1. A multi-input power supply circuit comprising:
a plurality of power supplies;
a transformer including windings corresponding to said plurality of power supplies;
switching devices for performing switching operations and transistors for preventing inverse currents, said switching devices and transistors being connected in series to said windings, respectively; and
a control circuit for controlling switching operations of said switching devices and on and off operations of said transistors.
2. The multi-input power supply circuit according to claim 1, wherein,
in switching from one of said plurality of power supplies to another one of said plurality of power supplies, said control circuit turns on one of said transistors corresponding to the another one of said plurality of power supplies after stopping a switching operation of one of said switching devices corresponding to the one of said plurality of power supplies.
3. The multi-input power supply circuit according to claim 1, wherein,
in switching from one of said plurality of power supplies to another one of said plurality of power supplies, said control circuit starts a switching operation of one of said switching devices corresponding to the another one of said plurality of power supplies after turning off one of said transistors corresponding to the one of said plurality of power supplies.
4. The multi-input power supply circuit according to claim 1, wherein,
in switching from one of said plurality of power supplies to another one of said plurality of power supplies, said control circuit performs, for a predetermined time period, switching operations of both one of said switching devices corresponding to the one of said plurality of power supplies and another one of said switching devices corresponding to the another one of said plurality of power supplies.
5. The multi-input power supply circuit according to claim 1, wherein
said plurality of power supplies include a battery and at least one of an alternating-current power supply and a direct-current power supply.
6. A power supply switching-method for switching power supplies of a multi-input power supply circuit that includes a plurality of power supplies, a transformer including windings corresponding to said plurality of power supplies, and switching devices for performing switching operations and transistors for preventing inverse currents, said switching devices and transistors being connected in series to said windings, respectively, said power supply switching-method comprising the step of:
switching from one of said plurality of power supplies to another one of said plurality of power supplies by turning on one of said transistors corresponding to the another one of said plurality of power supplies after stopping a switching operation of one of said switching devices corresponding to the one of said plurality of power supplies.
7. A power supply switching-method for switching power supplies of a multi-input power supply circuit that includes a plurality of power supplies, a transformer including windings corresponding to said plurality of power supplies, and switching devices for performing switching operations and transistors for preventing inverse currents, said switching devices and transistors being connected in series to said windings, respectively, said power supply switching-method comprising the step of:
switching from one of said plurality of power supplies to another one of said plurality of power supplies by starting a switching operation of one of said switching devices corresponding to the another one of said plurality of power supplies after turning off one of said transistors corresponding to the one of said plurality of power supplies.
8. A power supply switching-method for switching power supplies of a multi-input power supply circuit that includes a plurality of power supplies, a transformer including windings corresponding to said plurality of power supplies, and switching devices for performing switching operations and transistors for preventing inverse currents, said switching devices and transistors being connected in series to said windings, respectively, said power supply switching-method comprising the step of:
switching from one of said plurality of power supplies to another one of said plurality of power supplies by performing, for a predetermined time period, switching operations of both one of said switching devices corresponding to the one of said plurality of power supplies and another one of said switching devices corresponding to the another one of said plurality of power supplies.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. (canceled)
2. A computer-implemented method comprising:
using a computer processor for presenting to a buyer in a multi-unit auction a fixed-price purchase process for purchase of one or more units of an offering;
using the processor for selecting a threshold, the threshold other than the fixed-price; and
using the processor for removing said one or more units available for fixed-price purchase only if a current price after bid is more than said threshold and a number of units currently bid on is more than the total number of said one or more units.
3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein said threshold is in the range of 0 to 100 inclusive.
4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein said threshold is equal to 100, thereby maintaining the total number of said one or more units available for fixed-price purchase throughout the entirety of said auction.
5. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein said threshold is equal to 0, thereby reducing the total number of said one or more units available for fixed-price purchase by the number of units bid for; and
comprising using the processor for removing said fixed-price purchase process from said auction when said number of units available for fixed-price purchase is less than or equal to zero.
6. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, comprising using the processor for displaying on a user interface the number of units available for fixed-price purchase.
7. The computer-implemented method of claim 2,
wherein said current price after bid is equal to or greater than said threshold as a percentage of said fixed-price;
and comprising using the processor for reducing said quantity available for fixed-price purchase on a one for one basis with said quantity of units bid on.
8. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, comprising using the processor for removing said fixed-price purchase process from said auction when the quantity of units bid on is greater than or equal to the number of units in said auction.
9. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein said selection of said threshold permits the selection of a type of fixed-price process from a group consisting of a temporary fixed-price process, a semi-persistent fixed-price process, and a persistent fixed-price process.
10. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions that when executed by a processor execute a process comprising:
presenting to a buyer in a multi-unit auction a fixed-price purchase process for purchase of one or more units of an offering;
selecting a threshold, the threshold other than the fixed-price; and
removing said one or more units available for fixed-price purchase only if a current price after bid is more than said threshold and a number of units currently bid on is more than the total number of said one or more units.
11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein said threshold is in the range of 0 to 100 inclusive.
12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein said threshold is equal to 100, thereby maintaining the total number of said one or more units available for fixed-price purchase throughout the entirety of said auction.
13. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein said threshold is equal to 0, thereby reducing the total number of said one or more units available for fixed-price purchase by the number of units bid for; and comprising instructions for removing said fixed-price purchase process from said auction when said number of units available for fixed-price purchase is less than or equal to zero.
14. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, comprising instructions for using the processor for displaying on a user interface the number of units available for fixed-price purchase.
15. The computer-readable medium of claim 10,
wherein said current price after bid is equal to or greater than said threshold as a percentage of said fixed-price;
and comprising instructions for reducing said quantity available for fixed-price purchase on a one for one basis with said quantity of units bid on.
16. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, comprising instructions for removing said fixed-price purchase process from said auction when the quantity of units bid on is greater than or equal to the number of units in said auction.
17. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein said selection of said threshold permits the selection of a type of fixed-price process from a group consisting of a temporary fixed-price process, a semi-persistent fixed-price process, and a persistent fixed-price process.
18. A system comprising:
a computer processor operable for:
presenting to a buyer in a multi-unit auction a fixed-price purchase process for purchase of one or more units of an offering;
selecting a threshold, the threshold other than the fixed-price; and
removing said one or more units available for fixed-price purchase only if a current price after bid is more than said threshold and a number of units currently bid on is more than the total number of said one or more units.
19. The system of claim 18, wherein
said threshold is equal to 100, thereby maintaining the total number of said one or more units available for fixed-price purchase throughout the entirety of said auction; or
said threshold is equal to 0, thereby reducing the total number of said one or more units available for fixed-price purchase by the number of units bid for, wherein the computer processor is operable for removing said fixed-price purchase process from said auction when said number of units available for fixed-price purchase is less than or equal to zero.
20. The system of claim 18,
wherein said current price after bid is equal to or greater than said threshold as a percentage of said fixed-price;
and wherein the computer processor is operable for reducing said quantity available for fixed-price purchase on a one for one basis with said quantity of units bid on.
21. The system of claim 18, wherein said selection of said threshold permits the selection of a type of fixed-price process from a group consisting of a temporary fixed-price process, a semi-persistent fixed-price process, and a persistent fixed-price process.