Electrical power supply device and method of operating same

1. An electrical power supply device, comprising:

a DC-DC power convertor receiving an input voltage and producing a first output voltage or a second output voltage that is less than the first output voltage, the first and second output voltage each less than the input voltage; and

a device controller in communication with the DC-DC power convertor, said device controller having one or more processors and memory, wherein the memory includes instructions which causes the device controller to command the DC-DC power convertor to output the first output voltage when the input voltage is equal to or greater than a threshold voltage and which causes the device controller to command the DC-DC power convertor to output the second output voltage when the input voltage is less than the threshold voltage.

2. The electrical power supply device according to claim 1 , wherein the threshold voltage is greater than or equal to the first output voltage.

3. The electrical power supply device according to claim 2 , wherein the DC-DC power convertor is incapable of providing an output voltage that is greater than the input voltage.

4. The electrical power supply device according to claim 3 , wherein the electrical power supply device further comprises an input voltage detection circuit in communication with the device controller and wherein the memory includes additional instructions which causes the device controller to command the DC-DC power convertor to output the second output voltage when the input voltage detection circuit determines that the input voltage is less than the threshold voltage.

5. The electrical power supply device according to claim 3 , wherein the electrical power supply device is disposed within an automobile having a start-stop controller in communication with the device controller, wherein the memory further includes instructions which cause the device controller to command the DC-DC power convertor to output the first output voltage in accordance with the device controller receiving a run signal from the start-stop controller, and wherein the memory additionally includes instructions which cause the device controller to command the DC-DC power convertor to output the second output voltage in accordance with the device controller receiving a stop signal from the start-stop controller.

6. The electrical power supply device according to claim 5 , wherein the start-stop controller is connected to the device controller by a controller area network (CAN) communication bus.

7. The electrical power supply device according to claim 5 , wherein the start-stop controller is connected to the device controller by a local interconnect network (LIN) communication bus.

8. The electrical power supply device according to claim 5 , wherein the run signal indicates that the input voltage will remain equal to or greater than the threshold voltage and the stop signal indicates that the input voltage may drop to less than the threshold voltage.

9. The electrical power supply device according to claim 3 , wherein the electrical power supply device is disposed within a universal serial bus (USB) port in communication with a USB hub, wherein the memory further includes instructions which cause the device controller to command the DC-DC power convertor to output the first output voltage in accordance with the device controller receiving a first USB signal from the USB hub indicating that the input voltage will remain equal to or greater than the threshold voltage, and wherein the memory additionally includes instructions which cause the device controller to command the DC-DC power convertor to output the second output voltage in accordance with the device controller receiving a second signal from the USB hub indicating that the input voltage may drop to less than the threshold voltage.

10. The electrical power supply device according to claim 1 , wherein the first output voltage is about 9 volts and the second output voltage is about 5 volts.

11. A method, comprising:

providing a device controller and a DC-DC power convertor in communication with the device controller, said device controller having one or more processors and memory:

receiving an input voltage;

receiving a signal indicative of whether the input voltage is equal to, greater than, or less than a threshold voltage;

producing a first output voltage via the DC-DC power convertor in accordance with the device controller determining that the input voltage is equal to the threshold voltage;

producing the first output voltage via the DC-DC power convertor in accordance with the device controller determining that the input voltage is greater than the threshold voltage; and

producing a second output voltage via the DC-DC power convertor which is less than the first output voltage in accordance with the device controller determining that the input voltage is less than the threshold voltage, wherein the first and second output voltage are each less than the input voltage.

12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the threshold voltage is greater than or equal to the first output voltage.

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the DC-DC power convertor is incapable of providing an output voltage that is greater than the input voltage.

14. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the first output voltage is about 9 volts and the second output voltage is about 5 volts.