The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 06, 1993
Filed:
Sep. 11, 1991
Robert E Morris, Jr, Indianapolis, IN (US);
Mark R Anderson, Indianapolis, IN (US);
Thomson Consumer Electronics, Inc., Indianapolis, IN (US);
Abstract
Apparatus is provided for the virtual expansion of the power providing capacity of a power supply, e.g., for a stereophonic audio system with a given number of channels which may be selectively increased to provide a surround audio system. A plurality of amplifiers, each having an adjustable gain, are powered from the power supply. The current drawn from the power supply is sensed. When additional amplifiers are activated, the total amount of power drawn by all of the amplifiers can exceed a predetermined level which corresponds to the original plurality of amplifiers. However, when it is sensed that the total amount of power drawn exceeds the predetermined level, the gain of all of the amplifiers is reduced so that the power drawn from the power supply does not exceed the predetermined level. Thus, the virtual power providing capacity of the power supply is expanded to power the additional amplifiers.