USB-C multiple connector support for host and device mode configurations

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10078608-B2
Application number	US-201615278128-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 28, 2016
Priority date	Sep 16, 2016
Publication date	Sep 18, 2018
Grant date	Sep 18, 2018

Abstract

Various techniques for enabling the control and monitoring of a USB device mode controller to a USB-C connector, for the performance of a USB device mode data connection, are disclosed herein. In an example, a computing system that includes multiple USB-C connectors but a single USB device mode controller may manage the mapping of the controller to a particular connector, through operations that identify the mapping and the characteristics of the connector, process a request to change the mapping of the device mode controller, and perform the change to the mapping of the device mode controller. Such a change may include a disconnection or reassignment of a particular USB-C connector to the controller. Further examples to determine the availability of a USB device mode controller, and respond to a scenario where the USB device mode controller is not available, are also disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computing system adapted for management of a USB device mode controller, the computing system comprising:
system memory;
a plurality of USB-C connectors;
a USB device mode controller; and
processing circuitry to:
identify a mapping of the USB device mode controller and characteristics of the mapping of the USB device mode controller;
receive a request for a change to the mapping of the USB device mode controller;
perform the change to the mapping of the USB device mode controller, wherein the mapping of the USB device mode controller indicates an assignment of the USB device mode controller to one of the plurality of USB-C connectors, and wherein the characteristics of the mapping indicate available communication capabilities for the one of the plurality of USB-C connectors; and
store an operational status of the USB device mode controller in the system memory, wherein the operational status indicates the mapping of the USB device mode controller, and wherein the operational status stored in the system memory is accessible by an operating system.

2. The computing system of claim 1 , with the processing circuitry further to:
record an operational status of the USB device mode controller in the system memory; and
retrieve, from the system memory, the operational status of the USB device mode controller;
wherein operations to identify the mapping of the USB device mode controller and perform the change to the mapping of the USB device mode controller are performed in response to the operational status of the USB device mode controller stored in the system memory.

3. The computing system of claim 2 , the processing circuitry further to:
record the mapping of the USB device mode controller in the system memory; and
record the characteristics of the mapping in the system memory;
wherein operations to record the operational status of the USB device mode controller to the system memory operate to store data in a first memory location of the system memory; and
wherein operations to record the mapping of the USB device mode controller and the characteristics of the mapping in the system memory operate to store data in a second memory location of the system memory.

4. The computing system of claim 2 , wherein operations to record the operational status of the USB device mode controller and operations to retrieve the operational status of the USB device mode controller are initiated by an operating system policy manager (OPM) driver.

5. The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the change in the mapping of the USB device mode controller includes operations to reassign the mapping of the USB device mode controller from a first USB-C connector to a second USB-C connector of the plurality of USB-C connectors.

6. The computing system of claim 5 , wherein the mapping of the USB device mode controller is reassigned based on a user request received in an operating system of the computing system or based on a determination performed by a device policy manager of the computing system, and wherein the mapping of the USB device mode controller is changed from the first USB-C connector to the second USB-C connector.

7. The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the change in the mapping of the USB device mode controller includes operations to disconnect a first USB-C connector of the plurality of USB-C connectors from the USB device mode controller.

8. The computing system of claim 7 , wherein the first USB-C connector is disconnected from the USB device mode controller based on a policy in an operating system of the computing system, the policy enacted by an operating system policy manager (OPM) driver.

9. The computing system of claim 1 , wherein operations to identify the mapping of the USB device mode controller and the characteristics of the mapping of the USB device mode controller are performed by Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) methods.

10. The computing system of claim 9 , wherein the operations to identify the mapping and the characteristics of the mapping are performed with:
a device-specific method (_DSM) function of the ACPI methods, to request system firmware to write, to system memory, an indication of the mapping of the USB device mode controller and the characteristics of the mapping of the USB device mode controller;
a physical device location (_PLD) function of the ACPI methods, to perform a query of the system memory to retrieve the mapping of the USB device mode controller; and
a USB port capabilities (_UPC) function of the ACPI methods, to perform a query of the system memory to retrieve the mapping of the USB device mode controller.

11. The computing system of claim 9 , wherein objects for the ACPI methods that describe attributes of the plurality of USB-C connectors are implemented under scope of an operating system policy manager (OPM), to allow the USB device mode controller to be powered off and disconnected from the computing system.

12. At least one machine readable storage medium, comprising a plurality of instructions adapted for management of a USB device mode controller, wherein the instructions, responsive to being executed with processor circuitry of a computing system, cause the computing system to perform electronic operations that:
identify a mapping of a USB device mode controller and characteristics of the mapping of the USB device mode controller;
receive a request for a change to the mapping of the USB device mode controller;
perform the change to the mapping of the USB device mode controller, wherein the computing system includes the USB device mode controller, and wherein the computing system includes a plurality of USB-C connectors, and wherein the mapping of the USB device mode controller indicates an assignment of the USB device mode controller to one of the plurality of USB-C connectors, and wherein the characteristics of the mapping indicate available communication capabilities for the one of the plurality of USB-C connectors; and
store an operational status of the USB device mode controller in system memory of the computing system, wherein the operational status indicates the mapping of the USB device mode controller, and wherein the operational status stored in the system memory is accessible by an operating system.

13. The machine readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein the electronic operations further:
record an operational status of the USB device mode controller in system memory of the computing system; and
retrieve, from the system memory, the operational status of the USB device mode controller;
wherein operations to identify the mapping of the USB device mode controller and perform the change in the mapping of the USB device mode controller are performed in response to the operational status of the USB device mode controller stored in the system memory.

14. The machine readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the electronic operations further:
record the mapping of the USB device mode controller in the system memory; and
record the characteristics of the mapping in the system memory;
wherein operations to record the operational status of the USB device mode controller to the system memory operate to store data in a first memory location of the system memory; and
wherein operations to record the mapping of the USB device mode controller and the characteristics of the mapping in the system memory operate to store data in a second memory location of the system memory.

15. The machine readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the electronic operations to record the operational status of the USB d

Assignees

• Intel Corp

Inventors

• Kadgi Vijaykumar B
• Kung Tin-Cheung
• Aggarwal Nivedita
• Kuo Chia-Hung
• Sethi Prashant

Classifications

• G06F1/266

  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 title

• G06F1/263

  Arrangements for using multiple switchable power supplies, e.g. battery and AC (G06F1/30 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06F1/1632

  External expansion units, e.g. docking stations · CPC title

• G06F13/20

  for access to input/output bus · CPC title

• G06F11/3051

  Monitoring arrangements for monitoring the configuration of the computing system or of the computing system component, e.g. monitoring the presence of processing resources, peripherals, I/O links, software programs (verification or detection of system hardware configuration G06F11/2247) · CPC title