Information handling system peripheral port power bypass

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10635148-B2
Application number	US-201615092987-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 7, 2016
Priority date	Apr 7, 2016
Publication date	Apr 28, 2020
Grant date	Apr 28, 2020

Abstract

An information handling system data port system includes plural data ports that support communication of data and power transfer with external devices, such as peripherals. A power transfer manager selectively establishes direct power transfer between data ports in support of power transfer between external devices, such as one external device acting as a power source and another external device acting as a power sink. The power transfer manager establishes direct power transfer with switches that bypass the information handling system power subsystem to provide improved power transfer efficiency.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A portable information handling system comprising:
a housing;
a processor disposed in the housing and operable to execute instructions to process information;
a memory disposed in the housing and interfaced with the processor, the memory operable to store the information;
a battery disposed in the housing and operable to power the processor and memory;
a charger disposed in the housing, the charger operable to accept power from an external power source and to provide power to an external power sink, the charger further operable to charge the battery;
plural ports interfaced with the charger, each port operable to couple to an external cable, each port further operable to receive power from and provide power to the external cable;
plural switches disposed between the plural ports, the plural switches operable to selectively interface the plural ports with each other and the charger; and
a controller interfaced with the charger and the plural switches, the controller operable to operate the switches to disconnect first and second of the plural ports from the charger and to connect the first and second of the plural ports to each other so that the first and second of the plural ports bypass the charger to directly route power received at the first one of the plural ports to the second one of the plural ports;
wherein the controller is further operable to operate the switches to bypass the charger and establish direct communications of data for managing power transfer between the first and second of the plural ports, a first external device interfaced with the first port directly communicating with a second external device interfaced with the second port to negotiate power transfer between the first and second external devices; and
wherein the controller is further operable to operate the plural switches to selectively connect and disconnect the first and second ports with the charger when the only external power source available to provide power to the charger couples to one of the plural ports and transfers power to another of the plural ports, the controller selectively connecting and disconnecting the charger based at least in part on the amount of power drawn from the battery when external power is not coupled to the charger.

2. The portable information handling system of claim 1 wherein the plural ports comprise peripheral data ports.

3. The portable information handling system of claim 2 wherein the peripheral data ports are Type C USB ports.

4. The portable information handling system of claim 1 wherein the controller is further operable to negotiate power transfer constraints with a power source device coupled to the first port and with a power sink device coupled to the second port before operating the switches to establish direct communications of data between the first and second ports.

5. The portable information handling system of claim 4 further comprising current sensors disposed between the first and second ports and interfaced with the controller, the controller monitoring the current sensors to maintain power transfer within the power transfer constraints.

6. The portable information handling system of claim 5 wherein the controller comprises a USB controller.

7. The portable information handling system of claim 5 wherein the controller comprises an embedded controller.

8. A method for distributing power between an information handling system and external devices, the method comprising:
detecting a first external device coupled to a first data port of the information handling system, the first external device having a power source configured to transfer power through the data port to a charger of the information handling system;
detecting a second external device coupled to a second data port of the information handling system, the second external device having a power sink configured to transfer power from a charger of the information handling system through the data port to the second external device;
bypassing the charger of the information handling system to establish a direct power transfer from the first data port to the second data port to transfer power from the first external device to the second external device;
establishing a direct data communication between the first data port and the second data port;
performing a power transfer configuration handshake between the first and second external devices though the direct data communication;
monitoring a predetermined power state at the information handling system including at least a power draw from a battery of the information handling system operating without external power by drawing power from a battery;
in response to the monitoring, terminating the bypassing to interface the first and second data ports with the charger; and
in response to the terminating, reconfiguring the direct power transfer to an indirect power transfer mediated by a power transfer manager of the information handling system.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:
performing a first power transfer configuration handshake between the first external device and a power transfer manager of the information handling system;
performing a second power transfer configuration handshake between the second external device and the power transfer manager of the information handling system; and
configuring the direct power transfer to maintain power transfer constraints established by the first and second power transfer configuration handshakes.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising sensing current at the information handling system between the first and second data ports to manage power transfer within predetermined constraints.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the first and second data ports comprise USB Type C data ports.

12. A portable information handling system data port system comprising:
plural data ports, each data port operable to communicate data and to transfer power;
a controller interfaced with the plural data ports and operable to configure the data ports to communicate data and transfer power with external devices coupled to the data ports;
plural switches interfaced with the plural data ports, the switches selectively opening and closing to configure the data ports to interface directly with each other or with a charger, the charger selectively charging a battery when external power is available and discharging the battery to power the information handling system when external power is not available; and
a power transfer manager interfaced with the plural switches, the power transfer manager operable to open and close the switches to selectively establish direct power transfer between the data ports, the direct power transfer bypassing the charger, the power transfer manager configuring the switches to interface the ports through the charger if the charger lacks an external power source other than the plural data ports, the power transfer manager selectively configuring the switches to interface the ports and bypass the charger when the charger lacks an external power source if power consumption of the information handling system is a predetermined amount;
wherein the power transfer manager is further operable to:
establish direct communication between first and second external devices coupled to the first and second of the plural data ports; and
support power transfer between the first and second external devices based upon power transfer settings negotiated directly between the first and second external devices through the direct communication.

13. The portable information handling system data port system of claim 12 wherein the plu

Assignees

• Dell Products Lp

Inventors

• Pelissier Gerald R
• Wood Iii Merle J
• Knepper Lawrence E
• Reddy Karunakar P

Classifications

• G06F1/266 Primary

  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

• G06F1/32

  Means for saving power · CPC title