초록 ▼

A system and method for providing direct-current power is described. In one embodiment a direct current voltage is converted into at least two regulated DC voltages, and a first of the at least two regulated DC voltages is applied across a first and second outputs and a second of the at least two re

A system and method for providing direct-current power is described. In one embodiment a direct current voltage is converted into at least two regulated DC voltages, and a first of the at least two regulated DC voltages is applied across a first and second outputs and a second of the at least two regulated DC voltages is applied across the second output and a third output. And when a first impedance across the first and second outputs is less than a second impedance across the second and third outputs, current is received via the second output while delivering power to the first and second impedances.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. An apparatus comprising: a rectifier configured to rectify an alternating-current (AC) voltage so as to generate a first direct-current (DC) voltage; and a switch-mode regulator including a first, second, and third outputs, the first and second outputs configured to connect t

What is claimed is: 1. An apparatus comprising: a rectifier configured to rectify an alternating-current (AC) voltage so as to generate a first direct-current (DC) voltage; and a switch-mode regulator including a first, second, and third outputs, the first and second outputs configured to connect to a first load and the second and third outputs configured to couple to a second load, wherein the regulator is configured to apply, using the first direct-current voltage, a regulated second DC voltage between the first and the second outputs and a regulated third DC voltage between the second and third outputs, each of the regulated second and third DC voltages having a magnitude that is less than the magnitude of the first DC voltage; wherein the switch-mode regulator is configured to receive current from the second output, while providing power to the first and second loads, when an impedance of the first load is less than an impedance of the second load and the regulator is configured to send current out of the second output when the impedance of the second load is less than the impedance of the first load. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the rectifier is an active-boost rectifier configured to generate the first direct-current (DC) voltage with a magnitude that exceeds the magnitude of a passively rectified DC voltage from the AC voltage. 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second output of the regulator includes two connectors, a first of the two connectors is adapted to connect to the first load and the second of the two conductors is adapted to connect to the second load so as to enable a voltage of the first output to be physically separated from a voltage of the third output. 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the regulator includes a feedback line connected to the second output to enable closed-loop regulation of the regulated second and third voltages. 5. The apparatus of claim 1, including a visual indicator configured to alert a user of a load imbalance between the first load and the second load. 6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the regulator is configured to apply the regulated second DC voltage to the first and second outputs at the same magnitude as the regulated third DC voltage, and wherein a voltage between the first and third outputs has a magnitude that is approximately the magnitude of the first DC voltage. 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the regulator includes a fourth output configured to connect to a third load, the regulator being configured to provide a regulated fourth voltage between the third output and the fourth output. 8. A method for providing direct-current power, comprising: converting a direct current voltage into at least two regulated DC voltages; applying a first of the at least two regulated DC voltages across a first and second outputs and a second of the at least two regulated DC voltages across the second output and a third output; and receiving, when a first impedance across the first and second outputs is less than a second impedance across the second and third outputs, current via the second output while delivering power to the first and second impedances. 9. The method of claim 8 including: receiving an alternating current; and rectifying the alternating current to generate the direct current voltage. 10. The method of claim 8, including: applying the voltage of the second output to a first and second conductors; and separately distributing the first and second of the at least two regulated DC voltages. 11. The method of claim 8, wherein converting includes converting the direct current voltage into three regulated DC voltages, and applying includes applying a third of the three regulated DC voltages across the third output and a fourth output. 12. The method of claim 8, wherein the voltage across the first and third outputs is substantially the same voltage as the direct current voltage. 13. The method of claim 8, wherein the converting includes dividing the direct current voltage and switch-regulating the divided voltage. 14. The method of claim 8 including modulating the at least two regulated DC voltages in response to feedback from at least one of the outputs. 15. An apparatus comprising: a first and second outer conductors adapted to enable a direct current voltage to be applied across the first and second outer conductors; a first and second electrically-controlled switches, the first and second electrically-controlled switches arranged in series to form a series combination, the series combination of the electrically-controlled switches disposed between the first and second outer conductors; a center conductor coupled between the a first and second electrically-controlled switches, the first electrically-controlled switch regulating a second DC voltage that is applied between the first outer conductor and the center conductor, and the second electrically-controlled switch regulating a third DC voltage that is applied between the second outer conductor and the center conductor, wherein during operation, power is delivered, irrespective of the direction of current flow in the center conductor, to both a first load coupled between the first outer conductor and the center conductor and a second load coupled between the second outer conductor and the center conductor. 16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the center conductor includes an inductor configured to filter the voltage of the center conductor. 17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first outer conductor includes a first inductor and the second outer conductor includes a second inductor. 18. The apparatus of claim 15, including a first capacitor coupled between the first outer conductor and the center conductor and a second capacitor coupled between the second outer conductor and the center conductor. 19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein each of the first and second electrically-controlled switches includes a switch device selected from the group consisting of an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT), a field effect transistor (FET), gate turn off devices; IGCT insulated gate commutating thyristors.