Patents Examined by Rajni Kant D. Patel
  • Patent number: 6201374
    Abstract: A power switching and voltage regulation system utilizing a conventional switching element to provide distributed power switching and voltage regulation. The system utilizes a switching element to impose an impedance in a controlled manner to provide power to a load such as a plug-in module in an electronic apparatus. The power source supplying an input DC voltage is intentionally set to a higher voltage than the level required by the plug-in module. The voltage supplied is required to be sufficiently high such that the voltage delivered to the plug-in module, exceeds the maximum permitted voltage level of the voltage required by the particular plug-in module. Once the switching device is turned on, the switching element exerts an impedance which functions to drop the voltage supplied to the load to the required value. The impedance is generated in accordance with a feedback control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2001
    Assignee: 3Com Corporation
    Inventors: Dan Ater, Samuel Ben-Meir