Multi-mode USB-C connecting line

Abstract

The invention relates to a multi-mode USB-C (universal serial bus-C) connecting line. The multi-mode USB-C connecting line is connected between the first electronic device and the second electronic device. The multi-mode USB-C connecting line comprises a first connecting port, a second connecting port, a plurality of transmission wires, a first auxiliary signal wire, a second auxiliary signal wire, a first adapter chip and a second adapter chip. The first connection port or the second connection port is respectively connected to the first electronic device or the second electronic device. The plurality of transmission wires are connected between the first adapter chip and the second adapter chip. The first and second auxiliary signal wires are used for receiving a control signal from the first or second electronic device so as to change the first and second voltage levels. The first adapter chip and the second adapter chip are used for adjusting the first group of adjusting parameters and the second group of adjusting parameters according to the first voltage level and the second voltage level so as to adjust signal transmission modes of the plurality of transmission wires.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a multi-mode USB-C cable, and particularly to a multi-mode USB-C cable that can adjust the internal signal transmission direction according to different usage modes. Background Art

[0002] With the progress of technology, USB-C cables have been widely used. A USB-C cable is a hardware interface form of the Universal Serial Bus (USB). The most prominent feature in appearance is that the upper and lower sides of the connection ports at both ends are exactly the same, so there is no need to distinguish between the front and back. In addition to the Universal Serial Bus, the third-generation Thunderbolt can also use a USB-C cable. Moreover, DisplayPort (DP) that can provide high-speed transmission can also use a multi-mode USB-C cable. Now, the application of DP-Asymmetric has also been developed.

[0003] Please refer to FIG. 1 here, which is a schematic diagram of the connection architecture of a prior-art multi-mode USB-C cable.

[0004] In the prior art, a multi-mode USB-C cable 90 is connected between different electronic devices by using a first connection port 91, a second connection port 92, transmission wires 94, and CC (Configuration Channel) wires 96. The first connection port 91 and the second connection port 92 each have their first sides 911, 921 and second sides 912, 922. The first connection port 91 has a first adapter chip 931 and a first microcontroller 951 inside, and the second connection port 92 has a second adapter chip 932 and a second microcontroller 952 inside. The first adapter chip 931 and the second adapter chip 932 can adjust the transmission wires 94, for example, adjust the transmission direction or transmission gain value of the transmission wires 94. In the prior art, the multi-mode USB-C cable 90 uses its internal CC wires 96 to know what signal transmission type needs to be adjusted. The CC wires 96 are used to receive the control signals of the external electronic devices. However, what the CC wires 96 obtain is a segment of encoded control signals, so it is necessary for the first microcontroller 951 or the second microcontroller 952 to decode, and then make the first adapter chip 931 and the second adapter chip 932 make adjustments. Therefore, the setting is relatively complex, increasing a lot of manufacturing costs.

[0005] Therefore, it is necessary to invent a new multi-mode USB-C cable to improve the existing technology and make more simple adjustment configurations. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The main object of the present invention is to provide a multi-mode USB-C cable, which has the effect of adjusting the internal signal transmission direction and chip parameter settings according to different usage modes.

[0007] To achieve the above object, the multi-mode USB-C cable of the present invention can be connected between a first electronic device and a second electronic device. The multi-mode USB-C cable includes a first connection port, a second connection port, a plurality of transmission wires, a first auxiliary signal wire, a second auxiliary signal wire, a first adapter chip, and a second adapter chip. The first connection port or the second connection port can be respectively connected to the first electronic device or the second electronic device. The plurality of transmission wires are connected between the first adapter chip and the second adapter chip, whereby signals are transmitted between the first electronic device and the second electronic device via the first connection port, the second connection port, and the plurality of transmission wires. The first auxiliary signal wire has a first voltage level. The second auxiliary signal wire has a second voltage level, wherein the first auxiliary signal wire and the second auxiliary signal wire are symmetrically arranged to be connected between the first connection port and the second connection port for receiving control signals from the first electronic device or the second electronic device, thereby changing the first voltage level and the second voltage level. The first adapter chip has a first set of adjustment parameters. The second adapter chip has a second set of adjustment parameters, wherein the first adapter chip and the second adapter chip are symmetrically arranged within the first connection port and the second connection port for adjusting the first set of adjustment parameters and the second set of adjustment parameters according to the first voltage level and the second voltage level to adjust the signal transmission mode of the plurality of transmission wires.

