Network Apparatus Enabling Circuit for Power Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing power-saving methods for electrical equipment, such as chip enable/power down mechanisms, often require additional pins and burden the host's operation system, and Plug and Play chips lack a dedicated pin for power-saving modes, leading to inefficient power management.
Innovation Solution
A network apparatus with an enabling circuit that generates an internal enabling signal to control the application circuit during the boot-strap period, allowing for power management without additional pins and reducing the host's operational burden, using a communication interface to determine whether to enable or disable the application circuit based on external instructions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If a chip enable/power down pin is used for power saving, then power consumption is reduced, but the device complexity increases due to additional pins and host operation burden
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the power-saving function with the existing communication interface by using its interrupt capability. The enabling circuit generates an internal enabling signal that leverages the communication interface's interrupt mechanism, merging two functions (communication and power management) into a single integrated system without adding separate control pins.
Solution Approach 2:
The network apparatus performs self-power-management by autonomously generating the internal enabling signal through its enabling circuit. The system monitors its own operational state and automatically activates or deactivates the application circuit based on whether communication operations are needed, eliminating the need for external host control.
2Adaptability or versatility
If software instructions are used to control power-saving mode in Plug and Play chips, then power management is achieved, but the efficiency of power saving is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces software-based power control with a hardware-based enabling circuit that operates autonomously. The circuit uses electrical signals and logic gates to automatically manage power states, substituting the slow software instruction pathway with a faster hardware-level control mechanism that responds immediately to communication interface status.
Solution Approach 2:
The enabling circuit is pre-configured to automatically activate the application circuit when communication operations are detected. By anticipating power needs based on communication interface activity, the system proactively powers up components before they are needed and powers them down immediately after use, rather than waiting for software commands.
3Reliability
If additional enable pins are added to Plug and Play chips for power saving, then power control is improved, but the host's operational burden increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the communication interface serve multiple functions: both data communication and power management control. The same interrupt mechanism that handles communication events is also used to trigger power-saving actions, eliminating the need for dedicated enable pins and reducing the host's operational burden while maintaining reliable power control.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention discloses a network apparatus and enabling method thereof. During the procedure of voltage biasing or host booting, an enabling signal generated in this network apparatus is provided for enabling the internal application circuit at first. At the time of data connection between the network apparatus and a corresponding host apparatus, the host apparatus is able to enable or disable the application circuit of the network apparatus via a predetermined pin.