Universal power interface

• US 9,287,702 B2
• Filed: 12/27/2012
• Issued: 03/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Proefrock, Wayne L., Huang, Lilly, Ravichandran, Krishnan
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Danny
• Application Number:
  US13/728,268
• Publication Number:
  US 20140183974A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,174 Days
• Field of Search: 307/113, 307/130
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 2213/0042 Universal serial bus [USB]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/06 Two-wire systems
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/082 Plural DC voltage, e.g. DC supply voltage with at least two different DC voltage levels
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/10 Parallel operation of dc sources
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/40 adapted for charging from various sources, e.g. AC, DC or multivoltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells

Abstract

An electronic device is provided that may include an input port to couple to an external device, and a universal power interface to determine a type of the external device connected to the input port based at least on a voltage of a voltage supply line. The universal power interface may provide a power delivery path based on the determined type of the external device.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

an input port to couple to an external device; and

a universal power interface that includes a plurality of switches, the universal power interface to;

determine a type of the external device coupled to the input port based at least on a voltage on a voltage supply line,

provide a power delivery path based on the determined type of the external device, wherein to provide the power delivery path includes;

provide power from a platform of the electronic device to the external device coupled to the input port, based on an operation of a first one of the switches, and

provide steady power from the external device to the platform of the electronic device, based on an operation of a second one of the switches.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the input port is a universal serial bus (USB) port.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, the universal power interface to:

provide power from the external device to components of the electronic device that adjusts at least one characteristic of the received power, based on an operation of a third one of the switches.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the universal power interface includes a determination circuit to receive at least one voltage input from the voltage supply line and the determination circuit to provide an output signal to at least one of the plurality of switches based on the received voltage input.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the universal power interface includes a controller to receive voltage inputs from the voltage supply line and to provide an output signal to at least one of the plurality of switches based on the received voltage inputs.

6. An electronic device comprising:

a load;

an input port to couple to an external device; and

a universal power interface to alter a power delivery path based at least in part on a voltage on a voltage supply line between the input port and the load, wherein the universal power interface includes a plurality of switches,

the universal power interface to provide power from the load of the electronic device to the external device coupled to the input port, based on an operation of a first one of the switches; and

the universal power interface to provide steady power from the external device to the load of the electronic device, based on an operation of a second one of the switches.

7. The electronic device of claim 6, wherein the input port is a universal serial bus (USB) port.

8. The electronic device of claim 6, the universal power interface to provide power from the external device to components of the electronic device that adjusts at least one characteristic of the received power, based on an operation of a third one of the switches.

9. The electronic device of claim 6, wherein the universal power interface includes a determination circuit to receive voltage inputs from the voltage supply line and to provide an output signal to at least one of the plurality of switches based on the received voltage input.

10. The electronic device of claim 6, wherein the universal power interface includes a controller to receive voltage inputs from the voltage supply line and to provide an output signal to at least one of the plurality of switches based on the received voltage inputs.

11. A method of using an electronic device comprising:

receiving at least two voltages from a voltage supply line between an external device and a host platform;

determining a type of the external device based on the received voltages; and

changing a power delivery path between the external device and the host platform based on the determined type of the external device,

wherein changing the power delivery path includes operating a first switch to provide power from the host platform to the external device, and

wherein changing the power path delivery further includes operating a second switch to provide steady power to the host platform of the electronic device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein changing the power path delivery further includes operating a third switch to provide power from the external device to components of the electronic device to adjust at least one characteristic of the received power.