Adjusting delivery of current in a connection based on temperature

• US 8,740,456 B2
• Filed: 05/17/2011
• Issued: 06/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Polaris PowerLED Technologies, LLC (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Smsc Holdings Sarl
• Inventors: Monks, Morgan H., Gay, Kenneth W., Knowlton, Timothy J.
• Primary Examiner(s): KAPLAN VERBITSKY, GAIL
• Application Number:
  US13/109,446
• Publication Number:
  US 20120294332A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,113 Days
• Field of Search: 374/170, 374/1, 374/163, 374/183, 374/141, 374/152, 374/208, 374/137, 374/185, 374/179, 374/45, 702/99, 702/130
• US Class Current: 374/141
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 3/14 in respect of space
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/443 in response to temperature
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

Adjusting current based on temperature. A change in temperature of a connection between a first device and a second device may be measured. The change in temperature may be performed while the first device provides current to the second device over the connection. If the change in temperature is above a threshold, the current being provided from the first device to the second device may be reduced. The change in temperature may be performed by the first device and/or the second device, e.g., by measuring the temperature of a connector of the connection.

Claims

1. A method for adjusting current based on temperature, comprising:

determining a change temperature at a first device wherein said temperature is measured at a first port of the first device that is configured to receive a connection to a second device;

determining a change temperature at a second device wherein said temperature is measured at a second port of the second device that is configured to receive the connection to the first device;

determining the greater of the changes in temperature measured at the first device and the second device, wherein said determining is performed while the first device provides current to the second device over the connection;

determining if the greater of the changes in temperature is above a threshold;

if the greater of the changes in temperature is above the threshold, reducing the current being provided from the first device to the second device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining the change in temperature, said determining if the change in temperature is above the threshold, and said reducing the current is performed a plurality of times while the first device provides current to the second device over the connection.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining the change in temperature comprises:

determining an ambient temperature at the first device;

determining a temperature of a first connector of the connection; and

determining the difference between the ambient temperature and the temperature of the first connector of the connection.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining the change in temperature comprises:

determining an initial temperature of a first connector of the connection at a first time;

determining a current temperature of the first connector of the connection at a second time; and

determining the difference between the initial temperature and the current temperature.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining the change in temperature comprises:

determining a temperature of a first connector of the connection by measuring a temperature of an electrical assembly connected to the first connector of the first device or the second device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining the change in temperature comprises:

determining a temperature near a power pin of the first connector of the connection.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining the change in temperature comprises:

determining a temperature near a data pin of the first connector of the connection.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said reducing the current is performed by the first device.

9. A device, comprising:

a connection coupling a first device and a second device;

a first port of the first device, wherein the first port is configured to receive a first connector of the connection;

first logic of the first device coupled to the first port, wherein the first logic is configured to determine a temperature of the connection at the first connector;

second logic of the first device, wherein the second logic is configured to provide current to the second device over the connection;

a second port of the second device, wherein the second port is configured to receive a second connector of the connection;

third logic of the second device coupled to the second port, wherein the third logic is configured to determine a temperature of the connection at the second connector;

wherein, in response to the greater of the change in temperature determined by the first logic and the change in temperature determined by the third logic being above a threshold, the second logic is configured to reduce the current being provided from the first device to the second device.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein said first logic is configured to:

determine an ambient temperature at the first device; and

determine the difference between the ambient temperature and the temperature of the first connector of the connection.

11. The device of claim 9, wherein said first logic is configured to:

determine an initial temperature of the first connector of the connection at a first time;

determine a current temperature of the first connector of the connection at a second time; and

determine the difference between the initial temperature and the current temperature.

12. The device of claim 9, wherein said first logic is configured to:

determine a temperature of the first connector of the connection by measuring a temperature of the port.

13. The device of claim 9, wherein said first logic is configured to:

determine a temperature near a power pin of the first connector of the connection;

or

determine a temperature near a data pin of the first connector of the connection.