AC/DC portable power connecting architecture

Claim 2

An electronic system, comprising: a power supply, and at least one functional component connected to be powered by said power supply; and a power cord connector, connected to said power supply, said power cord connector including a guide structure which snugly receives a standard power cord connector, power contacts which are electrically connected to said power supply, and at least one presence detector which detects the presence of connector portions, on a connector which has been fully inserted into said guide structure, which do not fall within said standard power cord connector footprint; said power supply including at least one component which is selectively connected to said power cord connector in dependence on an output of said presence detector.

Claim 3

The system of claim 1, wherein said presence detector is a mechanical switch.

Claim 4

The system of claim 1, comprising more than one said presence detector, each configured to detect the presence of separate predetermined respective portions of a connector which has been fully inserted into said guide structure.

Claim 5

The system of claim 1, wherein said power supply includes a boost stage having a tapped inductor which is partially bypassed in dependence on the state of said presence detector.

Claim 6

The system of claim 1, wherein said power supply includes a transformer having a tapped primary coil which is partially bypassed in dependence on the state of said presence detector.

Claim 7

The system of claim 1, wherein said power supply includes first and second switching transistors, with said first switching transistor having a lower withstand voltage than said second switching transistor, and said first switching transistor being conditionally connected in parallel with said second switching transistor in dependence on the state of said presence detector.

Claim 8

The system of claim 1, wherein said power supply includes first and second capacitors, with said first capacitor having a lower withstand voltage than said second capacitor, and said first capacitor being conditionally connected in parallel with said second capacitor in dependence on the state of said presence detector.

Claim 9

The system of claim 1, wherein said connector includes exactly two of said contacts.

Claim 10

The system of claim 1, wherein said connector includes exactly two of said contacts.

Claim 11

A computer system comprising: a power supply containing at least one inductor; a programmable processor and a memory, connected to be powered by said power supply; at least one user input device, and at least one output device; a power cord connector on the exterior of said computer, including; a guide structure which snugly receives a standard power cord connector; power contacts which are electrically connected to said power supply, and at least one switch which is mechanically actuated by the presence of connector portions, on a connector which has been fully inserted into said guide structure, which do not fall within said standard power cord connector footprint, and is electrically connected to reroute connections of said power supply, in dependence on whether said presence detector detects the presence of a connector which has a larger footprint than said standard connector.

Claim 12

A computer system comprising: a power supply containing at least one inductor; a programmable processor and a memory, connected to be powered by said power supply; at least one user input device, and at least one output device; a power cord connector on the exterior of said computer, including; a guide structure which snugly receives a standard power cord connector; power contacts which are electrically connected to said power supply, and at least one switch which is mechanically actuated by the presence of connector portions, on a connector which has been fully inserted into said guide structure, which do not fall within said standard power cord connector footprint, and is electrically connected to reroute connections of said power supply, in dependence on whether said presence detector detects the presence of a connector which has a larger footprint than said standard connector.

Claim 13

The system of claim 10, comprising more than one said switch.

Claim 14

The system of claim 10, wherein said power supply includes a boost stage having a tapped inductor which is partially bypassed in dependence on the state of said switch.

Claim 15

The system of claim 10, wherein said power supply includes a transformer having a tapped primary coil which is partially bypassed in dependence on the state of said switch.

Claim 16

The system of claim 10, wherein said power supply includes first and second switching transistors, with said first switching transistor having a lower withstand voltage than said second switching transistor, and said first switching transistor being conditionally connected in parallel with said second switching transistor in dependence on the state of said switch.

Claim 17

The system of claim 10, wherein said power supply includes first and second capacitors, with said first capacitor having a lower withstand voltage than said second capacitor, and said first capacitor being conditionally connected in parallel with said second capacitor in dependence on the state of said switch.

Claim 18

The system of claim 10, wherein said connector includes exactly two of said contacts.

Claim 19

A power connector, comprising: a guide structure which is shaped to snugly receive standard AC power cord connectors of a first format, and also to snugly receive power cord connectors of a second format which is partially larger than said first format and is not a standard AC power cord format; power contacts which are electrically connected to pass power; and at least one switch which is actuated when a connector in said second format is fully inserted, but not when a connector in said first format is fully inserted.

Claim 20

A power connector, comprising: a guide structure which is shaped to snugly receive standard AC power cord connectors of a first format, and also to snugly receive power cord connectors of a second format which is partially larger than said first format and is not a standard AC power cord format; power contacts which are electrically connected to pass power; and at least one switch which is actuated when a connector in said second format is fully inserted, but not when a connector in said first format is fully inserted.

