Secondary data channel communication system
A USB Type-C secondary data channel communication system includes a controller system coupled to a first USB Type-C connector. The controller system determines a second USB Type-C connector orientation when a second USB Type-C connector is connected to the first USB Type-C connector. The controller system then communicates with a connected system through a first data channel available through the second USB Type-C connector and determines that the connected system provides a second data channel mode. In response to determining the connected system provides the second data channel mode, the controller system uses the second USB Type-C connector orientation to configure the provisioning of first data through the first data channel and second data through a second data channel that is available through the second USB Type-C connector. Different data communications may then be provided to the connected system using the first and second data channels.
1. A secondary data channel activation system, comprising:
a cable including a first cable connector and a second cable connector, wherein the cable provides a first data channel and a second data channel;
a first system that is connected to the first cable connector; and
a second system that is connected to the second cable connector and that is configured to operate in a first data channel mode in which first data and second data are provided together through the first data channel, and operate in a second data channel mode in which the first data is provided through the first data channel separately from the second data that is provided through the second data channel, wherein the second system is also configured to:
determine, in response to connecting to the second cable connector, a second cable connector orientation of the second cable connector;
communicate with the first system through the first data channel and, in response, determine that the first system provides the second data channel mode that allows the first data to be provided through the first data channel and separately from the second data that is provided through the second data channel;
configure, in response to determining the first system provides the second data channel mode and based on the second cable connector orientation, a plurality of multiplexers to provide the first data through the first data channel and provide the second data through the second data channel, wherein the configuring the plurality of multiplexers converts the second system from operating in the first data channel mode to operating in the second data channel mode such that the first data and second data will not be provided together through the first data channel;
communicate the first data over the first data channel to the first system; and
communicate the second data over the second data channel to the first system.
2. The secondary data channel activation system of claim 1 , wherein the cable includes a switch coupled to the second data channel, and wherein the second system is configured to:
enable the second data channel by activating the switch in response to determining that the first system provides the second data channel mode.
3. The secondary data channel activation system of claim 1 , wherein the cable includes a switch coupled to the second data channel, and wherein the second system is configured to:
communicate with the first system through the first data channel and, in response, determine that the first system provides the second data channel mode; and
enable the second data channel by activating the switch in response to determining that the first system provides the second data channel mode.
4. The secondary data channel activation system of claim 1 , wherein second cable connector is a Universal Serial Bus (USB) Type-C connector and the first data channel is provided by a configuration channel.
5. The secondary data channel activation system of claim 1 , wherein the second data channel is provided by Inter-Integrated Circuit (I 2 C) channel.
6. The secondary data channel activation system of claim 1 , wherein the first data includes control data and the second data includes firmware update data for at least one device in the first system.
7. An Information Handling System (IHS), comprising:
a first Universal Serial Bus (USB) Type-C connector;
a processing system coupled to the first USB Type-C connector;
a memory system coupled to the processing system and including instructions that, when executed by the processing system, cause the processing system to provide at least one controller that is configured to operate in a first data channel mode in which first data and second data are provided together through a first data channel available through the first USB Type-C connector, and operate in a second data channel mode in which the first data is provided through the first data channel available through the first USB Type-C connector separately from the second data that is provided through a second data channel available through the first USB Type-C connector, wherein the at least one controller is also configured to:
determine, in response to detecting a connection of a second USB Type-C connector to the first USB Type-C connector, a second USB Type-C connector orientation of the second USB Type-C connector;
communicate with a connected system through a first data channel available through the second USB Type-C connector and, in response, determine that the connected system provides the second data channel mode that allows the first data to be provided through the first data channel and separately from the second data that is provided through the second data channel;
configure, in response to determining the connected system provides the second data channel mode and based on the second USB Type-C connector orientation, provisioning of the first data through the first data channel and provisioning of the second data through the second data channel, wherein the configuring converts the at least one controller from operating in the first data channel mode to operating in the second data channel mode such that the first data and second data will not be provided together through the first data channel; and
communicating first data over the first data channel and second data over the second data channel to the connected system.
8. The IHS of claim 7 , wherein the second USB Type-C connector is coupled to the second data channel through a switch, and wherein the at least one controller is configured to:
enable the second data channel by activating the switch in response to determining that the connected system provides the second data channel mode.
9. The IHS of claim 7 , wherein the second USB Type-C connector is coupled to the second data channel through a switch, and wherein the at least one controller is configured to send the second data through the second data channel in response to the connected system enabling the second data channel by activating the switch in response to determining that the at least one controller is operating the second data channel mode.
10. The IHS of claim 7 , wherein the first data channel is provided by a configuration channel that is coupled to configuration channel pins on each of the first USB Type-C connector and the second USB Type-C connector.
11. The IHS of claim 7 , wherein the second data channel is provided by Inter-Integrated Circuit (I 2 C) channel that is coupled to Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2.0 differential pair pins on each of the first USB Type-C connector and the second USB Type-C connector.
12. The IHS of claim 7 , wherein the first data includes control data and the second data includes firmware update data for at least one device in the connected system.
13. The IHS of claim 7 , wherein the at least one controller includes an embedded controller and a USB Type-C port controller.
14. A method for communicating using a secondary data channel, comprising:
determining, by a first system in response to detecting a connection to a USB Type-C connector, a USB Type-C connector orientation of the USB Type-C connector;
communicating, by the first system, with a second system through a first data channel available through the USB Type-C connector and, in response, determining that the second system provides a second data channel mode that allows first data to be provided through the first data channel and separately from second data that is provided through a second data channel available through the USB Type-C connector, wherein the second data channel mode is different than a first data channel mode in which first data and second data are provided together through the first data channel;
configuring, by the first system in response to determining the second system provides the second data channel mode and based on the USB Type-C connector orientation, at least one subsystem in the first system to provide first data through the first data channel and second data through a second data channel available through the USB Type-C connector, wherein the configuring the at least one subsystem in the first system converts the first system from operating in the first data channel mode to operating in the second data channel mode such that the first data and second data will not be provided together through the first data channel; and
communicating, by the first system, first data over the first data channel and second data over the second data channel to the second system.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the USB Type-C connector is coupled to the second data channel through a switch, and wherein the method further comprises:
enabling, by the first system, the second data channel by activating the switch in response to determining that the second system provides the second data channel mode.
16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the USB Type-C connector is coupled to the second data channel through a switch, and wherein the method further comprises:
communicating, by the second system, with the first system through the first data channel and, in response, determining that the first system provides a second data channel mode; and
enabling, by the second system, the second data channel by activating the switch in response to determining that the first system provides the second data channel mode.
17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the first data channel is provided by a configuration channel that is coupled to configuration channel pins on the USB Type-C connector.
18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the second data channel is provided by Inter-Integrated Circuit (I 2 C) channel that is coupled to Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2.0 differential pair pins on the USB Type-C connector.
19. The method of claim 14 , wherein the first data includes control data and the second data includes firmware update data for at least one device in the second system.
20. The method of claim 14 , wherein the configuring the at least one subsystem in the first system to provide the second data through a second data channel available through the USB Type-C connector includes multiplexing data from an embedded controller bus in the first system onto debug pins in a port controller in the first system.