Passive USB power configuration switching

• US 7,698,490 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2005
• Issued: 04/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
• Original Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
• Inventors: Terrell, James R II
• Primary Examiner(s): Rinehart; Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): MISIURA, BRIAN THOMAS
• Application Number:
  US11/306,268
• Publication Number:
  US 20070143505A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,574 Days
• Field of Search: 710 8- 14, 710/302, 713300-340
• US Class Current: 710/302
• 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 13/4295 using an embedded synchronisation

Abstract

A system for a universal serial bus (USB) device to perform power configuration to operate with a USB host. A connection to the USB host is enabled. Then a high-power configuration is reported to the USB host and successful enumeration by the USB host is monitored for. If such enumeration is not forthcoming within a preset time, the connection to the USB host is disabled and re-enabled, and a low-power configuration is then reported to the USB host. Optionally, the system can further ramp up power usage until a preset high-power configuration is reached, or until there is voltage sag on the VBUS and then either ramp power usage back down or measure the sag and set to a calculated power usage.

Claims

1. A method for a serial bus (SB) device to perform power configuration to operate with a SB host, the method comprising:

(a) enabling a connection to the SB host;

(b) reporting a high-power configuration to the SB host;

(c) monitoring for successful enumeration by the SB host; and

(d1) if said successful enumeration is not forthcoming within a preset time, then;

(1) disabling said connection to the SB host;

(2) re-enabling said connection to the SB host; and

(3) reporting a low-power configuration to the SB host;

(d2) if said successful enumeration is forthcoming within said preset time, ramping up power usage to said high-power configuration.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said (a) is contemporaneous with physical attachment of the SB device to a SB port of the SB host.

3. The method of claim 1, after said (d2), the method further comprising:

e) additionally monitoring for said successful enumeration by the SB host; and

(f) if said successful enumeration is not forthcoming within an additional preset time, reporting enumeration failure on a user interface.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the SB device has a VBUS, the method further comprising:

(e) ramping up power usage until the occurrence of one of;

(1) said power usage reaches a preset high-power configuration; and

(2) there is voltage sag on the VBUS, and then ramping down said power usage.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said (d) further includes, after said (e)(2):

(3) suspension of said connection by the SB host is detected, and then;

(i) disabling said connection to the SB host;

(ii) re-enabling said connection to the SB host; and

(iii) reporting a low-power configuration to the SB host.

6. A method for a serial bus (SB) device having a VBUS to perform power configuration to operate with a SB host, the method comprising:

(a) enabling a connection to the SB host;

(b) reporting a low-power configuration to the SB host;

(c) monitoring for successful enumeration by the SB host; and

(d) if said successful enumeration is forthcoming within a preset time, ramping up power usage until;

(1) said power usage reaches a preset high-power configuration; and

(2) there is voltage sag on the VBUS, and then ramping down said power usage.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said (a) is contemporaneous with physical attachment of the SB device to a SB port of the SB host.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein said (d) further includes, after said (d)(2):

(3) suspension of said connection by the SB host is detected, and then;

(i) disabling said connection to the SB host;

(ii) re-enabling said connection to the SB host; and

(iii) reporting a low-power configuration to the SB host.

9. The method of claim 6, after said (d), the method further comprising:

(e) if said successful enumeration is not forthcoming within said preset time, reporting enumeration failure on a user interface.

10. A method for a serial bus (SB) device having a VBUS to perform power configuration to operate with a SB host, the method comprising:

(a) enabling a connection to the SB host;

(b) reporting a low-power configuration to the SB host;

(c) monitoring for successful enumeration by the SB host; and

(d) if said successful enumeration is forthcoming within a preset time, ramping up power usage while observing for measurable voltage sag on the VBUS, until the occurrence of one of;

(1) said power usage reaches a preset high-power configuration; and

(2) said measurable voltage sag is observed, and then setting said power usage based on a calculated maximum current potential of the VBUS.

11. The method of claim 10, after said (d), the method further comprising:

(e) if said successful enumeration is not forthcoming within said preset time, reporting enumeration failure on a user interface.