Claim 21

The connector of claim 17, comprising more than one said switch.

Claim 22

The connector of claim 17, wherein said power supply includes a boost stage having a tapped inductor which is partially bypassed in dependence on the state of said switch.

Claim 23

The connector of claim 17, wherein said power supply includes a transformer having a tapped primary coil which is partially bypassed in dependence on the state of said switch.

Claim 24

The connector of claim 17, wherein said power supply includes first and second switching transistors, with said first switching transistor having a lower withstand voltage than said second switching transistor, and said first switching transistor being conditionally connected in parallel with said second switching transistor in dependence on the state of said switch.

Claim 25

The connector of claim 17, wherein said power supply includes first and second capacitors, with said first capacitor having a lower withstand voltage than said second capacitor, and said first capacitor being conditionally connected in parallel with said second capacitor in dependence on the state of said switch.

Claim 26

The connector of claim 17, wherein said connector includes exactly two of said contacts.

Claim 27

A power connector architecture, comprising: a first power cord having a wall-connection end in a standard AC mains-connection format, and having an appliance end in a standard appliance-connection format for AC power; a second power cord having a wall-connection end in a DC connection format, and having an appliance end which is partly larger than said standard appliance-connection format for AC power; a first electrical appliance having thereon a power-input connector in said standard appliance-connection format, which will receive said first power cord but not said second power cord; and a second electrical appliance having thereon a power-input connector in a modification of said standard appliance-connection format, which will receive either said first power cord or said second power cord, and at least one switch which is actuated by insertion of said first cord but not by insertion of said second cord.

Claim 28

A power connector architecture, comprising: a first power cord having a wall-connection end in a standard AC mains-connection format, and having an appliance end in a standard appliance-connection format for AC power; a second power cord having a wall-connection end in a DC connection format, and having an appliance end which is partly larger than said standard appliance-connection format for AC power; a first electrical appliance having thereon a power-input connector in said standard appliance-connection format, which will receive said first power cord but not said second power cord; and a second electrical appliance having thereon a power-input connector in a modification of said standard appliance-connection format, which will receive either said first power cord or said second power cord, and at least one switch which is actuated by insertion of said first cord but not by insertion of said second cord.

Claim 29

The architecture of claim 24, wherein said second electrical appliance comprises more than one said switch.

Claim 30

The architecture of claim 24, wherein each said connector includes exactly two of said contacts.

Claim 31

The method of claim 24, wherein said connector includes exactly two of said contacts.

Claim 32

The architecture of claim 24, wherein each said connector includes exactly two of said contacts.

Claim 35

The method of claim 29, wherein said presence detector is a mechanical switch.

Claim 36

The method of claim 29, wherein said power cord connector comprises more than one said presence detector, each configured to detect the presence of separate predetermined respective portions of a connector which has been fully inserted into said guide structure.

Claim 37

The method of claim 29, wherein said power supply includes a boost stage having a tapped inductor which is partially bypassed in dependence on the state of said presence detector.

Claim 38

The method of claim 29, wherein said power supply includes a transformer having a tapped primary coil which is partially bypassed in dependence on the state of said presence detector.

Claim 39

The method of claim 29, wherein said power supply includes first and second switching transistors, with said first switching transistor having a lower withstand voltage than said second switching transistor, and said first switching transistor being conditionally connected in parallel with said second switching transistor in dependence on the state of said presence detector.

Claim 40

The method of claim 29, wherein said power supply includes first and second capacitors, with said first capacitor having a lower withstand voltage than said second capacitor, and said first capacitor being conditionally connected in parallel with said second capacitor in dependence on the state of said presence detector.

Claim 43

The method of claim 36, wherein said power cord connector comprises more than one said switch.

Claim 44

The method of claim 36, wherein said power supply includes a boost stage having a tapped inductor which is partially bypassed in dependence on the state of said switch.

Claim 45

The method of claim 36, wherein said power supply includes a transformer having a tapped primary coil which is partially bypassed in dependence on the state of said switch.

Claim 46

The method of claim 36, wherein said power supply includes first and second switching transistors, with said first switching transistor having a lower withstand voltage than said second switching transistor, and said first switching transistor being conditionally connected in parallel with said second switching transistor in dependence on the state of said switch.

Claim 47

The method of claim 36, wherein said power supply includes first and second capacitors, with said first capacitor having a lower withstand voltage than said second capacitor, and said first capacitor being conditionally connected in parallel with said second capacitor in dependence on the state of said switch.

Claim 48

The method of claim 36, wherein said connector includes exactly two of said contacts.