Supplying remaining available current to port in excess of bus standard limit
First Claim
1. An apparatus configured to regulate excess current delivered over a plurality of ports within an electronic device, the apparatus comprising:
- a first apparatus adapted to detect an amount of current drawn over a first of the plurality of ports; and
a second apparatus adapted to distribute a first amount of current available to a second of the plurality of ports, according to a current draw limitation of a serial bus protocol;
wherein the second apparatus is further adapted to distribute an excess amount of current available to a second of the plurality of ports based at least in part upon the amount of current drawn over the first of the plurality of ports, wherein the excess amount of current exceeds the current draw limitation of the serial bus protocol.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for dynamically adjusting the amount of power (or current) distributed to one or more connected devices via electrical interfaces. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a first module adapted to detect current drawn by a first set of ports, and a second module adapted to adjust the current provided to a second set of ports based on the detected current. The second module is also optionally adapted to distribute unreserved current among the devices according to an allocation protocol. In the exemplary context of a plurality of interconnected serial bus devices, the invention enables a device to draw more current than that required to be reserved for that device (such as to comply with a specification such as USB), yet without increasing the total amount of power which must be dedicated to the serial ports as a whole. Power supply efficiency may also be advantageously optimized.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. An apparatus configured to regulate excess current delivered over a plurality of ports within an electronic device, the apparatus comprising:
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a first apparatus adapted to detect an amount of current drawn over a first of the plurality of ports; and a second apparatus adapted to distribute a first amount of current available to a second of the plurality of ports, according to a current draw limitation of a serial bus protocol; wherein the second apparatus is further adapted to distribute an excess amount of current available to a second of the plurality of ports based at least in part upon the amount of current drawn over the first of the plurality of ports, wherein the excess amount of current exceeds the current draw limitation of the serial bus protocol. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for regulating current delivered over a plurality of ports within an electronic device, comprising:
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detecting an amount of current drawn over a first of the plurality of ports; distributing a first amount of current to a second of the plurality of ports according to a current draw limitation of a serial bus protocol; communicating a raised amount of current available to at least a second of the plurality of ports based at least in part upon the amount of current drawn over the first of the plurality of ports; and wherein the second plurality of ports are adapted to interface with multiple different device types, and wherein the communicated raised amount of current exceeds the current draw limitation imposed by the serial bus protocol. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An apparatus for regulating current delivered over a plurality of ports within an electronic device, the apparatus comprising:
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a first apparatus adapted to detect an amount of current drawn over a first of the plurality of ports; and a second apparatus adapted to communicate an elevated amount of current available to a second of the plurality of ports based at least in part upon the amount of current drawn over the first of the plurality of port; wherein the second of the plurality of ports are adapted to distribute current in excess of a limitation imposed by a bus standard to one or more attached devices based on successful communication with the one or more attached devices. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification