USB Port Controller Shutdown for Leakage Current Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
USB interfaces face damage due to excessive power consumption caused by leakage currents resulting from foreign materials or short circuits, which existing technologies fail to adequately address until the devices are separated, leading to potential device damage and inefficient power management.
Innovation Solution
A USB interface system that includes a port controller to detect abnormal states, such as leakage currents, and a switch to disconnect power when an abnormal state is detected, ensuring the device enters an unattached state to prevent further power transmission and potential damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the USB interface continues to supply power during abnormal states (leakage current, foreign material, short circuit), then power delivery functionality is maintained, but excessive power consumption occurs and device damage may result
Solution Approach 1:
The port controller performs preliminary detection of abnormal states (leakage current, foreign material, short circuit) before significant power loss or device damage occurs. By detecting these conditions early and turning off the power switch promptly, the system prevents excessive power consumption and protects the USB interface components from damage.
2Measurement precision
If the port controller continuously monitors all USB receptacle pins for abnormal states, then detection accuracy is improved, but device complexity and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The port controller utilizes existing USB receptacle pins that are already part of the universal USB interface structure. By making these existing pins serve the additional function of abnormal state detection, the system achieves accurate monitoring without adding separate dedicated detection components, thereby avoiding increased device complexity.
3Productivity
If the switch remains connected between the power pin and internal circuit during normal operation, then power delivery is efficient, but the device becomes vulnerable to damage from abnormal states
Solution Approach 1:
The switch connection state is made dynamic rather than fixed. During normal operation, the switch remains connected to enable efficient power delivery. When abnormal states are detected (leakage current, foreign material, short circuit), the port controller automatically changes the switch state to disconnected, preventing device damage. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between maintaining efficient power delivery and protecting against harmful abnormal states.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of ensuring power delivery in a universal serial bus (USB) interface between a device and a counterpart device, the device including a port controller and a USB receptacle. The method includes the port controller attempting to detect an abnormal state in which a leakage current occurs in the USB receptacle using at least one pin of the USB receptacle; and when the abnormal state is detected, the port controller turning OFF a switch connected between a power pin of the USB receptacle and an internal circuit of the device, and determining to enter an unattached state of being separated from the counterpart device.