USB charging with data communication

• US 9,444,278 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2014
• Issued: 09/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Power Integrations Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Power Integrations Incorporated
• Inventors: Baurle, Stefan
• Primary Examiner(s): Chiang, Jack
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bowers, Brandon
• Application Number:
  US14/261,873
• Publication Number:
  US 20140320075A1
• Time in Patent Office: 872 Days
• Field of Search: 320/108
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/263 Arrangements for using multiple switchable power supplies, e.g. battery and AC G06F1/30 takes precedence
• 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 13/4282 on a serial bus, e.g. I2C bus, SPI bus on daisy chain buses G06F13/4247
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2213/0042 Universal serial bus [USB]
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4257 Smart batteries, e.g. electronic circuits inside the housing of the cells or batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A process is disclosed for communicating digital data between a powered device and a charging device via a universal serial bus (USB). The process includes conducting a handshaking period between the powered device and the charging device via the USB. The powered device initiates a mode of normal operation of the charging device after an end of the handshaking period. The charging device communicates digital data (e.g., available power levels) between the powered device and the charging device during a time period that starts with the end of the handshaking period and ends with a beginning of the mode of normal operation.

Claims

1. A method of communicating digital data between a powered device and a charging device via a universal serial bus (USB), the method comprising:

conducting a handshaking period between the powered device and the charging device via the USB;

receiving a pattern of voltage level toggles on at least one data conductor of the USB from the powered device after the end of the handshaking period;

beginning the communication of the digital data in response to the received pattern of voltage level toggles, wherein communicating the digital data between the powered device and the charging device via the USB occurs during a time period that starts with the end of the handshaking period and ends with a beginning of a mode of normal operation, wherein the digital data includes authentication information to allow the charging device to provide power to the powered device and includes information about a magnitude of the power; and

initiating the mode of normal operation of the charging device that includes the charging device providing the power to the powered device from a power supply included in the charging device via the USB after an end of the handshaking period.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the handshaking period includes detecting attachment of the powered device with the charging device via the USB.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the handshaking period includes the powered device determining whether the charging device is a port selected from the group consisting of a standard downstream port (SDP), a charging downstream port (CDP), and a dedicated charging port (DCP).

4. The method of claim 1, wherein initiating a mode of normal operation of the charging device includes receiving an enable signal from the powered device via the USB.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the USB includes a first data conductor, a second data conductor, a first power conductor, and a second power conductor, the method further comprising the charging device shorting the first data conductor and the second data conductor together during the handshaking period.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying the powered device in response to the pattern of voltage level toggles.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein communicating the digital data includes the charging device communicating one or more voltage levels that the power supply is capable of outputting to the powered device via the USB.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein communicating the digital data includes the charging device communicating one or more current levels that the power supply is capable of outputting to the powered device via the USB.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein communicating the digital data includes the charging device communicating one or more power levels that the power supply is capable of outputting to the powered device via the USB.

10. A non-transitory machine-readable medium including program code stored thereon for communicating digital data between a powered device and a charging device via a universal serial bus (USB), the program code comprising instructions to:

conduct a handshaking period between the powered device and the charging device via the USB;

receive a pattern of voltage level toggles on at least one data conductor of the USB from the powered device after the end of the handshaking period;

begin the communication of the digital data in response to the received pattern of voltage level toggles, wherein communicating the digital data between the powered device and the charging device via the USB occurs during a time period that starts with the end of the handshaking period and ends with a beginning of a mode of normal operation, wherein the digital data includes authentication information to allow the charging device to provide power to the powered device and includes information about a magnitude of the power; and

initiate the mode of normal operation of the charging device that includes the charging device providing the power to the powered device from a power supply included in the charging device via the USB after an end of the handshaking period.

11. The medium of claim 10, wherein the handshaking period includes the detection of the attachment of the powered device with the charging device via the USB.

12. The medium of claim 10, wherein the handshaking period includes determining whether the charging device is a port selected from the group consisting of a standard downstream port (SDP), a charging downstream port (CDP), and a dedicated charging port (DCP).

13. The medium of claim 10, wherein the instructions to initiate the mode of normal operation of the charging device includes instructions to receive the enable signal from the powered device via the USB.

14. The medium of claim 10, wherein the USB includes a first data conductor, a second data conductor, a first power conductor, and a second power conductor, the medium further comprising instructions to short the first data conductor and the second data conductor together during the handshaking period.

15. The medium of claim 10, further comprising instructions to identify the powered device in response to the pattern of voltage level toggles.

16. The medium of claim 10, wherein the instructions to communicate the digital data includes instructions to communicate one or more voltage levels that the power supply is capable of outputting to the powered device via the USB.

17. The medium of claim 10, wherein the instructions to communicate the digital data includes instructions to communicate one or more current levels that the power supply is capable of outputting to the powered device via the USB.

18. The medium of claim 10, wherein the instructions to communicate the digital data includes instructions to communicate one or more power levels that the power supply is capable of outputting to the powered device via the USB.

19. A charging device, comprising:

a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port;

a power supply converter coupled to the USB port;

a USB communication module configured to direct the charging device to;

conduct a handshaking period between the powered device and the charging device via the USB port;

receive a pattern of voltage level toggles on at least one data conductor of the USB from the powered device after the end of the handshaking period;

begin communication of digital data in response to the received pattern of voltage level toggles, wherein communicating the digital data between the powered device and the charging device via the USB occurs during a time period that starts with the end of the handshaking period and ends with a beginning of a mode of normal operation, wherein the digital data includes authentication information to allow the charging device to provide power to the powered device and includes information about a magnitude of the power; and

initiate the mode of normal operation of the charging device that includes the charging device providing the power to the powered device from the power supply via the USB port after an end of the handshaking period.

20. The charging device of claim 19, wherein the USB communication module is further configured to direct the charging device communicate one or more voltage levels that the power supply converter is capable of outputting to the powered device via the USB.

21. The charging device of claim 19, wherein the USB communication module is further configured to direct the charging device communicate one or more current levels that the power supply converter is capable of outputting to the powered device via the USB.

22. The charging device of claim 19, wherein the USB communication module is further configured to direct the charging device communicate one or more power levels that the power supply converter is capable of outputting to the powered device via the USB.

23. The charging device of claim 19, wherein the digital data includes authentication information to allow the charging device to vary the power to the powered device.