Foreign object detection method and power side capable of detecting foreign object

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11953645-B2
Application number	US-202217681722-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 26, 2022
Priority date	Mar 18, 2021
Publication date	Apr 9, 2024
Grant date	Apr 9, 2024

Abstract

A foreign object detection method for detecting whether a foreign object exists on a function pin of a power supplier side or a power receiver side, wherein the power supplier side and the power receiver side are coupled to each other in a detachable fashion. The foreign object detection method includes: discharging a capacitor via the function pin, wherein the capacitor is electrically connected to the function pin; providing a sensing current flowing through the function pin, to charge the capacitor; sensing a voltage variation of the function pin during a predetermined period; and comparing the voltage variation with a predetermined variation, so as to determine whether a foreign object exists on the function pin.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A foreign object detection method, which is configured to operably detect whether a foreign object exists on a function pin of a power supplier side or a power receiver side, wherein the power supplier side and the power receiver side are coupled to each other in a detachable fashion; the foreign object detection method comprising:
discharging a capacitor via the function pin, wherein the capacitor is electrically connected to the function pin;
providing a sensing current flowing through the function pin, to charge the capacitor;
sensing a voltage variation of the function pin during a predetermined period; and
comparing the voltage variation with a predetermined variation, so as to determine whether the foreign object exists on the function pin;
wherein the step of sensing the voltage variation of the function pin during the predetermined period includes the following steps:
sensing an initial voltage of the function pin at a starting time point of the predetermined period, wherein the starting time point is posterior to the step of discharging the capacitor via the function pin, and the starting time point is prior to the step of providing the sensing current flowing through the function pin to charge the capacitor;
sensing a duration voltage of the function pin at a predetermined time point of the predetermined period; and
sensing a termination voltage of the function pin at a termination time point of the predetermined period, wherein the termination time point is posterior to the predetermined time point.

2. The foreign object detection method of claim 1 , wherein the voltage variation is determined according to a capacitance of the capacitor.

3. The foreign object detection method of claim 1 , wherein the power supplier side or the power receiver side is a universal serial bus (USB), and wherein the function pin includes: a VBUS pin of the USB, a DP pin of the USB, a DM pin of the USB, a CC 1 pin of the USB, a CC 2 pin of the USB, a SBU 1 pin of the USB or a SBU 2 pin of the USB.

4. The foreign object detection method of claim 1 , wherein the voltage variation includes: a first voltage variation and a second voltage variation, wherein the first voltage variation is a difference between the termination voltage and the initial voltage, and wherein the second voltage variation is a difference between the termination voltage and the duration voltage.

5. The foreign object detection method of claim 4 , wherein the step of comparing the voltage variation with the predetermined variation, so as to determine whether the foreign object exists on the function pin includes the following steps:
comparing the first voltage variation with a first predetermined variation of the predetermined variation;
when the first voltage variation is not greater than the first predetermined variation, comparing the second voltage variation with a second predetermined variation of the predetermined variation; and
when the second voltage variation is not greater than the second predetermined variation, determining that the foreign object exists on the function pin.

6. The foreign object detection method of claim 1 , wherein the step of sensing the voltage variation of the function pin during the predetermined period further includes the following step:
posterior to the step of sensing the termination voltage of the function pin at the termination time point of the predetermined period, discharging the capacitor via the function pin.

7. The foreign object detection method of claim 1 , wherein a duration between the starting time point and the termination time point is not longer than 100 milliseconds.

8. A power side detection circuit capable of detecting whether a foreign object exists on a function pin of a power side circuitry, wherein the power side circuitry is a power supplier side circuitry or a power receiver side circuitry, wherein the power supplier side circuitry and the power receiver side circuitry are coupled to each other in a detachable fashion, and wherein the power supplier side circuitry is configured to operably supply power to the power receiver side circuitry; the power side detection circuit comprising:
a discharging circuit including a switch, wherein the switch is electrically connected to the function pin and a capacitor, wherein the switch is configured to operably discharge the capacitor via the function pin, wherein the capacitor is electrically connected to the function pin;
a current source circuit, which is electrically connected to the function pin and the capacitor, wherein the current source circuit is configured to operably provide a sensing current flowing through the function pin, to charge the capacitor; and
a foreign object detection circuit, which is configured to operably sense a voltage variation of the function pin during a predetermined period and is configured to operably compare the voltage variation with a predetermined variation, so as to determine whether the foreign object exists on the function pin;
wherein the foreign object detection circuit is configured to operably sense the voltage variation of the function pin during the predetermined period via the following steps:
sensing an initial voltage of the function pin at a starting time point of the predetermined period, wherein the starting time point is posterior to the step of discharging the capacitor via the function pin, and the starting time point is prior to the step of providing the sensing current flowing through the function pin to charge the capacitor;
sensing a duration voltage of the function pin at a predetermined time point of the predetermined period; and
sensing a termination voltage of the function pin at a termination time point of the predetermined period, wherein the termination time point is posterior to the predetermined time point.

9. The power side detection circuit of claim 8 , wherein the voltage variation is determined according to a capacitance of the capacitor.

10. The power side detection circuit of claim 8 , wherein the power supplier side or the power receiver side is a universal serial bus (USB), and wherein the function pin includes: a VBUS pin of the USB, a DP pin of the USB, a DM pin of the USB, a CC 1 pin of the USB, a CC 2 pin of the USB, a SBU 1 pin of the USB or a SBU 2 pin of the USB.

11. The power side detection circuit of claim 8 , wherein the voltage variation includes: a first voltage variation and a second voltage variation, wherein the first voltage variation is a difference between the termination voltage and the initial voltage, and wherein the second voltage variation is a difference between the termination voltage and the duration voltage.

12. The power side detection circuit of claim 11 , wherein the foreign object detection circuit is configured to operably compare the voltage variation with the predetermined variation, so as to determine whether the foreign object exists on the function pin via the following steps:
comparing the first voltage variation with a first predetermined variation of the predetermined variation;
when the first voltage variation is not greater than the first predetermined variation, comparing the second voltage variation with a second predetermined variation of the predetermined variation; and
when the second voltage variation is not greater than the second predetermined variation, determining that the foreign object exists on the function pin.

13. The power side detection circuit of claim 8 , wherein the foreign object detection circuit is configured to operably sense the voltage variation of the function pin during the predetermined period further via t

Assignees

• Richtek Technology Corp

Inventors

• Yang Shang-Te
• Hsiao Ming-Jun

Classifications

• G01V3/088 Primary

  operating with electric fields (G01V3/082 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01R19/00

  Arrangements for measuring currents or voltages or for indicating presence or sign thereof (G01R5/00 takes precedence; for measuring bioelectric currents or voltages A61B5/24) · CPC title

• G01R19/165

  Indicating that current or voltage is either above or below a predetermined value or within or outside a predetermined range of values · CPC title

• G01V3/02 Primary

  operating with propagation of electric current · CPC title