[0008] The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments, but it is not intended to limit the present invention. Description of the Drawings

[0009] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a multi-mode USB-C cable connection in the prior art.

[0010] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the present invention using a multi-mode USB-C cable to connect between a first electronic device and a second electronic device.

[0011] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the architecture of the first embodiment of the multi-mode USB-C cable of the present invention.

[0012] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the architecture of the second embodiment of the multi-mode USB-C cable of the present invention.

[0013] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the architecture of the third embodiment of the multi-mode USB-C cable of the present invention.

[0014] Among them, the reference numerals

[0015] the prior art

[0016] multi-mode USB-C cable 90

[0017] first connection port 91

[0018] second connection port 92

[0019] first sides 911, 921

[0020] second sides 912, 922

[0021] first adapter chip 931

[0022] second adapter chip 932

[0023] transmission wire 94

[0024] first microcontroller 951

[0025] second microcontroller 952

[0026] CC wire 96

[0027] the present invention

[0028] multi-mode USB-C cables 1, 1a, 1b, 1c

[0029] first electronic device 2

[0030] second electronic device 3

[0031] first connection ports 11, 11a, 11b, 11c

[0032] second connection ports 12, 12a, 12b, 12c

[0033] first sides 111a, 111b, 111c, 121a, 121b, 121c

[0034] second sides 112a, 112b, 112c, 122a, 122b, 122c

[0035] first adapter chips 21a, 21b, 21c

[0036] second adapter chips 22a, 22b, 22c

[0037] transmission wire 30

[0038] first group of transmission wires 31

[0039] second group of transmission wires 32

[0040] third group of transmission wires 33

[0041] The fourth set of transmission wires 34

[0042] The first auxiliary signal wire 41

[0043] The second auxiliary signal wire 42

[0044] The first microcontroller 51

[0045] The second microcontroller 52

[0046] The first voltage detector 61

[0047] The second voltage detector 62 Detailed implementation manners

[0048] To better understand the technical content of the present invention, the following preferred specific embodiments are provided for illustration.

[0049] Please refer to the following Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the present invention using a multi-mode USB-C connection cable to connect between a first electronic device and a second electronic device.

[0050] In an embodiment of the present invention, the multi-mode USB-C cable 1 is a form of hardware interface applicable to the Universal Serial Bus (USB) and Thunderbolt, but the present invention is not limited to the application of the above specifications. The multi-mode USB-C cable 1 is connected between a first electronic device 2 and a second electronic device 3 by using a first connection port 11 and a second connection port 12. The first electronic device 2 and the second electronic device 3 can be a desktop computer system, a notebook computer, a smart phone, a tablet computer, a wearable device or a display screen respectively. The first electronic device 2 can be set as a host for mainly controlling and outputting signals, and the second electronic device 3 can be set as a device for connecting and receiving signals, but the present invention is not limited thereto. According to the specifications, the shapes of the upper and lower sides of the first connection port 11 and the second connection port 12 are exactly the same, each having 24 pins, with 12 pins on each of the upper and lower sides, and are connected to a plurality of transmission wires 30 inside the multi-mode USB-C cable 1. Thus, the first connection port 11 and the second connection port 12 can be connected to the first electronic device 2 and the second electronic device 3 in a front or reverse manner, and the first electronic device 2 and the second electronic device 3 transmit signals forward or backward by using the plurality of transmission wires 30. In the embodiment of the present invention, it is set that the signal transmitted from the first connection port 11 to the second connection port 12 is forward transmission, and the signal transmitted from the second connection port 12 to the first connection port 11 is reverse transmission, but the forward or reverse transmission is only set in the specification, and the present invention is not limited to this name. Since the connection method of the multi-mode USB-C cable 1 is already familiar to those with ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present invention pertains, it will not be elaborated herein.

