Methods and apparatus for an interface
AssigneeSemiconductor Components Industries, LLC
InventorsAthar Ali Khan. P, Namrata Maniram Pandey
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Various embodiments of the present technology may provide methods and apparatus for an interface. The interface may be configured to detect a hot unplug condition based on a first output voltage at an output terminal of a first buffer circuit and a second output voltage at an output terminal of a second buffer circuit, wherein the first and second buffer circuits receive a common input. The interface may further detect the hot unplug condition based on a difference of a peak magnitude of the first output voltage and a peak magnitude of the second output voltage.
Claims19
An interface circuit, comprising:
- a communication device, comprising:
- an input circuit connected in series with an output circuit;
- and
- a detection circuit comprising:
- a reference buffer comprising an input terminal connected to an output terminal of the input circuit having a first output voltage;
- and
- a magnitude detection circuit comprising:
- a first input terminal connected to an output terminal of the output circuit having a second output voltage;
- and
- a second input terminal connected to an output terminal of the reference buffer;
- wherein the magnitude detection circuit generates a first peak voltage according to the first output voltage and a second peak voltage according to the second output voltage;
- and
- a comparator connected to an output terminal of the magnitude detection circuit and configured to
- generate an output signal based on the first peak voltage and the second peak voltage, wherein the output signal indicates a hot unplug condition.
A method for detecting a hot unplug condition, comprising:
- generating a first output voltage with a buffer amplifier according to a second output voltage of a pre-driver;
- generating a reference voltage with a reference buffer according to the second output voltage of the pre-driver, wherein:
- the reference buffer is connected in parallel with the buffer amplifier;
- and
- the pre-driver is connected in series with both the reference buffer and the buffer amplifier;
- detecting a peak amplitude of the first output voltage;
- detecting a peak amplitude of the reference voltage;
- comparing the peak amplitude of the first output voltage with the peak amplitude of the reference voltage;
- and
- generating an output signal according to the comparison, wherein the output signal indicates the hot unplug condition.
A system, comprising:
- a host device connected to a sink device via an interface circuit, wherein the interface circuit comprises:
- a communication device, comprising an input circuit connected in series with a output circuit, wherein:
- the input circuit generates an intermediate voltage;
- and
- the output circuit generates an output voltage according to the intermediate voltage;
- and
- a detection circuit configured to detect a hot unplug condition, and comprising:
- a reference buffer connected in parallel with the output circuit and in series with the input circuit, wherein the reference buffer generates a reference voltage according to the intermediate voltage;
- a first peak detector connected to an output terminal of the output circuit and configured to generate a first peak signal according to the output voltage;
- a second peak detector connected to an output terminal of the reference buffer and configured to generate a second peak signal according to the reference voltage;
- and
- a comparator, connected to the first peak detector and the second peak detector, configured to generate an output signal according to the first peak signal and the second peak signal, wherein the output signal indicates the hot unplug condition.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.