Patent Publication Number: US-2013241312-A1

Title: Power supply system

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to a power supply system for providing power to an electronic device for a predetermined period of time. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Thermal equipment is widely used in labs for testing computers. This equipment needs to be turned off by users manually after the test is complete. However, some tests last for a long time and the users can not turn off the equipments immediately after the test. The equipment would then be powered on for a long period of time and overheat, causing a hazard and a reduction in the life of the equipment. 
     Therefore there is a need for improvement in the art. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Many aspects of the embodiments can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an embodiment of a power supply system including a first input module, a second input module, a controlling module, a switch module, a decoding module, a display module, an alarm module, and a controlling apparatus. 
         FIG. 2  is a circuit diagram of the first input module, the controlling module, the switch module, and the alarm module of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a circuit diagram of the second input module and the controlling apparatus of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a circuit diagram of the decoding module and the display module of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The disclosure is illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like references indicate similar elements. It should be noted that references to “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean “at least one.” 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a power supply system in accordance with an embodiment. The power supply system provides power to an electronic device  800 . The power supply system includes a first input module  100 , a second input module  200 , a controlling module  300 , a switch module  400 , a decoding module  500 , a display module  600 , an alarm module  700 , and a controlling apparatus  900 . The first and second input modules  100  and  200  are adapted to input time signals to the controlling module  300 . The controlling module  300  receives the signals, and outputs control signals to the switch module  400 . The switch module  400  receives the control signals, and provides an AC voltage to the electronic device  800  accordingly. The decoding module  500  is adapted to decode the signals into digital signals which are displayed on the display module  600 . 
       FIG. 2  illustrates the first input module  100 , the controlling module  300 , the switch module  100 , and the alarm module  700  in accordance with one embodiment. The first input module  100  includes a first switch S 0  and a second switch S 1 . The controlling module  300  includes a micro controller Q 1 . The micro controller Q 1  includes a first signal input terminal PA 0 , a second signal input terminal PA 1 , a control signal output terminal PA 2 , an alarm signal output terminal PA 3 , a serial data output terminal PB 0 , a clock signal output terminal PB 1 , a digital signal receiving terminal PD 0 , and a digital signal transmitting terminal PD 1 . First terminals of the first and second switches S 0  and S 1  are electrically connected to the first and second signal input terminals PA 0  and PA 1  respectively. Second terminals of the first and second switches S 0  and S 1  are grounded. In one embodiment, the first and second switches S 0  and S 1  are pushbutton switches. 
     The switch module  400  includes a first transistor T 1  and a relay. The relay includes a winding unit M and a switch unit K. A base of the first transistor T 1  is electrically connected to the control signal output terminal PA 2 . An emitter of the first transistor T 1  receives a DC voltage. A collector of the first transistor T 1  is grounded via the winding unit M. A first terminal of the switch unit K receives the AC voltage. A second terminal of the switch unit K is electrically connected to the electronic device  800 . In one embodiment, the DC voltage is about +5V. 
     The alarm module  700  includes a second transistor T 2  and a buzzer LS. A base of the second transistor T 2  is electrically connected to the alarm signal output terminal PA 3 . An emitter of the second transistor T 2  receives the +5V DC voltage. A collector of the second transistor T 2  is grounded via the buzzer LS. In one embodiment, the first and second transistors T 1  and T 2  are PNP type transistors. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates the second input module  200  and the controlling apparatus  900  in accordance with one embodiment. The second input module  200  includes a voltage level conversion chip Q 2  and five capacitors C 1 -C 5 . In one embodiment, the voltage level conversion chip Q 2  is a MAX232 type chip for the RS-232 standard interface circuit of a computer. The voltage level conversion chip Q 2  includes charge ports C 1 +, C 1 −, V+, V−, C 2 +, C 2 −, data transforming ports T 1  IN, T 1  OUT, R 1  IN, R 1  OUT, a power port VCC, and a ground port GND. The charge ports C 1 +, C 2 + are electrically connected to the charge ports C 1 −, C 2 − via the capacitor C 1  and the capacitor C 5  respectively. The charge ports V+, V− are electrically connected to the +5V DC voltage and ground via the capacitor C 2  and the capacitor C 4  respectively. The charge ports C 1 +, C 1 −, V+, V−, C 2 +, C 2 − and the capacitors C 1 , C 2 , C 4 , C 5  form a charge pump circuit for generating both a +12V voltage and a −12V voltage which are provided to the RS-232 standard interface circuit. The power port VCC is electrically connected to the +5V DC voltage, and grounded via the capacitor C 3 . The ground port GND is grounded. The data transforming port R 1  IN acts as a voltage level signal receiving terminal for receiving the power on time signal from the controlling apparatus  900 . The data transforming port R 1  OUT acts as a voltage level signal transmitting terminal for transmitting a converted power on time signal to the digital signal receiving terminal PD 0 . The data transforming port T 1  IN acts as a voltage level signal receiving terminal for receiving feedback signals from the digital signal transmitting terminal PD 1 . The data transforming port T 1  OUT acts as a voltage level signal transmitting terminal for transmitting converted feedback signals to the controlling apparatus  900 . 
