SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING PROTECTION CIRCUITRY TO SELECTIVELY HANDLE MULTIPLE CABLE-TYPES THROUGH THE SAME PORT

• US 20100225176A1
• Filed: 06/03/2009
• Published: 09/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Farrar, Doug, Bhargava, Rishabh
• Application Number:
  US12/477,547
• Publication Number:
  US 20100225176A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/125
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 4/00 Circuit arrangements for mains or distribution networks not specified as ac or dc
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6058 involving the use of a headset accessory device connected to the portable telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60

Abstract

This is generally directed to providing protection circuitry to selectively handle power-providing cables and headset cables that can couple to the same port of an electronic device. In some embodiments, the device can include a Headset Rx chip to communicate with the headset cable and a Power Rx chip to communicate with the power-providing cable. As the Headset Rx chip and the Power Rx chip can be coupled to the same contact of the device'"'"'s port, these chips may prevent one another from operating correctly or may damage one another. Accordingly, in some embodiments, it can be determined whether a headset cable or a power-providing cable is coupled to the device. When a headset cable is coupled to the device, the protection circuitry can disconnect the Power Rx chip. Similarly, when a power-providing cable is coupled to the device, the protection circuitry can disconnect the Headset Rx chip.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining a cable is coupled to a port of an electronic device;

disconnecting a power-providing cable receive chip (“

Power Rx”

) of the electronic device from a non-power cable receive chip (“

Headset Rx”

) of the electronic device;

attempting to authenticate a non-power cable transmit chip (“

Headset Tx”

) of the cable; and

maintaining disconnection of the Power Rx in response to successfully authenticating the Headset Tx.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the port is operable to separately couple to multiple types of cables.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the attempting to authenticate the Headset Tx comprises:

receiving a signal from the cable;

determining whether the signal comprises an appropriate series of sine waves; and

authenticating the Headset Tx in response to the signal comprising the appropriate series of sine waves.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising in response to unsuccessfully authenticating the Headset Tx:

reconnecting the Power Rx; and

attempting to authenticate a power-providing cable transmit chip (“

Power Tx”

) of the cable.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the attempting to authenticate the Power Tx comprises:

receiving a signal from the cable;

determining whether the signal comprises an appropriate series of power signal pulses; and

authenticating the Power Tx in response to the signal comprising the appropriate series of power signal pulses.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the attempting to authenticate the Power Tx comprises disconnecting a non-power cable receive chip (“

Headset Rx”

) of the electronic device from the port.

7. A system comprising:

a port operable to couple to a power-providing cable and a non-power providing cable;

a power-providing cable receive chip (“

Power Rx”

) operable to communicate with a power-providing cable transmit chip (“

Power Tx”

) of the power-providing cable; and

a processor operable to;

determine when the port is coupled to the power-providing cable;

determine when the port is coupled to the non-power providing cable;

disconnect the Power Rx in response to determining the port is coupled to the non-power providing cable; and

connect the Power Rx to the port in response to determining the port is coupled to the power-providing cable.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the processor is further operable to:

determine when a power signal is not being received through the port; and

disconnect the Power Rx in response to determining the power signal is not being received through the port.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the processor is further operable to provide instructions to a Power Rx Control System to disconnect the Power Rx in response to determining the power signal is not being received through the port.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the system further comprises:

a non-power providing cable receive chip (“

Headset Rx”

) operable to communicate with a non-power providing cable transmit chip (“

Headset Tx”

) of the non-power providing cable.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the processor is further operable to connect the Headset Rx to the port in response to determining the power signal is not being received through the port.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the processor is further operable to:

determine when a power signal is being received through the port; and

connect the Power Rx in response to determining the power signal is being received through the port.

13. An electronic device comprising:

a port;

a power-providing cable receive chip (“

Power Rx”

);

a non-power providing cable receive chip (“

Headset Rx”

); and

a processor operable to;

determine when a cable having a circuit is coupled to the port; and

alternate between;

attempting to authenticate the circuit of the cable with the Headset Rx; and

attempting to authenticate the circuit of the cable with the Power Rx.

14. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the processor is further operable to:

determine when the electronic device is turned on; and

attempt to authenticate the circuit with the Headset Rx before attempting to authenticate the circuit with the Power Rx in response to determining the electronic device is turned on.

15. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the processor is further operable to:

determine when the electronic device is turned off; and

attempt to authenticate the circuit with the Power Rx before attempting to authenticate the circuit with the Headset Rx in response to determining the electronic device is turned off.

16. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the processor is further operable to:

disconnect the Power Rx from the Headset Rx; and

attempt to authenticate the circuit of the cable with the Headset Rx after disconnecting the Power Rx.

17. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the processor is further operable to:

determine when the Headset Rx did not authenticate the circuit;

reconnect the Power Rx to the Headset Rx; and

attempt to authenticate the circuit with the Power Rx after reconnecting the Power Rx to the Headset Rx.

18. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the processor is further operable to:

disconnect the Headset Rx from the port; and

attempt to authenticate the circuit of the cable with the Power Rx after disconnecting the Headset Rx.

19. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein the processor is further operable to:

determine when the Power Rx did not authenticate the circuit;

reconnect the Headset Rx to the port;

disconnect the Power Rx from the Headset Rx; and

attempt to authenticate the circuit with the Headset Rx after reconnecting the Headset Rx to the port and after disconnecting the Power Rx from the Headset Rx.

20. Machine-readable media comprising machine-readable instructions recorded thereon for:

determining when a cable is coupled to a port of an electronic device;

disconnecting a power-providing cable receive chip (“

Power Rx”

) of the electronic device from a non-power cable receive chip (“

Headset Rx”

) of the electronic device;

attempting to authenticate a non-power cable transmit chip (“

Headset Tx”

) of the cable; and

maintaining the disconnection of the Power Rx in response to successfully authenticating the Headset Tx.

21. The machine-readable media of claim 20, further comprising machine-readable instructions recorded thereon for:

reconnecting the Power Rx; and

attempting to authenticate a power-providing cable transmit chip (“

Power Tx”

) of the cable.