Patents Examined by Thomas J. Cleary
  • Patent number: 11755087
    Abstract: A multi-port power supply device and an operation method thereof are provided. The multi-port power supply device includes multiple USB ports, multiple power converters, and a common control circuit. When an adjustment trend of an agreement power of a first USB port will make the agreement power greater than a rated minimum charging power of a USB device connected to the first USB port, the common control circuit dynamically changes the agreement power according to an actual output power of the first USB port. When the adjustment trend of the agreement power will make the agreement power less than the rated minimum charging power, the common control circuit does not change the agreement power, and the common control circuit dynamically transfers a power difference between the agreement power and the actual output power to other USB ports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: VIA LABS, INC.
    Inventors: Tze-Shiang Wang, Sheng-Hsien Yen, Hui-Neng Chang
  • Patent number: 11755089
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes a power processor, an interface, a detector that detects at least one of a voltage value and a current value on an electric power line that connects the power processor and the interface, and a controller. The controller transmits warning information to an external device via the interface in a case where a detection value of the detector indicates an abnormal value while electric power is supplied to the external device via the interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Seigo Hayashi, Hajime Usami
  • Patent number: 11740672
    Abstract: A multiport USB-PD adaptor including a flyback-converter, a USB controller including a USB-PD subsystem and buck-controller, and multiple buck and bypass-circuits, and methods for operating the same are provided. Generally, the adaptor is operated in a buck-bypass-mode, in which at least one buck-circuit is bypassed and the flyback-converter is operated to generate an input voltage (VIN) to the buck-circuits equal to a requested output voltage (VOUT_C), which is then coupled directly to the associated port. Buck-circuits coupled to other active ports can also be bypassed if the requested VOUT_Cs are the same, or the buck-circuits operated to provide another VOUT_C. If a bypass-circuit unavailable, the adaptor is operated in a variable-buck-input-mode by determining a highest VOUT_C requested on any port and setting VIN to a sum of the highest VOUT_C and an offset voltage. Buck-circuits coupled to active ports are then operated to provide the requested output voltages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Chuan-yu Lin, Jen-Hui Cheng, Hua-ping Cao, Yong-shuang Zhu, Hsiang-Nien Kuo
  • Patent number: 11733750
    Abstract: A power switching circuitry and ethernet apparatus using the same is provided. The power switching circuitry comprises an external power socket for receiving external power, an ethernet power supply pin for receiving power over ethernet, a sensing circuitry, and a power output decision module, and determines whether the power over ethernet is applied to an internal circuit in accordance with position variations of the socket pins of the external power socket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: ALPHA NETWORKS INC.
    Inventor: Ming-Chih Peng
  • Patent number: 11733754
    Abstract: A device and a method for power management of an electronic device are provided. The electronic device includes a battery, at least one internal circuit, a universal serial bus (USB) connector, and at least one processor operably connected to the at least one internal circuit and the USB connector, wherein the at least one processor can supply power to an external electronic device connected through the USB connector, identify the input voltage of the at least one internal circuit, determine whether to change a power supply method based on the identified input voltage if the identified input voltage is less than or equal to a reference voltage, and change the power supply method of the external electronic device if the power supply method is determined to be changed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shinho Kim
  • Patent number: 11726835
    Abstract: A method and apparatus of a device that load balances a first plurality of Peripheral Connect Interconnect ports is described. In an exemplary embodiment, the device detects a second plurality of PCI ports in the device. In addition, the device determines a load for each port in the first and second plurality of PCI ports and sorts the second plurality of PCI ports. The device further load balances the first plurality of PCI ports using at least a PCIe switch and the load determination of the second plurality of PCI ports. The device additionally communicates data between the first and second plurality of PCI ports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Michael W. Murphy, Gopal Thirumalai Narayanan, Deepak K. Mishra, Andre M. Glover, Sreenivas Tallam, Hardik K. Doshi
  • Patent number: 11714778
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a communication apparatus, a communication method, a program, and a communication system that enable more reliable communication. An I3C master receives a max read length and a max write length from an I3C slave. Then, when transmitting/receiving data to/from the I3C slave, the I3C master controls transmission/reception of the data so that the data to be transferred in one data transfer has a data length equal to or shorter than the max read length and the max write length, and transmits transfer length information indicating the data length of the data to be transferred, prior to data transfer of the data. The present technology is applicable to a bus IF, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroo Takahashi, Naohiro Koshisaka
  • Patent number: 11709788
