,

wherein the secondary wake-up circuit is configured to detect the connecting of the device to the secondary controller upon receipt of a device wake-up signal.

5. A power converter, comprising:

a primary controller configured to control an operating status of a first coil of a transformer during a standby mode, a powered mode, and a transition from the standby mode to the powered mode, the primary controller comprising:

a primary switch controller and driver circuit; and

a first circuit configured to initiate transition of the primary switch controller and driver circuit from the standby mode to the powered mode upon receipt of a wake-up signal;

wherein the first circuit is a first wake-up circuit that is powered during standby mode; and

a secondary controller, electrically connected to a second coil of the transformer, comprising:

a second circuit configured to detect a connecting of a device to the power converter;

wherein the secondary controller is configured for use with an electrical circuit formed with the device,

wherein the electrical circuit includes:

a detecting circuit configured to detect formation of an electrical connection between the device and the power converter; and

a signaling circuit configured to operate a device switch;

wherein the electrical circuit is configured to provide the secondary controller with electrical power from a device battery when the device switch is closed by the signaling circuit.

6. The power converter of claim 5 ,

wherein at least one of the detecting circuit and the signaling circuit is provided by the device.

7. The power converter of claim 5 ,

wherein the second circuit is a secondary wake-up circuit.

8. The power converter of claim 5 ,

wherein the secondary controller is powered by the device during the transition from the standby mode to the powered mode.

9. The power converter of claim 5 ,

wherein the secondary controller is configured to output the wake-up signal when the device is connected to the power converter.

10. The power converter of claim 5 ,

wherein the primary switch controller and driver circuit is not powered during standby mode.

11. A power converter, comprising:

a primary controller configured to control an operating status of a first coil of a transformer during a standby mode, a powered mode, and a transition from the standby mode to the powered mode, the primary controller comprising:

a primary switch controller and driver circuit; and

a first circuit configured to initiate transition of the primary switch controller and driver circuit from the standby mode to the powered mode upon receipt of a wake-up signal;

wherein the first circuit is a first wake-up circuit that is powered during standby mode; and

a secondary controller, electrically connected to a second coil of the transformer, comprising:

a second circuit configured to detect a connecting of a device to the power converter;

wherein the second circuit is configured to detect the connecting of the device to the power converter by monitoring voltage potential changes arising across a voltage divider circuit formed by the power convert and the device;

wherein the secondary controller is configured to perform the operations of:

detecting the connection of the device to the power converter;

receiving power from a device battery; and

transmitting the wake-up signal to the primary controller;

wherein during transition between standby mode and powered mode the primary controller is configured to perform the operation of:

stabilizing operation of the power converter until an applied voltage signal increases to a desired voltage level;

wherein powered mode occurs upon the applied voltage signal reaching the desired voltage level; and

wherein during powered mode, the power converter provides an output power to the device.

12. The power converter of claim 11 ,

wherein the secondary controller is configured to perform the operation of:

detecting a change in an arbitrary device potential upon attachment of the device to the power converter.

13. The power converter of claim 11 ,

wherein the operation of receiving power from the device battery occurs upon closing of a device switch.

14. The power converter of claim 11 ,

wherein the operation of transmitting the wake-up signal to the primary controller comprises:

receiving a device wake-up signal;

providing the device wake-up signal to a secondary wake-up circuit; and

closing a circuit enabling transmission of the wake-up signal to the primary controller.

15. The power converter of claim 11 ,

wherein the operation of stabilizing operation of the power converter until an applied voltage signal increases to a desired voltage level comprises:

providing power to the primary switch controller and driver circuit;

wherein, during standby mode, power is not provided to the primary switch controller and driver circuit; and

wherein, during powered mode, the primary switch controller and driver circuit cycle a primary switch connected to the first coil of the transformer of the power converter to generate the output power at a desired output voltage and at a desired output current.

16. The power converter of claim 11 ,

wherein the power converter is configured to detect disconnection of the device from the power converter.

17. The power converter of claim 16 ,

wherein the power converter detects disconnection of the device from the power converter by at least one of:

detecting, by the primary controller, in at least one of the applied voltage signal and a scaled primary voltage signal, a drop in a primary current through the first coil of the transformer in the power converter;

detecting, by the secondary controller, no load request from the device over at least one duty cycle; and

receiving, by the secondary controller, an inverse device wake-up signal from the device.

18. The power converter of claim 11 ,

wherein the operation of detecting the connection of the device to the power converter occurs upon at least one of:

the secondary controller detecting a change in an arbitrary device potential; and

the device connecting the device battery to the secondary controller by closing a device switch.

19. The power converter of claim 18 ,

wherein the device switch remains closed during the transition from standby mode to powered mode.