Patent ID: 9544971
Date: 2017-01-10
CPC Classifications: H05B

Claim:
1. A method, comprising: determining, by a maximum selector circuit having a plurality of inputs and an output, a maximum voltage from among a plurality of series load voltages, wherein each series load voltage of the plurality of series load voltages is a voltage defined by a corresponding series of N loads of a plurality of series of N loads, wherein N is an integer greater than one, the maximum selector circuit is arranged to receive each series load voltage of a plurality of series load voltages at a corresponding input of the plurality of inputs, and the maximum selector circuit includes a bias current source having an output that is coupled to the output of the maximum selector circuit, and further includes, for each input of the plurality of inputs of the maximum selector circuit, a corresponding diode having an anode that is coupled to the corresponding input of the maximum selector circuit and a cathode that is coupled to the output of the maximum selector circuit; determining, by a minimum selector circuit having a plurality of inputs and an output, a minimum voltage from among the plurality of series load voltages, wherein the minimum selector circuit is arranged to receive each series load voltage of the plurality of series load voltages at a corresponding input of the plurality of inputs of the minimum selector circuit; comparing, by a comparison circuit having an output, a first input that is coupled to the output of the maximum selector circuit, and a second input that is coupled to the output of the minimum selector circuit, the maximum voltage from among the plurality of series voltages with the minimum voltage from among the plurality of series load voltages to make a determination as to whether the maximum voltage from among the plurality of series load voltages exceeds the minimum voltage from among the plurality of series voltages by the threshold voltage; and outputting an indication based on a result of the determination.