USB power delivery controller sharing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9766674-B2
Application number	US-201414318198-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 27, 2014
Priority date	Jun 27, 2014
Publication date	Sep 19, 2017
Grant date	Sep 19, 2017

Abstract

A system for sharing a power delivery controller is described herein. The system includes a plurality of ports and a power delivery controller communicatively coupled to the plurality of ports. The power delivery controller is to send a first message to a particular port of the plurality of ports and remain connected to the particular port and enable power delivery to the particular port in response to a particular return message from the port.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for sharing a power delivery controller, comprising:
a plurality of ports; and
a power delivery controller communicatively coupled to the plurality of ports, and the power delivery controller is to:
rotate between the plurality of ports to determine a particular port of the plurality of ports that has access to the power delivery controller;
negotiate with the plurality of ports by advertising capabilities of a computing device that comprises the power delivery controller and the plurality of ports at each port of the plurality of ports;
send a first message to the particular port of the plurality of ports; and
remain connected to the particular port and enable power delivery to the particular port in response to a particular return message from the port.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of ports is connected to a cable.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of ports is connected to a plurality of devices.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the return message is a GoodCRC message.

5. The system of claim 1 ; wherein the return message is a Request message.

6. The system of claim 1 , comprising a plurality of dead battery (DB) modules corresponding to each of the plurality of ports, wherein each DB module is to enable charging of the system.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the DB modules are to emulate a minimal portion of a USB PD controller to support dead battery operation.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein a second power delivery controller is communicatively coupled to the plurality of ports, and the power delivery controller or the second power delivery controller are connected to the particular port.

9. A method for sharing a power delivery controller, comprising:
polling a plurality of Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports by rotating between the plurality of ports to determine a particular port of the plurality of ports that has access to the power delivery controller;
negotiating with the plurality of ports by advertising capabilities of a computing device that comprises the power delivery controller and the plurality of ports at each port of the plurality of ports;
sending a first message to each port of the plurality of USB ports; and
coupling to a particular port of the plurality of ports in response to a return message from the particular port, wherein power is delivered to the particular port.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of ports is a group of ports connected to a plurality of cables.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of ports is a group of ports connected to a device plurality of devices.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the return message is a GoodCRC message.

13. The method of claim 9 ; wherein the return message is a Request message.

14. A tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium comprising code to direct a processor to:
rotate between a plurality of ports to determine a particular port of the plurality of ports that has access to the power delivery controller;
negotiate with the plurality of ports by advertising capabilities of a computing device that comprises a power delivery controller and the plurality of ports at each port of the plurality of ports;
send a first message to the particular port of the plurality of ports;
couple to the particular port of the plurality of ports in response to a return message from the port; and
deliver power to the particular port.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the processor is a power delivery controller.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the processor is a power delivery controller and the power delivery controller is to send a message to the plurality of ports, and couple with a port in response to a device requesting power at the port.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of ports is a group of ports connected to a plurality of cables.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of ports is a group of ports connected to a plurality of devices.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the return message is a GoodCRC message.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 14 ; wherein the return message is a Request message.

Assignees

• Dunstan Robert
• Nge Chee Lim
• Intel Corp

Inventors

• Dunstan Robert
• Nge Chee Lim

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

• G06F2212/2146

  being detachable, e.g.. USB memory · CPC title

• G06F2200/161

  Indexing scheme relating to constructional details of the monitor · CPC title

• G06F13/385

  for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices · CPC title

• G06F1/263

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