[0051] Please refer here to Figure 3 is a schematic structural diagram of the first embodiment of the multi-mode USB-C cable of the present invention.

[0052] In the first embodiment of the present invention, the multi-mode USB-C cable 1a includes a first connection port 11a, a second connection port 12a, a first repeater chip 21a, a second repeater chip 22a, a first set of transmission wires 31, a second set of transmission wires 32, a third set of transmission wires 33, a fourth set of transmission wires 34, a first auxiliary signal wire 41, a second auxiliary signal wire 42, a first microcontroller 51, and a second microcontroller 52. The first connection port 11a of the multi-mode USB-C cable 1a has a first side 111a and a second side 112a, and the second connection port 12a has a first side 121a and a second side 122a. The first repeater chip 21a and the second repeater chip 22a are symmetrically arranged with respect to each other within the first connection port 11a and the second connection port 12a. In the first embodiment of the present invention, the first repeater chip 21a is disposed on the first side 111a of the first connection port 11a, and the second repeater chip 22a is disposed on the first side 121a of the second connection port 12a. The plurality of transmission wires 30 includes a first set of transmission wires 31, a second set of transmission wires 32, a third set of transmission wires 33, and a fourth set of transmission wires 34. The first connection port 11a and the second connection port 12a are electrically connected to the above four sets of transmission wires 31, 32, 33, 34 through their respective internal pins. Both the first repeater chip 21a and the second repeater chip 22a have four sets of transmission channels. In this way, the first electronic device 2 can be electrically connected to the first connection port 11a, the second electronic device 3 can be electrically connected to the second connection port 12a, and signals can be transmitted forward or backward through the transmission wires 31, 32, 33, 34. It should be noted that each of the above sets of transmission wires 31, 32, 33, 34 has a positive pole and a negative pole. For example, in Figure 3 the solid line represents the positive channel, and the dotted line represents the negative channel. In addition, there is at least one through-hole (not shown in the figure) on the internal circuit boards of the first connection port 11a and the second connection port 12a, so that signals can be transmitted to the other side of the circuit board through the through-hole.

[0053] The first repeater chip 21a has a first set of adjustment parameters, and the second repeater chip 22a has a second set of adjustment parameters, which can adjust the signal transmission direction, that is, set the first set of transmission wires 31, the second set of transmission wires 32, the third set of transmission wires 33, and the fourth set of transmission wires 34 for forward or backward transmission. Moreover, the first repeater chip 21a and the second repeater chip 22a can also adjust the gain value or equalization value of the signal to compensate for signal attenuation or distortion caused during the transmission process. The present invention does not limit the functions of the first repeater chip 21a and the second repeater chip 22a.

[0054] The first auxiliary signal wire 41 and the second auxiliary signal wire 42 are symmetrically arranged to be connected between the first connection port 11a and the second connection port 12a. The first auxiliary signal wire 41 has a first voltage level, and the second auxiliary signal wire 42 has a second voltage level. The first electronic device 2 or the second electronic device 3 can use a control signal to change the first voltage level and the second voltage level. For example, the first voltage level can be changed to a high level or a low level, and the second voltage level can also be changed to a high level or a low level. In this way, four results of "high level, high level", "high level, low level", "low level, high level", and "low level, low level" can be obtained by changing the first voltage level and the second voltage level. It should be noted that the above high level or low level is only an example in this embodiment. Those of ordinary skill in the technical field to which the present invention pertains should understand that the first voltage level and the second voltage level are not limited to only being able to measure two states of high and low.

