Techniques for monitoring contacts in a connector
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An accessory configured to charge a host device, the accessory comprising:
- a connector having a plurality of contacts, wherein the plurality of contacts includes at least one power contact and at least one data contact and wherein the connector is configured to couple the accessory to a host device; and
power control circuitry coupled to the connector, the power control circuitry providing first, second and third modes of operation that determine current and voltage provided to the power contact, wherein in the first mode of operation current provided to the power contact is limited to a first current level and voltage at the power contact is limited to a first voltage level, in the second mode of operation current provided to the power contact is limited to the first current level and voltage at the power contact is increased from the first voltage level to a second voltage level, and in the third mode of operation, current provided to the power contact is increased from the first current level to a second current level while voltage at the power contact is maintained at or above the second voltage level to charge the host device;
wherein the power control circuitry is configured to operate in the first mode of operation upon start-up of the accessory, switch to the second mode of operation when the accessory is connected to a host device by the connector, and switch to the third mode of operation upon successful authentication of the accessory by the host device.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Techniques for mounting contacts of a connector are provided. One technique involves actively and continuously monitoring contacts being used and the contacts not being used in a connector in order to determine potential dendrite growth and/or potential corrosion due to liquid intrusion or the like. Another technique includes lowering a bias voltage on a power contact and performing a system detect prior to enabling operational voltage/current on the contact.
42 Citations
21 Claims
-
1. An accessory configured to charge a host device, the accessory comprising:
-
a connector having a plurality of contacts, wherein the plurality of contacts includes at least one power contact and at least one data contact and wherein the connector is configured to couple the accessory to a host device; and power control circuitry coupled to the connector, the power control circuitry providing first, second and third modes of operation that determine current and voltage provided to the power contact, wherein in the first mode of operation current provided to the power contact is limited to a first current level and voltage at the power contact is limited to a first voltage level, in the second mode of operation current provided to the power contact is limited to the first current level and voltage at the power contact is increased from the first voltage level to a second voltage level, and in the third mode of operation, current provided to the power contact is increased from the first current level to a second current level while voltage at the power contact is maintained at or above the second voltage level to charge the host device; wherein the power control circuitry is configured to operate in the first mode of operation upon start-up of the accessory, switch to the second mode of operation when the accessory is connected to a host device by the connector, and switch to the third mode of operation upon successful authentication of the accessory by the host device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. A method for operating an accessory having first, second and third modes of operation that determine current and voltage provided to a power contact in a connector including a plurality of contacts, configured to couple the accessory to a host device, the method comprising:
-
operating the accessory in the first mode of operation upon start-up of the accessory by limiting current provided to the power contacts to a first current level at a first voltage level; switching the accessory to the second mode of operation when the accessory is connected to the host device by the connector, wherein in the second mode of operation current provided to the power contact is limited to the first current level and voltage at the power contact is increased to a second voltage; and switching to the third mode of operation to charge the host device upon successful authentication of the accessory to the host device, wherein in the third mode of operation current is provided to the power contact is increased to a second current level while voltage at the power contact is maintained at or above the second voltage level. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
-
Specification