Power supply with universal output

[Tomas1707]

Is there a way, even using the microcontroller, to design an universal output power supply? Say we have 12V DC input and to the output we connect a many different devices with needed power supply from 3 to 10V and with currents from 10 uA to 1A. Is there a methodology to determine the right power supply for the unknow connected device? I mean microcontroller does something in the way: first set the output voltage to minimum, turn on the output, measure the current to the unknow device, turn off the output, second increase the output voltage by 0,5 V, connect the output, measure the current etc. etc.

 

[Orson Cart]

Unfortunately there is no way for a uP program to logically arrive at the correct o/p voltage, if the receiving device put a tone or pulses on the power line when it received the correct input voltage, then the concept could be made to work. Regards, Orson Cart.

 

[Tomas1707]

Even if you use different current limiting (switched by MCU)? What I think about is an universal power supply for mobile phone, camcoder, camera etc.