System and method for powering a peripheral device
AssigneeResearch In Motion Limited
InventorsDavid Mak-Fan, Dusan Veselic, Max Matton
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system for powering a peripheral device with a host device is described. The system includes N host interface power ports, each adapted for coupling to a corresponding host port on the host device to deliver power to the peripheral device. A current adding unit adds current received from the host device via at least the N host interface power ports to produce a total current. A power terminal is coupled to the peripheral device to send the total current from the current adding unit to the peripheral device.
Claims18
A system for powering a peripheral device with a host device, the system comprising
- N host interface power ports, where N is an integer greater than zero, each host interface power port adapted for coupling to a corresponding host port on the host device to deliver power to the peripheral device;
- a current adding unit for adding current received from the host device via at least the N host interface power ports to produce a total current;
- a power terminal adapted for coupling to the peripheral device to send the total current from the current adding unit to the peripheral device;
- and
- N microcontrollers, each microcontroller being coupled to a corresponding one of the N host interface power ports, wherein the N microcontrollers are adapted to communicate with the host device for enumeration.
A method for powering a peripheral device with a host device, the method comprising
- providing an interface system having N host interface power ports, where N is an integer greater than zero, and a power terminal;
- connecting each N host interface power ports to a corresponding host port on the host device to deliver power to the peripheral device;
- the interface system adding current received from the host device via at least the N host interface power ports to produce a total current;
- connecting the power terminal to the peripheral device to send the total current from the interface system to the peripheral device;
- and
- coupling each of N microcontroller of the interface system to a corresponding one of the N host interface power ports for enumeration.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.