Bus-powered device

Abstract

In some aspects, a bus-powered sound system includes an amplifier, a bus connector, an acquisition module, a determination module, and a controller module. The bus connector is configured for connection to an interface of a host system to provide power to the amplifier. The acquisition module is configured to acquire a type of an interface of a host system and an available power of the host system. The determination module is configured to communicate with the acquisition module and determine a power level to be allocated from the host system to the amplifier based on the type of interface and an available power of the host system. The controller module is configured to communicate with the determination module and allocate the determined power level to one or more channels of the sound system.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to a bus-powered device and, more particularly, to a USB-powered sound system. Background Art

[0002] Computer peripheral devices powered by bus connection cables are widely used. For example, the Universal Serial Bus (USB) is one of the standards for connecting peripheral devices to a host system such as a computer, and power can be supplied while the peripheral device and the host system are communicating.

[0003] Therefore, there is a need for a device powered by a bus connection with improved power control. Summary of the invention

[0004] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a bus-powered device is provided. The bus-powered device may include: an amplifier; a bus connector, the bus connector being used to connect to an interface of a host system to provide power to the amplifier; an acquisition module, the acquisition module being configured to acquire the type of the interface of the host system and the available power of the host system; a determination module, the determination module being configured to communicate with the acquisition module and determine a power level to be allocated to the amplifier from the host system based on the type of the interface and the available power of the host system; and a controller module, the controller module being configured to communicate with the determination module and allocate the determined power level to one or more channels of a sound system.

[0005] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, a bus-powered device is provided. The bus-powered device may include: a bus connector, the bus connector is used to connect to an interface of a host system to provide power to the device; an acquisition module, the acquisition module is configured to acquire the type of the interface of the host system and the power of the host system available for use by the device; a determination module, the determination module is configured to determine a power level to be allocated from the host system to the device based on the type of the interface and the power of the host system available for use by the device; and a controller module, the controller module is configured to communicate with the determination module and allocate the determined power level to the device.

[0006] According to a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, a universal serial bus (USB) powered device is provided. The USB powered device may include: a USB power delivery (PD) integrated circuit (IC) interface, the USB PD IC interface is used to connect to an interface of a host system to provide power to the device, the USB PD IC interface includes: a configuration channel (CC) pin, the CC pin is configured to obtain the type of interface of the host system and the power of the host system available for use by the device; and a determination module, the determination module determines the power level to be allocated to the device from the host system for configuration based on the type of interface and the power of the host system available for use by the device; and a controller module, the controller module is configured to communicate with the USB PD IC interface and allocate the determined power level to the device.

[0007] According to a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, a method implemented by a bus-powered sound system is provided. The method may include: connecting a bus connector of the sound system to an interface of a host system; obtaining information indicating the type of the interface of the host system and information indicating the available power of the host system; determining a power level to be allocated from the host system to the sound system based on the information indicating the type of the interface of the host system and the information indicating the available power of the host system; and allocating the determined power level to one or more channels of the sound system. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] Figure 1 is a block diagram depicting an example configuration of a bus-powered device connected to a host system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0009] Figure 2 is a block diagram depicting an example configuration of a USB-powered device connected to a host system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0010] Figure 3 is a block diagram depicting an example configuration of a bus-powered sound system connected to a host system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0011] Figure 4 is a flow chart illustrating an exemplary method implemented by a bus-powered device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0012] Figure 5 is an example of Figure 3 and Figure 6 Flowchart of an exemplary method implemented by a sound system.

[0013] Figure 6 is a diagram depicting an example USB powered sound system connected to a host system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0014] Figure 7is a block diagram illustrating an example electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0015] The embodiments described below in the context of an apparatus, device or system are similarly valid for the corresponding methods, and vice versa. In addition, it will be understood that the embodiments described below can be combined, for example, a portion of an embodiment can be combined with a portion of another embodiment, and a portion of one embodiment can be combined with a portion of another embodiment.

[0016] It should be understood that the singular terms "a", "an", and "the" include plural referents unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Similarly, the word "or" is intended to include "and" unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0017] It will be further understood that the terms "comprise" (and any forms thereof, such as "comprises" and "comprising"), "have" (and any forms thereof, such as "has" and "having"), "include" (and any forms thereof, such as "includes" and "including"), and "contain" (and any forms thereof, such as "contains" and "containing") are open linking verbs. Thus, a method or apparatus that "comprises," "has," "includes," or "contains" one or more steps or elements has those one or more steps or elements, but is not limited to having only those one or more steps or elements. Similarly, a step of a method or an element of an apparatus that "comprises," "has," "includes," or "contains" one or more features has those one or more features, but is not limited to having only those one or more features. Furthermore, a device or structure that is configured in a certain manner is configured in at least that manner, but may also be configured in ways that are not listed.

[0018] Approximations as used herein throughout the specification and claims may be applied to modify any quantitative representation that may vary within an allowable range without causing a change in the basic function associated therewith. Therefore, values ​​modified by one or more terms such as "about," "substantially," and the like are not limited to the exact values ​​specified, but are within an acceptable tolerance range for the operation of the embodiment for its intended application. In some cases, approximations may correspond to the precision of the instrument used to measure the value.

[0019] Various techniques may be described herein in the general context of software, hardware elements, or program modules. Typically, such modules include routines, programs, objects, elements, components, data structures, etc. that perform specific tasks or implement specific abstract data types. The terms "module," "function," and "component" as used herein generally represent software, firmware, hardware, or a combination thereof. The features of the techniques described herein are platform-independent, meaning that the techniques can be implemented on a variety of commercial computing platforms with a variety of processors.

