Patent ID: 7274175

Claim:
A power supply comprising: a first stage that receives an AC supply voltage and that outputs a DC supply voltage; and a second stage comprising: a first DC-to-DC converter that receives the DC supply voltage and that is capable of outputting a first programmable DC voltage onto a first conductor; a second DC-to-DC converter that receives the DC supply voltage and that is capable of outputting a second programmable DC voltage onto a second conductor; and a DC-ID controller that is AC coupled to the first conductor, wherein the DC-ID controller receives first information from the first conductor and in response controls the first DC-to-DC converter such that the first programmable DC voltage has a first magnitude that is dependent upon the first information received from the first conductor, and wherein the DC-ID controller is AC coupled to the second conductor, wherein the DC-ID controller receives second information from the second conductor and in response controls the second DC-to-DC converter such that the second programmable DC voltage has a second magnitude that is dependent upon the second information received from the second conductor.