Granted Patent B2

US 12,316,793 · App. 17/880,562 · Granted May 27, 2025

Inventors: Kai-Chun Liang (Taipei, TW); Kian Ming Chee (Taipei, TW); Chia-Yu Liu (Taipei, TW); Yii-Lin Wu (Taipei, TW); Chia-Jui Shih (Taipei, TW)

Assignee: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC.

H04M1/026H02J50/12

Abstract

Claims (63)

1. An accessory device, comprising:

a functional module;

a first connection interface, configured to be coupled to an external first electronic device;

a second connection interface, configured to be coupled to an external second electronic device;

a switch module, disposed between the first connection interface and the second connection interface, and between the first connection interface and the functional module; and

a microcontroller, coupled to the functional module, the first connection interface, the second connection interface, and the switch module, and configured to control the switch module, so that at least one of the first electronic device, the second electronic device, and the functional module supplies power to at least another one of the first electronic device, the second electronic device, and the functional module,

wherein a power supply voltage (VBUS) pin of the first connection interface is coupled to the second connection interface via a first switch circuit of the switch module; and

the microcontroller outputs a first switching signal to the first switch circuit, and when the microcontroller turns on the first switch circuit, the first electronic device supplies power to the second electronic device via the first switch circuit, or the second electronic device supplies power to the first electronic device via the first switch circuit.

2. The accessory device according to claim 1 , wherein the functional module comprises:

a wireless transmission module, coupled to the microcontroller, and coupled to the VBUS pin of the first connection interface and the first switch circuit via a second switch circuit of the switch module, wherein

the microcontroller outputs a first control signal to the wireless transmission module, and outputs a second switching signal to the second switch circuit.

3. The accessory device according to claim 2 , wherein when the microcontroller turns on the first switch circuit and the second switch circuit, at least one of the first electronic device, the second electronic device, and the wireless transmission module supplies power to at least another one of the first electronic device, the second electronic device, and the wireless transmission module via at least one of the first switch circuit and the second switch circuit; and

when the microcontroller turns off the first switch circuit and turns on the second switch circuit, the first electronic device supplies power to the wireless transmission module via the second switch circuit, or the wireless transmission module supplies power to the first electronic device via the first switch circuit according to a wireless charging signal.

4. The accessory device according to claim 2 , wherein the functional module further comprises:

a load module, coupled to the microcontroller, and coupled to the VBUS pin of the first connection interface, the first switch circuit, and the second switch circuit via a third switch circuit of the switch module, wherein

the microcontroller outputs a second control signal to the load module, and outputs a third switching signal to the third switch circuit.

5. The accessory device according to claim 4 , wherein when the microcontroller turns off the first switch circuit and the second switch circuit, and turns on the third switch circuit, the first electronic device supplies power to the load module via the third switch circuit;

when the microcontroller turns off the first switch circuit, and turns on the second switch circuit and the third switch circuit, the wireless transmission module supplies power to the load module via the second switch circuit and the third switch circuit; and

when the microcontroller turns off the second switch circuit, and turns on the first switch circuit and the third switch circuit, the second electronic device supplies power to the load module via the first switch circuit and the third switch circuit.

6. The accessory device according to claim 4 , wherein a battery voltage (VBAT) pin of the first connection interface is coupled to the load module via a fourth switch circuit of the switch module;

the microcontroller outputs a fourth switching signal to the fourth switch circuit; and

when the microcontroller turns on the fourth switch circuit, the first electronic device supplies power to the load module via the fourth switch circuit.

7. An electronic system, comprising:

a first electronic device;

a second electronic device; and

an accessory device, comprising a functional module, a first connection interface, a second connection interface, a switch module, and a microcontroller, wherein the switch module is disposed between the first connection interface and the second connection interface, and between the first connection interface and the functional module, and the microcontroller is coupled to the functional module, the first connection interface, the second connection interface, and the switch module;

the first connection interface of the accessory device is coupled to a third connection interface of the first electronic device, and the second connection interface of the accessory device is coupled to a fourth connection interface of the second electronic device; and

the microcontroller is configured to control the switch module, so that at least one of the first electronic device, the second electronic device, and the functional module supplies power to at least another one of the first electronic device, the second electronic device, and the functional module,

wherein a power supply voltage (VBUS) pin of the first connection interface is coupled to the second connection interface via a first switch circuit of the switch module; and

the microcontroller outputs a first switching signal to the first switch circuit, and when the microcontroller turns on the first switch circuit, the first electronic device supplies power to the second electronic device via the first switch circuit, or the second electronic device supplies power to the first electronic device via the first switch circuit.

8. The electronic system according to claim 7 , wherein the functional module comprises:

a wireless transmission module, coupled to the microcontroller, and coupled to the VBUS pin of the first connection interface and the first switch circuit via a second switch circuit of the switch module, wherein

the microcontroller outputs a first control signal to the wireless transmission module, and outputs a second switching signal to the second switch circuit.