[0020] Various aspects of the content described herein attempt to provide a device that can be powered via a bus connection. The proposed device may include a bus connector for connecting to an interface (e.g., port, connector, etc.) of a host system to provide power to the device. The host system may include a personal computer, a laptop computer, a USB power delivery (PD) power adapter, a USB PD battery mobile power supply, or any suitable system as long as it can provide power transmission (e.g., power supply unit) and data communication (e.g., processing unit). The proposed device may include an acquisition module configured to acquire the type of interface (e.g., port, connector, etc.) of the host system and the power available to the device of the host system. The proposed device can be powered via a USB connection, and the configuration channel (CC) pin of the USB PD can act as an acquisition module. The proposed device may also include a determination module configured to determine the power level to be allocated (e.g., transmitted) to the device from the host system based on the type of interface (e.g., port, connector) and the power available to the device of the host system. The proposed device may be powered via a USB connection, and the determination module may be included in the USB PD. The proposed device may further include a controller module configured to communicate with the determination module and allocate (e.g., assign) the determined power level to the device. The proposed device may be powered via a USB connection, and thus, the USB PD IC may act as a front-end interface of the device and negotiate (e.g., communicate) with the host system regarding available power. By negotiation, it is intended to mean obtaining information indicating the type of interface (e.g., port, connector, etc.) of the host system and information indicating the power available to the device of the host system, and determining a power level to be allocated (e.g., transferred) from the host system to the device based on the two pieces of information.

[0021] According to various aspects, the proposed device may include a switch. The switch may be configured to be turned on after the power level to be allocated to the amplifier from the host system is determined. In terms of "afterwards", it is intended to also include that the switch can be turned on at the same time when the power level to be allocated to the amplifier from the host system is determined. Therefore, if the switch is not turned on, power will not be transmitted from the host system to the device. The switch may include a metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET). The proposed device can be powered by a USB connection, so that the USB PD IC can apply a voltage to the MOSFET switch to turn it on by allowing current to flow, or it may not apply a voltage to the MOSFET switch to turn it off. Further, depending on the conductivity type of the MOSFET (e.g., p-type or n-type), the voltage may be negative or positive to turn on the switch. Moreover, the MOSFET switch may have a suitable on-resistance to allow a desired range of current to flow under the voltage applied by the USB PDIC.

[0022] In some aspects of what is described herein, the available power of the host system may not be equal to the determined power level to be allocated (transmitted or assigned) to the device. The determined power level may be set to be less than half of the available power of the host system to avoid saturation or power outages when the device is in high demand (e.g., the audio playback of the sound system is at maximum volume). The available power of the host system can be the maximum power that the host system can allocate (transmitted or assigned) to the coupled device. Thus, the determined power level can be regarded as the maximum amount of power that the device can obtain from the host system. Therefore, after consultation (e.g., communication) with the host system, the proposed device can be provided with maximum power. The determined power level can increase with the increase of the maximum current of the interface (e.g., port, connector) of the host system depending on its type. The determined power level can be increased according to a stepped curve.

[0023] In certain aspects of what is described herein, the proposed device may include a sound system having an amplifier and one or more speaker channels. The sound system may include a power management system. The control module may allocate a determined power level to one or more channels of the sound system through the power management system. The power management system may be configured to adjust the amplification of the amplifier according to the determined power level. The determined power level may be equally allocated to each of the one or more channels of the sound system. The determination module may be further configured to determine a power level to be allocated to the amplifier from the host system based on a demand of the amplifier.

[0024] In some cases, aspects of the systems and techniques described herein provide technical improvements and advantages over existing approaches. In one example, a USB PD IC can automatically negotiate (e.g., communicate) with a host system to deliver maximum power to a device according to the type of interface of the host system, thereby alleviating USB power compatibility issues. For example, the proposed bus-powered sound system can provide automatic adjustment of the power amplification ratio according to the maximum available power to be allocated (e.g., transmitted) to the sound system from the host system. The power amplification ratio can be automatically adjusted depending on the maximum available power. This can prevent over-amplification (over-power consumption) from occurring when the host system cannot supply enough power for the preset (prefix) amplification ratio, resulting in a shutdown of the host system or highly distorted audio playback, or even the worst case of damaging the lightly protected USB port of the host system. When the audio volume is set to a high volume, this can also prevent the situation of continuous power outages caused by the activation of the host power delivery protection scheme to prevent external devices from damaging the connected USB port, so that users will not be allowed to play their preferred loudness (SPL-sound pressure level) from the speakers.

[0025] Thus, the available power of the host system can be used more efficiently, and the power level to be allocated (e.g., transmitted) can be dynamically customized for different devices coupled to the host system. The performance of the device coupled to the host system can be improved by intelligently negotiating (e.g., communicating) with the host system and thus allocating (e.g., transmitting or supplying) the maximum power to the device. One reason for implementing the technology described herein is to enable the device coupled to the host system to better control power allocation and prevent damage or distortion due to mismatch.

[0026] The following examples relate to various aspects of the disclosure.

[0027] Example 1 is a bus-powered sound system comprising: an amplifier; a bus connector for connecting to an interface of a host system to provide power to the amplifier; an acquisition module configured to acquire a type of interface of the host system and available power of the host system; a determination module configured to communicate with the acquisition module and determine a power level to be allocated to the amplifier from the host system based on the type of interface and the available power of the host system; and a controller module configured to communicate with the determination module and allocate the determined power level to one or more channels of the sound system.

[0028] In Example 2, the subject matter of Example 1 can optionally include that the determined power level increases as a maximum current of an interface of the host system increases depending on its type.

[0029] In Example 3, the subject matter of any one of Examples 1 to 2 can optionally include that the determination module is further configured to determine a power level to be allocated from the host system to the amplifier based on a demand of the amplifier.

