Power Supply Equipment Utilizing Interchangeable Tips to Provide Power and a Data Signal to Electronic Devices

Abstract

Power supply equipment includes an adapter which converts power from a power source to DC power for powering an electronic device. The power supply equipment includes circuitry which produces a data signal for use by the electronic device to control power drawn by the electronic device. A cable extends from the adapter. The power supply equipment further includes a tip which has an input side and an output side. The input side of the tip is detachable mateable to the cable. The output side of the tip is detachably mateable to the electronic device. The tip output side has a shape and size dependent on the shape and size of a power input opening of the electronic device. The tip provides the data signal, as well as the DC power, to the electronic device. Different tips may be used to provide appropriate data signals to different electronic devices.

Claims

1-6. (canceled)

7. Power supply equipment comprising: an adapter to convert power from a power source, external to the adapter, to DC power for powering an electronic device; the adapter including circuitry for producing a first data signal output which is representative of the amount of power available from the adapter; an interconnection device which is placed between the adapter and the electronic device and being removable from the adapter and the electronic device, said interconnection device having: a plurality of conductors to transfer the DC power and the first data signal to the electronic device; and receive and transmit circuitry to receive data from the electronic device which allows the electronic device to interrogate the interconnect device and in response transmit a second data output to the electronic device such that the electronic device may determine whether or not the interconnect device is approved to be used with the electronic device.

8. The power supply equipment of claim 7, wherein the receive and transmit circuitry contains a microcontroller.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] FIG. 1 illustrates a power supply system according to the prior art;

[0011] FIG. 2A illustrates a first connector to coupled a power supply system to an electronic device according to the prior art;

[0012] FIG. 2B illustrates a second connector to coupled a power supply system to an electronic device according to the prior art;

[0013] FIG. 3 illustrates a power supply system according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0014] FIG. 4A illustrates a tip having digital control circuitry according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0015] FIG. 4B illustrates a tip having analog control circuitry according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0016] FIG. 5A illustrates comparison circuitry according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0017] FIG. 5B illustrates comparison circuitry according to an additional embodiment of the invention;

[0018] FIG. 6 illustrates an electronic device according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0019] FIG. 7A illustrates a method of determining and outputting Vdata according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0020] FIG. 7B illustrates a method of receiving Vdata and allowing power to flow to devices within the electronic device based on Vdata according to an embodiment of the invention; and

[0021] FIG. 8 illustrates a power supply system according to an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] An embodiment of the present invention is directed to a power supply system to determine a DC power source (e.g., an automobile cigarette lighter outlet or an EMPOWER airplane outlet) coupled thereto and send a signal indicative of the power source to an electronic device coupled thereto. The electronic device may be a notebook computer or other portable consumer electronic device, for example. Based on the signal sent to the electronic device, the electronic device may control the amount of power drawn to prevent overheating. For example, when a notebook computer is hooked up and the power source is the EMPOWER system, the electronic device may disable charging of the internal batteries of the notebook computer, in order to prevent damage or overheating of the batteries due to malfunction or failure. The DC power source may be determined by voltage comparison circuitry, such as a comparator, or by a voltage comparison device including a processor.

[0023] FIG. 3 illustrates a power supply system 301 according to an embodiment of the invention. As shown, the adapter 340 may be used with an AC power source 300 or a DC power source 305. In other embodiments, only a DC power source 305 may be utilized to supply power. The AC power source 300 may be coupled to an AC/DC adapter 310 via a cable 342. The DC power source 305 may be coupled to both a DC/DC adapter 315 and comparison circuitry 320 via a cable 345. The DC power source 305 may be an automobile's cigarette lighter outlet or an airplane's EMPOWER system outlet, for example. AC/DC adapter 310 may convert AC power from the AC power source 300 into regulated DC power, which is supplied to post-regulation circuitry 325. The post-regulation circuitry 325 may provide an output voltage (Vout) and a ground reference (GND) to a tip 330 coupled to the adapter 340 via a cable 350, as further explained below with respect to FIGS. 4A and 4B. The tip 330 may be coupled to an electronic device 335 to provide the power thereto from the power supply system 301. The tip 330 may be removable from the cable 350 and may be inserted into a power input opening of the electronic device. Tips 330 may have different shapes and sizes, depending up the shape and sizes of the power input openings of the respective electronic devices 335 being powered. The tip 330 may also include control circuitry 365 to provide a signal to control circuitry 370 of the adapter 340. The signal may be sent to the control circuitry 370 via the cable 350. In one embodiment, the control circuitry 365 of the tip 330 may include digital components to provide a digital signal to the control circuitry 370 of the adapter 340. The digital signal may be utilized to set the magnitude of Vout and limit the amount of current which may be drawn from the adapter 340. The post-regulation circuitry 325 regulates the voltage to what the tip 330 tells it to provide.

