Voltage supply circuit responsive to plural possible dc input levels

Abstract

A voltage supply circuit comprises an input for receiving a DC input voltage having one of plural possible levels; a DC-AC inverter for inverting the DC input voltage and which includes a boosting transformer having a winding with end terminals and an intermediate terminal and an inverter drive circuit for providing an AC current to the transformer; a connection between the input and the intermediate terminal of the boosting transformer for applying the DC input voltage to the latter; and a control circuit for controlling the inverter drive circuit, and which selects between a first condition, in which the inverter drive circuit is made operative so that a boosted voltage is provided at one end terminal of the boosting transformer, and a second condition, in which the inverter drive circuit is made inoperative, so that the DC input voltage introduced at the intermediate terminal is provided as a DC output voltage at the end terminal of the booster transformer. The control circuit can include a zener diode as a level detector to control a switching transistor so that the first and second conditions are selected on the basis of the level of the DC input voltage.