Single pin MOSFET drive and discharge functionality

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10141765-B2
Application number	US-201715418356-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 27, 2017
Priority date	Jan 27, 2017
Publication date	Nov 27, 2018
Grant date	Nov 27, 2018

Abstract

A circuit for use with a Universal Serial Bus (USB) socket includes a power converter coupled to receive an input voltage at an input terminal and coupled to provide an output voltage at an output terminal. A transistor is coupled between the output terminal of the power converter and a bus voltage terminal of the USB socket. A USB communication controller is coupled to the USB socket. The USB communication controller includes an output terminal coupled to a control terminal of the transistor. A bleeder circuit is coupled between the output terminal of the USB communication controller and the bus voltage terminal of the USB socket.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A circuit for use with a Universal Serial Bus (USB) socket, the circuit comprising
a power converter coupled to receive an input voltage at an input terminal and coupled to provide an output voltage at an output terminal;
a transistor coupled between the output terminal of the power converter and a bus voltage terminal of the USB socket;
a USB communication controller coupled to the USB socket, wherein the USB communication controller includes an output terminal coupled to a control terminal of the transistor; and
a bleeder circuit coupled between the output terminal of the USB communication controller and the bus voltage terminal of the USB socket.

2. The circuit of claim 1 , wherein a first terminal of the transistor is coupled to the output terminal of the power converter, and wherein a second terminal of the transistor is coupled to the bus voltage terminal of the socket.

3. The circuit of claim 1 , wherein the bleeder has a first terminal coupled to the control terminal of the transistor, and a second terminal coupled to the second terminal of the transistor.

4. The circuit of claim 2 , wherein the control terminal of the transistor is coupled to receive one of a first voltage signal, a second voltage signal, or a high impedance signal from the output terminal of the USB communication controller.

5. The circuit of claim 1 , wherein the bus voltage terminal is coupled to receive the output voltage of the power converter when the transistor is turned on, and wherein the bus voltage terminal is coupled to substantially discharge to zero volts through the bleeder circuit when the transistor is turned off.

6. The circuit of claim 1 , wherein the controller comprises a charge pump coupled to a tri-state driver, wherein the tri-state driver is further coupled to the output terminal of the USB communication controller to output a drive signal.

7. The circuit of claim 6 , wherein the charge pump is coupled to output a voltage to an input of the tri-state driver.

8. The circuit of claim 6 , wherein the tri-state driver is coupled to receive a control signal, wherein the tri-state driver is turned on when the control signal is a logic high, and wherein the tri-state driver is turned off when the control signal is logic low.

9. The circuit claim 8 , wherein the tri-state driver is coupled to output a charge pump voltage on the drive signal at the output terminal of the USB communication controller when the tri-state driver is turned on, and wherein the tri-state driver is coupled to output the high impedance signal at the output terminal of the USB communication controller when the tri-state driver is turned off.

10. The circuit of claim 9 , wherein the transistor is coupled to be turned on and off in response to the drive signal, and wherein the transistor is coupled to be turned off in response to the high impedance signal.

11. The circuit of claim 9 , wherein the drive signal is coupled to turn the transistor on and off in response to a higher value of the charge pump voltage, and wherein the bus voltage terminal is coupled to substantially discharge to zero volts through the bleeder circuit in response to a lower value of the charge pump voltage.

12. The circuit of claim 1 , wherein the bleeder circuit comprises a resistor.

13. A method of charging a bus voltage terminal of a USB connector, comprising:
turning on a transistor coupled between an output terminal of a power converter and the bus voltage terminal of the USB socket in response to a higher value of a voltage on a drive terminal of a controller, wherein a control terminal of the transistor is coupled to receive the higher value of voltage from the drive terminal;
turning off the transistor in response to a lower value of the voltage on the drive terminal of a controller, wherein the control terminal of the transistor is coupled to receive the lower value of voltage from the drive terminal;
discharging the bus voltage terminal of the USB socket through a bleeder circuit coupled between the bus voltage terminal of the USB socket and the drive terminal of the controller in response to the lower value voltage on the drive terminal; and
turning off the transistor in response to a high impedance signal on the drive terminal of the controller after the bus voltage terminal of the USB socket has been discharged.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the bus voltage terminal of the USB socket is disconnected from the output terminal of the power converter in response to either one of the lower value of the voltage or the high impedance signal on the drive terminal of the controller.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the bus voltage terminal of the USB socket is connected to the output terminal of the power converter through the transistor in response to the higher value of the voltage on the drive terminal of the controller.

16. The method of claim 13 , further comprising checking if a powered unit is connected to the USB socket.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein said turning on the transistor coupled between the output terminal of the power converter and the bus voltage terminal of the USB socket occurs in response to the powered unit being connected to the USB socket.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein said turning off the transistor coupled between the output terminal of the power converter and the bus voltage terminal of the USB socket occurs in response to the powered unit being disconnected to the USB socket.

Assignees

• Power Integrations Inc

Inventors

• Balakrishnan Vikram
• Deng Edward E
• Saint-Pierre Roland Sylvere

Classifications

• H02J7/751

  concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries · CPC title

• H02J7/963 Primary

  in response to battery voltage gradient · CPC title

• H02J7/00 Primary

  Circuit arrangements for charging or discharging batteries or for supplying loads from batteries · CPC title

• G06F13/4077 Primary

  Precharging or discharging · CPC title

• H01R24/64

  for high frequency, e.g. RJ 45 · CPC title