Patent ID: 6800962
Filing Date: 2004-10-05
Classification: H02J

Abstract:
A method of supplying power to a load comprising the steps of:(a) coupling output ports of a plurality of power supplies to an output node that is arranged to be coupled to said load; (b) controlling one of said power supplies so as to supply to said output node a regulated output voltage that is sufficient to meet current demand of said load; and (c) controlling another of said power supplies so as to cause the continuous flow of a reduced current therefrom to said output node less than said current demand of said load without an interruption in the continuous supply of current to said load, but sufficient to enable said another power supply to supply said output voltage that is sufficient to meet said current demand of said load in the event of an inability of said one of said power supplies to supply said regulated output voltage that meets said current demand of said load; and wherein step (a) further comprises coupling the output port of said another of said plurality of power supplies to said output node through a diode, and wherein step (c) further comprises controlling said reduced continuous current flow from said another of said plurality of power supplies to said output node in accordance with the voltage drop across said diode, and step (c) further comprises coupling a voltage drop across said diode to an operational amplifier circuit that is configured to compare said voltage drop with a prescribed voltage reference and, in response to said voltage drop being less than said reference voltage, supplying a feedback-control signal to said another of said power supplies that is effective to increase its output voltage sufficiently to forward bias said diode; and further including the step of: (d) comparing the voltage at the output port of said another of said plurality of power supplies with a further reference voltage and, in response to said voltage exceeding said further reference voltage, controlling said feedback signal so that the output voltage of said another of said plurality of power supplies is regulated in accordance with the voltage at said output node.