[0030] In Example 4, the subject matter of any one of Examples 1 to 3 may optionally include: a switch connected in series with the amplifier, wherein the switch is configured to be opened after a power level to be distributed from the host system to the amplifier is determined.

[0031] In Example 5, the subject matter of Example 4 can optionally include that the switch comprises a metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET).

[0032] In Example 6, the subject matter of any one of Examples 1 to 5 may optionally include that the determined power level is less than half of the available power of the host system.

[0033] In Example 7, the subject matter of any one of Examples 1 to 6 may optionally include that the determined power level is distributed equally to each channel of the one or more channels of the sound system.

[0034] In Example 8, the subject matter of any one of Examples 1 to 7 may optionally include that the USB connector includes a configuration channel (CC) pin, the CC pin being configured to obtain a type of interface of the host system and available power of the host system, whereby the CC pin acts as an acquisition module.

[0035] In Example 9, the subject matter of any of Examples 1 to 8 may optionally include: a power management system, wherein the controller module is configured to distribute a determined power level to one or more channels of the sound system through the power management system, wherein the power management system is configured to adjust the amplification of the amplifier based on the determined power level.

[0036] In Example 10, the subject matter of any one of Examples 1 to 9 can optionally include that the bus connector comprises a universal serial bus (USB) connector.

[0037] In Example 11, the subject matter of any one of Examples 1 to 10 can optionally include that the host system includes at least one of a personal computer, a laptop computer, a USB power delivery (PD) power adapter, or a USB PD battery power bank.

[0038] In Example 12, the subject matter of any one of Examples 1 to 11 can optionally include that the controller module comprises a microcontroller or a Bluetooth system on chip (SoC).

[0039] Example 13 is a bus-powered device, comprising: a bus connector for connecting to an interface of a host system to provide power to the device; an acquisition module, configured to obtain the type of interface of the host system and the power of the host system available to the device; a determination module, configured to determine the power level to be allocated to the device from the host system based on the type of interface and the power of the host system available to the device; and a controller module, configured to communicate with the determination module and allocate the determined power level to the device.

[0040] In Example 14, the subject matter of Example 13 can optionally include that the bus connector comprises a universal serial bus (USB) connector.

[0041] Example 15 is a universal serial bus (USB) powered device, comprising: a USB power delivery (PD) integrated circuit (IC) interface for connecting to an interface of a host system to provide power to the device, the USB PD IC interface comprising: a configuration channel (CC) pin configured to obtain the type of interface of the host system and the power of the host system available to the device; and a determination module configured to determine a power level to be allocated to the device from the host system based on the type of interface and the power of the host system available to the device; and a controller module configured to communicate with the USB PD IC interface and allocate the determined power level to the device.

[0042] Example 16 is a method implemented by a bus-powered sound system, comprising: connecting a bus connector of the sound system to an interface of a host system; obtaining information indicating the type of interface of the host system and information indicating available power of the host system; determining a power level to be allocated to the sound system from the host system based on the information indicating the type of interface of the host system and the information indicating the available power of the host system; and allocating the determined power level to one or more channels of the sound system.

[0043] In Example 17, the subject matter of Example 16 can optionally include that the determined power level increases as a maximum current of an interface of the host system increases depending on its type.

[0044] In Example 18, the subject matter of any one of Examples 16 to 17 can optionally include that the determined power level increases according to a step curve.

[0045] In Example 19, the subject matter of any one of Examples 16 to 18 may optionally include that the step of determining a power level to be allocated from the host system to the sound system comprises determining the power level based on a demand of the sound system.

[0046] In Example 20, the subject matter of any one of Examples 16 to 19 may optionally include: after the power level to be allocated from the host system to the sound system is determined, opening the switch to close the voltage bus circuit to allocate the determined power level to the sound system.

[0047] In Example 21, the subject matter of Example 20 can optionally include that the switch comprises a metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET).

[0048] In Example 22, the subject matter of any one of Examples 16 to 21 may optionally include that the determined power level is less than half of the available power of the host system.

[0049] In Example 23, the subject matter of any one of Examples 16 to 22 may optionally include that the determined power level is distributed equally to each channel of the one or more channels of the sound system.

[0050] In Example 24, the subject matter of Example 23 can optionally include that the equally distributed power levels include an integer or an integer plus half an integer.

[0051] In Example 25, the subject matter of Example 18 may optionally include that the step of determining the power level to be allocated to the sound system from the host system includes: when the step of obtaining information indicating the type of interface of the host system and information indicating available power of the host system fails to obtain either of the information, determining the power level to be a predetermined power level.

[0052] In Example 26, the subject matter of Example 25 can optionally include that the predetermined power level is equal to a lowest power level of the step curve according to the determined power levels.

[0053] In Example 27, the subject matter of any one of Examples 16 to 26 can optionally include that the bus connector comprises a universal serial bus (USB) connector.

[0054] In the following description, example configurations and systems / devices that may employ the techniques described herein are first described. Example details and methods that may be performed in the example configurations and by the systems / devices, as well as in other configurations and by other systems / devices, are then described. Thus, implementation of the example details and methods is not limited to the example configurations and systems / devices, and the example configurations and systems / devices are not limited to the example details and methods.

[0055] Figure 1is a block diagram depicting an example configuration of a device 100 connected to a host system 900 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. According to various non-limiting embodiments, the device 100 can be powered by a bus connection, that is, power is obtained from a system / device coupled to the bus connection. The bus connection can transmit data and energy between components inside the system / device (e.g., a computer) / computer. The device 100 can be physically and communicatively coupled to the host system 900 via a bus interface 901 of the host system 900. The device 100 can also be wirelessly and communicatively coupled to the host system 900 via the bus interface 901. When coupled, the device 100 can draw power from the host system 900 for operation. The host system 900 may include any suitable system and / or device, such as, by way of example but not limited to, a personal computer, a laptop computer, a universal serial bus (USB) power delivery (PD) power adapter, a USB PD battery mobile power supply, etc. The device 100 may include any suitable system and / or device, such as, for example but not limited to, a sound system, a fan, a wearable device (e.g., a watch, a bracelet, glasses, etc.), a tablet computer, a phone, etc. The host system 900 may be a power system, i.e., a source, and the device 100 may be a power receiving device, i.e., a sink.

