Accessory device voltage management system controlled by a host

• US 20070143638A1
• Filed: 12/20/2005
• Published: 06/21/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tektronix Incorporated (Fortive Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Tektronix Incorporated (Fortive Corp.)
• Inventors: Dobyns, Kenneth, Stevens, Michael, Mende, Michael, Van Epps, Richard
• Granted Patent: US 7,532,492 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/06788 Hand-held or hand-manipulated probes, e.g. for oscilloscopes or for portable test instruments end pieces terminating in a probe H01R11/18

Abstract

An accessory device voltage management system includes an accessory device selectively coupled to a host. The host provides a bulk power supply and a low power supply voltage to the accessory device. The host receives accessory device parameters from the device and determines if the accessory device is a valid and supported device and, if so, sends commands to the accessory device to couple the bulk power supply voltage to a power supply circuit in the accessory device. The power supply circuit in the accessory device generates at least a first regulated voltage output.

Claims

1. An accessory device voltage management system comprising:

an accessory device having a power supply that generates at least a first regulated voltage output, a memory storing parameters of the accessory device, a controller coupled to the memory, a communication bus and an interrupt line coupled to the controller, and a switching element controlled by the controller;

a host having a power supply generating a bulk power supply output and a low power supply output, and a controller coupled to a communications bus and an interrupt line;

and an accessory device interface having a first portion disposed in the host and a second portion disposed in the accessory device with the interface having mating contacts for coupling the bulk power supply output and the low power supply output from the host to the accessory device, coupling a ground connection from the host to the accessory device and coupling the communications bus of the accessory device to the communication bus of the host,

wherein the host controller receives an interrupt signal from the accessory device on the interrupt line when the accessory device is coupled to the host via the accessory device interface, with the host controller communicating with the accessory device via the host and accessory device communications busses to retrieve accessory device parameters stored in the accessory device memory to determine if the accessory device is a valid device and supported by the host and initiating communications with the accessory device controller for coupling the bulk power supply of the host to the power supply of the accessory device via the switching element.

2. The accessory device voltage management system as recited in claim 1 wherein the communications bus has a data line and a clock line.

3. The accessory device voltage management system as recited in claim 1 wherein the accessory device power supply generates a plurality of regulated voltage outputs.

4. The accessory device voltage management system as recited in claim 1 wherein the switching element is an electronic switch.

5. The accessory device voltage management system as recited in claim 1 wherein the accessory device comprises a measurement probe.

6. The accessory device voltage management system as recited in claim 1 wherein the accessory device comprises an adapter.

7. The accessory device voltage management system as recited in claim 1 wherein the accessory device parameters include a power draw parameter.

8. The accessory device voltage management system as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

a plurality of accessory devices with each accessory device having a power supply that generates at least a first regulated voltage output, a memory storing parameters of the accessory device, a controller coupled to the memory, a communication bus and an interrupt line coupled to the controller, and a switching element controlled by the controller;

a plurality of accessory device interfaces with each accessory device interface having a first portion disposed in the host and a second portion disposed in one of the plurality of accessory devices with each of the plurality of accessory device interfaces having mating contacts for coupling the bulk power supply output and the low power supply output from the host to the accessory device, coupling a ground connection from the host to the accessory device and coupling the communications bus of the accessory device to the communication bus of the host; and

the host controller coupled to the a communications bus having at least a first clock line and a plurality of data lines and a plurality of interrupt lines with the host having a power budget parameter,

wherein the host controller receives interrupt signals from the plurality of accessory devices on the interrupt lines when the accessory devices are coupled to the host via the accessory device interfaces, with the host controller communicating with the accessory devices via the host and accessory devices communications busses to retrieve the accessory devices parameters stored in the accessory devices memories to determine if the accessory devices are valid device and supported by the host and total power draw parameters of the plurality of accessory devices are less than the host power budget parameter and initiating communications with the accessory devices controllers for coupling the bulk power supply of the host to the power supplies of the accessory devices via the respective switching elements of the plurality of accessory devices when the accessory devices are valid device and supported by the host and total power draw parameters of the plurality of accessory devices are less than the host power budget parameter.

9. The accessory device voltage management system as recited in claim 8 further comprising a plurality of clock lines with each clock line associated with a data line.