Multiport power converter with load detection capabilities

• US 9,130,400 B2
• Filed: 09/24/2009
• Issued: 09/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Terlizzi, Jeffrey J., Sims, Nicholas A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fureman, Jared
• Assistant Examiner(s): Perez Borroto, Alfonso
• Application Number:
  US12/566,594
• Publication Number:
  US 20110068626A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,175 Days
• Field of Search: 713/300, 320/107
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/08 Three-wire systems; Systems having more than three wires
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/14 Balancing the load in a network
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/22 The load being a portable electronic device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0036 using connection detecting circuits H02J7/0034 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/04 Regulation of charging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/005 using a power saving mode for copiers G03G15/5004

Abstract

Power converters are provided that convert alternating current (AC) power to direct current (DC) power. A power converter may have multiple ports. Each port may have an associated connector with multiple power and data terminals. When an electronic device is connected to a given port, the electronic device draws DC power from the power converter. To ensure that the capacity of the power converter is not exceeded when multiple devices are connected to the ports of the power converter, the power converter may actively monitor its ports for active loads. Load detection circuitry can determine what number of ports are active. Control circuitry can compute a per-port available DC power level based on the number of active ports and can provide this information to connected devices.

Claims

1. An apparatus configured to provide power and power level data for a plurality of external electronic devices, the apparatus comprising:

a plurality of ports;

load detection circuitry that detects when at least one of the plurality of external electronic devices is connected to the apparatus, wherein the load detection circuitry comprises a control switch and a current-limited voltage regulator configured to provide an output voltage larger than a nominal power supply output voltage; and

control circuitry configured to;

compute a per-port available power level that varies based on a number of active loads connected to the plurality of ports, and

provide a code to at least one external electronic device of the plurality of external electronic devices, via a data terminal of at least one port of the plurality of ports, wherein the code comprises data corresponding to the per-port available power level available to the at least one external electronic device and provides a reference for the at least one external electronic device to adjust an amount of power received from the at least one port.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry comprises voltage divider circuitry that produces at least one adjustable output voltage for each port of the plurality of ports.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

each port of the plurality of ports is configured with two data terminals; and

the control circuitry adjusts voltages at the two data terminals to advertise the per-port available power level to the at least one external electronic device of the plurality of external electronic devices.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the load detection circuitry further comprises a plurality of control switches, each control switch of the plurality of control switches being associated with a respective port of the plurality of ports.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the load detection circuitry comprises a plurality of current-sensing resistors, each current-sensing resistor of the plurality of current-sensing resistors being associated with a respective port of the plurality of ports.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

each port of the plurality of ports is configured with two power terminals; and

the load detection circuitry comprises a plurality of current-sensing resistors, each current-sensing resistor of the plurality of current-sensing resistors being coupled to one of the two power terminals.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein:

the load detection circuitry further comprises a plurality of current-limited voltage regulators; and

each current-limited voltage regulator of the plurality of current-limited voltage regulators produces the output voltage that is applied at one of the two power terminals.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the load detection circuitry further comprises a plurality of switches, each switch of the plurality of switches having a terminal that is connected to an output of at least one of the plurality of current-limited voltage regulators.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry comprises a digital-to-analog converter providing at least one analog voltage to at least one data terminal.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an alternating current to direct current converter.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of connectors,

wherein each connector of the plurality of connectors is configured with two power terminals and two data terminals, and is associated with a respective port of the plurality of ports.

12. A device for managing a supply of power to a plurality of external electronic devices, the device comprising:

a plurality of ports configured to provide power to the plurality of external electronic devices;

circuitry that detects when at least one external electronic device of the plurality of external electronic devices is connected to the device; and

control circuitry configured to;

determine a per-port available power level for each port of the plurality of ports based on a number of active loads that are connected to the plurality of ports, and

provide a code to the at least one external electronic device of the plurality of external electronic devices, via at least one data terminal of a port of the plurality of ports, wherein the code comprises data corresponding to the per-port available power level for the at least one external electronic device and provides a reference for the at least one external electronic device to adjust an amount of power received from the port.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the control circuitry further comprises a digital-to-analog converter that is coupled to the at least one data terminal to provide the code to inform the at least one external electronic device of the plurality of external electronic devices of the per-port available power level.

14. The device of claim 12, wherein the control circuitry comprises adjustable voltage divider circuitry.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the adjustable voltage divider circuitry comprises a plurality of resistors and at least one transistor having a gate that receives a control signal from the control circuitry.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the adjustable voltage divider circuitry further comprises a plurality of p-channel metal-oxide-semiconductor transistors and a plurality of n-channel metal-oxide-semiconductor transistors connected in a plurality of branches between a positive power supply line and a ground power supply line.

17. A method of operating an apparatus that includes a plurality of ports that are configured to be coupled to at least one external electronic device of a plurality of external electronic devices, the method comprising:

determining a number of ports of the plurality of ports that are connected to an active load;

determining a per-port available power level that is available to the at least one external electronic device of the plurality of external electronic devices connected to at least one port of the plurality of ports; and

providing a code to the at least one external electronic device through a data line of the at least one port, wherein the code comprises data corresponding to the per-port available power level for the at least one external electronic device of the plurality of external electronic devices and provides a reference for the at least one external electronic device of the plurality of external electronic devices to adjust an amount of power received from the at least one port of the plurality of ports.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the code includes digital data.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the apparatus provides the code to the at least one external electronic device of the plurality of external electronic devices using adjustable voltage divider circuitry.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the apparatus provides the code to the at least one external electronic device of the plurality of external electronic devices using bidirectional communication protocols over the data line.