Method for Providing Power to an Electronic Device

• US 20160266625A1
• Filed: 05/20/2016
• Published: 09/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Maxim Integrated Products, Inc. (Analog Devices, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Maxim Integrated Products, Inc. (Analog Devices, Inc.)
• Inventors: Helfrich, Kenneth J., Kim, Sang H., Fraternali, Fabrizio
• Granted Patent: US 10,209,752 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C

Abstract

A method for providing power through a USB port of an electronic device includes connecting a power supply to a USB port of an electronic device, emulating a personal computer (PC) host system such that the electronic device believes that the power supply is a PC host system, retrieving at least one descriptor from the electronic device, identifying the electronic device from the at least one descriptor, and setting a charging voltage based upon the identity of the electronic device.

Claims

1. A method for providing power through a USB port of an electronic device comprising:

connecting a power supply to a USB port of an electronic device;

emulating a personal computer (PC) host system such that the electronic device believes that the power supply is a PC host system;

retrieving at least one descriptor from the electronic device;

identifying the maximum voltage level to be provided to the electronic device from the at least one descriptor; and

setting the power supply voltage to the maximum voltage level.

2. A method for providing power through a USB port of an electronic device as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

setting the charging voltage to a default value if the electronic device becomes detached from the power supply.

3. A method for providing power through a USB port of an electronic device as recited in claim 1 wherein the maximum voltage level is a legacy voltage level.

4. A method for providing power through a USB port of an electronic device as recited in claim 1 wherein the USB port includes a VBUS power line, a D−

data line and a D+ data line.

5. A method for providing power through a USB port of an electronic device as recited in claim 1 wherein the descriptor includes one or more of a Vendor Identification Number (VID), a Product Identification Number (PID), and a code in a text descriptor field.

6. A method for providing power through a USB port of an electronic device comprising:

connecting a power supply including digital logic to a USB port of an electronic device;

emulating a personal computer (PC) host system using the digital logic such that the electronic device believes that the power supply is a PC host system;

retrieving at least one descriptor via the USB port from the electronic device via at least one data line;

identifying a maximum voltage level to be provided to the electronic device from the at least one descriptor; and

setting a charging voltage of the power supply to the maximum voltage level.

7. A method for providing power through a USB port of an electronic device as recited in claim 6 further comprising:

setting the charging voltage to a default value if the power supply becomes disconnected from the USB port of the electronic device.

8. A method for providing power through a USB port of an electronic device as recited in claim 6 wherein the maximum voltage level is a legacy voltage level.

9. A method for providing power through a USB port of an electronic device as recited in claim 6 wherein the digital logic comprises a digital processor operated by stored code segments.

10. A method for providing power through a USB port of an electronic device as recited in claim 6 further comprising a host ID controller having a host ID control input coupled to the digital logic.

11. A method for providing power through a USB port of an electronic device as recited in claim 6 further comprising memory coupled to the logic including information relating to a plurality of electronic devices.

12. A method for providing power through a USB port of an electronic device as recited in claim 6 further comprising a transceiver coupling the logic to at least one data line.

13. A method for providing power through a USB port of an electronic device as recited in claim 6 wherein the USB port includes a VBUS power line, a D−

data line and a D+ data line and wherein the descriptor includes one or more of a Vendor Identification Number (VID), a Product Identification Number (PID), and a code in a text descriptor field.

14. A method for providing power through a USB port of an electronic device comprising:

connecting a power supply including digital logic to a USB port of an electronic device, wherein the USB port includes a VBUS power line, a D−

data line and a D+ data line;

emulating a personal computer (PC) host system using the digital logic such that the electronic device believes that the power supply is a PC host system;

retrieving at least one descriptor via the USB port from the electronic device, wherein the descriptor includes one or more of a Vendor Identification Number (VID), a Product Identification Number (PID), and a code in a text descriptor field;

identifying a maximum voltage level to be provided to the electronic device from the at least one descriptor; and

setting a charging voltage of the power supply to the maximum voltage level.

15. A method for providing power through a USB port of an electronic device as recited in claim 14 further comprising:

setting the charging voltage to a default value if the power supply becomes disconnected from the USB port of the electronic device.

16. A method for providing power through a USB port of an electronic device as recited in claim 14 wherein the maximum voltage level is a legacy voltage level.

17. A method for providing power through a USB port of an electronic device as recited in claim 14 wherein the digital logic comprises a digital processor operated by stored code segments.

18. A method for providing power through a USB port of an electronic device as recited in claim 14 further comprising a host ID controller having a host ID control input coupled to the digital logic.

19. A method for providing power through a USB port of an electronic device as recited in claim 14 further comprising memory coupled to the logic including information relating to a plurality of electronic devices.

20. A method for providing power through a USB port of an electronic device as recited in claim 14 further comprising a transceiver coupling the logic to at least one data line.