Power-saving mode for USB power delivery sourcing device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9529411-B2
Application number	US-201414526061-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 28, 2014
Priority date	Jun 13, 2014
Publication date	Dec 27, 2016
Grant date	Dec 27, 2016

Abstract

Methods of reducing power consumption in a USB power-delivery source device. In one such method, one or more source capabilities messages are sent by the USB power-delivery source device. If, after sending a source capabilities message, a response to said source capabilities message is not received within a predetermined time period, the device sends another source capabilities message. If, after sending a predetermined number of source capabilities messages, no response is received, the device waits an extended period of time before sending another source capabilities message. Receiving functionality of the USB power-delivery source device is turned off during some or all of said extended period of time.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of operating a USB power-delivery source device comprising:
communicating with a second USB power-delivery device, said communicating including receiving messages from the second USB power-delivery device; and
if no response is received from the second USB power-delivery device for a predetermined duration, sending one or more source capabilities messages by the USB source power-delivery device;
wherein, after sending a predetermined number of source capabilities messages, if no response is received from the second USB power-delivery device, sending by the USB power-delivery source device at least one reset message; and
wherein, after sending a predetermined number of reset messages, if no response is received from the second USB power-delivery device, entering a device sleep mode by the USB power-delivery source device, wherein signal-receiving functionality of the USB power-delivery source device is turned off.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein each of the source capabilities messages contain information regarding the device's capabilities as a USB power-delivery source device.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the USB power-delivery source device comprises a frequency shift keying (FSK) receiver and wherein turning off signal-receiving functionality of the USB power-delivery source device comprises turning off the FSK receiver.

4. An apparatus, comprising:
a receiver configured to couple to a uniform serial bus (USB) interface; and
a controller coupled to the receiver and configured to:
transmit up to a first predetermined number of source capabilities messages across the USB interface as long as no response is received via the USB interface for a first time period after transmission of each source capabilities message, wherein each source capabilities message includes a power delivery object that includes a plurality of parameters that collectively identify a type of power supply;
determine that no response has been received for any of the first predetermined number of source capabilities message and thereby cause the receiver to be disabled for a second time period that is longer than the first time period.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein each source capabilities message includes a plurality of power delivery objects, each power delivery object including plurality of parameters that collectively identify a type of power supply that is different than the type of power supply identified they plurality of parameters of other power delivery objects.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the controller is configured to:
after transmission of the predetermined number of source capabilities messages, if no response is received via the USB interface, transmit up to a second predetermined number of reset messages as long as no responses are received via the USB interface; and
cause the receiver to be disabled for the second time period as a result of transmission of the first predetermined number of source capabilities messages and the second predetermined number of reset messages.

7. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the receiver comprises a first type of receiver, and wherein the apparatus further comprises a second type of receiver, and wherein the controller causes both the first and second types of receivers to be disabled.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the second type of receiver is a squelch receiver.

9. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the first predetermined number of source capabilities messages is three.

Assignees

• Texas Instruments Inc

Inventors

• Waters Deric Wayne
• Patoka Martin Howard

Classifications

• G06F1/3215

  Monitoring of peripheral devices · CPC title

• 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

• G06F1/3287 Primary

  by switching off individual functional units in the computer system · CPC title

• G06F1/3206

  Monitoring of events, devices or parameters that trigger a change in power modality · CPC title

• G06F1/26

  Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof (for memories G11C) · CPC title