    Abstract: An adapter device communicates with a sink device and a source device using first and second communication schemes, respectively. The adapter device includes: a transceiver receiving a state read request by detecting that a serial data line connected between the adapter device and the sink device is driven to a low level when a serial clock line connected therebetween is at a high level, and drive the serial data line to the low level and drive the serial clock line to a low level; a transmitter transmitting the state read request to the source device after the serial clock line is driven to the low level; and a receiver receiving a state read signal to read data of a state register in the sink device from the source device, wherein the transceiver transmits the state read signal to the sink device via the serial data line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Kenji Komori, Takashi Doi, Hideki Miyazato
  • Patent number: 11704023
    Abstract: A storage system controller chip includes routing circuitry comprising a host interface for coupling to a host device and an extension interface for coupling to a secondary controller chip. A host controller is coupled to a logical interface of the routing circuitry for receiving a host data access command from the host device via the host interface and logical interface. The routing circuitry transfers the host data access command to the secondary controller chip via the extension interface. The storage system controller chip further includes processor circuitry coupled to the logical interface of the routing circuitry. The processor circuitry receives an indication from the secondary controller chip via the extension interface that execution of the host data access command has been completed by the secondary controller chip and instructs the host controller to notify the host device that execution of the host data access command has been completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Rajesh Koul, Rodney N. Mullendore, James J. Walsh
  • Patent number: 11693798
    Abstract: A storage system includes a controller; a first storage device including a first ready/busy pin and a second storage device including a second ready/busy pin; a first data bus communicatively coupled between the controller, the first storage device, and the second storage device; and a first shared ready/busy signal channel communicatively coupled to the first ready/busy pin of the first storage device, the second ready/busy pin of the second storage device, and the controller according to a wire-sharing protocol, wherein the first storage device is configured to send the first device ID and status information associated with the first storage device to the controller via the first shared ready/busy signal channel and the second storage device is configured to send the second device ID and status information associated with the second storage device to the controller via the first shared ready/busy signal channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Pyeongwoo Lee, Young deok Kim
  • Patent number: 11687143
    Abstract: An interface circuit including: a first transmission circuit outputting a first signal to a transmission line via first transfer pads; and a second transmission circuit outputting a second signal to the transmission line via second transfer pads, the first transmission circuit includes a first termination resistor block including a switch and a first termination resistor connected between the first transfer pads, the second transmission circuit includes a second termination resistor block including a switch and a second termination resistor connected between the second transfer pads, and when the first transmission circuit outputs the first signal, the second termination resistor block detects the first signal, and when the first transmission circuit is in a low-power operation mode, the second termination resistor block disconnects the second termination resistor, and when the first transmission circuit is in a high-speed data transfer mode, the second termination resistor block connects the second terminati
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chaeryung Kim, Kiwoon Kim, Jiun Jeong, Hoyoung Kim, Dongjun Park, Dongyoung Song, Kyuik Cho, Gyeonghan Cha
  • Patent number: 11669337
    Abstract: Examples described herein include systems and methods for bare metal management of computing devices. Firmware of the computing device can be configured to contact a network location as part of an HTTP boot and download a boot agent. The boot agent can be prioritized to execute before a primary OS boot loader. The boot agent can download an OS configuration including a package that is inserted into the primary OS. The primary OS, as configured, can then boot. The boot agent can also attest to OS health and device compliance on subsequent boots. For example, the boot agent can cause the firmware to track how many boots have occurred since compliance verification. If a threshold number of boots occur without verification, the boot agent can initiate restoration. Alternatively, if a decommission flag is set, the boot agent can cause the computing device to boot into its original configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: VMware, Inc.
    Inventors: Ahmad Bilal, Alexey Polyakov, Tomas Vetrovsky
  • Patent number: 11662790
    Abstract: The transmission device with external power includes a first USB type-C connector, a second USB type-C connector, a power transmission cable, a data transmission cable and a switching unit. The first USB type-C connector and the second USB type-C connector are connected to the first electronic device and the second electronic device. The power transmission cable is connected to the first USB type-C connector and the second USB type-C connector, so that the first electronic device supplies power to the second electronic device through the power transmission cable according to charging information of the second electronic device. The switching unit is connected to a power input end and the second USB type-C connector through the power transmission cable. When the first electronic device supplies power to the second electronic device, the switching unit is turned on and the power input end supplies power to the second electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: ASUSTEK COMPUTER INC.