[0024] Alternatively, the tip 330 may include analog components and may provide voltage programming and current programming voltages (V.sub.Vprogram and V.sub.Iprogram, respectively) to the adapter 340. V.sub.Vprogram may be utilized to set the magnitude of Vout. For example, there may be a linear relationship between V.sub.Vprogram and Vout where Vout is 3 times as large as V.sub.Vprogram. Accordingly, if V.sub.Vprogram had a magnitude of 3.0 Volts, Vout would have a magnitude of 9.0 Volts, and if V.sub.Vprogram had a magnitude of 2.0 Volts, Vout would have a magnitude of 6.0 Volts. The analog circuitry may contain passive or active components.

[0025] Accordingly, regardless of whether the tip 330 has analog or digital control circuitry, a single adapter 340 may be used to supply power to a plurality of different electronic devices 335 having different power requirements.

[0026] The adapter 340 may also include comparison circuitry 320. The comparison circuitry 320 may compare a magnitude of a voltage received from the DC power source 305 with a reference voltage to determine whether the DC power source 305 is an automobile cigarette lighter outlet or an EMPOWER airplane outlet. As stated above, automobile cigarette lighter outlets typically provide a DC voltage having a magnitude within the range of 11.0 Volts and 14.1 Volts. An EMPOWER airplane outlet typically provides a DC voltage having a magnitude within the range of 14.5 and 15.5 Volts. Accordingly, the reference voltage may be set at a level between the high end of the automobile cigarette light outlet voltage (i.e., 14.1 Volts) and the low end of the EMPOWER airplane outlet voltage (i.e., 14.5 Volts). For example, the reference voltage may be set at 14.3 Volts. Accordingly, if the magnitude of the DC power source is greater than 14.3 Volts, then the comparison voltage may determine that the received DC voltage has a greater magnitude than the reference voltage and the DC power source 305 is therefore the EMPOWER airplane outlet. However, if the magnitude of the DC power source is less than 14.3 Volts, then the comparison voltage may determine that the received DC voltage has a smaller magnitude than the reference voltage and the DC power source 305 is therefore the automobile cigarette lighter outlet.

[0027] The comparison circuitry 320 may output a signal Vdata based upon whether the DC power source is determined to be the automobile cigarette lighter outlet or the EMPOWER airplane outlet. For example, the comparison may output 5 Volts if the automobile cigarette lighter outlet is detected, and 0.0 Volts if the EMPOWER airplane outlet is detected. In alternative embodiments, different voltages for Vdata may be used. In additional embodiments, the comparison circuitry 320 may output a digital signal, such as a stream of bits, indicative of the DC power source 305. Vdata may be sent via cable 350 to the tip 330, and straight over to the electronic device 335. The electronic device 335 may include a controller 360 which is responsive to Vdata. For example, if the electronic device 335 is a notebook computer and Vdata is indicative of the EMPOWER airplane outlet system, the controller 360 may disable battery charging circuitry 600, thereby preventing recharging of the batteries. And if the Vdata is indicative of the automobile cigarette lighter outlet as the DC power source 305, the controller 360 may enable battery charging circuitry to allow the batteries to be recharged.

[0028] Although FIG. 3 illustrates an adapter 340 which includes both a AC/DC adapter and a DC/DC adapter, other embodiments may include only a DC/DC adapter, and no AC/DC adapter.

[0029] FIG. 4A illustrates a tip 400 having digital control circuitry 402 according to an embodiment of the invention. As shown, the tip 400 receives Vdata, Vout and GND from the adapter 340 and allows them to all flow to the electronic device 335. The digital control circuitry 402 may receive the Vout and GND signals and may output a control signal to the adapter 340 to set the magnitude of Vout and limit the current provided. The control signal may be sent to the adapter 340 via the cable 350 between the tip 400 and the adapter 340. The digital control circuitry 402 may include a processor and a memory device, for example. In some embodiments, the tip 400 may be separable from cable 350, and in other embodiments, the tip 400 may be physically part of the cable 350.

[0030] FIG. 4B illustrates a tip 405 having analog control circuitry 410 according to an embodiment of the invention. As shown, the tip 405 receives Vdata, Vout and GND from the adapter 340 and allows them to all flow to the electronic device 335. The analog control circuitry 410 may receive the Vout and GND signals and may outputV.sub.Vprogram and V.sub.Iprogram to the adapter 340. V.sub.Vprogram and V.sub.Iprogram may be sent to the adapter 340 via the cable 350 between the tip 405 and the adapter 340. The analog control circuitry 400 may include passive or active components, for example. In some embodiments, the tip 400 may be separable from cable 350, and in other embodiments, the tip 400 may be physically part of the cable 350.

