Untethered Cable Protection Circuitry for Exposed Voltage Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing untethered cables lack safety measures to prevent injury from exposed power supply voltages and fail to disconnect power when damaged, posing risks to users and equipment.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of protection circuitry within the cables that acts as an intermediary to ensure safe power delivery by verifying the presence of a valid electronic device, detecting cable damage, and limiting power until safety criteria are met.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If power is provided through the cable connector without protection circuitry, then power delivery capability is improved, but user safety deteriorates due to exposed voltages at connector contacts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces protection circuitry as an intermediary component between the power adapter and the electronic device. This circuitry includes control circuits that monitor connection status, detect cable damage, and regulate power delivery. The protection circuitry acts as a mediator that allows power transmission while simultaneously preventing harmful voltage exposure through intelligent control and safety mechanisms.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If protection circuitry is added to the cable, then user safety is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protection circuitry is segmented into distinct functional modules including connection detection circuits, cable damage detection circuits, and power regulation circuits. Each module performs a specific safety function, allowing the complex protection system to be broken down into manageable, independent components that can be designed, tested, and maintained separately.
3Reliability
If the cable uses authentication and handshaking protocols to verify device validity, then power safety is improved, but communication complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary authentication and handshaking protocols that are executed before power delivery begins. The control circuits engage in communication sequences to verify the electronic device's validity, check cable integrity, and establish safe operating parameters. Only after these preliminary verification steps are successfully completed does the system enable full power delivery.
4Reliability
If the protection circuitry continuously monitors cable integrity and connection status, then reliability is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protection circuitry employs periodic monitoring instead of continuous monitoring. The control circuits perform cable integrity checks and connection status verification at predetermined intervals or triggered by specific events such as connection establishment or power state changes. This periodic approach maintains system reliability while significantly reducing the average power consumption compared to continuous monitoring.
Data Source
AI summary
Circuits, methods, and apparatus that can provide an untethered cable that can safely provide power using a variety of power adapters, can protect users from voltages at exposed contacts of a connector insert, and can disconnect from a power adapter when damage to the cable is detected.