Systems and methods for providing device-to-device handshaking through a power supply signal

• US 8,332,664 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2008
• Issued: 12/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Farrar, Doug, Heyl, Lawrence, Sander, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Spittle, Matthew D
• Application Number:
  US12/157,912
• Publication Number:
  US 20080309313A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,642 Days
• Field of Search: 713/300, 713/330, 713/340, 710/14, 710/105, 710/303, 710/305, 710/6, 710/306, 710/316
• US Class Current: 713/300
• 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 13/4081 Live connection to bus, e.g. hot-plugging current or voltage limitation during live insertion H02H9/004
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/81 by operating on the power supply, e.g. enabling or disabling power-on, sleep or resume operations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

Handshaking circuits are provided in a communications cable and in a device operable to be mated with the communications cable. Before a device can utilize the power supply signal of such a communications channel, the two handshaking circuits must sufficiently identify one another over a power supply signal with a decreased voltage. The decreased voltage allows for a cable plug to be provided with a safe, protected power that cannot cause harm to a human. The decreased voltage also reduces the chance that a device can receive a primary power supply signal from the cable before the device sufficiently identifies itself. Accordingly, a laptop may be connected to a portable music player, but the voltage of the power supply signal provided by the laptop to the cable may be decreased on-cable until the handshaking circuit of the portable music player sufficiently performs a handshaking operation with a on-cable handshaking circuit.

Claims

1. A method for restricting supply of power between a first device and a second device, the method comprising:

receiving power at the first device, the first device comprising handshaking circuitry operative to selectively provide a power supply signal including a first characteristic or a second characteristic to the second device depending on whether a series of predetermined current pulses are detected on the power supply signal;

monitoring, at the handshaking circuitry, the power supply signal to determine whether the series of predetermined current pulses are being received;

providing the power supply signal having the first characteristic to the second device when the series of predetermined current pulses are not being received on the power supply signal; and

providing the power supply signal having the second characteristic to the second device while the series of predetermined current pulses are being received on the power supply signal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first characteristic of the power supply signal comprises a current limited, stepped-down voltage power supply signal.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second characteristic of the power supply signal comprises a stepped-up voltage power supply signal, wherein the stepped-up voltage power supply signal has a higher voltage level than the first characteristic of the power supply signal.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the power supply signal having the second characteristic is substantially the same as the received power.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first device is a cable that is coupled to the second device, and wherein the first handshaking circuitry is located within the cable.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the cable comprises one or more plugs.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein at least one of the plugs is a Universal Serial Bus plug.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein at least one of the plugs is a 30-pin connector plug or a multi-region plug.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first device is a power supply, and wherein the first handshaking circuitry is located within the power supply.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the power supply signal having the second characteristic to the second device comprises:

disabling power regulation circuitry operative to provide the power supply signal having the first characteristic; and

enabling a switch that couples the received power to the second device.

11. A method for using a power supply signal between a first device and a second device, the method comprising:

receiving the power supply signal with a first handshaking circuitry of the first device;

changing a first characteristic of the power supply signal, wherein the first characteristic is changed by the first handshaking circuitry;

recognizing the changed first characteristic with a second handshaking circuitry of the second device;

introducing current spikes into the power supply signal in response to recognizing the changed first characteristic, wherein the current spikes are introduced by the second handshaking circuitry;

recognizing the current spikes with the first handshaking circuitry; and

altering a second characteristic of the power supply signal in response to recognizing the current spikes, wherein the second characteristic is altered by the first handshaking circuitry;

wherein the first device is a cable that is coupled to the second device, and wherein the first handshaking circuitry is located within the cable;

wherein the cable comprises one or more plugs; and

wherein at least one of the plugs is a Universal Serial Bus plug.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein at least one of the plugs is a 30-pin connector plug or a multi-region plug.

13. An electronic device comprising:

electrical contacts for interfacing with another device;

handshaking circuitry electrically coupled to at least one of the electrical contacts, the handshaking circuitry operative to;

selectively provide a power supply signal including a first characteristic or a second characteristic to the other device via the at least one of the electrical contacts depending on whether a series of predetermined current pulses are monitored on the power supply signal;

monitor the at least one electrical contact to determine whether a series of predetermined current pulses are being received on the power supply signal;

wherein the power supply signal having the first characteristic is provided to the other device when the series of predetermined current pulses are not monitored as being received on the power supply signal; and

wherein the power supply signal having the second characteristic is provided to the other device while the series of predetermined current pulses are monitored as being received on the power supply signal.

14. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the at least one electrical contact is included as part of a multi-region plug.

15. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the multi-region plug is a four region jack having a diameter of about 3.5 mm.

16. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the at least one electrical contact comprises a first set of electrical contacts, the cable system further comprising a male USB plug that is electrically coupled to the handshaking circuitry.

17. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the first characteristic of the power supply signal comprises a current limited, stepped-down voltage power supply signal.

18. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the second characteristic of the power supply signal comprises a stepped-up voltage power supply signal that has a higher voltage level than the current limited, stepped-down voltage power supply signal.

19. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the handshaking circuitry comprises:

a current pulse detector coupled to the at least one electrical contact, the current pulse detector operative to output a pulse in response to detecting each of the predetermined series of current pulses on the power supply signal;

a pulse stretching circuit having an input coupled to the current pulse detector, the pulse stretching circuit operative to output an extended pulse in response to each pulse output by the current pulse detector; and

switching circuit operative to selectively disable voltage regulation circuitry that provides the power supply signal having the first characteristic and enable a switch that provides the power supply signal having the second characteristic while receiving the extended pulse.

20. The electronic device of claim 19, wherein the switching circuit is operative to selectively enable the voltage regulation circuitry and disable the switch while not receiving the extended pulse.