USB Port Controller Automatic Retransmission Logic
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional multi-port USB systems require separate USB port controllers for each port, leading to redundancy and increased complexity, especially when implementing USB Power Delivery (USB-PD) specifications, which involve independent power negotiation and message processing.
Innovation Solution
The described solution involves a host processor that implements the upper protocol layer and policy engine, with individual USB port controllers handling lower protocol layers and physical layers, enabling automatic retransmission of packets and acknowledgment of incoming data independently of the host processor, reducing redundancy and complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate USB port controllers are used for each port, then each port can independently manage USB-PD messaging and power negotiation, but system complexity and redundancy increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the upper protocol layer and policy engine into a single shared resource that can be accessed by multiple USB port controllers. This allows multiple ports to share common power delivery management logic while maintaining independent physical layer operations, thereby reducing redundancy and system complexity while preserving independent power negotiation capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The shared upper protocol layer and policy engine are designed to serve multiple USB port controllers simultaneously. This universal component can handle power negotiation and messaging for any connected device regardless of which specific port is used, eliminating the need for duplicate functionality in each port controller and reducing overall system complexity.
2Reliability
If automatic retransmission and acknowledgment are implemented in the port controller, then communication reliability improves, but port controller complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The port controller is equipped with automatic retransmission and acknowledgment capabilities that operate independently without requiring host processor intervention. The controller monitors its own communication status and autonomously retransmits packets when acknowledgments are not received, making the system more reliable while keeping the host processor free for other tasks.
Solution Approach 2:
The USB port controller is segmented into distinct functional modules: physical layer handling, lower protocol layer processing, and automatic retransmission/acknowledgment management. This modular segmentation allows each function to operate independently and efficiently, improving communication reliability without significantly increasing overall controller complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
Described examples include USB controllers and methods of interfacing a host processor with one or more USB ports with the host processor implementing an upper protocol layer and a policy engine for negotiating USB power delivery parameters, in which the USB controller includes a logic circuit implementing a lower protocol layer to provide automatic outgoing data transmission retries independent of the upper protocol layer of the host processor. The controller logic circuit further implements automatic incoming data packet validity verification and acknowledgment independent of the upper protocol layer of the host processor.