Power distribution inside cable
First Claim
1. A cable apparatus comprising:
- a cable;
a first plug coupled to a first end of the cable and comprising;
a first active circuit to receive and retime data, and to provide the retimed data; and
a first circuit to receive a first supply voltage and to determine if the first supply voltage is above or below a threshold voltage; and
a second plug coupled to a second end of the cable and comprising;
a second active circuit to receive and retime data, and to provide the retimed data; and
a second circuit,wherein if the first circuit determines that the first supply voltage is above the threshold voltage, the first and second circuits receive a second supply voltage and the first circuit powers the first active circuit with the second supply voltage and the second circuit powers the second active circuit with the second supply voltage, and if the first circuit determines that the first supply voltage is below the threshold voltage, the first circuit receives the first supply voltage and the first circuit powers the first active circuit with the first supply voltage.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Circuits, methods, and apparatus that provide for the powering of active components in connector inserts at each end of a cable may in various ways. For example, where a host is coupled to a device that is not self-powered, the host may provide power for circuitry at each end of the cable. In various embodiments of the present invention, the device may request higher voltage from the host, such that more power can be delivered. In these cases, the device may regulate the voltage received from the host to a lower voltage, and then provide the lower voltage to circuitry at one or both ends of the cable. Where the host is connected to a device that is self-powered, the host and the self-powered device may power their respective connector insert circuits.
136 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A cable apparatus comprising:
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a cable; a first plug coupled to a first end of the cable and comprising; a first active circuit to receive and retime data, and to provide the retimed data; and a first circuit to receive a first supply voltage and to determine if the first supply voltage is above or below a threshold voltage; and a second plug coupled to a second end of the cable and comprising; a second active circuit to receive and retime data, and to provide the retimed data; and a second circuit, wherein if the first circuit determines that the first supply voltage is above the threshold voltage, the first and second circuits receive a second supply voltage and the first circuit powers the first active circuit with the second supply voltage and the second circuit powers the second active circuit with the second supply voltage, and if the first circuit determines that the first supply voltage is below the threshold voltage, the first circuit receives the first supply voltage and the first circuit powers the first active circuit with the first supply voltage. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 17)
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8. A method of providing power to cable circuitry comprising:
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receiving a first supply voltage from a first device at a first plug of a cable, and if the first supply voltage is above a threshold voltage, then receiving a second supply voltage from a second device at a second plug of the cable, and powering first active circuitry in the first plug and second active circuitry in a second plug with the second supply voltage; and if power is not provided from the first device to the second device at the second plug of the cable, and the first supply voltage is below the threshold voltage, then receiving the second supply voltage from the second device, and powering the first active circuitry with the first supply voltage and powering the second active circuitry with the second supply voltage. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 18)
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12. A cable apparatus comprising:
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a cable having a first plug at a first end and a second plug at a second end; the first plug having a first terminal to receive a first power supply and a second terminal to receive a second power supply, and the second plug having a first terminal to receive the second power supply and a second terminal to receive the first power supply through the cable from the first plug, wherein the first terminal in the first plug is coupled through the cable to the second terminal in the second plug, and the second terminal in the first plug is coupled through the cable to the first terminal in the second plug, wherein the first plug further comprises; a first circuit to selectively couple the first power supply received on the first terminal in the first plug to a first active circuit in the first plug; and a second circuit to selectively couple the second power supply to the first active circuit in the first plug, wherein the second plug further comprises; a first circuit to selectively couple the second power supply to a second active circuit in the second plug; and a second circuit to selectively couple the first power supply to the second active circuit in the second plug, and wherein when the first power supply is received at the first terminal in the first plug and the first power supply is above a threshold voltage, then the second power supply is received at the first terminal in the second plug, the first circuit in the second plug couples the second power supply to the second active circuit in the second plug, and the second circuit in the first plug couples the second power supply to the first active circuit in the first plug, and wherein when the first power supply is received at the first terminal in the first plug and the first power supply is below the threshold voltage, then the first circuit in the first plug couples the first power supply to the first active circuit in the first plug. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20)
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Specification