Methods and apparatus for safe negotiation of high current for active cable assemblies

• US 10,963,027 B2
• Filed: 11/04/2019
• Issued: 03/30/2021
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Whitby-Strevens, Colin, Ridenour, Bob
• Primary Examiner(s): Auve, Glenn A.
• Application Number:
  US16/673,426
• Publication Number:
  US 20200133366A1
• Time in Patent Office: 512 Days
• 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 1/28 Supervision thereof, e.g. detecting power-supply failure by out of limits supervision
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3206 Monitoring of events, devices or parameters that trigger a change in power modality
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3215 Monitoring of peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3218 of display devices

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for the safe negotiation of high current for a High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) active cable assembly. In one embodiment, a method for detecting a Power for Cable Assembly (PCA)-capable source is disclosed, the method including: detecting, by a cable assembly, an assertion of a defined voltage on a power supply pin; forwarding an assertion of a hot plug detect signal pin, by the cable assembly, from a sink device towards the PCA-capable source; detecting, by the cable assembly, a reduction in the defined voltage on the power supply pin for a defined period of time in response to the forwarding; and detecting, by the cable assembly, a re-assertion of the defined voltage on the power supply pin subsequent to the lapse of the defined period of time. PCA dependent cable assemblies and PCA capable source devices are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for modifying a level of current draw from a source device by a cable assembly, the method comprising:

determining whether a connection with the source device corresponds to a connection with a source device configured to supply electrical power via the cable assembly according to a prescribed protocol; and

based on a determination that the connection with the source device does not correspond to the connection with the source device configured to supply electrical power via the cable assembly according to the prescribed protocol, limiting the level of current draw from the source device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining whether the connection with the source device corresponds to the connection with the source device configured to supply electrical power via the cable assembly according to the prescribed protocol comprises detecting whether the source device is operating according to a prescribed algorithm associated with Power for Cable Assembly (PCA) operation.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein detecting that the source device is operating according to the prescribed algorithm comprises detecting a reduction in a defined voltage on a power supply pin associated with a network interface of the cable assembly.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a coupling with a sink device before determining whether the connection with the source device corresponds to the connection with the source device configured to supply electrical power via the cable assembly according to the perscribed protocol.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the detecting the coupling with the sink device comprises forwarding a Hot Plug Detect (HPD) signal from the sink device to the source device after a predetermined duration.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the detecting the coupling with the sink device comprises:

forwarding a reduced voltage signal from the source device to the sink device, the forwarded reduced voltage signal being configured to enable the sink device to remove a Hot Plug Detect (HPD) signal.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the determining whether the connection with the source device corresponds to the connection with the source device configured to supply electrical power via the cable assembly according to the prescribed protocol comprises determining whether a voltage associated with a signaling line of the cable assembly corresponds to a first voltage of a plurality of voltage settings, the first voltage being higher than at least one other voltage of the plurality of voltage settings.

8. A cable assembly configured for use between computerized devices, comprising:

a first data interface configured to be communicative with a source device;

a second data interface configured to be communicative with a sink device; and

logic configured to enable the cable assembly to;

determine whether the cable assembly is connected to a power-capable source device; and

modify a level of current draw from the source device based at least on the determination;

wherein the modification comprises, based on a determination that the cable assembly is connected to the power-capable source device, an increase in the level of current draw by the cable assembly from the power-capable source device;

or

wherein the modification comprises, based on a determination that the cable assembly is not connected to the power-capable source device, a limitation of the level of current draw by the cable assembly from the source device.

9. The cable assembly of claim 8, further comprising:

self-powering circuitry, the self-powering circuitry configured to enable electrical powering of the logic via an external power connector.

10. The cable assembly of claim 8, wherein the logic is further configured to enable the cable assembly to:

determine whether at least one Power for Cable Assembly (PCA) functionality is enabled on one or more ports associated with the source device.

11. The cable assembly of claim 10, wherein the logic is further configured to enable the cable assembly to:

receive, from the source device, a Display Data Channel (DDC) write operation through the first data interface; and

wherein the determination of whether the at least one PCA functionality is enabled on the one or more ports associated with the source device comprises a determination based on the received DDC write operation.

12. The cable assembly of claim 10, wherein the logic is further configured to enable the cable assembly to:

receive, from the source device, a common mode signal over the first data interface; and

wherein the determination of whether the at least one PCA functionality is enabled on the one or more ports associated with the source device comprises a determination based on the received common mode signal.

13. The cable assembly of claim 8, wherein the limitation of the level of current draw complies with a High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) standard associated with legacy operation, the limitation of the level of current draw comprising a maximum current draw of 5 milliamps (mA).

14. The cable assembly of claim 8, wherein the logic is further configured to enable the cable assembly to:

receive a signal from the power-capable source device indicative of a capability to provide additional current.

15. An apparatus configured to enable a cable assembly to implement a prescribed protocol relating to the cable assembly, the apparatus comprising:

hardware logic configured to;

detect that the cable assembly is coupled with a source device;

determine whether the source device is capable of Power for Cable Assembly (PCA)-based operation, the determination being based on whether at least one PCA functionality is enabled on the source device; and

responsive to a determination that the source device is not capable of PCA-based operation, limit a current draw from the source device to a prescribed level so as to prevent overdraw of current from the source device from a power supply pin associated with a network interface of the cable assembly.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the hardware logic is further configured to, based on the limitation of the current draw from the source device, enable the cable assembly to draw current from an external power source other than the power supply pin.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the hardware logic is further configured to, responsive to a determination that the source device is capable of PCA-based operation, increase or maintain the current draw from the source device.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the hardware logic is further configured to:

determine that the at least one PCA functionality is enabled on a PCA-capable source based on receipt of a reduced voltage PCA advertisement signal from the PCA-capable source.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the hardware logic is further configured to:

based on a detection that a level of voltage is increased to a defined voltage on the power supply pin, increase the level of current draw from the source device based on a determination that the at least one PCA functionality is enabled on a PCA-capable source.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the power supply pin comprises a +5V power supply pin configured to draw at least 55 milliamps (mA).