[0056] According to various non-limiting embodiments, the host system 900 can obtain power from an external power source. For example, the host system 900 can be connected to and / or communicate with a power adapter that is configured to supply power to the host system 900 via a suitable external power source (such as a wall socket, an external battery, a power system unit, or other power source). In addition or alternatively, the host system 900 may include one or more internal batteries that are designed to store energy and operate as an internal energy source to power the host system 900 when power from an external source is not available (e.g., the host system 900 is not plugged in). The internal battery can be charged when connected to an energy source to store power for later use. The host system 900 may include a power management system. The power management system can distribute power to internal components of the host system 900 and distribute power between the host system 900 and external devices coupled to the host system 900.

[0057] Device 100 can be physically attached to bus interface 901 of host system 900 via cables, ports and connectors. Bus interface 901 can include hardware, software, logic and connectors suitable for establishing connection with compatible devices. Bus interface 901 can support both data communication and power exchange between host system 900 and device 100. In various non-limiting embodiments, bus interface 901 can be a USB interface that implements corresponding standards, protocols, ports, connectors and components. USB is an industry standard that establishes specifications for cables, connectors and protocols for connection, communication and power supply (docking) between computers, peripheral devices and other computers. Thus, device 100 can be a USB compatible device that can be connected via bus interface 901 that supports communication and power exchange according to USB. These technologies are not limited to USB, therefore, devices designed for other types of interfaces and protocols for implementing data / power supply connections are also contemplated, including both other standard interfaces and proprietary implementations of interfaces.

[0058] According to various non-limiting embodiments, the device 100 may include a bus connector 101 for connecting to a bus interface 901 of a host system 900 to provide power to the device 100. That is, the bus connector 101 of the device 100 may be compatible with the bus interface 901 of the host system 900. The device 100 may be a bus-powered device, i.e., a device that obtains power from a bus connection. In computer architecture, a bus connection is a communication system that transmits data and energy between components inside a computer or between computers. Further, the device 100 may have a power adapter to obtain power from an external power source, or may not have a power adapter. The device 100 may be a USB-powered device. Examples of computer peripherals that can be connected and powered via USB include computer keyboards and mice, printers, fans, speakers, mobile (portable) digital phones, disk drives, and network adapters.

[0059] According to various non-limiting embodiments, the device 100 may include an acquisition module 103 configured to acquire the type of interface of the host system 900 and the available power of the host system 900. The host system 900 may include a bus interface 901, and the bus interface 901 may include a port for connecting to the bus connector 101 of the device 100. The bus interface 901 of the host system 900 may include a USB port. The USB port may comply with USB standards, including USB 2.0, USB 3.1, USB BC 1.2, USB type-C, USB PD, and any standards being developed or to be developed in the future. Thus, the USB standard may define a nominal voltage and a maximum current, for example as shown in Table 1 below. The acquisition module 103 may be configured to acquire the type of the port, and thus acquire the nominal voltage and the maximum current of the port. The type of the interface may also include information about characteristics associated with the host system 900, such as a device type, a function and / or a state of the device, etc.

[0060] Table 1. USB standards

[0061]

[0062] According to various non-limiting embodiments, the acquisition module 103 can be configured to acquire the available power of the host system 900. The available power can be provided by a power management system of the host system 900. The available power can be calculated by analyzing the power usage of the operation of the host system 900. The power usage can include operating mode, processing workload, applications being used, and other factors that determine how much power is consumed. After the device 100 is coupled to the host system 900, the acquisition module 103 can automatically communicate with the host system 900 to acquire the available power of the host system 900. In other words, the available power of the host system 900 can be acquired without user input.

[0063] According to various non-limiting embodiments, the device 100 may further include a determination module 105 configured to communicate with the acquisition module 103 and determine a power level to be allocated to the device 100 from the host system 900 based on the type of interface and the available power of the host system 900. The determination module 105 may acquire information indicating the type of interface and the available power of the host system 900 from the acquisition module 103, and determine a power level that the host system 900 can transmit to the device 100 based on the acquired information. The available power of the host system 900 may represent the maximum power that the host system 900 can allocate or transmit to the device 100 while maintaining its normal operation. The power level may represent the amount of power to be allocated / transmitted to the device 100 from the host system 900. Thus, the power level may be determined corresponding to the maximum power that the host system 900 can transmit to the device 100. In various non-limiting embodiments, the power level may represent the maximum power that the device 100 can obtain from the host system 900. The power level may also be determined according to the type of the interface 901. That is, if the available power of the host system 900 is greater than the nominal voltage of the interface 901, the power level may be reduced according to the nominal voltage of the interface 901. The determined power level may increase as the maximum current of the interface 901 of the host system 900 increases depending on its type. Figure 5 is described in more detail.

[0064] According to various non-limiting embodiments, the device 100 may also include a controller module 107 configured to communicate with the determination module 105 to obtain a determined power level and to allocate the determined power level to the device 100. The controller module 107 may include hardware, such as a system on a chip (SOC) or one or more microcontrollers designed to perform a set of predefined specified tasks. In this example, the controller module 107 may be configured to implement functions and tasks related to power management, including but not limited to controlling and allocating power to the device 100. Thus, the controller module 107 may include processing components, I / O devices / peripherals, various types of memory (ROM, RAM, Flash, EEPROM), programmable logic, etc. Further, the controller module 107 may include a Bluetooth SOC.

