Patent Application
20130073881
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an extensible external power supply, and more particularly to an extensible external power supply which is applied to a computer host.
2. Description of Prior Art
At present, the power supply apparatus for computer hosts provides various different standards of power output, including +12 volts, −12 volts, +5 volts, +3.3 volts, +5VSB, and so on. These different power outputs are provided to supply the required power for different electronic apparatuses of the computer hosts, such as hard disk drives, optical disk drives, CD-RW optical drives, motherboards, and built-in speakers.
With the development of Internet and multimedia technology, the output power of the power supply apparatus has significantly increased. Beside of the above-mentioned electronic apparatuses, other inner hardware equipment and peripheral devices of the computer hosts are used to rise the demand for higher output power of the power supply apparatus. The basic 250-watt power has not been sufficient to meet current demand, 450-watt or larger power have been gradually recognized as the standard specification of the power supply apparatus. Hence, the increasing power output can provide sufficient power supply for the progressive hardware equipment.
Because the existing power supply apparatus is fabricated inside the computer host, poor space is not good for development of increasing power output, namely, the rated output power is limited due to the restricted space. On the other hand, a small-size design of the power supply apparatus is difficult when the required output power thereof is tremendously increased.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an extensible external power supply which is applied to a computer host to flexibly adjust the amount of the power modules and reliably achieve the demand of high power operation according to the required output power for system loads.
An object of the invention is to provide an extensible external power supply to solve the above-mentioned problems. The extensible external power supply is applied to a computer host, and the extensible external power supply includes at least one power module and a power integrated unit.
The power module receives an AC input voltage to produce an output power. The power integrated unit is electrically connected to the power module to receive the output power and produce a DC output voltage.
Another object of the invention is to provide an extensible external power supply to solve the above-mentioned problems. The extensible external power supply is applied to a computer host, and the extensible external power supply includes at least one power module and a power integrated unit, and a voltage conversion unit.
The power module receives an AC input voltage to produce an output power. The power integrated unit is electrically connected to the power module to receive the output power and produce a DC output voltage. The voltage conversion unit is electrically connected to the power integrated unit to receive the DC output voltage and convert different voltage levels of the DC output voltage.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary, and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed. Other advantages and features of the invention will be apparent from the following description, drawings and claims.
The features of the invention believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, may be best understood by reference to the following detailed description of the invention, which describes an exemplary embodiment of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
Reference will now be made to the drawing figures to describe the present invention in detail.
Reference is made to
The power module receives an AC input voltage to produce an output power. In this embodiment, three power modules (N=3) are exemplified for further demonstration, but not limited. That is, the extensible external power supply 10 includes three power modules, namely, a first power module 102, a second power module 104, and a third power module 106. The first power module 102 receives a first AC input voltage Vac1 to produce a first output power Po1. The second power module 104 receives a second AC input voltage Vac2 to produce a second output power Po2. Also, the third power module 106 receives a third AC input voltage Vac3 to produce a third output power Po3.
The power integrated unit 108 is electrically connected to these power modules to receive the output powers and produce a DC output voltage Vdc. That is, the power integrated unit 108 is electrically connected to the first power module 102 to receive the first output power Po1 produced from the first power module 102. The power integrated unit 108 is electrically connected to the second power module 104 to receive the second output power Po2 produced from the second power module 104. Also, the power integrated unit 108 is electrically connected to the third power module 106 to receive the third output power Po3 produced from the third power module 106.
The detailed circuit structure and operation principle of the extensible external power supply 10 are described as follows. Reference is made to
If the required output power for system loads is greater than 2,000 watts but less than 3,000 watts, the extensible external power supply 10 needs to include three power modules, namely, the first power module 102, the second power module 104, and the third power module 106. Also, each power module is supplied through a corresponding AC input voltage, which can be an AC utility power. The first power module 102 has a first power input terminal 1022 and a first power switch 1024. The second power module 104 has a second power input terminal 1042 and a second power switch 1044. Also, the third power module 106 has a third power input terminal 1062 and a third power switch 1064. Hence, the first power module 102 receives the first AC input voltage Vac1 via the first power input terminal 1022 to turn on or turn off the first power module 102 through the first power switch 1024. Similarly, the second power module 104 receives the second AC input voltage Vac2 via the second power input terminal 1042 to turn on or turn off the second power module 104 through the second power switch 1044. Also, the third power module 106 receives the third AC input voltage Vac3 via the third power input terminal 1062 to turn on or turn off the third power module 106 through the third power switch 1064.
In particular, each power module is an AC/DC converter. In addition, the extensible external power supply 10 further includes at least one electromagnetic interference filter (not shown). In this embodiment, the first power module 102 is exemplified for further demonstration. When the first power module 102 receives the first AC input voltage Vac1 to turn on or turn off the first power module 102, noise in the first AC input voltage Vac1 is eliminated through the electromagnetic interference filter. Afterward, the filtered first AC input voltage Vac1 is converted into a DC output voltage to produce the first output power Po1 through the first power module 102 (namely, the AC/DC converter). Similarly, the second power module 104 (namely, the AC/DC converter) is used to convert the second AC input voltage Vac2 into a DC output voltage to produce the second output power Po2. Also, the third power module 106 (namely, the AC/DC converter) is used to convert the third AC input voltage Vac3 into a DC output voltage to produce the third output power Po3.
