Power Supply Controller with Independent Voltage Segmentation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current power supply systems in devices like photo printers are costly due to the need for UPS backup, and failures can lead to component runaway and increased repair costs, with difficult identification of failure causes.
Innovation Solution
A power supply controller with a power supply board that independently controls power supply voltage to components and control boards, using status indicator circuits to indicate normal or abnormal states, allowing for quick identification of failures and preventing component runaway.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If UPS is used for complete backup of power supply, then reliability is improved, but cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The power supply board is divided into multiple independent power supply circuits, each capable of independently detecting and responding to failures. This segmentation allows the system to maintain functionality even when individual circuits fail, reducing the need for complete UPS backup while improving overall reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
Each power supply circuit incorporates feedback mechanisms through status indicator circuits that continuously monitor their own operation and provide real-time information to the control board. This enables automatic detection and response to failures, improving system reliability without requiring expensive UPS equipment.
2Ease of operation
If software self-diagnosis is used to detect power supply failures, then ease of operation is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates because the device is not activated during failure
Solution Approach 1:
The power supply board performs self-diagnosis through integrated status indicator circuits that automatically detect and report failures without requiring external software intervention. The system serves itself by using the power supply's own output to power the status indicators, enabling accurate failure detection while the device remains in a low-power state.
Solution Approach 2:
Status indicator circuits act as intermediaries between the power supply circuits and the control board, providing reliable failure information through dedicated indicator LEDs. These intermediaries enable precise failure detection without requiring the main device to be activated, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and measurement precision.
3Reliability
If all components are replaced without identifying failure cause, then reliability is improved, but loss of time and loss of substance increase
Solution Approach 1:
The status indicator circuits provide continuous feedback information about the operational state of each power supply circuit, enabling precise identification of failed components. This feedback mechanism allows technicians to quickly locate and replace only the defective component rather than replacing all components, significantly reducing repair time and costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical troubleshooting methods with electronic status indication systems. The status indicator LEDs provide visual information about circuit failures, substituting the need for time-consuming manual inspection and testing with automatic electronic diagnosis, thereby reducing both repair time and component replacement costs.
4Productivity
If power supply failure is not detected timely, then productivity is maintained, but object-affected harmful factors increase due to component runaway
Solution Approach 1:
The status indicator circuits continuously monitor power supply circuit operation and provide real-time feedback to the control board. When a failure is detected, the system can immediately respond by shutting down affected circuits or alerting the user, preventing component runaway and damage while maintaining overall device productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates preliminary protective measures through status indicator circuits that detect potential failures before they lead to component runaway. By detecting anomalies early and enabling timely intervention, the system prevents harmful effects from developing while maintaining continuous operation.
Data Source
AI summary
A power supply controller is used in a device including at least one component and at least one control board for controlling an operation of each component, and includes: a power supply section; and a power supply board for independently supplying a power supply voltage output from the power supply section to each of the component and the control board. The power supply board includes an output control circuit for independently controlling to output or to stop outputting the power supply voltage supplied from the power supply board to each of the components based on a signal indicating one of a normal state and an abnormal state of the power supply voltage used in each control board, which is fed back to the power supply board from each control board when the power supply voltage is supplied from the power supply board to each control board.