12. A system for a serial bus (SB) device to perform power configuration to operate with a SB host, comprising:

a port interface for connection to the SB host;

a circuit to operate the SB device, said circuit including;

a detecting logic to determine if said port interface is connected to the SB host;

a configuring logic to control power configuration of the SB device, wherein the SB device is capable of at least a low-power configuration and a high-power configuration;

a communicating logic to report a said power configuration to the SB host;

a monitoring logic to observe if there is successful enumeration of the SB device by the SB host;

a connecting logic to selectively disable and re-enable said connection to the SB host; and

wherein, when said detecting logic determines that said port interface is connected to the SB host, said communicating logic then reports said high-power configuration to the SB host, and

then, if said monitoring logic observes there is not successful enumeration within a preset time, said connecting logic disables and re-enables said connection and said communicating logic then reports said low-power configuration to the SB host.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein:

the SB device includes a user interface;

said circuit further includes an informing logic to advise of enumeration failure on said user interface; and

wherein, after said communicating logic has reported said low-power configuration to the SB host, and then, if said monitoring logic observes there is not successful enumeration within an additional preset time, said informing logic advises of said enumeration failure on said user interface.

14. A system for a serial bus (SB) device having a VBUS to perform power configuration to operate with a SB host, comprising:

a port interface for connection to the SB host;

a circuit to operate the SB device, said circuit including;

a detection mechanism to detect voltage sag on the VBUS;

a control mechanism to control power usage of the SB device;

a detecting logic to determine if said port interface is connected to the SB host;

a configuring logic to control power configuration of the SB device;

a communicating logic to report a said power configuration to the SB host;

a monitoring logic to observe if there is successful enumeration of the SB device by the SB host; and

wherein, when said detecting logic determines that said port interface is connected to the SB host, said communicating logic then reports a low-power said power configuration to the SB host, and then,

if said monitoring logic observes there is successful enumeration within a preset time, said control mechanism ramps up said power usage until said power usage reaches a preset high-power said power configuration

and if said detection mechanism detects said voltage sag, and then said control mechanism ramps down said power usage.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

a connecting logic to selectively disable and re-enable said connection to the SB host; and

wherein;

said monitoring logic is further to observe if there is suspension of said connection by the SB host; and

as said control mechanism ramps up said power usage, if said monitoring logic observes said suspension, connecting logic to disable said connection to the SB host, re-enable said connection to the SB host, and communicating logic to then report a said low-power configuration to the SB host.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein:

the SB device includes a user interface;

said circuit further includes an informing logic to advise of enumeration failure on said user interface; and

wherein, after said communicating logic has reported said low-power configuration to the SB host, and then, if said monitoring logic observes there is not successful enumeration within an additional preset time, said informing logic advises of said enumeration failure on said user interface.

17. A system for a serial bus (SB) device having a VBUS to perform power configuration to operate with a SB host, comprising:

a port interface for connection to the SB host;

a circuit to operate the SB device, said circuit including;

a detection mechanism to detect and measure voltage sag on the VBUS;

a control mechanism to control power usage of the SB device;

a detecting logic to determine if said port interface is connected to the SB host;

a configuring logic to control power configuration of the SB device;

a communicating logic to report a said power configuration to the SB host;

a monitoring logic to observe if there is successful enumeration of the SB device by the SB host; and

wherein, when said detecting logic determines that said port interface is connected to the SB host, said communicating logic then reports a low-power said power configuration to the SB host, and then, if said monitoring logic observes there is successful enumeration within a preset time, said control mechanism ramps up said power usage until said power usage reaches a preset high-power level

and if a measurable voltage sag is observed by said detection mechanism, and then said control mechanism sets said power configuration based on a calculated maximum current potential of the VBUS.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein:

the SB device includes a user interface;

said circuit further includes an informing logic to advise of enumeration failure on said user interface; and

wherein, after said communicating logic has reported said low-power configuration to the SB host, and then, if said monitoring logic observes there is not successful enumeration within an additional preset time, said informing logic advises of said enumeration failure on said user interface.