INPUT/OUTPUT INTERFACE CONTROL METHOD AND ELECTRONIC APPARATUS PERFORMING SAME

• US 20170010659A1
• Filed: 09/19/2016
• Published: 01/12/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Park, Chahoon, Kim, Sangju, Cho, Kangseok, Cha, Jaedeok, Bin, Kikwon, Jin, Sungyun
• Granted Patent: US 10,025,374 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
• 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 1/3287 by switching off individual functional units in the computer system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/14 Handling requests for interconnection or transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/385 for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00036 Charger exchanging data with battery

Abstract

An electronic apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include an input/output interface, the mode of which can be changed to a data communication mode or a charging mode. An electronic apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include: a connector to which an external electronic apparatus having an interface that can be connected to an input/output interface is connected; a power supply unit for supplying power to the external electronic apparatus through a power supply line connected to the connector; a host controller for controlling data transmission from and to the external electronic apparatus; and a mode controlling unit for measuring electric current flowing through the power supply line, changing an operation mode on the basis of a result obtained by comparing the electric current value with a reference value, and controlling operations of the power supply unit and the host controller according to the operation mode.

Claims

1. An electronic device including an input/output (I/O) interface capable of changing an operating mode thereof to a data communication mode or to a charging mode, the I/O interface comprising:

a connector to which an external electronic device is connected;

a power supply unit for supplying electric power to the external electronic device through a power supply line connected to the connector;

a host controller for controlling data transmission to or from the external electronic device; and

a mode control unit for measuring an electric current flowing through the power supply line, changing the operating mode based on a result of comparing a measured current value with a reference value, and controlling operations of the power supply unit and of the host controller depending on the operating mode.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the power supply unit includes a limit circuit for preventing an electric current greater than a setting value from flowing to the power supply line.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the mode control unit includes:

a sensor module for measuring an electric current flowing through the power supply line; and

a comparator for comparing the current value with the reference value and outputting a comparison signal depending on a comparison result.

4. The electronic device of claim 3, wherein the mode control unit analyzes the comparison signal, changes the operating mode to the data communication mode when the current value is smaller than the reference value, and changes the operating mode to the charging mode when the current value is equal to or greater than the reference value.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the mode control unit controls the power supply unit to supply the electric power to the external electronic device in case the operating mode is the charging mode, and controls the power supply unit to stop a supply of the electric power in case the operating mode is the data communication mode.

6. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the mode control unit includes:

a charging control IC for controlling an operation of the power supply unit; and

an embedded controller for changing the operating mode in response to a user'"'"'s input.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the mode control unit changes the operating mode to the data communication mode when a connection of the external electronic device connected to the connector is released.

8. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the mode control unit changes the operating mode to the data communication mode when charging of the external electronic device connected to the connector is completed in the charging mode.

9. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the mode control unit includes a switch for receiving a mode change command from a user.

10. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein when the mode change command for changing the operating mode of the I/O interface to the charging mode is received from the user, the mode control unit checks whether the external electronic device connected to the connector supports the charging mode and then, if the external electronic device fails to support the charging mode, changes the operating mode to the data communication mode.

11. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:

a sensing resistor inserted in the power supply line and being as a current measurement target of the mode control unit.

12. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein when the operating mode of the I/O interface is the charging mode, the mode control unit stops an operation of the host controller and controls the power supply unit to supply the electric power.

13. A method for controlling an input/output (I/O) interface capable of changing an operating mode thereof to a data communication mode or to a charging mode in an electronic device including the I/O interface, the method comprising operations of:

identifying a connection state of an external electronic device connected to a connector; and

when a connection of the external electronic device is released, changing the operating mode of the I/O interface to the data communication mode.

14. The I/O interface control method of claim 13, wherein the operation of identifying the connection state of the external electronic device includes operations of:

measuring an electric current being supplied to the external electronic device through a power supply line; and

if a measured current value is smaller than a reference value, identifying that the connection of the external electronic device is released.

15. The I/O interface control method of claim 13, further comprising operations of:

identifying the operating mode of the I/O interface;

when the operating mode of the I/O interface is the charging mode, measuring an electric current of a power supply line for supplying electric power to the external electronic device;

comparing a measured current value with a reference value; and

if the current value is smaller than the reference value, changing the operating mode of the I/O interface to the data communication mode.

16. The I/O interface control method of claim 13, further comprising operations of:

receiving, from a user, a mode change command to change the operating mode of the I/O interface to the charging mode;

determining whether the external electronic device connected to the connector supports the charging mode; and

if the external electronic device fails to support the charging mode, changing the operating mode of the I/O interface to the data communication mode.

17. The I/O interface control method of claim 13, wherein the charging mode is a dedicated charging port (DCP) mode, and the data communication mode is one of a standard downstreaming port (SDP) mode and a charging downstreaming port (CDP) mode.

18. The I/O interface control method of claim 14, further comprising operation of:

if the mode of the I/O interface is the charging mode, changing the mode of the I/O interface to the data communication mode when charging of the external electronic device connected to the connector is completed.

19. The I/O interface control method of claim 14, further comprising operation of:

if the mode of the I/O interface is the data communication mode, changing the mode of the I/O interface to the charging mode when the external electronic device connected to the connector is discharged.

20. A computer-readable storage medium recording thereon one or more programs including commands for enabling an electronic device, including an input/output (I/O) interface capable of changing an operating mode thereof to a data communication mode or to a charging mode, to perform a method for controlling the I/O interface, the method comprising operations of:

identifying that a connection of an external electronic device connected to a connector is released; and

if the connection of the external electronic device is released, changing the operating mode of the I/O interface to the data communication mode.