Method and system for a connector with integrated shield detection

• US 8,924,616 B2
• Filed: 02/05/2010
• Issued: 12/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Diab, Wael William
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Nimesh G
• Application Number:
  US12/701,381
• Publication Number:
  US 20110185097A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,789 Days
• Field of Search: 710/301
• US Class Current: 710/301
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/385 for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A connector comprising one or more circuits and/or processors is operable to determine characteristics of an attached corresponding connector, an attached cable and/or a channel established via the corresponding connector and/or cable. The characteristics are stored in a register on the connector and/or communicated via a pin connection to a host and/or upstream device. Ganged connectors may communicate via a shared pin. Sensing pins in the connector detect presence of a shield on the cable. Cable diagnostics are run on the attached corresponding connector and cable by a PHY device that may be integrated within the connector. The connector may determine characteristics such as cable length, cable grade, presence of shielding, channel characteristics and/or crosstalk on the attached corresponding connector and/or cable. Based on the determined characteristics, a data rate is determined, transmission parameters are auto-negotiated and/or data may be communicated.

Claims

1. A method for communication, the method comprising:

performing by one or more processors or circuits in a connector;

determining characteristics of an attached corresponding connector or a cable, by initiating and completing one or more cable diagnostic tests when said corresponding connector or said cable is attached to said connector to create a communication channel;

detecting a presence or absence of a shield on said attached cable by sensing a sense signal flowing between pin connections; and

configuring operation of said created communication channel based on said determined characteristics.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said determined characteristics comprise characteristics of said communication channel that are not established until said attached corresponding connector is communicatively coupled to said connector.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein said one or more circuits comprise a register, said one or more circuits being operable to store in said register said determined characteristics of one or more of said attached corresponding connector, said attached cable and said channel.

4. The method according to claim 1, comprising communicating via a pin connection within said connector or within one or more ganged connectors, said characteristics of one or more of said attached corresponding connector, said attached cable and characteristics of said communication channel that are established when said corresponding connector is communicatively coupled to said connector.

5. The method according to claim 1, comprising communicating to a host or an upstream device said characteristics of said attached corresponding connector or said attached cable or characteristics of said communication channel that is established when said corresponding connector is communicatively coupled to said connector.

6. The method according to claim 1, comprising running cable diagnostics by a PHY device integrated on said connector, on said attached corresponding connector or said attached cable.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said determined characteristics further comprise one or more of type of cable, cable length, cable grade, presence or absence of shielding, DC characteristics, AC characteristics, or thermal characteristics on said attached corresponding connector or said attached cable.

8. The method according to claim 1, comprising determining a data rate or auto-negotiating transmission parameters for communicating via said connector, said attached corresponding connector or said attached cable based on said characteristics of said attached corresponding connector or said attached cable or characteristics of a channel that is established when said attached corresponding connector is communicatively coupled to said connector.

9. The method according to claim 1, comprising communicating data via said connector, said attached corresponding connector or said attached cable based on said characteristics of said attached corresponding connector or said attached cable or characteristics of said communication channel that is established when said corresponding connector is communicatively coupled to said connector.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein said characteristics comprise at least one of attenuation, noise or crosstalk of said created communication channel.

11. A system for communication, the system comprising:

one or more processors or circuits within a connector, wherein said one or more processors or circuits are operable to;

determine characteristics of an attached corresponding connector or a cable, via cable diagnostic tests initiated at a time said corresponding connector or said cable is attached to said connector;

detect a presence or absence of a shield on said attached cable utilizing pin connections and a sensing signal; and

configure operation of said connector based on said determined characteristics.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein said determined characteristics comprise characteristics of a channel that are first established when said attached corresponding connector is communicatively coupled to said connector.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein said one or more circuits comprise a register, said one or more circuits being operable to store said determined characteristics of one or more of said attached corresponding connector, said attached cable and said determined characteristics of said channel in said register.

14. The system according to claim 11, wherein said one or more processors or circuits are operable to communicate via a pin connection within said connector or within one or more ganged connectors, said characteristics of said attached corresponding connector or said attached cable or characteristics of a channel that is established when said corresponding connector is communicatively coupled to said connector.

15. The system according to claim 11, wherein said one or more processors or circuits are operable to communicate to a host or an upstream device said characteristics of said attached corresponding connector or said attached cable or characteristics of a channel that is established when said corresponding connector is communicatively coupled to said connector.

16. The system according to claim 11, wherein said one or more processors or circuits are operable to run cable diagnostics by a PHY device integrated on said connector, on said attached corresponding connector or said attached cable.

17. The system according to claim 11, wherein said determined characteristics further comprise one or more of type of cable, cable length, cable grade, presence or absence of shielding, DC characteristics, AC characteristics, or thermal characteristics on said attached corresponding connector or said attached cable.

18. The system according to claim 11, wherein said one or more processors or circuits are operable to determine a data rate or autonegotiate transmission parameters for communication via said connector, said attached corresponding connector or said attached cable based on said characteristics of said attached corresponding connector or said attached cable or characteristics of a channel that is established when said attached corresponding connector is communicatively coupled to said connector.

19. The system according to claim 11, wherein said one or more processors or circuits are operable to communicate data via said connector, said attached corresponding connector or said attached cable based on said characteristics of said attached corresponding connector or said attached cable or characteristics of a channel that is established when said attached corresponding connector is communicatively coupled to said connector.

20. The system according to claim 11, wherein, said characteristics comprising at least one of attenuation, noise, or crosstalk.