# US 2023/0056239 A1 · Thermal mitigation for usb power delivery > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2023/0056239 A1 - Document ID: US20230056239A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/978,923 - Filed: 2022-11-01 - Published: 2023-02-23 - Earliest claimed: 2020-02-21 - Assignees: QUALCOMM Incorporated - Applicants: Qualcomm Incorporated - Inventors: Lalan Jee MISHRA; Richard Dominic WIETFELDT; James Lionel PANIAN; Georgios Konstantinos PAPARRIZOS - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20230056239A1 ## CPC - H01R 13/6683: {with built-in sensor} - G06F 1/20: Cooling means - G06F 1/206: {comprising thermal management} - G06F 1/266: {Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips} - H01B 7/421: {for heat dissipation} - H01R 13/533: Bases, cases made for use in extreme conditions, e.g. high temperature, radiation, vibration, corrosive environment, pressure (H01R13/52 takes precedence) - H01R 13/6675: {with built-in power supply} - H01R 31/06: Intermediate parts for linking two coupling parts, e.g. adapter (with a holder adapted for supporting apparatus to which its counterpart is attached H01R33/94) - H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H01B: CABLES; CONDUCTORS; INSULATORS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR CONDUCTIVE, INSULATING OR DIELECTRIC PROPERTIES (selection for magnetic properties H01F1/00; waveguides H01P {; printed circuits H05K}) ## Abstract Thermal mitigation features may be included in a Universal Serial Bus (USB) cable assembly or in the USB receptacle portion of a device. In one aspect, one or both ends of a USB cable jacket may have greater thermal conductivity than the portion between them. The portion having the greater thermal conductivity may dissipate excess heat from the cable into the environment. In another aspect, a USB cable connector or the USB receptacle portion of a device may include a thermoelectric heat pump. The thermoelectric heat pump may move excess heat from the cable assembly or receptacle into a portion of the cable assembly or device that dissipates the heat into the environment. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-5. (canceled) ### Claim 6 A connector apparatus, comprising: a connector having a plurality of electrical contacts; and a thermoelectric heat pump device coupled to the connector. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The connector apparatus of claim 6, wherein the connector is included in a cable assembly, the connector has a plug configuration, and the thermoelectric heat pump is enclosed within a plug overmold of the connector. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The connector apparatus of claim 7, wherein the connector includes at least one active electronic device within the plug overmold, and the thermoelectric heat pump is thermally coupled to the active electronic device and the overmold. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The connector apparatus of claim 8, wherein the plug configuration is Universal Serial Bus—Power Delivery (USB-PD). ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The connector apparatus of claim 6, wherein the connector has a receptacle configuration, and the connector and the thermoelectric heat pump are located in a device housing. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The connector apparatus of claim 10, wherein the thermoelectric heat pump is thermally coupled to the connector and the device housing. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The connector apparatus of claim 10, wherein the receptacle configuration is Universal Serial Bus—Power Delivery (USB-PD). ### Claim 13 (depends on 6) The connector apparatus of claim 6, further comprising: a temperature sensor; and a temperature controller coupled to the temperature sensor and configured to activate the thermoelectric heat pump device in response to a sensed temperature greater than a threshold. ### Claim at position 10 -18. (canceled) ### Claim 19 A connector apparatus, comprising: means for electrically and mechanically mating a first plurality of electrical contacts to a mating connector; and means for thermoelectrically dissipating thermal energy. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The connector apparatus of claim 19, wherein the means for electrically and mechanically mating is included in a cable assembly, the means for electrically and mechanically mating has a plug configuration, and the means for thermoelectrically dissipating thermal energy is enclosed within the means for electrically and mechanically mating. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The connector apparatus of claim 20, wherein the plug configuration is Universal Serial Bus—Power Delivery (USB-PD). ### Claim 22 (depends on 19) The connector apparatus of claim 19, wherein the means for electrically and mechanically mating has a receptacle configuration, and the means for electrically and mechanically mating and the means for thermoelectrically dissipating thermal energy are located in a device housing. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The connector apparatus of claim 22, wherein the receptacle configuration is Universal Serial Bus—Power Delivery (USB-PD). ### Claim at position 16 -27. (canceled) ### Claim 28 A method for dissipating thermal energy in a connector system, comprising: mating a first connector of the connector system having a first plurality of electrical contacts to a second connector of the connector system having a second plurality of electrical contacts; and thermoelectrically dissipating thermal energy from at least one of the first connector and the second connector. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The method of claim 28, wherein the mating comprises plugging a Universal Serial Bus—Power Delivery (USB-PD) plug of a USB-PD cable assembly into a USB-PD receptacle of a device, and thermoelectrically dissipating thermal energy comprises thermoelectrically dissipating thermal energy using a thermoelectric heat pump within the USB-PD plug. ### Claim 30 (depends on 28) The method of claim 28, wherein the mating comprises plugging a Universal Serial Bus—Power Delivery (USB-PD) plug of a USB-PD cable assembly into a USB-PD receptacle of a device, and thermoelectrically dissipating thermal energy comprises thermoelectrically dissipating thermal energy using a thermoelectric heat pump in contact with the USB-PD receptacle within a housing of the device.