[0065] Figure 2 2 is a block diagram depicting an example configuration of a USB powered device 200 connected to a host system 900 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. According to various non-limiting embodiments, the device 200 may include the above-mentioned Figure 1 The features of the device 100 are described, therefore, common features are marked with the same reference numerals and need not be repeated.

[0066] According to various non-limiting embodiments, the device 200 may include a USB power delivery (PD) integrated circuit (IC) 210 and a controller module 107. The USB PD IC 210 may include a configuration channel (CC) pin 211 for data communication, a voltage bus pin for energy transmission, and a ground pin. The pins of the USB PD IC 210 may be used as a USB connector of the device 200. The CC pin 211 may be configured to obtain the type of interface of the host system 900 and the available power of the host system 900, whereby the CC pin 211 acts as an acquisition module. The CC pin 211 may play a role similar to the acquisition module 103 of the device 100. The determination module 213 included in the USB PD IC 210 of the device 200 may play a role similar to the determination module 105 of the device 100.

[0067] Figure 3 is a block diagram depicting an example configuration of a bus-powered sound system 300 connected to a host system 900 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. According to various non-limiting embodiments, the sound system 300 may include the above-mentioned Figure 1 and Figure 2 The features of the described apparatuses 100 and 200 are therefore marked with the same reference numerals and need not be described in detail.

[0068] According to various non-limiting embodiments, the sound system 300 may include the bus connector 101, the acquisition module 103, the determination module 305, the controller module 307, the amplifier 309, and one or more speaker channels 310. The determination module 305 of the sound system 300 may function similarly to the determination module 105 of the device 100. The amplifier 309 may provide a power demand to the determination module 105. The power demand may represent the power required by the amplifier 309 for its amplification. The determination module 305 may be further configured to determine a power level to be allocated to the sound system 300 (e.g., the amplifier 309) from the host system 900 based on the demand of the amplifier 309. For example, if the demand of the amplifier 309 is low, the power level may be reduced. The controller module 307 of the sound system 300 may function similarly to the controller module 107 of the device 100. The controller module 307 may be further configured to automatically adjust the power amplification depending on the determined power level and according to the specifications of each of the one or more channels 310, i.e., without user input. The determined power level may be equally distributed by the controller module 307 to each of the one or more channels 310 of the sound system 300. The determined power level may also be distributed to each of the one or more channels 310 of the sound system 300 according to the specifications of each of the one or more channels 310.

[0069] Figure 4 4 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary method 400 implemented by a bus-powered device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. According to various non-limiting embodiments, method 400 can be implemented by devices 100, 200, 300 and 600. The method may include connecting a bus connector of the device to an interface of a host system (step 401). The host system may include host systems 900, 800. The device may include any suitable device as described above, in particular a sound system. The connection may include a wireless connection or a wired connection through a cable, so that the device and the host system can communicate with each other and transfer energy from the host system to the device. Method 400 may include obtaining information indicating the type of interface of the host system and information indicating the available power of the host system (step 403). The type of interface may include any suitable interface as described above, in particular a USB port. The available power of the host system may be the power that can be used to transfer from the host system to the device without affecting the normal operation of the host system and according to the type of interface. In other words, the power management system of the host system may allocate or dispatch the available power to the external device coupled to the host system according to the algorithm programmed therein.

[0070] Method 400 may further include determining a power level to be allocated to the device from the host system based on information indicating the type of interface of the host system and information indicating available power of the host system (step 405). The power level may be based on, for example, Figure 5 The method 500 shown determines and will refer to Figure 5 is described in more detail. The determined power level may represent an amount of power to be allocated / transmitted to the device. The determined power level may be equal to the amount of power available to the host system, or may be different from the amount of power available. The determined power level may be less than half of the available power allocated by the host system to avoid saturation or power outages when the audio is played at full volume. Method 400 may also include allocating the determined power level to the device (step 407). In the case where the device is a sound system, the determined power level may be equally allocated to each of the one or more speaker channels of the sound system. Once the device is coupled to the host system, method 400 may begin automatically, thereby eliminating the need for user input.

[0071] Figure 5 is an example of Figure 3 and Figure 6 Flowchart of an exemplary method 500 implemented by a sound system 300, 600. Although the method 500 is described with reference to a sound system 300, 600 having one or more speaker channels, it should be understood that Figure 5 The method 500 shown can also be adopted by the devices 100 and 200. In particular, Figure 5The method 500 shown may be performed by the determination modules 105, 213, and 305. The method 500 may begin by obtaining the type of interface and the available power of the host system (step 501). The type of interface may include information about the nominal voltage and maximum current of the interface (eg, port).

[0072] Method 500 may continue to determine whether the nominal voltage is equal to 5V and the maximum current is 900mA (step 502). If yes, method 500 may continue to set the amplifier to 1W per channel (step 503); if no, method 500 may continue to determine whether the nominal voltage is equal to 5V and the maximum current is 1.5A (step 504). If the nominal voltage is equal to 5V and the maximum current is 1.5A, method 500 may continue to set the amplifier to 2W per channel (step 505); if no, method 500 may continue to determine whether the nominal voltage is equal to 5V and the maximum current is 3A (step 506). If the nominal voltage is equal to 5V and the maximum current is 3A, method 500 may continue to set the amplifier to 3.5W per channel (step 507); if no, method 500 may continue to determine whether the nominal voltage is equal to 9V and the maximum current is 2A (step 508). If the nominal voltage is equal to 9V and the maximum current is 2A, the method 500 may continue to set the amplifier to 6.5W per channel (step 509); if not, the method 500 may continue to determine whether the type of interface and the available power of the host system are not available (step 510). If the information is not available, the method 500 may continue to set the amplifier to 1W per channel (step 511); if the information is available but there is an error, the method 500 may consider (e.g., determine, such as identify) that there is a logic error and return to step 501. If the interface (host system) is not configured to provide such information, the information indicating the type of interface and the information indicating the available power of the host system may not be available.

