Composite Cable Power Control via Electrical Characteristic Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing power control technologies for composite cables require dedicated control signal lines and complex circuit configurations to manage power supply and bi-directional signal transmission, limiting convenience and efficiency.

Innovation Solution

An electronic apparatus with a detection unit to monitor electrical characteristics of main power via a composite cable and a control unit to adjust main power supply based on these detections, eliminating the need for dedicated control signal lines and simplifying the circuit configuration.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If dedicated control signal lines are used for power control, then power supply reliability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower supply reliabilityVSAvoidcircuit configuration complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines power supply and control signal transmission into a single composite cable. The detection unit monitors power cable characteristics (current, voltage, impedance) to infer connection status and control power supply, eliminating the need for separate control signal lines while maintaining reliable power control through the unified cable system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The power cable is designed to serve multiple functions simultaneously: power supply and bi-directional signal transmission. By detecting electrical characteristics of the power cable itself, the system uses the same physical medium for both energy transfer and control information exchange, reducing overall system complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Ease of operation

If a composite cable performs both power supply and signal transmission, then ease of operation is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecable connection convenienceVSAvoidelectrical characteristic detection accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The detection unit acts as an intermediary that monitors electrical characteristics (current, voltage, impedance) of the composite cable to indirectly determine connection status and control power supply. This mediator approach allows the system to maintain measurement precision by detecting power cable parameters while benefiting from the simplified composite cable structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces mechanical or separate electrical control signal transmission with electrical characteristic detection of the power cable itself. By substituting dedicated control lines with detection of power cable electrical properties, the system achieves both operational simplicity and sufficient measurement precision for power control purposes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS11307603B2Electronic apparatus and control method for electronic apparatus

Publication Date: 2022.04.19 CANON KK

AI summary

An electronic apparatus comprises a detection unit configured to detect electrical characteristics of main power, via a composite cable, changed in accordance with subsidiary power supplied through the composite cable configured to perform power supply and bi-directional signal transmission; and a control unit configured to control the main power supplied through the composite cable in accordance with a result of detection by the detection unit.