       FIG. 4  illustrates the decoding module  500  and the display module  600  in accordance with one embodiment. The decoding module  500  includes a plurality of registers U 0 -U 7 . Each of the plurality of registers U 0 -U 7  includes two serial data input terminals a 1 , a 2 , a clock signal input terminal a 3  and a plurality of digital signal output terminals b 1 -b 8 . The serial data input terminals a 1 , a 2  of the register U 0  are electrically connected to the serial data output terminal PB 0  of the micro controller Q 1 . The serial data input terminals a 1 , a 2  of the register U 1  are electrically connected to the digital signal output terminal b 8  of the register U 0 . The serial data input terminals a 1 , a 2  of the register U 2  are electrically connected to the digital signal output terminal b 8  of the register U 1 . The serial data input terminals a 1 , a 2  of the register U 3  are electrically connected to the digital signal output terminal b 8  of the register U 2 . The serial data input terminals a 1 , a 2  of the register U 4  are electrically connected to the digital signal output terminal b 8  of the register U 3 . The serial data input terminals a 1 , a 2  of the register U 5  are electrically connected to the digital signal output terminal b 8  of the register U 4 . The serial data input terminals a 1 , a 2  of the register U 6  are electrically connected to the digital signal output terminal b 8  of the register U 5 . The serial data input terminals a 1 , a 2  of the register U 7  are electrically connected to the digital signal output terminal b 8  of the register U 6 . The clock signal input terminals a 3  of the plurality of registers U 0 -U 7  are electrically connected to the clock signal output terminal PB 1  of the micro controller Q 1 . 
     The display module  600  includes a plurality of eight-segment numeral tubes D 0 -D 7 . Each of the plurality of eight-segment numeral tubes D 0 -D 7  includes a plurality of digital signal input terminals c 1 -c 8 . The plurality of digital signal input terminals c 1 -c 8  of the plurality of eight-segment numeral tubes D 0 -D 7  correspond to, and are electrically connected to, the plurality of digital signal output terminals b 1 -b 8  of the plurality of registers U 0 -U 7 . 
     In a working state, the power supply  800  is electrically connected to the system via the switch module  400 . The pushbutton switch S 0  is pressed to start up the system. The pushbutton switch S 1  is pressed to set a time duration of the power on state. The micro controller Q 1  outputs a low level power on control signal to the first transistor T 1 . The first transistor T 1  turns on. The winding unit M is powered on to close the switch unit K. The AC voltage is thus provided to the electronic device  800 . The micro controller Q 1  converts the power on time signal to a digital signal which is transmitted to the register U 0 . The plurality of registers U 0 -U 7  decode the digital signal to a digital value which is displayed on the plurality of eight-segment numeral tubes D 0 -D 7 . Therefore the power on time remaining is indicated during utilization of the power supply  800 . When the power on time remaining is less than two minutes, the alarm signal output terminal PA 3  of the micro controller Q 1  outputs a low level alarm signal to the second transistor T 2 . The second transistor T 2  turns on. The buzzer LS is thus powered on. The buzzer LS emits an audible alarm to remind the user that the power on time of the electronic device  800  may need to be extended. 
     In one embodiment, an extension time for each press on the pushbutton switch S 1  and a point of alarm which warns when the electronic device  800  is to power off can both be manually set in the micro controller Q 1 . The eight-segment numeral tubes D 0  and D 1  display information as to hours and minutes and seconds. The eight-segment numeral tube D 2  displays a decimal point between the hour information and the minute information, and between the minute information and the second information. 
     Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present disclosure have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the disclosure, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in the matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the disclosure to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.