Method and apparatus to combine power and control signals in a mobile computing device
First Claim
1. A mobile computing device comprising:
- multiple device components;
a power supply having a power line connected to each device component, the power supply operative to provide power signals to the device components over the power lines;
a processor operative to generate a control signal for one or more device components; and
a power line communications control module to connect to the power supply and the processor, the power line communications control module operative to receive a power signal and a control signal for a device component, combine the power signal and control data from the control signal to form a power data signal, and send the power data signal to the device component over a corresponding power line, the power line communications control module comprising a component selector module, the component selector module operative to select the power line connected to the device component for use in communicating the power data signal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A mobile computing device is described that includes multiple device components, a power supply and a power line connected to each device component. The power supply is operative to provide power signals to the device components over the power lines. The mobile computing device also includes a processor operative to generate a control signal for one or more device components. A power line communications control module is connected to the power supply and the processor, the power line communications control module is operative to receive a power signal and a control signal for a device component, combine the power signal and control data from the control signal to form a power data signal, and send the power data signal to the device component over a corresponding power line. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
20 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A mobile computing device comprising:
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multiple device components; a power supply having a power line connected to each device component, the power supply operative to provide power signals to the device components over the power lines; a processor operative to generate a control signal for one or more device components; and a power line communications control module to connect to the power supply and the processor, the power line communications control module operative to receive a power signal and a control signal for a device component, combine the power signal and control data from the control signal to form a power data signal, and send the power data signal to the device component over a corresponding power line, the power line communications control module comprising a component selector module, the component selector module operative to select the power line connected to the device component for use in communicating the power data signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method comprising:
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receiving a power signal for a device component from a power supply; receiving a control signal for the device component from a processor; modulating the power signal with control data from the control signal to form a power data signal; coupling a power line to the device component; selecting the power line coupled to the device component for use in communicating the power data signal; and sending the power data signal to the device component over the power line. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An article of manufacture comprising a computer-readable storage medium containing instructions that if executed enable a system to:
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receive a power signal for a device component from a power supply; receive a control signal for the device component from a processor; modulate the power signal with control data from the control signal to form a power data signal; couple a power line to the device component; select the power line coupled to the device component for use in communicating the power data signal; and send the power data signal to the device component over the power line. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification