Patent ID: 8587264

Claim:
A method comprising: coupling a variable output DC power source to power control circuitry, wherein said variable output DC power source is a member of a class of variable output DC power sources and wherein said power control circuitry comprises source type recognition circuitry; detecting a type of said variable output DC power source in response to said coupling operation using said source type recognition circuitry, said detecting including sending an interrogation signal from said power control circuitry to said variable output DC power source and evaluating a response to said interrogation signal; and controlling said variable output DC power source in response to said detecting said type of said variable output DC power source using said power control circuitry, wherein said controlling is based at least in part on said detected type, wherein said class comprises one or more types of variable output DC power sources; wherein said interrogation signal comprises a voltage signal sent via a control path from said power control circuitry to said variable output DC power source, and wherein said response comprises a current level at a control terminal of said variable output DC power source coupled to said control path, said current level representative of said type of said variable output DC power source; wherein said variable output DC power source comprises voltage feedback circuitry to receive a reference voltage and a signal representative of an output voltage of said variable output DC power source, said voltage feedback circuitry also coupled to a feedback node; and wherein said power control circuitry comprises a control node coupled to said control path, said power control circuitry configured to analyze said current level at said control terminal and determine said type of said variable output DC power source in response to said current level.