# US 12,009,621 B2 · Device and method of ensuring power delivery in universal serial bus interface

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- Number: US 12,009,621 B2
- Document ID: US12009621B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/739,652
- Filed: 2022-05-09
- Published: 2022-08-18
- Granted: 2024-06-11
- Earliest claimed: 2018-08-20
- Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Je-Kook Kim
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12009621B2

## CPC

- H01R 13/7135: {with ground fault protector (H01R13/7132 takes precedence)}
- H02H 3/16: responsive to fault current to earth, frame or mass (with balanced or differential arrangement H02H3/26 {; monitoring earth connection H02H5/105})
- H02H 1/0007: {concerning the detecting means (in general G01R or other subclasses of G01; reed switches H01H71/2445)}
- H02H 7/20: for electronic equipment (for converters H02H7/10; for electric measuring instruments G01R1/36; for DC voltage or current semiconductor regulators G05F1/569; for amplifiers H03F1/52; for electronic switching circuits H03K17/08)
- H01R 24/60: Contacts spaced along planar side wall transverse to longitudinal axis of engagement
- H01R 2107/00: Four or more poles
- H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
- H02H: EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS (indicating or signalling undesired working conditions G01R, e.g. G01R31/00, G08B; locating faults along lines G01R31/08; emergency protective devices H01H)

## Abstract

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.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A device configured to provide a universal serial bus (USB) interface, the device comprising:
a USB receptacle comprising a plurality of pins;
a power circuit configured to generate at least one voltage;
a switch configured to electrically connect a first pin of the plurality of pins and the power circuit in response to a switch control signal that is activated; and
a port controller configured to apply a test signal to at least one pin of the plurality of pins and generate the switch control signal based on a response to the test signal.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, further comprising a termination circuit configured to provide the USB receptacle with termination in accordance with the USB interface,
wherein the port controller is further configured to apply the test signal to a second pin of the at least one pin by controlling the termination circuit.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The device of claim 2, wherein the port controller is further configured to:
pull down the second pin and sense a first voltage of the second pin;
when a waiting time has elapsed after pulling down the second pin, sense a second voltage of the second pin; and
generate the switch control signal based on the first voltage and the second voltage.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The device of claim 3, wherein the port controller is further configured to:
calculate a charge slope based on the waiting time and a difference between the first voltage and the second voltage; and
generate the deactivated switch control signal when the charge slope is equal to or less than a first reference value.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The device of claim 2, wherein the port controller is further configured to:
pull up the second pin and sense a first voltage of the second pin;
when a waiting time has elapsed after pulling down the second pin, sense a second voltage of the second pin; and
generate the switch control signal based on the first voltage and the second voltage.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The device of claim 5, wherein the port controller is further configured to:
calculate a discharge slope based on the waiting time and a difference between the first voltage and the second voltage; and
generate the deactivated switch control signal when the discharge slope is equal to or less than a second reference value.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the first pin is different from the at least one pin.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The device of claim 7, wherein the USB receptacle is configured to support a USB Type-C™ standard,
the first pin is a VBUS pin, and
the at least one pin comprises at least one of a CC1 pin, a CC2 pin, a D+ pin, a D− pin, an SBU1 pin, an SBU2 pin, a TX1+ pin, a TX1− pin, a TX2+ pin, a TX2− pin, an RX1+ pin, an RX1− pin, an RX2+ pin, and an RX2− pin.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the port controller is further configured to repeat applying the test signal at a pre-set period.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the port controller is further configured to detect an attached state of being connected to a counter device based on the USB interface via the USB receptacle and apply the test signal when the attached state is detected.

### Claim 11

A device configured to provide a universal serial bus (USB) interface, the device comprising:
a USB receptacle comprising a plurality of pins;
a power circuit configured to generate at least one voltage;
a switch configured to electrically connect a first pin of the plurality of pins and the power circuit in response to a switch control signal that is activated; and
a port controller configured to detect an impedance between at least two pins of the plurality of pins and generate the switch control signal based on the detected impedance.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The device of claim 11, further comprising a termination circuit configured to provide the USB receptacle with termination in accordance with the USB interface,
wherein the port controller is further configured to detect a first impedance a third pin and a fourth pin of the at least two pins by controlling the termination circuit.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The device of claim 12, wherein the port controller is further configured to:
pull up the third pin and sense a voltage of the third pin; and
detect the first impedance between third pin and the fourth pin.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The device of claim 13, wherein the port controller is further configured to generate the deactivated switch control signal when the first impedance is less than or equal to a reference value.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The device of claim 11, wherein the first pin is different from the at least two pins.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The device of claim 15, wherein the USB receptacle is configured to support a USB Type-C™ standard,
the first pin is a VBUS pin, and
the at least two pin comprises at least two of a CC1 pin, a CC2 pin, a D+ pin, a D− pin, an SBU1 pin, an SBU2 pin, a TX1+ pin, a TX1− pin, a TX2+ pin, a TX2− pin, an RX1+ pin, an RX1− pin, an RX2+ pin, and an RX2− pin.

### Claim 17 (depends on 11)

The device of claim 11, wherein the port controller is further configured to repeat detecting the impedance at a pre-set period.

### Claim 18 (depends on 11)

The device of claim 11, wherein the port controller is further configured to detect an attached state of being connected to a counter device based on the USB interface via the USB receptacle and detect the impedance when the attached state is detected.

### Claim 19

A method of ensuring power delivery in a universal serial bus (USB) interface, the method comprising:
pulling up or pulling down at least one pin of a plurality of pins included in a USB receptacle;
sensing at least one first voltage of the at least one pin at a first time;
sensing at least one second voltage of the at least one pin at a second time;
determining a rate of change of voltage of the at least one pin between the first time and the second time; and
turning on or turning off, based on the at least one first voltage and the rate of change of voltage of the at least one pin, a switch connected between a first pin of the plurality of pins and a power circuit configured to generate at least one voltage for the power delivery.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, wherein the first pin is different from the at least one pin.