Especially to deserve to be mentioned, the power integrated unit 108 is electrically connected to the power modules to receive the output powers and produce a DC output voltage Vdc, which is typically 12 volts. The power integrated unit 108 includes a power detection circuit (not shown) and a power control circuit (not shown). The power detection circuit detects a consumption power of the computer host. The power control circuit is electrically connected to the power detection circuit and the power modules to equally distribute the output power produced from the power modules according to the consumption power of the computer host. That is, the power control circuit controls the output power produced form each power module is about 700 watts when the required output power for system loads is about 2,100 watts detected by the power detection circuit. Notice that the power control circuit dynamically equally distribute the output power produced from the power modules when the consumption power of the computer host is varied, thus increasing lifetime of the power modules because of the balanced power supply.
Reference is made to
Each power module receives an AC input voltage to produce an output power. In this embodiment, three power modules (N=3) are exemplified for further demonstration, but not limited. That is, the extensible external power supply 10 includes three power modules, namely, a first power module 102, a second power module 104, and a third power module 106. The first power module 102 receives a first AC input voltage Vac1 to produce a first output power Po1. The second power module 104 receives a second AC input voltage Vac2 to produce a second output power Po2. Also, the third power module 106 receives a third AC input voltage Vac3 to produce a third output power Po3.
The power integrated unit 108 is electrically connected to these power modules to receive the output powers and produce a DC output voltage Vdc. That is, the power integrated unit 108 is electrically connected to the first power module 102 to receive the first output power Po1 produced from the first power module 102. The power integrated unit 108 is electrically connected to the second power module 104 to receive the second output power Po2 produced from the second power module 104. Also, the power integrated unit 108 is electrically connected to the third power module 106 to receive the third output power Po3 produced from the third power module 106.
The voltage conversion unit 202 is electrically connected to the power integrated unit 108 to receive the DC output voltage Vdc and convert different voltage levels of the DC output voltage Vdc. In particular, the voltage conversion unit 202 is a DC/DC converter, which can be a buck converter, a forward converter, or a flyback converter, but not limited. Also, the DC/DC converter is a multi-output DC/DC converter, which can provide different voltage outputs, such as +3.3 volts, +5 volts, +12 volts, −12 volts, or +5 VSB as shown in
The detailed circuit structure and operation principle of the extensible external power supply 10 are described as follows. Reference is made to
If the required output power for system loads is greater than 2,000 watts but less than 3,000 watts, the extensible external power supply 10 needs to include three power modules, namely, the first power module 102, the second power module 104, and the third power module 106. Also, each power module is supplied through a corresponding AC input voltage, which can be an AC utility power. The first power module 102 has a first power input terminal 1022 and a first power switch 1024. The second power module 104 has a second power input terminal 1042 and a second power switch 1044. Also, the third power module 106 has a third power input terminal 1062 and a third power switch 1064. Hence, the first power module 102 receives the first AC input voltage Vac1 via the first power input terminal 1022 to turn on or turn off the first power module 102 through the first power switch 1024. Similarly, the second power module 104 receives the second AC input voltage Vac2 via the second power input terminal 1042 to turn on or turn off the second power module 104 through the second power switch 1044. Also, the third power module 106 receives the third AC input voltage Vac3 via the third power input terminal 1062 to turn on or turn off the third power module 106 through the third power switch 1064.
In particular, each power module is an AC/DC converter. In addition, the extensible external power supply 10 further includes at least one electromagnetic interference filter (not shown). In this embodiment, the first power module 102 is exemplified for further demonstration. When the first power module 102 receives the first AC input voltage Vac1 to turn on or turn off the first power module 102, noise in the first AC input voltage Vac1 is eliminated through the electromagnetic interference filter. Afterward, the filtered first AC input voltage Vac1 is converted into a DC output voltage to produce the first output power Po1 through the first power module 102 (namely, the AC/DC converter). Similarly, the second power module 104 (namely, the AC/DC converter) is used to convert the second AC input voltage Vac2 into a DC output voltage to produce the second output power Po2. Also, the third power module 106 (namely, the AC/DC converter) is used to convert the third AC input voltage Vac3 into a DC output voltage to produce the third output power Po3.
Especially to deserve to be mentioned, the power integrated unit 108 is electrically connected to the power modules to receive the output powers and produce a DC output voltage Vdc, which is typically 12 volts. The power integrated unit 108 includes a power detection circuit (not shown) and a power control circuit (not shown). The power detection circuit detects the consumption power of the computer host. The power control circuit is electrically connected to the power detection circuit and the power modules to equally distribute the output power produced from the power modules according to the consumption power of the computer host. That is, the power control circuit controls the output power produced form each power module is about 700 watts when the required output power for system loads is about 2,100 watts detected by the power detection circuit. Notice that the power control circuit dynamically equally distribute the output power produced from the power modules when the consumption power of the computer host is varied, thus increasing lifetime of the power modules because of the balanced power supply.
In conclusion, the present invention has following advantages:
1. The amount of the power modules of the extensible external power supply 10 is flexibly adjusted according to the consumption power of the computer host 20;
2. The extensible external power supply 10 is installed outside the computer host 20 to significantly reduce size of the computer host 20 as well as achieve high power output;
3. The power detection circuit detects the required output power for system loads and the power control circuit equally distributes output power produced form the power modules, thus increasing lifetime of the power modules because of the balanced power supply; and
4. The power control circuit dynamically distributes the output power produced from the power modules when the consumption power of the computer host is varied, thus achieving the function of dynamic power distribution.
Although the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the details thereof. Various substitutions and modifications have been suggested in the foregoing description, and others will occur to those of ordinary skill in the art. Therefore, all such substitutions and modifications are intended to be embraced within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.
