Automatic power switching in game peripheral

• US 20080197716A1
• Filed: 02/20/2007
• Published: 08/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Giaimo, Edward C., Nielsen, Kurt Torben, Rubio, Vasco
• Granted Patent: US 8,704,492 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/128
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/263 Arrangements for using multiple switchable power supplies, e.g. battery and AC G06F1/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/061 for DC powered loads

Abstract

An input device, such as game peripheral, for a computing device, such as a game console, may have some components that may be powered by AC power only, and some components that may be powered by either AC power or battery power. The switch from AC power to battery power, or vice versa, can be made on-the-fly, in realtime, without disrupting the underlying software application that is being run on the computing device.

Claims

1. An input device adapted to couple to a host device, comprising:

circuitry for receiving power from an alternating current (AC) source or a battery;

circuitry for detecting whether the received power is from the AC source or the battery;

a first component that is AC-powered; and

a second component that is operable using AC power and battery power, separately,

wherein if the received power is from the AC source, then the first component and the second component are operational, and if the received power is from the battery, then the second component is operational and the first component is prevented from operating.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the circuitry for detecting whether the receiving power is from the AC source or the battery comprises a FET bias line that decays to circuit ground level when AC power is removed, thereby causing a battery switch to turn on and the received power to be from the battery, and that rises in voltage when AC power is provided, thereby turning the battery switch off while the power from the AC source is present.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the first component provides a force feedback sensation in response to a signal from the host device.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the first component comprises a power adapter, a force feedback controller, or a force feedback motor.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the second component is a microcontroller, a radio, indicators, a pedal assembly, or user switches or buttons.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein operating features of the second component may be altered depending on whether the received power is from the AC source or from the battery.

7. The device of claim 1, further comprising an output device for transmitting a power status to the host device.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the power status is comprised within a messaging protocol that contains information about the AC power status, an adapter connection status, and status of the first component.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the received power can switch from the AC source to the battery, or vice versa, in realtime.

10. A method of operating an input device having a first component that is AC-powered and a second component that is operable using AC power and battery power, separately, the input device adapted to couple to a host device, comprising:

receiving power from an alternating current (AC) source or a battery;

detecting whether the received power is from the AC source or the battery; and

activating the first component and the second component if the received power is from the AC source, and disabling the first component and activating the second component if the received power is from the battery.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising generating a status message containing information based on the received power.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising transmitting the status message to the host device.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising monitoring the source of the received power.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein monitoring the source of the received power comprises monitoring the status of an AC adapter.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising generating a status message containing information based on the monitoring, and transmitting the status message to the host device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the status message comprises information pertaining to a change of source of the received power.

17. A power detection device, comprising:

an AC to DC adapter that provides an output when AC power is present;

a DC to DC converter that receives the output and from the AC to DC adapter and outputs a voltage used by control circuitry; and

a FET bias line that is used to determine whether to switch on or off a battery.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein when the AC power is removed, the FET bias line decays to circuit ground level which causes the battery to turn on, and prevents a force feedback circuit from turning on.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein when the AC power is reconnected, the output of the AC to DC adapter ramps up over a short period of time to its nominal output, and the FET bias line rises in voltage and causes the battery to turn off, and activates the force feedback circuit.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the DC to DC converter will automatically start in the presence of enough input DC voltage, putting out its nominal voltage to operate the force feedback circuit.