Patent ID: 8400183

Claim:
A method for powering a low-power device using a power supply designed for a high-power device, comprising: providing a voltage converter for use of an input voltage at a first voltage level; periodically electrically coupling and decoupling the input voltage from the voltage converter during operation of the low-power device; outputting an output voltage from the voltage converter at a second voltage level to power the low-power device; wherein the output voltage is provided during both the input voltage being electrically coupled to and decoupled from the voltage converter; wherein the second voltage level is substantially less than the first voltage level; wherein the low-power device is an intermediary signal conditioning device; wherein the first voltage level is in a first range of 3.3 to 5.0 volts; wherein the second voltage level is in a second range of 1.2 to 1.5 volts; wherein the voltage converter is a DC-to-DC voltage converter; wherein the second voltage level is for the low-power device being a MOS-based intermediary signal conditioning device for high-speed serial communication; and wherein the first voltage level is for the high-power device being a bi-polar-based intermediary signal conditioning device.