Methods, systems and apparatus for determining whether an accessory includes particular circuitry

• US 8,878,484 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2012
• Issued: 11/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Mullins, Scott, Kosut, Alexei, Terlizzi, Jeffrey J., Rich, Zachary C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): BOATENG, ALEXIS ASIEDUA
• Application Number:
  US13/730,667
• Publication Number:
  US 20130278205A1
• Time in Patent Office: 676 Days
• Field of Search: 320/106, 320/107, 320/112, 320/113, 320/114, 320/115, 320/134, 320/137, 320/161, 320/108, 320/122
• US Class Current: 320/107
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/00 Investigating or analysing materials by the use of electric, electrochemical, or magnetic means G01N3/00 – G01N25/00 take precedence; measurement or testing of electric or magnetic variables or of electric or magnetic properties of materials G01R
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/0084 measuring voltage only all subgroups of G01R19/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/28 Testing of electronic circuits, e.g. by signal tracer EMC, EMP or similar testing of electronic circuits G01R31/002; testing for short-circuits, discontinuities, leakage or incorrect line connection G01R31/50; checking computers or computer components G06F11/00; checking static stores for correct operation G11C29/00 ; testing receivers or transmitters of transmission systems H04B17/00
• 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 21/44 Program or device authentication
• 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: H02H 3/20 responsive to excess voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 9/02 responsive to excess current current limitation for voltage regulators G05F1/573; disconnection after limiting H02H3/025
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 4/00 Circuit arrangements for mains or distribution networks not specified as ac or dc
• 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 7/00045 Authentication, i.e. circuits for checking compatibility between one component, e.g. a battery or a battery charger, and another component, e.g. a power source
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00308 Overvoltage protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0031 using battery or load disconnect circuits H02J9/002 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0274 for an electrical connector module
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus for determining whether an accessory includes particular circuitry. A host device may measure a first voltage and a second voltage received from an accessory, where the voltages are provide through the accessory from a power source. Before measuring the second voltage, the host device may send an instruction to the accessory instructing the accessory to alter an impedance of the power path between the power source and the host device, and the host device may draw at least a threshold amount of current from the power source via the accessory. The host device may then determine whether the accessory includes particular circuitry based on the relationship between the first voltage and the second voltage.

Claims

1. An accessory comprising:

a power pin operable to provide a voltage to a host device;

a data pin operable to receive an instruction from the host device; and

power limiting circuitry configured to implement;

a bypass mode of operation in which current and voltage may pass through the power limiting circuitry from a power source to the power pin substantially unaltered, and

a power limiting mode of operation in which an impedance of the power limiting circuitry is increased compared to when operating in the bypass mode of operation so as to reduce a first voltage received from the power source to a second voltage provided at the power pin;

wherein the power limiting circuitry switches from the bypass mode of operation to the power limiting mode of operation in response to receiving an instruction comprising a plurality of bits from the host device over the data pin.

2. The accessory of claim 1 wherein the power limiting circuitry includes identification circuitry and impedance altering circuitry, the impedance altering circuitry being arranged between the power source and the power pin and being configured to operate in the bypass mode of operation and the power limiting mode of operation, the identification circuitry being coupled to the impedance altering circuitry and the data pin.

3. The accessory of claim 2 wherein the identification circuitry is operable to instruct the impedance altering circuitry to operate in the power limiting mode of operation so as to disable a power path between the power source and the host device via the power pin in response to receiving power from the host device over the data pin.

4. The accessory of claim 3 wherein the identification circuitry is further operable to:

read a request for an accessory identifier received from the host device over the data pin while the power limiting circuitry is in the power limiting mode of operation;

determine whether the request for the accessory identifier is valid; and

instruct the impedance altering circuitry to switch its mode of operation from the power limiting mode of operation to the bypass mode of operation so as to enable the power path between the power source and the host device via the data pin in response to determining that the request for the accessory identifier is valid.

5. The accessory of claim 2 wherein the identification circuitry is operable to:

receive an instruction from the host device over the data pin;

determine whether the instruction is an instruction to alter an impedance of a power path between the power source and the host device; and

cause the impedance altering circuitry to operate in one of the bypass mode of operation or the power limiting mode of operation so as to alter the impedance of the power path between the power source and the host device via the power pin in response to determining that the instruction is an instruction to alter the impedance of the power path between the power source and the host device.

6. The accessory of claim 1 wherein the power limiting circuitry operates in the bypass mode of operation in response to the accessory establishing a physical connection with the host device.

7. The accessory of claim 6 wherein the power limiting circuitry operates in the bypass mode of operation until receiving a voltage from the host device over the data pin, and the power limiting circuitry switches its mode of operation from the bypass mode of operation to the power limiting mode of operation in response to receiving a positive voltage from the host device over the data pin.

8. The accessory of claim 1 wherein the power limiting circuitry, when in the power limiting mode of operation, has a voltage/current characteristic such that the power limiting circuitry outputs a positive voltage an amount of current passing through the power limiting circuitry is less than a threshold amount of current and outputs approximately zero voltage when the amount of current passing through the power limiting circuitry meets or exceeds the threshold amount of current.

