Apparatus and method for adaptive active current limit protection

Apparatus having a housing to contain a voltage source that provides an output voltage, the apparatus comprising:

• a portable electronic device sized to be contained within the housing;
• and
• battery circuitry including enable circuitry and adaptive active current limiting circuitry, the battery circuitry being configured to provide either the output voltage or a reduced voltage, and
• the enable circuitry being electrically connectable to the voltage source, the enable circuitry configured to make a determination, prior to the battery circuitry supplying electrical power from the voltage source to the portable electronic device:
• that the output voltage from the voltage source exceeds a predefined maximum permitted voltage for operation of the portable electronic device in a hazardous environment;
• or
• that the output voltage from the voltage source is at or below the predefined maximum permitted voltage, and
• the adaptive active current limiting circuitry being coupled to the enable circuitry and configured to be:
• fully turned off when disabled by the enable circuitry;
• and
• when the enable circuitry determines that the output voltage from the voltage source exceeds the predefined maximum permitted voltage, generate the reduced voltage from the output voltage, wherein the reduced voltage is at least at or below the predefined maximum permitted voltage.