[0073] Method 500 is merely exemplary, and the method of determining a power level should not be limited to method 500. For example, steps 502, 504, and 506 may be in a different order. In various non-limiting embodiments, at step 502, method 500 may determine whether the nominal voltage is equal to 5V and the maximum current is 3A; at step 504, method 500 may determine whether the nominal voltage is equal to 5V and the maximum current is 2A; and so on. In other words, method 500 may determine the maximum current in a decreasing manner or in an increasing manner; method 500 may determine the maximum current in a random manner; method 500 may start with the most commonly used maximum current and determine the maximum current in a decreasing manner of the prevalence of the maximum current. The method may then determine whether the nominal voltage is equal to 9V and the maximum current is 2A, and so on.

[0074] In various non-limiting embodiments, another method may include first determining whether the nominal voltage is equal to 5V, if so, the method may continue to determine the maximum current in some manner and set the amplifier to the corresponding value for each channel, and if not, the method 500 may continue to determine whether no information is available, as in step 510. It should also be understood that nominal voltages of 5V and 9V are commonly used at present, but the method should not be limited to such voltages, but should include any suitable voltage compatible with current or future protocols / standards (e.g., 12V, 15V, 20V). The same analogy applies to maximum current and amplification.

[0075] The amplifier can be set according to a step curve, for example, including an increasing step curve of 1W, 2W, 3.5W and 6.5W. The value of the amplification factor can include an integer or an integer plus half of an integer. When method 500 determines that no information is available (as in step 510), the amplifier can be set to a predetermined value (e.g., 1W). The predetermined value can be equal to the lowest value of the step curve according to the amplification factor. The sum of the amplification factors can be substantially equal to the determined power level. The relationship between the maximum current and the amplification factor per channel can be predetermined according to the number of channels. Similarly, the allocated power level should not be limited to 1W, 2W, 3.5W and 6.5W, but should include any suitable power level (e.g., 10W, 20W, 100W).

[0076] According to various non-limiting embodiments, method 500 may be employed by device 100, 200 and performed by determination modules 105 and 213. The power level may be determined based on the nominal voltage and maximum current of the interface as described above. The power level may be allocated / distributed in whole or in part to the corresponding components of device 100, 200.

[0077] Figure 6 8 is a diagram depicting an example USB powered sound system 600 connected to a host system 800 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The sound system 600 may include the above-mentioned combination of Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3 The features of the described apparatuses 100 , 200 and 300 are therefore marked with the same reference numerals and need not be described in detail.

[0078] Figure 6 The sound system 600 is shown, which may include the USB PD IC 210, and the USB PD IC 210 may function as described above with reference to Figure 2The sound system may further include a controller module 620, a power management system 630, an amplifier 640, and one or more speaker channels 650. The controller module 620 may be configured to distribute the determined power level to one or more channels of the sound system 600 through the power management system 630. The power management system 630 may be configured to adjust the amplification of the amplifier 640 according to the determined power level. The power management system 630 may provide the power demand to the determination module 213 located in the USBPD IC 210.

[0079] The sound system may further include a switch 660 connected in series with the amplifier 640. The switch 640 may be configured to be opened after the power level to be allocated to the amplifier 640 from the host system 600 is determined. The switch may include a p-type or n-type metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET). The input (source) of the switch 660 may be connected to a voltage pin of the USB PD IC 210, and the output (drain) of the switch 660 may be connected to the power management system 630. The gate of the switch 660 may be connected to the USB PD IC 210. The USB PD IC 210 may apply a (voltage) bias to the gate of the switch 660, and thus control the switch 660 to be opened or closed.

[0080] Figure 6 The solid line in represents data communication, while Figure 6 The dashed lines in represent power delivery. Power can be delivered from the host system 800 to the amplifier 640 and the speaker channel 650 through the switch 660 and the power management system 630. Thus, if the switch 660 is closed, in other words, the voltage bus line is disconnected, power may not be delivered. The USB PD IC 210 can be used as a front-end interface for a USB interface.

[0081] The host system 800 may be a laptop computer having an interface 801 that functions similarly to the host system 900 described above. The sound system 600 may be electrically and / or communicatively coupled to the host system 800 to obtain power therefrom. A power management system included in the host system 600 may generate or change an electrical signal based at least in part on the power consumption of the host system 600 (e.g., a processing system, an application) and transmit the signal to the USB PD IC 210. The USB PD IC 210 may process (e.g., using a computer processor) the signal it receives from the host system 800 and determine a power level, which it may transmit to the controller module 620. Although Figure 6The host system 800 and the sound system 500 are shown coupled via a wired connection (e.g., via an electrical wire), but the host system 800 and the sound system 500 may have circuitry (e.g., a transmitter, a receiver, a transceiver) that allows wireless energy transfer and communication protocols to be employed between them. In addition, in some embodiments (not shown), the USB PD IC 210 and the amplifier 640 may be included in separate devices (e.g., separate USB PD ICs and sound systems). Further, the sound system 600 may have the following combined Figure 7 Other computing modules (eg, circuits, electronic devices) described herein for implementing the operations disclosed herein.

[0082] Figure 7 700 is a block diagram showing an example electronic device 700 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The electronic device 700 may be a laptop computer, a desktop computer, a tablet computer, a car computer, a gaming device, a smart phone, a personal digital assistant, a server, a sound system, or other electronic device capable of running computer applications. In some embodiments, the electronic device 700 includes a processor 702, an input / output (I / O) module 704, a memory 706, a power supply unit 708, and one or more network interfaces 710. The electronic device 700 may include additional components. In some embodiments, the processor 702, the input / output (I / O) module 704, the memory 706, the power supply unit 708, and the network interface 710 are housed together in a common housing or other components.

