Patent ID: 8704525

Claim:
An apparatus comprising: a plurality of voltage-to-current converters, wherein each voltage-to-current converter receives an input voltage and generates an output current having a magnitude that is substantially proportional to the input voltage; a first current detector that is coupled to the plurality of voltage-to-current converters, wherein the first current detector determines which output current from the plurality of voltage-to-current converters is the largest current; an overvoltage detector that is coupled to the first current detector so as to receive the largest current and that compares the largest current to an overvoltage reference current, wherein the overvoltage detector generates an overvoltage signal indicating whether the largest current is greater than the overvoltage reference current; a second current detector that is coupled to the plurality of voltage-to-current converters, wherein the second current detector determines which output current from the plurality of voltage-to-current converters is the smallest current; and an undervoltage detector that is coupled to the second current detector so as to receive the smallest current and that compares the smallest current to an undervoltage reference current, wherein the undervoltage detector generates an undervoltage signal indicating whether the smallest current is less than the undervoltage reference current, wherein the first current detector is distinct from the overvoltage detector; and wherein the second current detector is distinct from the undervoltage detector.