Smart powering and pairing system and related method

• US 9,178,363 B2
• Filed: 01/11/2011
• Issued: 11/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Walley, John, Hulvey, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): ALAM, MIRZA F
• Application Number:
  US13/004,836
• Publication Number:
  US 20110181111A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,757 Days
• Field of Search: 340/3.1, 340/500, 340/540, 340/657, 340/7.33, 340/13.23, 340/572.1, 340/10.1, 340/636.2, 307 31- 41, 307/126, 307/311, 307/29, 307/104, 455/572, 455/574, 455/512, 455/522, 455/127.1, 455/423, 455/67.11, 455/573, 320/103, 320/107, 320/108, 320/137, 320/124
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/20 Charging or discharging characterised by the power electronics converter
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 4/00 Circuit arrangements for mains or distribution networks not specified as ac or dc
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 5/00 Circuit arrangements for transfer of electric power between ac networks and dc networks H02J3/36 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00036 Charger exchanging data with battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00047 with provisions for charging different types of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0047 with monitoring or indicating devices or circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00712 the cycle being controlled or terminated in response to electric parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/02 for charging batteries from ac mains by converters

Abstract

According to one disclosed embodiment, a smart powering and pairing system includes a power conversion unit (PCU) having a communication module, a power management module and a pairing module. The PCU can convert mains power into a form that can be used to power a plurality of electronic devices. In one embodiment, the PCU can transparently pair a connected electronic device to a group of subsequently connected electronic devices by accepting pairing information from the connected electronic device and using it to pair the subsequently connected devices. In another embodiment, the PCU can transparently pair a group of connected electronic devices by applying generated security data to all the connected devices. In another embodiment, a power conversion unit can use security data to un-pair connected electronic devices.

Claims

1. A smart powering and pairing system comprising:

a power conversion unit (PCU) having circuitry configured to pair a first electronic device to a second electronic device and to power a plurality of electronic devices having different power requirements;

the PCU being further configured to;

communicate with the first electronic device and receive pairing information from the first electronic device, the pairing information being transferred from the first electronic device to the PCU in response to a communication link being initially established between the first electronic device and the PCU, the pairing information including identity information that distinguishes the first electronic device from other electronic devices, the PCU configured to provide power to the first electronic device according to a first power management parameter provided by the first electronic device; and

communicate with a second electronic device and receive an identity description of the second electronic device and in response pair the second electronic device directly to the first electronic device utilizing the pairing information received from the first electronic device, the PCU configured to provide power to the second electronic device according to a second power management parameter provided by the second electronic device;

wherein the PCU is external to the first electronic device and the second electronic device.

2. The smart powering and pairing system of claim 1, wherein the first power management parameter being used to regulate an output power characteristic of power provided to the first electronic device and the second power management parameter being used to regulate an output power characteristic of power provided to the second electronic device.

3. The smart powering and pairing system of claim 1, wherein the PCU is further configured to pair the first electronic device and the second electronic device so that they communicate through the PCU using a secure communication protocol.

4. The smart powering and pairing system of claim 1, wherein the PCU is configured to retain the pairing information for a period of time.

5. The smart powering and pairing system of claim 1, wherein the PCU is configured to retain the pairing information until an event occurs.

6. The smart powering and pairing system of claim 1, wherein the pairing information comprises the identity information of the first electronic device.

7. The smart powering and pairing system of claim 1, wherein the pairing information comprises a security data.

20. The smart powering and pairing system of claim 1, wherein the pairing information is used to pair second electronic device directly to the first electronic device such that the first electronic device and the second electronic device thereafter become configured to communicate with each other directly without going through the PCU.

21. The system of claim 1 wherein power to the second electronic device differs in voltage or current threshold from the first electronic device.

8. A power conversion unit (PCU) for use in a smart powering and pairing system, the PCU comprising:

a communication module;

a power management module (PMM);

a pairing module configured to pair a first electronic device to a second electronic device;

the communication module and the PMM being configured to communicate with and power a plurality of electronic devices having different power requirements;

the communication module and the pairing module being configured to;

communicate with the first electronic device and the PMM,

the PMM configured to receive pairing information from the first electronic device in response to a communication link being initially established between the first electronic device and the PMM, the pairing information including identity information that distinguishes the first electronic device from other electronic devices, the PMM configured to provide power to the first electronic device according to a first power management parameter provided by the first electronic device; and

communicate with a second electronic device and receive an identity description of the second electronic device and in response pair the second electronic device directly to the first electronic device utilizing the pairing information received from the first electronic device, the PMM configured to provide power to the second electronic device according to a second power management parameter provided by the second electronic device;

wherein the PCU is external to the first electronic device and the second electronic device.

9. The PCU of claim 8, wherein the PMM is configured to power at least one of the first electronic device and the second electronic device using a wired power conduit.

10. The PCU of claim 8, wherein the PMM is configured to power at least one of the first electronic device and the second electronic device using a wireless power conduit.

11. The PCU of claim 8, wherein the communication module is configured to communicate with at least one of the first electronic device and the second electronic device over a communication channel formed over a power conduit.

12. The PCU of claim 8, wherein the communication module is configured to communicate with at least one of the first electronic device and the second electronic device over a wireless communication channel formed separate from a power conduit.

13. The PCU of claim 8, wherein the pairing module includes a physical authentication device used to enable the pairing module.

14. The PCU of claim 13, wherein the physical authentication device is a fingerprint reader.

15. The PCU of claim 13, wherein the physical authentication device is an electronic key fob detector.

22. The PCU of claim 8 wherein power to the second electronic device differs in voltage or current threshold from the first electronic device.

16. A method for use by a power conversion unit (PCU) for pairing a first electronic device with a second electronic device and a third electronic device that has different power requirements than the second electronic device, the PCU having circuitry configured to perform the method comprising:

detecting a power connection between the first electronic device and the PCU;

establishing a first communication link between the first electronic device and the PCU;

receiving pairing information from the first electronic device by the PCU, the pairing information being transferred from the first electronic device to the PCU in response to the first communication link being initially established between the first electronic device and the PCU, the pairing information including identity information that distinguishes the first electronic device from other electronic devices;

establishing a second communication link between the second electronic device and the PCU and providing a first power management parameter to the PCU that includes a power requirement for the second electronic device;

establishing a third communication link between the third electronic device and the PCU, and providing a second power management parameter to the PCU that includes a different power requirement for the third electronic device, and

receiving an identity description of the second electronic device and in response using the pairing information from the first electronic device to pair the second electronic device directly to the first electronic device,

wherein the PCU is external to the first electronic device and the second electronic device.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the pairing information includes the identity description, the PCU being configured to use the identity description to distinguish the second electronic device from the third electronic device.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the pairing information comprises a security data, the PCU being configured to use the security data to pair the second electronic device to the first electronic device.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving an instruction to un-pair the first and second electronic devices from one another;

un-pairing the first electronic device and the second electronic device.

23. The method of claim 16 wherein power to the second electronic device differs in voltage or current threshold from the first electronic device.