Methods, Systems, and Products for Power Management in Cable Assemblies

• US 20170212159A1
• Filed: 04/06/2017
• Published: 07/27/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kreiner, Barrett M., Reeves, Jonathan L.
• Granted Patent: US 9,970,967 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/165 Indicating that current or voltage is either above or below a predetermined value or within or outside a predetermined range of values
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 21/133 by using digital technique
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/58 Testing of lines, cables or conductors testing of electric windings G01R31/72
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/28 Supervision thereof, e.g. detecting power-supply failure by out of limits supervision
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 5/04 responsive to abnormal temperature specially adapted for electric machines H02H7/0852

Abstract

Cable assemblies react to electrical power. A visual indicator in a cable assembly changes color in response to the electrical power. The visual indicator, for example, may respond to heat or electromagnetic field in the cable assembly. In smart cables, a controller may activate the visual indicator in response to the electrical power applied to the cable.

Claims

1. A cable assembly, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory device, the memory device storing instructions, the instructions when executed causing the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising;

monitoring electrical power conveyed via a connector of the cable assembly;

comparing the electrical power to a threshold value; and

activating a visual indicator to indicate the electrical power conveyed via the connector exceeds the threshold value.

2. The cable assembly of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise illuminating the visual indicator.

3. The cable assembly of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise illuminating the visual indicator to indicate the electrical power conveyed via the connector exceeds the threshold value.

4. The cable assembly of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise determining a color associated with the visual indicator.

5. The cable assembly of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise determining a color illuminated by the visual indicator.

6. The cable assembly of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise serially communicating with a host device connected to the connector of the cable assembly.

7. The cable assembly of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise communicating with an accessory device connected to the cable assembly.

8. A cable assembly, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory device, the memory device storing instructions, the instructions when executed causing the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising;

monitoring electrical power conveyed via a connector of the cable assembly;

comparing the electrical power to a threshold value; and

activating a visual indicator in the connector of the cable assembly, the visual indicator to indicate the electrical power conveyed via the connector exceeds the threshold value.

9. The cable assembly of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise selecting a color output by the visual indicator, the color corresponding to the electrical power conveyed via the connector.

10. The cable assembly of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise illuminating the visual indicator to indicate the electrical power conveyed via the connector exceeds the threshold value.

11. The cable assembly of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise illuminating the visual indicator to output a color of multiple colors, each one of the multiple colors corresponding to a different value of the electrical power conveyed via the connector.

12. The cable assembly of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise serially communicating with a host device connected to the connector of the cable assembly.

13. The cable assembly of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise communicating with an accessory device connected to the cable assembly.

14. The cable assembly of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise isolating an electrical pin in the connector in response to the electrical power exceeding the threshold value.

15. A cable assembly, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory device, the memory device storing instructions, the instructions when executed causing the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising;

monitoring electrical power conveyed via connecting pins of the cable assembly;

comparing the electrical power to a threshold value;

determining the electrical power conveyed via a pin of the connecting pins exceeds the threshold value; and

activating a visual indicator of the cable assembly, the visual indicator to indicate the electrical power conveyed via the pin exceeds the threshold value.

16. The cable assembly of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise activating a switch in the cable assembly to isolate the pin conveying the electrical power that exceeds the threshold value.

17. The cable assembly of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise activating a switch of a bank of switches in the cable assembly, the switch activated to isolate the pin conveying the electrical power that exceeds the threshold value.

18. The cable assembly of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise activating a switch of a bank of switches in the cable assembly, each switch in the bank of switches isolating a different one of the connecting pins, the switch activated to isolate the pin conveying the electrical power that exceeds the threshold value.

19. The cable assembly of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise reformatting data received by the cable assembly from a first format to a second format required by a device connected to the cable assembly.

20. The cable assembly of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise:

querying an electronic database for a communications protocol associated with a device connected to the cable assembly, the electronic database stored in the memory device of the cable assembly, the electronic database electronically associating communications protocols to parameters;

identifying a parameter of the parameters in the electronic database that is electronically associated with the communications protocol associated with a device connected to the cable assembly; and

reformatting data received by the cable assembly according to the parameter identified in the electronic database that is electronically associated with the communications protocol associated with the device connected to the cable assembly.