Port Controller Power Path Short Detection
AssigneeAlpha and Omega Semiconductor International LP
InventorMichael Scheel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and method in an electronic system including multiple serial ports, each coupled to a port controller circuit. In one embodiment, the method includes providing a monitor terminal at each port controller circuit, each monitor terminal having a first resistance value; connecting together electrically at least two of the monitor terminals of the port controller circuits of the multiple serial ports; and sensing, at each port controller circuit, a first voltage at the monitor terminal. In operation, when the first voltage is outside a predetermined voltage window, a first signal is generated at a first port controller circuit where the first signal has a state indicating a failure detected in at least one of the port controller circuits with connected monitor terminals.
Claims21
A method in an electronic system including a plurality of serial ports, each serial port being coupled to a port controller circuit, the method comprising:
- providing, at each serial port, a monitor terminal at each port controller circuit, each monitor terminal having a first resistance value;
- connecting together electrically at least two of the monitor terminals of the port controller circuits of the plurality of serial ports;
- sensing, at each port controller circuit, a first voltage at the monitor terminal;
- in response to the first voltage being within a predetermined voltage window, generating at a first port controller circuit, a first signal having a first state indicating no failure detected in the port controller circuits with connected monitor terminals;
- in response to the first voltage being outside the predetermined voltage window, generating, at the first port controller circuit, the first signal having a second state indicating a failure detected in at least one of the port controller circuits with connected monitor terminals;
- and
- in response to the first signal having the second state, disabling the port controller circuits of the plurality of serial ports.
A system including a plurality of serial ports, the system comprising:
- a plurality of port controller circuits, each port controller circuit being coupled to a respective serial port, each port controller circuit including a monitor terminal having a first resistance value;
- wherein at least two of the monitor terminals of the port controller circuits are connected together electrically;
- wherein each port controller circuit senses a first voltage at the monitor terminal, and in response to the first voltage being within a predetermined voltage window, a first port controller circuit generates a first signal having a first state indicating no failure detected in the port controller circuits with connected monitor terminals, and in response to the first voltage being outside the predetermined voltage window, the first port controller circuit generates the first signal having a second state indicating a failure detected in at least one of the port controller circuits with connected monitor terminals;
- and wherein in response to the first signal having the second state, the plurality of port controller circuits are disabled.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.