Expanding Device Hub Port Power Management
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional hubs struggle to determine whether peripheral devices are connected and often continue to provide power to inactive devices, leading to increased power consumption.
Innovation Solution
An expanding device with connection ports, luminescent elements, sensors, and micro-controllers that sense external light and control voltage levels, allowing users to determine device connection and reduce power consumption by switching to sleep mode when data is not transmitted.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the hub provides power to peripheral devices continuously, then the peripheral devices can operate without interruption, but the power consumption of the hub is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The hub dynamically adjusts the power state of each connection port based on real-time detection of peripheral device presence and data transmission status. When no device is connected or no data is being transmitted, the hub transitions the connection port to a low-power state, thereby reducing overall power consumption while ensuring devices receive full power when needed for operation
Solution Approach 2:
The hub implements a feedback mechanism by detecting whether peripheral devices are connected and whether data transmission is occurring. Based on this feedback information, the hub controller automatically adjusts the power supply state of connection ports, switching between normal power mode and sleep mode to optimize energy consumption while maintaining device operational reliability
2Adaptability or versatility
If the hub provides power to all connection ports, then all peripheral devices can be supported, but the power consumption increases when devices are not actively communicating
Solution Approach 1:
The hub employs dynamic power management by continuously monitoring the communication status of each connection port. When a port is detected to be in an idle state (no data transmission), the hub automatically reduces or suspends power supply to that specific port, while maintaining full power availability for ports with active devices, thus achieving adaptability without excessive power consumption
Solution Approach 2:
The hub applies different power supply qualities to different connection ports based on their individual usage states. Active connection ports receive full power to support peripheral device operation, while inactive connection ports are switched to low-power or zero-power modes. This localized quality adjustment allows the hub to maintain versatility across multiple ports while minimizing overall power consumption
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables users to identify connected peripheral devices and reduce power consumption by dynamically adjusting voltage levels based on data transmission, optimizing energy use and operational modes.
Implementation Method 1
The first luminescent element is configured to generate a first light
Implementation Method 2
The sensor senses external light to generate a detection signal
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
An expanding device including at least one connection port, a first luminescent element, a sensor and a micro-controller is provided. The connection port includes a power pin and at least one data pin. The first luminescent element is configured to generate first light. The sensor senses external light to generate a detection signal. The micro-controller controls the brightness or the color of the first light and controls the voltage level of the power pin.