[0055] In the first embodiment of the present invention, the multi-mode USB-C cable 1a further has a first microcontroller 51 and a second microcontroller 52. The first microcontroller 51 and the second microcontroller 52 are respectively symmetrically arranged in the first connection port 11a and the second connection port 12a. Figure 3 In, the first adapter chip 21a and the first microcontroller 51 are respectively arranged on the first side 111a and the second side 112a of the first connection port 11a, and the second adapter chip 22a and the second microcontroller 52 are respectively arranged on the first side 121a and the second side 122a of the second connection port 12a, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration. The first microcontroller 51 and the second microcontroller 52 can have a multi-layer voltage quantizer (such as an ADC) or a single-layer voltage quantizer (such as a comparator) to electrically connect to the first auxiliary signal wire 41 and the second auxiliary signal wire 42 via GPIO (general-purpose input / output), so as to measure and obtain the first voltage level and the second voltage level. The first adapter chip 21a and the second adapter chip 22a then determine how to adjust the signal transmission mode of the transmission wires 31, 32, 33, 34 according to the measured first voltage level and the second voltage level.

[0056] Therefore, in the first embodiment of the present invention, the multi-mode USB-C cable 1a can have at least multiple transmission modes according to the specifications or settings of the first electronic device 2 or the second electronic device 3, including the Universal Serial Bus (USB) mode, the Thunderbolt (TBT) mode, and other possible transmission modes. The first electronic device 2 or the second electronic device 3 can control the levels of the first voltage level and the second voltage level according to different modes. For example, in the USB mode, the first voltage level and the second voltage level are "high level, high level", and in the TBT mode, the first voltage level and the second voltage level are "high level, low level". Similarly, the first voltage level and the second voltage level can also be "low level, high level" or "low level, low level" to represent other possible modes. The high level and the low level of each of the above modes are only examples in this embodiment, and the present invention is not limited to such a setting configuration. The first adapter chip 21a and the second adapter chip 22a can adjust the first set of adjustment parameters and the second set of adjustment parameter signals according to the levels of the first voltage level and the second voltage level, so that the transmission wires 31, 32, 33, and 34 can be adjusted to a suitable signal transmission mode.

[0057] For example, in the USB mode, the first adapter chip 21a and the second adapter chip 22a set the second set of transmission wires 32 and the fourth set of transmission wires 34 for forward transmission, and the first set of transmission wires 31 and the third set of transmission wires 33 for reverse transmission. In the TBT mode, the first adapter chip 21a and the second adapter chip 22a set the second set of transmission wires 32 and the fourth set of transmission wires 34 for forward transmission, and the first set of transmission wires 31 and the third set of transmission wires 33 for reverse transmission. The first adapter chip 21a and the second adapter chip 22a further make the signal transmission power, speed, etc. meet the requirements of the TBT mode specifications. In other modes, the first set to the fourth set of transmission wires 31, 32, 33, and 34 can be set for forward transmission or reverse transmission according to requirements, and other parameters of the first adapter chip 21a and the second adapter 22a can also be further set so that the signal transmission power and speed can meet the requirements of other mode specifications. For example, the first adapter chip 21a and the second adapter chip 22a set all the first set of transmission wires 31, the second set of transmission wires 32, the third set of transmission wires 33, and the fourth set of transmission wires 34 for forward transmission, or the first adapter chip 21a and the second adapter chip 22a set the first set of transmission wires 31, the second set of transmission wires 32, and the third set of transmission wires 33 for forward transmission, and the fourth set of transmission wires 34 for reverse transmission, etc. The present invention is not limited thereto.

[0058] Next, please refer to Figure 4 which is a schematic structural diagram of the second embodiment of the multi-mode USB-C cable of the present invention.

