IP Library Granted Patent US 11,287,865
Granted Patent B2
US 11,287,865 · App. 16/745,680 · Granted Mar 29, 2022

USB hub with integrated power and thermal management

Inventors: Atish Ghosh (Austin, TX); Venkatha Supramanian Kunjidabadam (Kandanchavady, IN); Sandhya Asokan (Tamilnadu, IN); Hari Kishore Rajendran (Tamil Nadu, IN)
Assignee: Microchip Technology Incorporated
G06F1/266G06F1/28G06F1/3215G06F1/3296
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,287,865
App. No.
16/745,680
Granted
Mar 29, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A universal serial bus (USB) dock includes USB ports, each configured to connect to a respective USB element. The USB dock includes a circuit communicatively coupled to the USB ports and configured to determine a first temperature measurement in the USB dock, determine a power demand for each USB element connected to the USB ports, determine an allocation of power for the USB elements, and, based on the first allocation of power, provide less than the power demand for one or more of the USB elements based upon a total power demand by the USB elements and the first temperature measurement.

Claims (62)

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of universal serial bus (USB) ports, each configured to connect to a respective USB element;

a circuit communicatively coupled to the USB ports and configured to:

determine a first temperature measurement in the apparatus, wherein the first temperature measurement is one of the plurality of USB ports connected to a first USB element;

determine a second temperature measurement in the apparatus, the second temperature measurement of a USB hub including the USB ports, the second temperature measurement to be taken in a different location than the first measurement;

determine a power demand for each USB element connected to the USB ports;

determine an initial allocation of power for each USB element based upon an aggregate power demand of all of the USB elements connected to the USB ports;

modify the initial allocation of power to yield the first allocation of power to reduce the initial allocation of power for all the USB elements based upon the first temperature measurement of the USB port, the second temperature measurement of the USB hub, and a determination that the second temperature measurement is higher than the first temperature measurement;

and

based on the first allocation of power, provide less than the power demand for at least one or more of the USB elements based upon the aggregate power demand by the USB elements and the first temperature measurement.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the circuit is further configured to modify the initial allocation of power to yield a second allocation of power to reduce the initial allocation of power for all of the USB elements based upon the second temperature measurement of the USB hub.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the circuit is further configured to:

modify the initial allocation of power to yield a third allocation of power to reduce the initial allocation of power for the first USB element based upon the first temperature measurement of the USB port; and

contemporaneously with a reduction of the initial allocation of power for the first USB element based upon the first temperature measurement of the USB port, maintain the initial allocation of power in the third allocation of power for other USB elements connected to the USB ports.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the circuit is further configured to

modify the initial allocation of power to yield the first allocation of power to, based upon the first temperature measurement of the USB port, the second temperature measurement of the USB hub, and a determination that the second temperature measurement is lower than the first temperature measurement:

reduce the initial allocation of power for all the USB elements; and

further reduce the initial allocation of power for the first USB element.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the circuit is further configured to:

receive user input to provide charging to a first USB element at a level sufficient to charge the first USB element; and

modify the first allocation of power to yield a second allocation of power to increase an allocation of power for the first USB element, the second allocation of power for the first USB element including more power than an advertised power availability of the apparatus.

6. An article of manufacture, comprising a non-transitory machine-readable medium, the medium including instructions, the instructions, when loaded and executed by a processor, configure the processor to:

determine a first temperature measurement in an apparatus, the apparatus including a plurality of universal serial bus (USB) ports, each configured to connect to a respective USB element;

determine a second temperature measurement of the apparatus, wherein the first temperature measurement is of a USB port connected to a first USB element, the second temperature measurement is of a USB hub including the USB ports, and the second temperature measurement is to be taken in a different location than the first temperature measurement;

determine a power demand for each USB element connected to the USB ports;

determine an initial allocation of power for each USB element based upon an aggregate power demand of all of the USB elements connected to the USB ports;

modify the initial allocation of power to yield the first allocation of power to reduce the initial allocation of power for all the USB elements based upon the first temperature measurement of the USB port, the second temperature measurement of the USB hub, and a determination that the second temperature measurement is higher than the first temperature measurement;

and

based on the first allocation of power, provide less than the power demand for one or more of the USB elements based upon a total power demand by the USB elements and the first temperature measurement.