[0083] The example processor 702 can execute instructions, for example, to generate output data based on data input. Instructions may include programs, codes, scripts, modules, or other types of data stored in a memory (e.g., memory 706). Additionally or alternatively, instructions may be encoded as pre-programmed or reprogrammable logic circuits, logic gates, or other types of hardware or firmware components or modules. The processor 702 may be or may include a multi-core processor with multiple cores, and each such core may have an independent power domain and may be configured to enter and exit different operating or performance states based on workload. Additionally or alternatively, the processor 702 may be or may include a general-purpose microprocessor as a dedicated coprocessor or another type of data processing device. In some cases, the processor 702 performs high-level operations of the electronic device 700. For example, the processor 702 may be configured to execute or interpret software, scripts, programs, functions, executable files, or other instructions stored in the memory 706.

[0084] Example I / O module 704 may include a mouse, keyboard, touch screen, scanner, optical reader and / or stylus (or other input device) through which a user of electronic device 700 can provide input to electronic device 700, and may also include one or more of speakers for providing audio output and a video display device for providing text, audiovisual and / or graphical output.

[0085] The example memory 706 may include a computer-readable storage medium, such as a volatile memory device, a non-volatile memory device, or both. The memory 706 may include one or more read-only memory devices, random access memory devices, buffer memory devices, or a combination of these and other types of memory devices. In some cases, one or more components of the memory may be integrated or otherwise associated with another component of the electronic device 700. The memory 706 may store instructions that may be executed by the processor 702. In some examples, the memory 706 may store instructions for an operating system 712 and for an application 714. The memory 706 may also store a database 716.

[0086] The example power supply unit 708 provides power to other components of the electronic device 700. For example, the other components can operate based on power provided by the power supply unit 708 through a voltage bus or other connection. In some embodiments, the power supply unit 708 includes a battery or battery system, such as a rechargeable battery. In some embodiments, the power supply unit 708 includes an adapter (e.g., an AC adapter) that receives an external power signal (from an external source) and converts the external power signal to an internal power signal that is conditioned for the components of the electronic device 700. The power supply unit 708 can include other components or operate in other ways.

[0087] The electronic device 700 can be configured to operate in a wireless, wired, or cloud network environment (or a combination thereof). In some embodiments, the electronic device 700 can access a network using a network interface 710. The network interface 710 may include one or more adapters, modems, connectors, sockets, terminals, ports, slots, etc. The wireless network accessed by the electronic device 700 may be operated, for example, according to a wireless network standard or other type of wireless communication protocol. For example, the wireless network may be configured to operate as a wireless local area network (WLAN), a personal area network (PAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), or other type of wireless network. Examples of WLANs include networks configured to operate according to one or more standards in the 802.11 family of standards developed by the IEEE (e.g., Wi-Fi networks), etc. Examples of PANs include networks configured to operate according to short-range communication standards (e.g., The wired network accessed by the electronic device 700 may include, for example, Ethernet, SONET, a circuit switching network (eg, using components such as SS7, cables, etc.), etc.

[0088] Various aspects of what is described herein have provided a bus-powered device with improved power control.

[0089] Some of the themes and operations described in this specification may be implemented in digital electronic circuits, or in computer software, firmware or hardware, including the structures disclosed in this specification and their structural equivalents, or a combination of one or more of them. Some of the themes described in this specification may be implemented as one or more computer programs, i.e., one or more modules of computer program instructions, which are encoded on a computer storage medium for execution by a data processing device or for controlling the operation of a data processing device. A computer storage medium may be or may be included in a computer-readable storage device, a computer-readable storage substrate, a random or serial access memory array or device, or a combination of one or more of them. In addition, although a computer storage medium is not a propagation signal, a computer storage medium may be a source or destination of computer program instructions encoded in an artificially generated propagation signal. A computer storage medium may also be one or more separate physical components or media (e.g., multiple CDs, disks or other storage devices) or be included in one or more separate physical components or media.

[0090] Some of the operations described in this specification can be implemented as operations performed by a data processing apparatus on data stored on one or more computer-readable storage devices or received from other sources.

[0091] The term "data processing apparatus" covers all types of apparatus, devices and machines for processing data, including, for example, a programmable processor, a computer, a system on a chip, or multiple or combinations of the foregoing. The apparatus may include dedicated logic circuits, such as an FPGA (field programmable gate array) or an ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit). In addition to hardware, the apparatus may also include code that creates an execution environment for the computer program in question, for example, code constituting processor firmware, a protocol stack, a database management system, an operating system, a cross-platform operating environment, a virtual machine, or a combination of one or more thereof.

[0092] A computer program (also referred to as a program, software, software application, script, or code) may be written in any form of programming language, including compiled or interpreted languages, declarative or procedural languages, and it may be deployed in any form, including as a stand-alone program or as a module, component, subroutine, object, or other unit suitable for use in a computing environment. A computer program may, but need not, correspond to a file in a file system. A program may be stored in a portion of a file that holds other programs or data (e.g., one or more scripts stored in a markup language document), in a single file dedicated to the program, or in multiple coordinated files (e.g., files that store one or more modules, subroutines, or portions of code). A computer program may be deployed to execute on one computer, or on multiple computers located at one site or distributed over multiple sites and interconnected by a communications network.