9. The accessory of claim 1, further comprising:

a first row of pins arranged laterally with respect to one another, wherein the first row of pins includes;

a first identification bus pin;

a first pair of data communication pins arranged beside the first identification bus pin;

a first electronic device power pin arranged beside the first pair of data pins;

a second identification bus pin arranged beside the first electronic device power pin;

a second pair of data communication pins arranged beside the second identification bus pin; and

a first electronic device ground pin arranged beside the second pair of data pins.

10. The accessory of claim 9, wherein the first electronic device power pin corresponds to the power pin operable to provide a voltage to a host device, is coupled to the power source, and is operable to provide a voltage from the power source to the host device.

11. The accessory of claim 10, wherein the first identification bus pin corresponds to the data pin operable to receive an instruction from the host device, the power limiting circuitry includes identification circuitry and impedance altering circuitry, the impedance altering circuitry is arranged between the power source and the first electronic device power pin and is configured to operate in the bypass mode of operation and the power limiting mode of operation, and the identification circuitry is coupled to the impedance altering circuitry and the first identification bus pin.

12. The accessory of claim 11, wherein the identification circuitry is operable to receive a request for an accessory identifier from the host device over the first identification bus pin while the impedance altering circuitry is in the power limiting mode of operation, determine whether the request for an accessory identifier is valid, and in response to determining that the request for an accessory identifier is valid, communicate an accessory identifier to the host device over the first identification bus pin and instruct the impedance altering circuitry to switch its mode of operation from the power limiting mode of operation to the bypass mode of operation so as to reduce a first voltage received from the power source to a second voltage provided at the first electronic device power pin in response to determining that the request for the accessory identifier received from the host device over the first identification bus pin while the impedance altering circuitry is in the power limiting mode of operation is valid.

13. The accessory of claim 11, wherein the identification circuitry is operable to receive an instruction from the host device over the first identification bus pin, determine whether the instruction is an instruction to alter an impedance of a power path between the power source and the host device, and cause the impedance altering circuitry to operate in one of the bypass mode of operation or the power limiting mode of operation so as to alter the impedance of the power path between the power source and the host device via the first electronic device power pin in response to determining that the instruction is an instruction to alter the impedance of the power path between the power source and the host device.

14. The accessory of claim 11, further comprising a power supply operable to receive power from the host device over the first identification bus pin simultaneously with receiving an instruction from the host device over the first identification bus pin.

15. The accessory of claim 9, further comprising communication circuitry operable to communicate with the host device over the first pair of data communication pins and/or the second pair of data communication pins, the communication circuitry being operable to communicate using a communication protocol selected from the group consisting of:

universal serial bus (USB), universal asynchronous reception/transmission (UART), and joint test action group (JTAG).

16. The accessory of claim 9, further comprising a second row of pins arranged laterally with respect to one another and opposite the first row of pins, the second row of pins including:

a second electronic device ground pin arranged opposite the first identification bus pin;

a third pair of data communication pins arranged opposite the first pair of data pins;

a third identification bus pin arranged opposite the first electronic device power pin;

a second electronic device power pin arranged opposite the second identification bus pin;

a fourth pair of data communication pins arranged opposite the second pair of data pins; and

a fourth identification bus pin arranged opposite the first electronic device ground pin.

17. The accessory of claim 16, wherein the first row of pins and the second row of pins are electronically coupled to one another, wherein the electronic coupling includes the first pair of data communication pins being electrically coupled to the third pair of data communication pins, and the second pair of data communication pins being electrically coupled to the fourth pair of data communication pins.

18. The accessory of claim 16, wherein the first identification bus pin corresponds to the data pin operable to receive an instruction from the host device, the third identification bus pin is coupled to the first identification bus pin such that the third identification bus pin is also operable to receive the instruction from the host device, the power limiting circuitry includes identification circuitry and impedance altering circuitry, the impedance altering circuitry is arranged between the power source and each of the first electronic device power pin and the second electronic device power pin and is configured to operate in the bypass mode of operation and the power limiting mode of operation, and the identification circuitry is coupled to the impedance altering circuitry and each of the first identification bus pin and the third identification bus pin.

19. The accessory of claim 18, wherein the identification circuitry is operable to receive an instruction from the host device over the first identification bus pin and the third identification bus pin, determine whether the instruction is an instruction to alter an impedance of a power path between the power source and the host device, and cause the impedance altering circuitry to operate in one of the bypass mode of operation or the power limiting mode of operation so as to alter the impedance of the power path between the power source and the host device via the first electronic device power pin and the second electronic device power pin in response to determining that the instruction is an instruction to alter the impedance of the power path between the power source and the host device.

20. The accessory of claim 1, wherein in the power limiting mode of operation, the impedance of the power limiting circuitry is increased only when an amount of current passing through the power limiting circuitry exceeds a threshold amount of current.

21. The accessory of claim 1, further comprising circuitry operable to determine whether the accessory is mated with the host device, wherein the power limiting circuitry is configured to operate in the bypass mode of operation when it is determined that the accessory is initially mated with the host device.

22. The accessory of claim 21, wherein the power limiting circuitry is configured to determine whether power is received from the host device via the data pin, and is configured to operate in the power limiting mode of operation when it is determined that power is received from the host device via the data pin.