7. The article of claim 6 ,

further comprising instructions configured to cause the processor to modify the initial allocation of power to yield a second allocation of power to reduce the initial allocation of power for all of the USB elements based upon the second temperature measurement of the USB hub.

8. The article of claim 6

further comprising instructions configured to cause the processor to:

modify the initial allocation of power to yield a third allocation of power to reduce the initial allocation of power for the first USB element based upon the first temperature measurement of the USB port; and

contemporaneously with a reduction of the initial allocation of power for the first USB element based upon the first temperature measurement of the USB port, maintain the initial allocation of power in the third allocation of power for other USB elements connected to the USB ports.

9. The article of claim 6 ,

further comprising instructions configured to cause the processor to:

modify the initial allocation of power to yield the first allocation of power to, based upon the first temperature measurement of the USB port, the second temperature measurement of the USB hub, and a determination that the second temperature measurement is lower than the first temperature measurement:

reduce the initial allocation of power for all the USB elements; and

further reduce the initial allocation of power for the first USB element.

10. The article of claim 6 , further comprising instructions configured to cause the processor to:

receive user input to provide charging to a first USB element at a level sufficient to charge the first USB element; and

modify the first allocation of power to yield a second allocation of power to increase an allocation of power for the first USB element, the second allocation of power for the first USB element including more power than an advertised power availability of the apparatus.

11. A method, comprising:

determining a first temperature measurement in an apparatus, the apparatus including a plurality of universal serial bus (USB) ports, each configured to connect to a respective USB element;

determining a second temperature measurement of the apparatus, the first temperature measurement of a USB port connected to a first USB element, the second temperature measurement of a USB hub including the USB ports, and the second temperature measurement to be taken in a different location than the first temperature measurement;

determining a power demand for each USB element connected to the USB ports;

determining an initial allocation of power for each USB element based upon an aggregate power demand of all of the USB elements connected to the USB ports; and

modifying the initial allocation of power to yield the first allocation of power to reduce the initial allocation of power for all the USB elements based upon the first temperature measurement of the USB port, the second temperature measurement of the USB hub, and a determination that the second temperature measurement is higher than the first temperature measurement;

and

based on the first allocation of power, providing less than the power demand for one or more of the USB elements based upon a total power demand by the USB elements and the first temperature measurement.

12. The method of claim 11 ,

further comprising modifying the initial allocation of power to yield a second allocation of power to reduce the initial allocation of power for all of the USB elements based upon the second temperature measurement of the USB hub.

13. The method of claim 11 ,

further comprising:

modifying the initial allocation of power to yield a third allocation of power to reduce the initial allocation of power for the first USB element based upon the first temperature measurement of the USB port; and

contemporaneously with a reduction of the initial allocation of power for the first USB element based upon the first temperature measurement of the USB port, maintaining the initial allocation of power in the third allocation of power for other USB elements connected to the USB ports.

14. The method of claim 11 ,

further comprising

modifying the initial allocation of power to yield the first allocation of power to, based upon the first temperature measurement of the USB port, the second temperature measurement of the USB hub, and a determination that the second temperature measurement is lower than the first temperature measurement:

reduce the initial allocation of power for all the USB elements; and

further reduce the initial allocation of power for the first USB element.

Assignments (13)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 14, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 060894/0437 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 11, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059363/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 10, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059863/0400 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 9, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059358/0335 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 28, 2022
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059263/0001 →
GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT RIGHTS Recorded Nov 19, 2021
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 058214/0625 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 4, 2021
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 057935/0474 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 24, 2020
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 055671/0612 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2020
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC.; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 053468/0705 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2020
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC.; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 052856/0909 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 30, 2020
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC.; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 053466/0011 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 24, 2020
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC.; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 053311/0305 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 17, 2020
From: GHOSH, ATISH; KUNJIDABADAM, VENKATHA SUPRAMANIAN; ASOKAN, SANDHYA; RAJENDRAN, HARI KISHORE
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 051544/0494 →