[0093] Some of the processes and logic flows described in this specification can be performed by one or more programmable processors executing one or more computer programs to perform actions by operating on input data and generating output. The processes and logic flows can also be performed by special purpose logic circuits (e.g., FPGA (field programmable gate array) or ASIC (application specific integrated circuit)), and the device can also be implemented as a special purpose logic circuit.

[0094] Although this specification contains many details, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of what may be claimed, but rather as descriptions of features that are unique to particular examples. Certain features described in this specification or shown in the accompanying drawings in the context of separate embodiments may also be combined. Conversely, various features described or shown in the context of a single embodiment may also be implemented in multiple embodiments, either alone or in any suitable subcombination.

[0095] Similarly, although operations are depicted in a particular order in the accompanying drawings, this should not be understood as requiring that such operations be performed in the particular order shown or in a sequential order, or that all of the operations shown be performed to achieve the desired result. In some cases, multitasking and parallel processing may be advantageous. In addition, the separation of various system components in the above-described embodiments should not be understood as requiring such separation in all embodiments, and it should be understood that the described program components and systems can generally be integrated together in a single product or packaged into multiple products.

[0096] Various embodiments have been described. However, it should be understood that various modifications can be made. Therefore, other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. A bus-powered sound system comprising: Amplifier; a bus connector for connecting to an interface of a host system to provide power to the amplifier; an acquisition module, the acquisition module being configured to acquire a type of an interface of the host system and an available power of the host system; a determination module configured to communicate with the acquisition module and determine a power level to be allocated from the host system to the amplifier based on the type of the interface and the available power of the host system; as well as A controller module is configured to communicate with the determination module and distribute the determined power level to one or more channels of the sound system.

2. The bus-powered sound system of claim 1, wherein: The power level determined increases as the maximum current of the interface of the host system increases depending on its type.

3. The bus-powered sound system of claim 1 , wherein: The determination module is further configured to determine a power level to be allocated from the host system to the amplifier based on a demand of the amplifier.

4. The bus-powered sound system of claim 1 , further comprising: a switch connected in series with the amplifier, Wherein the switch is configured to be opened after a power level to be allocated from the host system to the amplifier is determined.

5. The bus-powered sound system of claim 4, wherein: The switch includes a metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET).

6. The bus-powered sound system of claim 1, wherein: The power level determined is less than half of the available power of the host system.

7. The bus-powered sound system of claim 1, wherein: The determined power level is distributed equally to each of the one or more channels of the sound system.

8. The bus-powered sound system of claim 1, wherein: The USB connector includes a configuration channel (CC) pin configured to obtain a type of interface of the host system and available power of the host system, whereby the CC pin serves as the acquisition module.

9. The bus-powered sound system of claim 1 , further comprising: Power management system, The controller module is configured to distribute the determined power level to the one or more channels of the sound system through the power management system, wherein the power management system is configured to adjust the amplification of the amplifier according to the determined power level.

10. The bus-powered sound system of claim 1, wherein: The bus connector includes a Universal Serial Bus (USB) connector.

11. The bus-powered sound system of claim 1 , wherein: The host system includes at least one of a personal computer, a laptop computer, a USB Power Delivery (PD) power adapter, or a USB PD battery power bank.

12. The bus-powered sound system of claim 1, wherein: The controller module includes a microcontroller or a Bluetooth system on chip (SoC).

13. A bus-powered device comprising: a bus connector for connecting to an interface of a host system to provide power to the device; an acquisition module, the acquisition module being configured to acquire a type of an interface of the host system and a power of the host system available for use by the device; a determination module configured to determine a power level to be allocated from the host system to the device based on the type of the interface and the power of the host system available to the device; as well as A controller module is configured to communicate with the determination module and distribute the determined power level to the device.

14. The bus-powered device of claim 13, wherein: The bus connector includes a Universal Serial Bus (USB) connector.

15. A universal serial bus (USB) powered device comprising: A USB power delivery (PD) integrated circuit (IC) interface, the USB PD IC interface is used to connect to an interface of a host system to provide power to the device, the USB PDIC interface comprising: a configuration channel (CC) pin configured to obtain a type of interface of the host system and a power of the host system available to the device; and a determination module configured to determine a power level to be allocated from the host system to the device based on the type of the interface and the power of the host system available to the device; and A controller module is configured to communicate with the USB PDIC interface and distribute the determined power level to the device.

16. A method implemented by a bus-powered sound system, comprising: connecting the bus connector of the sound system to an interface of a host system; obtaining information indicating a type of interface of the host system and information indicating available power of the host system; determining a power level to be allocated from the host system to the sound system based on information indicating a type of interface of the host system and information indicating available power of the host system; as well as The determined power level is allocated to one or more channels of the sound system.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein: The power level determined increases as the maximum current of the interface of the host system increases depending on its type.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein: The power level determined is increased according to a step-like curve.

19. The method according to claim 16, wherein: The step of determining the power level to be allocated from the host system to the sound system includes determining the power level based on a demand of the sound system.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising: After the power level to be distributed from the host system to the sound system is determined, a switch is opened to close a voltage bus circuit to distribute the determined power level to the sound system.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein: The switch includes a metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET).

22. The method according to claim 16, wherein: The power level determined is less than half of the available power of the host system.

23. The method according to claim 16, wherein: The determined power level is distributed equally to each of the one or more channels of the sound system.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein: The equally distributed power levels include an integer or an integer plus half an integer.

25. The method of claim 18, wherein: The step of determining the power level to be allocated from the host system to the sound system includes: when the step of obtaining information indicating the type of interface of the host system and information indicating the available power of the host system fails to obtain either of the information, determining the power level to be a predetermined power level.

26. The method according to claim 25, wherein: The predetermined power level is equal to the lowest power level of the step curve according to the determined power levels.

27. The method of claim 16, wherein: The bus connector includes a Universal Serial Bus (USB) connector.

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