Patent ID: 7888919
Filing Date: 2011-02-15
Classification: H02M,Y02B

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for efficiently regulating a power supply, the apparatus comprising: a power detection module that detects an amount of power used by a multi-stage switching power supply, the switching power supply comprising a regulation stage with a stage controller that operates to regulate an intermediate voltage of the regulation stage relative to a set point reference voltage, the multi-stage switching power supply further comprising an output stage that receives as an input voltage the intermediate regulated voltage of the regulation stage, the output stage regulating an output voltage of the power supply to a regulated output voltage level; a low power module that determines if the amount of power used by the switching power supply is below a minimum power capacity threshold; and a stage voltage adjustment module that adjusts the set point reference voltage from a high power reference voltage to a low power reference voltage in response to the low power module determining that the amount of power used by the switching power supply is below the minimum power capacity threshold, the low power reference voltage causing a regulated intermediate voltage adjustment such that the switching power supply operates more efficiently below the minimum power threshold than if the reference voltage remained at the high power reference voltage during operation below the minimum power threshold, wherein the output voltage of the output stage is maintained at the regulated output voltage level.