    Inventor: Jian-Hui Lee
  • Patent number: 11644883
    Abstract: A communication device includes an interface connector for connecting to a computing device to receive a media data and an external power supply, a transmission subsystem for transmitting the media content to a network, a battery power supply, a controller circuit powered by the battery power supply, a sensor, communicatively coupled to the controller circuit, for detecting a movement of the communication device, and a switch circuit for switchably connecting the battery power supply to the transmission subsystem responsive to a first switch control signal that is generated based on a motion detection signal generated by the controller circuit responsive to a detection of the movement by the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignees: GUANGZHOU SHIYUAN ELECTRONICS CO., LTD., GUANGZHOU SHIRUI ELECTRONICS CO. LTD.
    Inventor: Yuanyang Pang
  • Patent number: 11640194
    Abstract: Coordinating dynamic power scaling of agents based on power correlations of agent instructions is disclosed. A global power controller determines a first local power quantifier of a first agent executing an agent instruction of a task of a workload. The global power controller stores a correlation between the first agent executing the agent instruction and a second local power quantifier corresponding to a second agent. The global power controller subsequently determines that the first agent is executing or will execute the agent instruction. The global power controller accesses the correlation associated with the first agent executing the agent instruction and sends to the second agent a proposed power level based on the correlation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: Red Hat, Inc.
    Inventor: Jonathan C. Masters
  • Patent number: 11620249
    Abstract: In aspects, a Local Interconnect Network (LIN) communication circuit including a first LIN master associated with a first LIN bus and a second LIN master associated with a second LIN bus is disclosed. A data link is connected between the first and second LIN masters. A first mirroring client is established at the first LIN master for receiving message bits corresponding to a LIN message in a first slot on the first LIN bus and for transmitting the message bits bitwise over the data link. A second mirroring client is established at the second LIN master for receiving the message bits and transmitting them over the second LIN bus. The first and second LIN masters include synchronised schedule tables such that the message bits on the second LIN bus are transmitted in a corresponding slot to the first.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Aptiv Technologies Limited
    Inventors: Ralf Anton Beier, Ralph-Heiner Haar
  • Patent number: 11604741
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for dynamically provisioning virtualized functions in a Universal Serial Bus (USB) device by means of a virtual USB hub. The virtual USB hub includes a USB upstream port configured to be connected to a host system and at least one external bus or external interface to which devices including non-USB devices or computing devices in which non-USB devices are embedded may be connected. The virtual USB hub is configured to detect the non-USB devices and/or functions performed by the non-USB devices and generate corresponding virtual USB configuration information under which virtual USB devices and/or functions are connected to downstream virtual ports in the virtual USB hub. The virtual USB configuration is presented to the host computer to enable the host computer to communicate with the non-USB devices and/or their functions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Matthew A. Schnoor, Bradley H. Smith
  • Patent number: 11599149
    Abstract: Systems and method are provided in which docking stations provide power to an Information Handling System (IHS) that is coupled to the docking station and provide the IHS with access to I/O (Input/Output) devices coupled to the docking station. Docking stations include a power circuit receiving a supply of DC power from an external power source. Docking stations also include a docking port used by the docking station to supply DC power to the docked IHS. Docking stations also include an I/O port the receives a connection from an external display, where a DC power input is received via the I/O port from the coupled external display. A controller of the docking station apportions the DC power input received from the coupled external display between operations of the docking station and the DC power supplied to the IHS via the docking port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Dell Products, L.P.
    Inventors: Srinivas Kamepalli, Merle Jackson Wood, III, Marcin M. Nowak
  • Patent number: 11592894
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for increasing power efficiency for an information handling system includes: monitoring, by a host service, one or more performance metrics associated with a memory device of the information handling system, the memory device including a power controller communicably coupled to a management device via a side-band bus; predicting, by the host service, an energy requirement for the memory device based on the one or more performance metrics; generating, by the host service, a power configuration profile based on the energy requirement, the power configuration profile indicating one or more power controller parameters associated with the power controller; sending, by the host service, the power configuration profile to the management device; receiving, by the management device, the power configuration profile; and modifying, by the management device and via the side-band bus, the one or more power controller parameters based on the power configuration profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Isaac Q. Wang, Lee B. Zaretsky
  • Patent number: 11561592
    Abstract: A power receiving apparatus includes a power receiving unit and a control unit. The power receiving unit receives a first power from a power supply apparatus via a connection unit. The control unit determines whether or not authentication information including identification information of the power supply apparatus is authentic, and determines whether or not the power supply apparatus has passed a compliance test based on the identification information. The power receiving unit is allowed to receive a second power greater than the first power, in a case where the authentication information is authentic and the power supply apparatus has passed the compliance test.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi Moritomo, Kento Inai, Yuki Nogawa, Takuma Iwagami