PC DOCKING STATION SIMPLIFICATION

• US 20100295384A1
• Filed: 02/24/2010
• Published: 11/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: STMicroelectronics Incorporated (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Original Assignee: STMicroelectronics Incorporated (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Osamu
• Application Number:
  US12/711,572
• Publication Number:
  US 20100295384A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/154
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/266 Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/385 for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices

Abstract

A simplified docking station arranged to couple together a media source device and a media sink device is disclosed. The docking station is configured to accept power from the media source device for powering the docking station itself and for providing power to the media sink device.

Claims

1. A docking station arranged to couple together a media source device and a media sink device, comprising:

a connector, comprising;

a power pin, the power pin adapted to receive power from the source device, wherein the received power is used to operate the docking station.

2. The docking station of claim 1, wherein the power received by the docking station is further used to power the sink device.

3. The docking station of claim 1, wherein the media source device is a personal computer.

4. The docking station of claim 1, wherein the media sink device is a display device.

5. The docking station of claim 1 further comprising:

at least one peripheral port configured to couple at least one peripheral device with the media source device.

6. The docking station of claim 5, wherein the at least one peripheral device includes at least one of the following:

a keyboard, a mouse, a network adapter and a storage device.

7. The docking station of claim 4, wherein the display device couples with the docking station by way of one of the following connector types:

VGA DSUB15, DVI, HDMI, Display Port.

8. The docking station of claim 5, wherein the at least one peripheral port comprises at least one of:

a USB port, a network port, a serial port, a parallel port, a wireless connection.

9. The docking station of claim 1, wherein the media sink device comprises a plurality of display devices.

10. A method of using a docking station, said method comprising:

coupling a media source device with the docking station by way of a multichannel docking connector;

providing power to the docking station from the media source device over the multichannel docking connector.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

before the providing power to the docking station, determining a power level to be provided to the docking station.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the determining a power level to be provided to the docking station is performed using at least a level of power provided by the media source device and a level of power required by the docking station.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

coupling a media sink device with the docking station, the media sink device receiving power from the media source device via the docking station.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

coupling at least one peripheral device with the docking station.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the media sink device couples with the docking station by way of one of the following connector types:

VGA DSUB15, DVI, HDMI, Display Port and wherein the at least one peripheral device couples with the docking station by way of at least one of the following connections;

a USB port, a network port, a serial port, a parallel port, a wireless connection.

16. A system comprising:

a media source device;

a media sink device;

a docking station arranged to couple together the media source device and the media sink device, comprising;

a connector, comprising;

a power pin, the power pin adapted to receive power from the source device, wherein the received power is used to operate the docking station.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the power received by the docking station is further used to power the sink device.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the media source device is a personal computer.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the media sink device is a display device.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the docking station further comprises:

at least one peripheral port configured to couple at least one peripheral device with the media source device.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the at least one peripheral device includes at least one of the following:

a keyboard, a mouse, a network adapter and a storage device.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the display device couples with the docking station by way of one of the following connector types:

VGA DSUB15, DVI, HDMI, Display Port.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the at least one peripheral port comprises at least one of:

a USB port, a network port, a serial port, a parallel port, a wireless connection.

24. The system of claim 23, further comprising:

at least one additional display device coupled with the media source device by way of the docking station.