Extending high power delivery to an incompatible device by emulating a compatible device
View Patent ↗A power delivery device including a microcontroller configured to emulate a compatible device to negotiate power delivery from an on demand power serial interface in a power source device, wherein the compatible device is configured to communicate with the power source device using a high speed protocol, and provide the delivered power to a target device, wherein the target device is incompatible with the on demand power serial interface of the power source device.
1. A power delivery device comprising:
a microcontroller configured to:
emulate a compatible device to negotiate a delivery of power from an on-demand power serial interface in a power source device to a target device that is incompatible with the on-demand power serial interface, wherein the compatible device is configured to communicate with the power source device using a high-speed protocol; and
provide the negotiated power to the target device; and
a regulator, the regulator being coupled to the on-demand power serial interface and to the microcontroller, the regulator being configured to ensure that the microcontroller receives, from the power source device, sufficient power to operate before the compatible device is emulated and before the delivery of the power is negotiated.
2. The power delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the microcontroller is further configured to emulate the compatible device without using a serial data translator.
3. The power delivery device of claim 1 , wherein: the microcontroller is further configured to negotiate the delivery of the power from the on-demand power serial interface using a low-speed communication line; and the low-speed communication line does not conform to data transfer requirements for the high-speed protocol.
4. The power delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the microcontroller is further configured to negotiate the delivery of the power from the on-demand power serial interface to increase power delivery from the on-demand power serial interface.
5. The power delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the negotiated power comprises at least 12 watts.
6. The power delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the microcontroller is provided in a plug in a cable unit.
7. The power delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the microcontroller is provided in the target device.
8. The power delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the power delivery device is incorporated into a cable unit comprising a plug configured to be connected to the power source device.
9. The power delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the power delivery device is incorporated into an electronic device comprising a power unit.
10. The power delivery device of claim 9 , wherein: the target device comprises the electronic device; and the power delivery device is configured to provide power to the power unit.
11. The power delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the on-demand power serial interface comprises a Thunderbolt interface.
12. The power delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the high-speed protocol comprises a Thunderbolt protocol.
13. The power delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the high-speed protocol is configured to transmit data at a rate of at least 10 Gb/s.
14. The power delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the sufficient power received by the microcontroller from the power source device is insufficient to enable the target device to operate.
15. A method of delivering power to a target device, the method comprising:
emulating a compatible device using a microcontroller to negotiate a delivery of power from an on-demand power serial interface in a power source device to a target device that is incompatible with the on-demand power serial interface, wherein the compatible device is configured to communicate with the power source device using a high-speed protocol;
providing the negotiated power to the target device; and
ensuring, using a load drop-out regulator coupled to the on-demand power serial interface and to the microcontroller, that the microcontroller receives, from the power source device, sufficient power to operate before emulating the compatible device and before negotiating the delivery of the power.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the sufficient power received by the microcontroller from the power device is insufficient to enable the target device to operate.
17. The method of claim 15 , wherein emulating a compatible device further comprises:
emulating a compatible device without using a serial data translator.
18. The method of claim 15 , wherein negotiating the delivery of the power from an on-demand power serial interface further comprises:
negotiating the delivery of the power from an on-demand power serial interface using a low-speed communication line, wherein the low-speed communication line does not conform to data transfer requirements for the high-speed protocol.
19. The method of claim 15 , wherein negotiating the delivery of the power from an on-demand power serial interface further comprises:
negotiating the delivery of the power from an on-demand power serial interface to increase power delivery from the on-demand power serial interface.
20. The method of claim 15 , wherein the on-demand power serial interface comprises a Thunderbolt interface.
21. The method of claim 15 , wherein the high-speed protocol comprises a Thunderbolt protocol.
22. The method of claim 15 , wherein the high-speed protocol is configured to transmit data at a rate of at least 10 Gb/s.
23. A power delivery device comprising:
controlling means for:
emulating a compatible device and negotiating a delivery of power from an on-demand power serial interface in a power source device to a target device that is incompatible with the on-demand power serial interface, wherein the compatible device is configured to communicate with the power source device using a high-speed protocol; and
providing the negotiated power to the target device; and
regulating means coupled to the on-demand power serial interface and to the controlling means, the regulating means being configured to ensure that the controlling means receives, from the power source device, sufficient power to operate before emulating the compatible device and before negotiating the delivery of the power.