[0059] In the second embodiment of the present invention, the multi-mode USB-C cable 1b includes a first connection port 11b, a second connection port 12b, a first adapter chip 21b, a second adapter chip 22b, a first set of transmission wires 31, a second set of transmission wires 32, a third set of transmission wires 33, a fourth set of transmission wires 34, a first auxiliary signal wire 41, a second auxiliary signal wire 42, a first voltage detector 61, and a second voltage detector 62. The first connection port 11b of the multi-mode USB-C cable 1b has a first side 111b and a second side 112b, and the second connection port 12b has a first side 121b and a second side 122b. The first adapter chip 21b and the second adapter chip 22b are symmetrically arranged within the first side 111b of the first connection port 11b and the first side 121b of the second connection port 12b. The first connection port 11b and the second connection port 12b are electrically connected to the first set of transmission wires 31, the second set of transmission wires 32, the third set of transmission wires 33, and the fourth set of transmission wires 34 through their respective internal pins. The first auxiliary signal wire 41 and the second auxiliary signal wire 42 are symmetrically arranged to be connected between the first connection port 11b and the second connection port 12b, and the first auxiliary signal wire 41 has a first voltage level, and the second auxiliary signal wire 42 has a second voltage level. Different from the first embodiment, the second embodiment has the first voltage detector 61 and the second voltage detector 62, which are symmetrically arranged within the first connection port 11a and the second connection port 12a respectively. In Figure 4 this embodiment, the first adapter chip 21b and the first voltage detector 61 are respectively arranged on the first side 111b and the second side 112b of the first connection port 11b, and the second adapter chip 22b and the second voltage detector 62 are respectively arranged on the first side 121b and the second side 122b of the second connection port 12b, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration. The first voltage detector 61 and the second voltage detector 62 can use their multi-layer voltage quantizers or single-layer voltage quantizers to be directly electrically connected to the first auxiliary signal wire 41 and the second auxiliary signal wire 42, so as to measure and obtain the first voltage level and the second voltage level. The first adapter chip 21a and the second adapter chip 22a then determine how to adjust the signal transmission modes of the transmission wires 31, 32, 33, 34 according to the measured first voltage level and second voltage level.

[0060] Finally, please refer to Figure 5 which is a schematic structural diagram of the third embodiment of the multi-mode USB-C cable of the present invention.

[0061] In the third embodiment of the present invention, the multi-mode USB-C cable 1c includes a first connection port 11c, a second connection port 12c, a first adapter chip 21c, a second adapter chip 22c, a first set of transmission wires 31, a second set of transmission wires 32, a third set of transmission wires 33, a fourth set of transmission wires 34, a first auxiliary signal wire 41, and a second auxiliary signal wire 42. The first connection port 11c of the multi-mode USB-C cable 1c has a first side 111c and a second side 112c, and the second connection port 12c has a first side 121c and a second side 122c. The first adapter chip 21c and the second adapter chip 22c are symmetrically arranged inside the first side 111c of the first connection port 11c and the first side 121c of the second connection port 12c. The first connection port 11c and the second connection port 12c are electrically connected to the first set of transmission wires 31, the second set of transmission wires 32, the third set of transmission wires 33, and the fourth set of transmission wires 34 through their respective internal pins. The first auxiliary signal wire 41 and the second auxiliary signal wire 42 are symmetrically arranged to be connected between the first connection port 11c and the second connection port 12c, and the first auxiliary signal wire 41 has a first voltage level, and the second auxiliary signal wire 42 has a second voltage level. Different from the first and second embodiments, the third embodiment only has the first adapter chip 21c and the second adapter chip 22c. The first adapter chip 21c and the second adapter chip 22c can use their multi-layer voltage quantizers or single-layer voltage quantizers to be directly electrically connected to the first auxiliary signal wire 41 and the second auxiliary signal wire 42, so as to measure and obtain the first voltage level and the second voltage level, and to determine how to adjust the signal transmission modes of the transmission wires 31, 32, 33, 34.

