Power distribution inside cable

• US 8,312,302 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2011
• Issued: 11/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Baker, Paul A., Ferry, William O., Orr, James
• Primary Examiner(s): YANCHUS III, PAUL B
• Application Number:
  US13/173,979
• Publication Number:
  US 20120005496A1
• Time in Patent Office: 502 Days
• Field of Search: 713/300, 713/310, 713/340
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/06 Clock generators producing several clock signals G06F1/08 - G06F1/14 take precedence
• 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 3/14 Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/04 Exchange of auxiliary data, i.e. other than image data, between monitor and graphics controller
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/045 using multiple communication channels, e.g. parallel and serial
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/10 Use of a protocol of communication by packets in interfaces along the display data pipeline
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/12 Use of DVI or HDMI protocol in interfaces along the display data pipeline
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/006 Details of the interface to the display terminal specific for a display terminal using a CRT G09G1/167; using a flat panel G09G3/2096; circuits for interfacing with colour displays G09G5/04
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 29/00 Coupling parts for selective co-operation with a counterpart in different ways to establish different circuits, e.g. for voltage selection, for series-parallel selection, programmable connectors

Abstract

Circuits, methods, and apparatus that provide for the powering of active components in connector inserts at each end of a cable may in various ways. For example, where a host is coupled to a device that is not self-powered, the host may provide power for circuitry at each end of the cable. In various embodiments of the present invention, the device may request higher voltage from the host, such that more power can be delivered. In these cases, the device may regulate the voltage received from the host to a lower voltage, and then provide the lower voltage to circuitry at one or both ends of the cable. Where the host is connected to a device that is self-powered, the host and the self-powered device may power their respective connector insert circuits.

Claims

1. A cable apparatus comprising:

a cable;

a first plug coupled to a first end of the cable and comprising;

a first active circuit to receive and retime data, and to provide the retimed data; and

a first circuit to receive a first supply voltage and to determine if the first supply voltage is above a threshold voltage; and

a second plug coupled to a second end of the cable and comprising;

a second active circuit to receive and retime data, and to provide the retimed data; and

a second circuit,

wherein if the first supply voltage is below the first threshold, then the first circuit powers the first active circuit with the first supply voltage and provides a second power supply to the second circuit, and the second circuit powers the second active circuit with the second power supply, and if the first supply voltage is not below the first threshold, the first circuit and the second circuit each receive a third supply voltage, and the first circuit powers the first active circuit with the third supply voltage, and the second circuit powers the second active circuit with the third supply voltage.

2. The cable apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first supply voltage is received from a host device.

3. The cable apparatus of claim 2 wherein the third supply voltage is received from a second device.

4. The cable apparatus of claim 3 wherein the second supply voltage is a diode drop below the first supply voltage.

5. The cable apparatus of claim 3 wherein the first active circuit and the second active circuits comprise clock and data recovery circuits.

6. The cable apparatus of claim 5 wherein the first active circuit and the second active circuits each further comprise a microcontroller.

7. The cable apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first circuit comprises a shunt regulator.

8. A cable apparatus comprising:

a cable;

a first plug having a first terminal to receive a first power supply and a second terminal to receive a second power supply; and

a second plug having a first terminal to receive the second power supply and a second terminal to receive the first power supply,

wherein the first terminal in the first plug is coupled through the cable to the second terminal in the second plug, and the second terminal in the first plug is coupled through the cable to the first terminal in the second plug,

wherein the first plug further comprises;

a first circuit to selectively couple the first power supply received on the first terminal to a first active circuit; and

a second circuit to selectively couple at least a portion of the first power supply to the second terminal,

wherein the second plug further comprises;

a first circuit to selectively couple the second power supply received on the first terminal to a second active circuit; and

a second circuit to selectively couple at least a portion of the first power supply to the second terminal, and

wherein when the first supply is received at the first terminal in the first plug, and the first supply is below a threshold, then the first circuit in the first plug couples the first supply to the first active circuit; and

the second circuit in the first plug couples at least a portion of the first power supply to the second terminal.

9. The cable apparatus of claim 8 wherein the first supply voltage is received from a host device.

10. The cable apparatus of claim 9 wherein the second supply voltage is received from a second device.

11. The cable apparatus of claim 10 wherein the first active circuit and the second active circuit comprise clock and data recovery circuits.

12. A method of providing power to cable circuitry comprising:

receiving a first supply voltage from a first device at a first plug of a cable, and if power is provided from the first device to a second device and the first supply voltage is below a first threshold, then powering first active circuitry in the first plug with the first supply voltage, and powering second active circuitry in the second plug with at least a part of the first voltage,

if power is provided from the first device to a second device and the first supply voltage is above a first threshold, then generating a second supply voltage from the first supply voltage in the second device, and powering the first active circuitry and the second active circuitry with the second supply voltage,

and if power is not provided from the first device to a second device, then receiving a second power supply voltage from the second device, and powering the first active circuitry with the first power supply voltage and powering the second active circuitry with the second power supply voltage.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the first active circuit and the second active circuits comprise clock and data recovery circuits.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the first device is a host device.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the first active circuit and the second active circuits each further comprise a microcontroller.

16. A cable apparatus comprising:

a cable;

a first plug having a first terminal to receive a first power supply and a second terminal to receive a second power supply; and

a second plug having a first terminal to receive the second power supply and a second terminal to receive the first power supply,

wherein the first terminal in the first plug is coupled through the cable to the second terminal in the second plug, and the second terminal in the first plug is coupled through the cable to the first terminal in the second plug,

wherein the first plug further comprises;

a first circuit to selectively couple the first power supply received on the first terminal to a first active circuit; and

a second circuit to selectively couple at least a portion of the first power supply to the second terminal,

wherein the second plug further comprises;

a first circuit to selectively couple the second power supply received on the first terminal to a second active circuit; and

a second circuit to selectively couple at least a portion of the first power supply to the second terminal, and

wherein when a first supply is received at the first terminal in the first plug, and the first supply is above the threshold, then a second power supply is received at the first terminal in the second plug, the first circuit in the second plug couples the second supply to the second active circuit and the second terminal in the second plug, and the second circuit in the first plug couples the second supply to the first active circuit.

17. The cable apparatus of claim 16 wherein the first supply voltage is received from a host device.

18. The cable apparatus of claim 17 wherein the second supply voltage is received from a second device.

19. The cable apparatus of claim 18 wherein the first active circuit and the second active circuit comprise clock and data recovery circuits.