9. The electronic system according to claim 8 , wherein when the microcontroller turns on the first switch circuit and the second switch circuit, at least one of the first electronic device, the second electronic device, and the wireless transmission module supplies power to at least another one of the first electronic device, the second electronic device, and the wireless transmission module via at least one of the first switch circuit and the second switch circuit; and

when the microcontroller turns off the first switch circuit and turns on the second switch circuit, the first electronic device supplies power to the wireless transmission module via the second switch circuit, or the wireless transmission module supplies power to the first electronic device via the first switch circuit according to a wireless charging signal.

10. The electronic system according to claim 8 , wherein the functional module further comprises:

a load module, coupled to the microcontroller, and coupled to the VBUS pin of the first connection interface, the first switch circuit, and the second switch circuit via a third switch circuit of the switch module, wherein

the microcontroller outputs a second control signal to the load module, and outputs a third switching signal to the third switch circuit.

11. The electronic system according to claim 10 , wherein when the microcontroller turns off the first switch circuit and the second switch circuit, and turns on the third switch circuit, the first electronic device supplies power to the load module via the third switch circuit;

when the microcontroller turns off the first switch circuit, and turns on the second switch circuit and the third switch circuit, the wireless transmission module supplies power to the load module via the second switch circuit and the third switch circuit; and

when the microcontroller turns off the second switch circuit, and turns on the first switch circuit and the third switch circuit, the second electronic device supplies power to the load module via the first switch circuit and the third switch circuit.

12. The electronic system according to claim 10 , wherein a battery voltage (VBAT) pin of the first connection interface is coupled to the load module via a fourth switch circuit of the switch module;

the microcontroller outputs a fourth switching signal to the fourth switch circuit; and

when the microcontroller turns on the fourth switch circuit, the first electronic device supplies power to the load module via the fourth switch circuit.

13. An operation method, applicable to an accessory device, wherein a first connection interface of the accessory device is configured to be coupled to an external first electronic device, and a second connection interface of the accessory device is configured to be coupled to an external second electronic device; a switch module of the accessory device is disposed between the first connection interface and the second connection interface, and between the first connection interface and a functional module; and the operation method comprises:

controlling the switch module through a microcontroller; and

supplying, through at least one of the first electronic device, the second electronic device, and the functional module, power to at least another one of the first electronic device, the second electronic device, and the functional module via the switch module,

wherein a power supply voltage (VBUS) pin of the first connection interface is coupled to the second connection interface via a first switch circuit of the switch module, and the operation method further comprises:

outputting a first switching signal to the first switch circuit; and

when turning on the first switch circuit, supplying power to the second electronic device via the first switch circuit through the first electronic device, or supplying power to the first electronic device via the first switch circuit through the second electronic device.

14. The operation method according to claim 13 , wherein a wireless transmission module of the functional module is coupled to the VBUS pin of the first connection interface and the first switch circuit via a second switch circuit of the switch module, and the operation method further comprises:

outputting a first control signal to the wireless transmission module, and outputting a second switching signal to the second switch circuit;

when turning on the first switch circuit and the second switch circuit, supplying, through at least one of the first electronic device, the second electronic device, and the wireless transmission module, power to at least another one of the first electronic device, the second electronic device, and the wireless transmission module via at least one of the first switch circuit and the second switch circuit; and

when turning off the first switch circuit and turning on the second switch circuit, supplying power to the wireless transmission module via the second switch circuit through the first electronic device, or supplying power to the first electronic device via the first switch circuit according to a wireless charging signal through the wireless transmission module.

15. The operation method according to claim 14 , wherein a load module of the functional module is coupled to the VBUS pin of the first connection interface, the first switch circuit, and the second switch circuit via a third switch circuit of the switch module, and the operation method further comprises:

outputting a second control signal to the load module, and outputting a third switching signal to the third switch circuit; and

when turning off the first switch circuit and the second switch circuit and turning on the third switch circuit, supplying power to the load module via the third switch circuit through the first electronic device.

16. The operation method according to claim 15 , further comprising:

when turning off the first switch circuit and turning on the second switch circuit and the third switch circuit, supplying power to the load module via the second switch circuit and the third switch circuit through the wireless transmission module; and

when turning off the second switch circuit and turning on the first switch circuit and the third switch circuit, supplying power to the load module via the first switch circuit and the third switch circuit through the second electronic device.

17. The operation method according to claim 15 , wherein a battery voltage (VBAT) pin of the first connection interface is coupled to the load module via a fourth switch circuit of the switch module, and the operation method further comprises:

outputting a fourth switching signal to the fourth switch circuit; and

when turning on the fourth switch circuit, supplying power to the load module via the fourth switch circuit through the first electronic device.

Assignments (1)

Priority Claims (1)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (12)