[0062] As can be seen from the above description, the multi-mode USB-C cables 1, 1a, 1b, 1c of the present invention can easily obtain the basis for use mode judgment by using the voltage levels of the first auxiliary signal wire 41 and the second auxiliary signal wire 42 inside them, which is much simpler than the method of using a single CC wire 96 for judgment in the prior art, and can achieve the effect of reducing the manufacturing cost.

[0063] Certainly, the present invention can also have many other embodiments. Without departing from the spirit and essence of the present invention, those skilled in the art can make various corresponding changes and deformations according to the present invention, but these corresponding changes and deformations should all fall within the protection scope of the appended claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A multi-mode USB-C cable that can be connected between a first electronic device and a second electronic device; characterized in that, The multi-mode USB-C cable includes: A first connection port; A second connection port, wherein the first connection port or the second connection port can be respectively connected to the first electronic device or the second electronic device; A plurality of transmission wires connected between the first adapter chip and the second adapter chip, whereby a signal is transmitted between the first electronic device and the second electronic device via the first connection port, the second connection port and the plurality of transmission wires; A first auxiliary signal wire having a first voltage level; A second auxiliary signal wire having a second voltage level, wherein the first auxiliary signal wire and the second auxiliary signal wire are symmetrically arranged to be connected between the first connection port and the second connection port for receiving a control signal from the first electronic device or the second electronic device, thereby changing the first voltage level and the second voltage level; A first adapter chip having a first set of adjustment parameters; and A second adapter chip having a second set of adjustment parameters, wherein the first adapter chip and the second adapter chip are symmetrically arranged within the first connection port and the second connection port for adjusting the first set of adjustment parameters and the second set of adjustment parameters according to the first voltage level and the second voltage level to adjust a signal transmission mode of the plurality of transmission wires.

2. The multi-mode USB-C cable according to claim 1, wherein It further includes: A first microcontroller; And A second microcontroller, wherein the first microcontroller and the second microcontroller detect the first voltage level of the first auxiliary signal wire and the second voltage level of the second auxiliary signal wire, thereby enabling the first adapter chip and the second adapter chip to know the first voltage level and the second voltage level.

3. The multi-mode USB-C cable according to claim 1, wherein It further includes: A first voltage detector; And A second voltage detector, wherein the first voltage detector and the second voltage detector detect the first voltage level of the first auxiliary signal wire and the second voltage level of the second auxiliary signal wire, thereby enabling the first adapter chip and the second adapter chip to know the first voltage level and the second voltage level.

4. The multi-mode USB-C cable according to claim 1, wherein The first adapter chip and the second adapter chip directly detect to know the first voltage level of the first auxiliary signal wire and the second voltage level of the second auxiliary signal wire.

5. The multi-mode USB-C cable according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that The plurality of transmission wires include a first group of transmission wires, a second group of transmission wires, a third group of transmission wires and a fourth group of transmission wires.

6. The multi-mode USB-C cable according to claim 5, wherein, The first set of adjustment parameters and the second set of adjustment parameters are used to adjust a signal transmission direction and a signal transmission specification of the plurality of transmission wires.

7. The multi-mode USB-C cable according to claim 6, wherein The first set of adjustment parameters and the second set of adjustment parameters are used to adjust the second group of transmission wires and the fourth group of transmission wires for forward transmission, and the first group of transmission wires and the third group of transmission wires for reverse transmission.

8. The multi-mode USB-C cable according to claim 6, wherein, The first set of adjustment parameters and the second set of adjustment parameters are used to adjust the first group of transmission wires, the second group of transmission wires, the third group of transmission wires and the fourth group of transmission wires for forward transmission.

9. The multi-mode USB-C cable according to claim 6, wherein, The first set of adjustment parameters and the second set of adjustment parameters are used to adjust the first set of transmission wires, the second set of transmission wires, and the third set of transmission wires to be in forward transmission, and the fourth set of transmission wires to be in reverse transmission.

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