Method and apparatus for powering an electronic device

An apparatus for monitoring a process of powering an electronic device through a cable assembly, the cable assembly comprising a cable connected between a power supply and said electronic device, the apparatus comprising:

• a synchronization signal generator configured to generate a synchronization signal at a predetermined frequency;
• a test signal generator configured to generate, based on the synchronization signal, a test signal and to apply the test signal to one end of the cable;
• a filter unit configured to detect a response signal at the one end of the cable, the response signal resulting from applying the test signal to the cable assembly, wherein the filter unit comprises a high pass filter with
• an input capacitor arranged in between an input of the high pass filter and a non-inverting input of an operational amplifier;
• a feedback resistor arranged between the output of the high pass filter and an inverting input of the operational amplifier;
• a second resistor arranged in between the inverting input of the operational amplifier and a reference voltage;
• the operational amplifier, wherein an output of the operational amplifier is connected to the output of the high pass filter;
• and
• a switch configured to connect the non-inverting input of the operational amplifier with the reference voltage;
• and
• an impedance estimation unit configured to determine, based on the response signal and based on the synchronization signal, a first quantity indicative of a real part of an impedance of the cable assembly and a second quantity indicative of an imaginary part of the impedance of the cable assembly.

A method of monitoring a process of powering an electronic device through a cable assembly, the cable assembly comprising a cable connected between a power supply and said electronic device, the method comprising:

• generating a synchronization signal at a predetermined frequency using a synchronization signal generator;
• generating a test signal based on the synchronization signal and applying the test signal to one end of the cable using a test signal generator;
• detecting a response signal at the one end of the cable, the response signal resulting from applying the test signal to the cable assembly using a filter unit;
• and
• determining, based on the response signal and the synchronization signal, a first quantity indicative of a real part of an impedance of the cable assembly and a second quantity indicative of an imaginary part of the impedance of the cable assembly using an impedance estimation unit;
• the method further comprising
• connecting the response signal to an input of a first low pass filter at times indicated by the synchronization signal and isolating the input of the first low pass filter from the response signal at times indicated by the synchronization signal;
• connecting the response signal to an input of a second low pass filter at times indicated by an inverted version of the synchronization signal and isolating the input of the second low pass filter from the response signal at times indicated by the inverted version of the synchronization signal;
• and
• determining the first quantity by determining a difference between a first signal at the output of the first low pass filter and a second signal at the output of the second low pass filter.

A method of monitoring a process of powering an electronic device through a cable assembly, the cable assembly comprising a cable connected between a power supply and said electronic device, the method comprising:

• generating a synchronization signal at a predetermined frequency using a synchronization signal generator;
• generating a test signal based on the synchronization signal and applying the test signal to one end of the cable using a test signal generator;
• detecting a response signal at the one end of the cable, the response signal resulting from applying the test signal to the cable assembly using a filter unit;
• and
• determining, based on the response signal and the synchronization signal, a first quantity indicative of a real part of an impedance of the cable assembly and a second quantity indicative of an imaginary part of the impedance of the cable assembly using an impedance estimation unit;
• the method further comprising
• generating a shifted synchronization signal by shifting a phase of the synchronization signal by 90 degree;
• connecting the response signal to an input of a first low pass filter at times indicated by the shifted synchronization signal and isolating the input of the first low pass filter from the response signal at times indicated by the shifted synchronization signal;
• connecting the response signal to an input of a second low pass filter at times indicated by an inverted version of the shifted synchronization signal and isolating the input of the second low pass filter from the response signal at times indicated by the inverted version of the shifted synchronization signal;
• and
• determining the second quantity by determining a difference between a first signal at the output of the first low pass filter and a second signal at the output of the second low pass filter.