Methods, systems and apparatus for determining whether an accessory includes particular circuitry

• US 8,914,555 B2
• Filed: 01/09/2014
• Issued: 12/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Mullins, Scott, Kosut, Alexei, Terlizzi, Jeffrey J., Rich, Zachary C.
• Primary Examiner(s): SHIN, CHRISTOPHER B
• Application Number:
  US14/151,731
• Publication Number:
  US 20140125312A1
• Time in Patent Office: 341 Days
• Field of Search: 710 15- 19, 710/62, 710/72, 320/114, 713/310
• US Class Current: 710/16
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/00 Investigating or analysing materials by the use of electric, electrochemical, or magnetic means G01N3/00 – G01N25/00 take precedence; measurement or testing of electric or magnetic variables or of electric or magnetic properties of materials G01R
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/0084 measuring voltage only all subgroups of G01R19/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/28 Testing of electronic circuits, e.g. by signal tracer EMC, EMP or similar testing of electronic circuits G01R31/002; testing for short-circuits, discontinuities, leakage or incorrect line connection G01R31/50; checking computers or computer components G06F11/00; checking static stores for correct operation G11C29/00 ; testing receivers or transmitters of transmission systems H04B17/00
• 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 21/44 Program or device authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/81 by operating on the power supply, e.g. enabling or disabling power-on, sleep or resume operations
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 3/20 responsive to excess voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 9/02 responsive to excess current current limitation for voltage regulators G05F1/573; disconnection after limiting H02H3/025
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 4/00 Circuit arrangements for mains or distribution networks not specified as ac or dc
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00045 Authentication, i.e. circuits for checking compatibility between one component, e.g. a battery or a battery charger, and another component, e.g. a power source
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00308 Overvoltage protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0031 using battery or load disconnect circuits H02J9/002 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0274 for an electrical connector module
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus for determining whether an accessory includes particular circuitry. A host device may measure a first voltage and a second voltage received from an accessory, where the voltages are provide through the accessory from a power source. Before measuring the second voltage, the host device may send an instruction to the accessory instructing the accessory to alter an impedance of the power path between the power source and the host device, and the host device may draw at least a threshold amount of current from the power source via the accessory. The host device may then determine whether the accessory includes particular circuitry based on the relationship between the first voltage and the second voltage.

Claims

1. A method of determining whether an accessory includes particular circuitry, comprising:

measuring, at a host device coupled to an accessory, a first voltage received from the accessory, the first voltage being received via a power pin provided in the host device;

sending, by the host device, an instruction to the accessory to alter an impedance, at the accessory, of a power path between a power source and the host device;

measuring, at the host device, a second voltage received from the accessory, the second voltage being received via the power pin provided in the host device; and

determining, by the host device, whether the accessory includes particular circuitry based on the relationship between the first voltage and the second voltage.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein determining whether the accessory includes particular circuitry comprises:

determining that the accessory includes the particular circuitry if the first voltage is greater than the second voltage by at least a predetermined amount; and

determining that the accessory does not include the particular circuitry if the first voltage is not greater than the second voltage by at least the predetermined amount.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

if the accessory is determined to include the particular circuitry, coupling the power pin to power control circuitry of the host device operable to charge the host device using power provided by the power source.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the instruction to the accessory includes one of:

a first instruction instructing the accessory to operate in a state whereby a voltage passed through the accessory from the power source to the host device is substantially unaltered;

a second instruction instructing the accessory to operate in a state whereby the voltage passed through the accessory from the power source to the host device is reduced to a first voltage when a first current is passed through the accessory;

or

a third instruction instructing the accessory to operate in a state whereby the voltage passed through the accessory from the power source to the host device is reduced by a second voltage when a second current is passed through the accessory.

5. A method of determining whether an accessory includes particular circuitry, comprising:

measuring, at a host device coupled to an accessory, a first voltage received from the accessory, the first voltage being received via a power pin provided in the host device;

sinking, at the host device, current from a power source via the accessory;

measuring, at the host device, a second voltage received from the accessory, the second voltage being received via the power pin provided in the host device; and

determining, by the host device, whether the accessory includes particular circuitry based on the relationship between the first voltage and the second voltage.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

before measuring the second voltage, sending an instruction to the accessory to alter an impedance, at the accessory, of a power path between the power source and the host device.

7. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

before measuring the first voltage, disabling charging of the host device from power supplied by the power source via the appliance.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein the second voltage is measured after current is drawn from the power source via the accessory.

9. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

sending a request for an accessory identifier to the accessory to establish a connection with the accessory.

10. A host device comprising:

a power pin operable to receive a voltage from an accessory;

a data pin operable to communicate an instruction to the accessory; and

control circuitry operable to;

measure a first voltage received from the accessory via the power pin;

send an instruction to the accessory via the data pin, the instruction instructing the accessory to alter an impedance, at the accessory, of a power path between a power source and the host device;

sink current from the power source via the accessory;

measure a second voltage received from the accessory via the power pin; and

determine whether the accessory includes particular circuitry based on the relationship between the first voltage and the second voltage.

11. The host device of claim 10 wherein the control circuitry is further operable to charge the host device using power received at the power pin when it is determined that the accessory includes the particular circuitry.

12. The host device of claim 10 wherein the control circuitry is further operable to disable charging of the host device via the power path between the power source and the host device when it is determined that the accessory does not include the particular circuitry.

13. The host device of claim 10 wherein the control circuitry is further operable to:

measure the first voltage before sending the instruction to the accessory and before sinking current from the power source; and

measure the second voltage after sending the instruction to the accessory and after sinking current from the power source.

14. The host device of claim 10 further comprising:

power control circuitry including an overvoltage protection switch and processor; and

a charge control switch coupled between the power control circuitry and the power pin;

wherein the processor is operable to;

control the charge control switch to control charging of internal circuitry of the host device from the power source via the power pin, and

control the overvoltage protection switch to prevent the internal circuitry of the electronic from receiving power when a voltage at the power circuitry is greater than a predetermined voltage.

15. The host device of claim 10 wherein the control circuitry is further operable to:

send a request for an accessory identifier to the accessory on a first data pin of the host device;

determine whether a valid accessory identifier is received;

send another request for an accessory identifier to the accessory on a second data pin of the host device if it is determined that a valid accessory identifier is not received; and

receive power from the power source if it is determined that a valid accessory identifier is received.

16. The host device of claim 10 wherein the control circuitry is further operable to determine that the accessory includes the particular circuitry if the first voltage is greater than the second voltage by at least a predetermined amount, and to determine that the accessory does not include the particular circuitry if the first voltage is not greater than the second voltage by at least the predetermined amount.

17. The host device of claim 10 further comprising performing, by the host device, one or more operations based on whether or not the accessory includes particular circuitry.

18. The host device of claim 10 further comprising a connector that includes the power pin and the data pin.

19. The host device of claim 18 wherein the connector is a receptacle connector and the connector further includes first and second pairs of data contacts and wherein the host device further includes first switching circuitry operable to couple the first pair of data contacts to circuitry associated with one of a first plurality of communication protocols and second switching circuitry operable to couple the second pair of data contacts to circuitry associated with one of a second plurality of communication protocols.

20. The host device of claim 11 further comprising an internal battery, wherein being operable to charge the host device includes being operable to couple the power contact to the internal battery.