Charging systems with direct charging port support and extended capabilities

• US 8,717,044 B2
• Filed: 04/23/2010
• Issued: 05/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Sims, Nicholas A., Terlizzi, Jeffrey J., Kosut, Alexei, Johnson, Timothy, Corlett, Barry
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, PARESH H
• Application Number:
  US12/766,840
• Publication Number:
  US 20110260742A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,474 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 324/691
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/205 using distributed sensing elements
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 27/02 Measuring real or complex resistance, reactance, impedance, or other two-pole characteristics derived therefrom, e.g. time constant by measuring phase angle only G01R25/00
• 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 7/007 Regulation of charging or discharging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/04 Regulation of charging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/07 using capacitors charged and discharged alternately by semiconductor devices with control electrode , e.g. charge pumps
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/158 including plural semiconductor devices as final control devices for a single load
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/02 Conversion of ac power input into dc power output without possibility of reversal
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/53803 with automatic control of output voltage or current
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/53846 Control circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/539 with automatic control of output wave form or frequency H02M7/5375 - H02M7/5387 take precedence

Abstract

An alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC) power converter may have a connector with a pair of power supply contacts and a pair of data contacts. An electronic device may be connected to the connector of the power converter. The power converter may supply DC power to the electronic device using the power supply contacts. The power converter may include control circuitry that has a resistor coupled across the data contacts. When the electronic device and the power converter are connected to each other, each may advertize to the other that capabilities are present that exceed industry standards. At the same time, standard-compliant discovery operations may be performed to probe the value of the resistance of the resistor that is coupled across the data contacts. When extended capabilities are discovered, extended functions may be performed including accelerated charging functions and data communications functions.

Claims

1. A power converter, comprising:

first and second power lines;

an alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC) converter circuit that applies a DC power supply voltage across the first and second power lines and that supplies the DC power supply voltage to a first electronic device to which the power converter is connected;

first and second data lines; and

control circuitry that includes a resistor that is coupled across the first and second data lines, wherein the control circuitry includes detector circuitry that detects modulated signals from the first electronic device on at least one of the first and second data lines, wherein the control circuitry determines from the modulated signals that the first electronic device is capable of receiving the DC power supply voltage at at least one of;

currents above a given current level and voltages above a given voltage level and, in response, the control circuitry directs the alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC) converter circuit to supply the DC power supply voltage at at least one of;

a current above the given current level and a voltage above the given voltage level, and wherein, when the power converter is connected to a second electronic device and the control circuitry fails to determine that the second electronic device is capable of receiving the DC power supply voltage at at least one of;

currents above the given current level and voltages above the given voltage level, the control circuitry directs the alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC) converter circuit to supply the DC power supply voltage only at currents below the given current level and only at voltages below the given voltage level.

2. The power converter defined in claim 1 wherein the control circuitry comprises receiver circuitry coupled to at least one of the data lines.

4. The power converter defined in claim 1 wherein the resistor has a resistance value of less than 200 ohms.

5. The power converter defined in claim 4 wherein the resistor has a first terminal connected to the second data line and has a second terminal and wherein the control circuitry comprises a switch connected between the second terminal of the resistor and the first data line.

7. The power converter defined in claim 1 further comprising first, second, third, and fourth Universal Serial Bus contacts, wherein the first contact comprises a positive power supply contact and is connected to the first power line, wherein the fourth contact comprises a ground power supply contact and is connected to the second power line, wherein the second contact is a positive data line contact and is connected to the first data line, and wherein the third contact is a negative data line contact and is connected to the second data line.

3. A power converter, comprising:

first and second power lines;

an alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC) converter circuit that applies a DC power supply voltage across the first and second power lines and that supplies the DC power supply voltage to an electronic device to which the power converter is connected;

first and second data lines; and

control circuitry that includes a resistor that is coupled across the first and second data lines, wherein the control circuitry includes detector circuitry that detects modulated signals from the electronic device on at least one of the first and second data lines, wherein the power converter has capabilities that extend beyond limits imposed by USB-IF industry standards, wherein the control circuitry determines from the modulated signals that the electronic device also has capabilities that extend beyond the limits imposed by the USB-IF industry standards, wherein the control circuitry comprises receiver circuitry coupled to at least one of the data lines, and wherein the receiver circuitry comprises a comparator having a first input connected to the second data line and having a second input that receives a reference voltage.

6. A power converter, comprising:

first and second power lines;

an alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC) converter circuit that applies a DC power supply voltage across the first and second power lines and that supplies the DC power supply voltage to an electronic device to which the power converter is connected;

first and second data lines; and

control circuitry that includes a resistor that is coupled across the first and second data lines, wherein the control circuitry includes detector circuitry that detects modulated signals from the electronic device on at least one of the first and second data lines, wherein the power converter has capabilities that extend beyond limits imposed by USB-IF industry standards, wherein the control circuitry determines from the modulated signals that the electronic device also has capabilities that extend beyond the limits imposed by the USB-IF industry standards, and wherein the control circuitry comprises an adjustable current source having an output connected to one of the data lines.

8. A power converter, comprising:

first and second power lines;

an alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC) converter circuit that applies a DC power supply voltage across the first and second power lines and that supplies the DC power supply voltage to an electronic device to which the power converter is connected;

first and second data lines; and

control circuitry that includes a resistor that is coupled across the first and second data lines, wherein the control circuitry includes detector circuitry that detects modulated signals from the electronic device on at least one of the first and second data lines, wherein the power converter has capabilities that extend beyond limits imposed by USB-IF industry standards, wherein the control circuitry determines from the modulated signals that the electronic device also has capabilities that extend beyond the limits imposed by the USB-IF industry standards, wherein the limits imposed by the USB-IF industry standards comprise limits on the maximum current and maximum voltage of the DC power supply voltage applied to the first and second power lines and supplied to the electronic device to which the power converter is connected.

9. The power converter defined in claim 8 wherein the power converter'"'"'s capabilities that extend beyond the limits imposed by the USB-IF industry standards comprise at least one of the capabilities selected from the group consisting of:

supplying the DC power supply voltage at a current greater than 1.5 amps, supplying the DC power supply at a voltage of approximately 4.5 volts and, simultaneously, at a current of approximately 0.3 amps, supplying the DC power supply voltage at a voltage of approximately 6 voltages and, simultaneously, at a current of approximately 3.0 amps.

10. The power converter defined in claim 9 wherein the power converter'"'"'s capabilities that extend beyond the limits imposed by the USB-IF industry standards comprise supplying the DC power supply voltage at a current greater than 1.5 amps.

11. The power converter defined in claim 9 wherein the power converter'"'"'s capabilities that extend beyond the limits imposed by the USB-IF industry standards comprise supplying the DC power supply at a voltage of approximately 4.5 volts and, simultaneously at a current of approximately 0.3 amps.

12. The power converter defined in claim 9 wherein the power converter'"'"'s capabilities that extend beyond the limits imposed by the USB-IF industry standards comprise supplying the DC power supply voltage at a voltage of approximately 6 voltages and, simultaneously, at a current of approximately 3.0 amps.