[0031] FIG. 5A illustrates comparison circuitry 320 according to an embodiment of the invention. As shown, the comparison circuitry 320 includes a comparator 500. The comparator 500 receives (a) the DC power signal from the DC power source 305, and (b) a reference voltage, Vref. The comparator outputs Vdata based on whether the magnitude of the DC power from the DC power source exceeds Vref, as described above with respect to FIG. 3.

[0032] FIG. 5B illustrates comparison circuitry 320 according to an additional embodiment of the invention. As shown, the comparison circuitry 320 includes a processor 505. The processor 505 receives (a) the DC power signal from the DC power source 305, and (b) value of a reference voltage stored in memory. The processor 505 then outputs Vdata based on whether the magnitude of the DC power from the DC power source exceeds Vref, as described above with respect to FIG. 3. The processor 505 may output a single high or low voltage (e.g., 5.0 Volts or 0.0 Volts) based on the detected DC power source. Alternatively, the processor 505 may output a stream of bits to indicate the DC power source.

[0033] FIG. 6 illustrates an electronic device 335 according to an embodiment of the invention. As shown, the electronic device 335 may receive GND, Vout and Vdata from the tip 330. Vdata may be received by a controller 360. The controller 360 may disable battery charging circuitry 600 of the electronic device 335 from charging batteries when Vdata is indicative of the EMPOWER outlet. Alternatively, the controller 360 enables battery charging circuitry 600 so that the batteries of the electronic device may be charged based on the value of Vdata.

[0034] FIG. 7A illustrates a method of determining and outputting Vdata according to an embodiment of the invention. The processing shown in FIG. 7A may be implemented by the adapter 340. First, DC power is received 700 from the DC power source 305. Next, the comparison circuitry determines 705 whether the magnitude of the voltage of the DC power received is greater than Vref. If “no,” the comparison circuitry determines the DC power source 305 to be an automobile cigarette lighter outlet, and processing proceeds to operation 710, where Vdata is output with a signal/voltage magnitude indicating that the DC power source 305 is the automobile cigarette lighter outlet. Processing then returns to operation 700. If “yes,” at operation 705, processing proceeds to operation 715, where Vdata is output with a signal/voltage magnitude indicating that the DC power source 305 is the EMPOWER airplane outlet.

[0035] FIG. 7B illustrates a method of receiving Vdata and allowing power to flow to devices within the electronic device 335 based on Vdata according to an embodiment of the invention. First, the electronic device 335 receives 720 the Vdata signal. As discussed above, the Vdata signal is sent from the adapter 340 through the tip 330 and over to the control circuitry 365 of the electronic device 335. Next, based on the Vdata signal, a first set of predetermined devices may be prevented 725 from receiving power. For example, if the electronic device 335 is a notebook computer, the control circuitry 365 may prevent batteries from recharging if Vdata indicates that the DC power source is the EMPOWER airplane outlet. Other devices/components in the electronic device 335 may also be prevented from receiving power or from functioning in a certain way.

[0036] At operation 730, a second set of predetermined devices may be allowed to receive power based on the Vdata signal. For example, if Vdata indicates that the DC power source is an automobile cigarette lighter outlet, then power may be available to batteries of the electronic device 335 to allow recharging. Other devices/components in the electronic device 335 may also be allowed to receive power or function in a particular way.

[0037] In embodiments described above, the Vdata signal may be used to send a signal to the control circuitry 365 indicating the DC power source. This signaling may be done via a discrete bit, an analog signal, a data signal line, an analog voltage, or via any other suitable manner. The Vdata signal may be transmitted from the adapter 340 to the tip 330 and electronic device 335 via a single signaling line or multiple signaling lines.

[0038] FIG. 8 illustrates a power supply system 800 according to an embodiment of the invention. The power supply system 800 is similar to the power supply system 301 shown in FIG. 3. However, unlike the power supply system 301, in which the adapter 340 itself contains comparison circuitry 370, the adapter 340 of power supply system 800 does not contain the comparison circuitry 805. Instead, a regular adapter 340 may be used and the electronic device 335 itself includes the comparison circuitry 805 for determining the DC power source. The electronic device 335 may be a notebook computer and may implement the methods shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B.

[0039] While the description above refers to particular embodiments of the present invention, it will be understood that many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit thereof. The accompanying claims are intended to cover such modifications as would fall within the true scope and spirit of the present invention. The presently disclosed embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims, rather than the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.