Serial Bus Hub Low Power Device Power Allocation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Passive serial bus hubs face power limitations, and solutions that exceed permitted power draw can reduce battery life in battery-powered devices and violate specifications.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating low power devices within the serial bus hub that allow additional power to be drawn from the host system, which is then usable by other devices, while maintaining compliance with power specifications by reporting reduced power consumption.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Power

If passive serial bus hubs draw more power than permitted from the host system, then the hub can provide sufficient power to non-removable devices and peripheral devices, but it violates power specifications and reduces battery life in battery-powered devices

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower drawVSAvoidspecification compliance

Core Design Contradiction:

PowerVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces low power devices as intermediary components that act as mediators between the host system and the actual power-consuming devices. These low power devices enumerate with the host system to establish power allocation, then redirect the allocated power to non-removable devices and peripheral devices through the serial bus hub, enabling compliant power management

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If passive serial bus hubs draw more power than permitted from the host system, then the hub can support additional devices, but it reduces battery lifetime in battery-powered devices

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice support capabilityVSAvoidbattery lifetime

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDuration of action of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Low power devices serve as intermediaries that enable the hub to support additional devices while maintaining proper power allocation. They enumerate with the host system to establish power budgets, then facilitate power distribution to non-removable devices and peripheral devices, ensuring battery-powered hosts maintain their expected battery lifetime

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If the serial bus hub uses low power devices to draw additional power, then power specifications are maintained, but the hub requires additional device components

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespecification complianceVSAvoidhub structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The low power devices are designed with multi-functionality, serving both as power allocation intermediaries and as functional components within the hub structure. They enumerate with the host system for power management while also providing serial bus connectivity, reducing the need for separate dedicated power management hardware

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS7882297B2Serial bus hub with low power devices

Publication Date: 2011.02.01 MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC

AI summary

Serial bus hub with one or more low power devices. The serial bus hub may include at least one upstream port for coupling to a host system. The serial bus hub may include one or more downstream ports for coupling to peripheral devices. The serial bus hub may include the low power devices which may have no functionality external to the serial bus hub. The presence of the low power devices may allow the serial bus hub to draw additional power from the host system and a substantial portion of the additional power may be usable by other devices. The serial bus hub may be configured to allow the host system and one or more peripheral devices coupled to the one or more downstream ports to communicate.