Common Elements
All electronic power supplies convert an external power source such as the AC mains or a DC battery to some other more appropriate voltage. Consequently, the functional block diagram of most power supplies look remarkably similar.
There are several types of power supplies, but this article will briefly discuss three:
Linear power supplies - these are generally used as as a piece of laboratory test equipment. They are very inefficient, but provide a very high quality of voltage or current regulation.
Switch Mode power supplies - these are found in all portable electronic equipment, are very efficient but can generate electrical interference.
Uninterruptible power supplies - these are used to provide backup when the electrical grid fails.