(12) United States Patent
`US 6,904,488 32
`(10) Patent No.:
`Matsumoto et al.
`
`(45) Date of Patent: Jun. 7, 2005
`
`U5006904488B2
`
`(54) PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE
`COMPRISING COMMON SERIAL BUS
`CONNECTOR
`
`(75)
`
`(73)
`
`Inventors: Katsuyuki Matsumoto, Hirakata (JP);
`Masanao Yoshida, Osaka (JP)
`
`Assignees: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd., Moriguehi
`(JP); Sanyo Technosound Co., Ltd.,
`Daito (JP)
`
`Notice:
`
`(*)
`
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`U.S.C. 154(b) by 301 days.
`
`(21)
`(22)
`
`(:65)
`
`Appl. No.2 09/741,018
`Filed:
`Dec. 21, 2000
`Prior Publication Data
`
`US 2001/0005641 A1 Jun. 28, 2001
`
`Foreign Application Priority Data
`(30)
`Dec. 27, 1999
`(JP)
`........................................... 11-370327
`
`Int. Cl.7 ................................................ G06F 13/20
`(51)
`(52) U.S. Cl.
`......................... 710/313; 710/305; 710/73;
`713/320; 713/324; 713/340; 713/300; 713/330;
`700/66
`(58) Field of Search ................................. 710/313, 305,
`710/73; 713/320, 324, 300, 330, 340; 700/66
`
`(50)
`
`References Cited
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`5,028,336 A
`6,058,441 A *
`6,178,514 B1 *
`6,516,418 B1 4‘
`6,697,892 B1 *
`
`7/1000 Takeuchi
`....................... 710/1
`5/2000 Shu ......
`710/100
`
`
`.. 713/300
`1/2001 Wood
`.. 713/320
`2/2003 Lee .....
`
`2/2004 Laily et a .
`................... 710/72
`
`W0
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`WO 96-13802
`5/1996
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`
`Lynn, K. “Universal serial bus (USB) power management”
`Sep. 15—17, 1998, Wescon/98 Conference Proceedings, pp.
`1 947201 ,*
`Lynn, K. “Universal serial bus (USB) power management”
`Nov, 476, 1998, Wescon/97 Conference Proceedings, pp,
`434—441.*
`“Universal Serial Bus Specification” Revision 10, pp,
`111—136, Jan. 15, 1996*
`
`* cited by examiner
`Primary anminer~Anthony Knight
`Assistant Examiner—Thomas Pham
`(74) Attorney. Agent, or Firm—Armstrong, Kratz, Quintos,
`Hanson & Brooks, LLP
`
`(57)
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`A portable electronic device according to the invention
`comprises a USB connector 4, a USB controller 6 for
`executing predetermined data communication processing
`attendant on data communication with a personal computer
`2 connected to the USB connector 4, and a main CPU 7 for
`executing device operation processing for the usual opera-
`tion of the device, and is adapted to receive a power supply
`from the personal computer 2 or an external power source 3
`as connected to the USB connector 4. Discriminating
`between the sources of supply of power, the main CPU 7
`causes the USB controller 6 to execute the predetermined
`data communication processing while power is supplied
`from the personal computer 2, or executes the usual device
`operation processing While power is supplied from the
`external power source 3. This assures more rapid and
`Simplified processing even when the USB connector is used
`also as a connector [or the external power source.
`
`5 Claims, 2 Drawing Sheets
`
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`US. Patent
`
`Jun. 7, 2005
`
`Sheet 2 0f 2
`
`US 6,904,488 B2
`
`82
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`L
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`RETRIEVE VOLTAGE
`VALUE Vdet
`
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`
`POWER SOURCE
`
`VOLTAGE 2 4.4V ?
`
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`NOTIFY USB CONTROLLER
`
`DATA REPRODUCTION
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`Huawei V. FISHI Exhibit No. 1008 - 3/6
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`

`

`US 6,904,488 B2
`
`1
`PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE
`COMPRISING COMMON SERIAL BUS
`CONNECTOR
`
`FIELD OF THE INVENTION
`
`invention relates to portable electronic
`The present
`devices such as audio players or digital cameras of the
`portable type, and more particularly to portable electronic
`devices comprising a common serial bus connector compli-
`ant with a common serial bus standard, such as a USB
`connector conforming to the USB (Universal Serial Bus)
`standard, for connecting a plurality of peripheral devices in
`common to a host information processing device,
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
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`Portable electronic devices such as audio players or
`digital cameras of the portable type conventionally have
`incorporated therein a dry cell or secondary cell serving as
`the power source to realize the portability of the device. In
`some cases, however, it is desired to connect a commercial
`ac. power source or like external power source to such a
`device and operate the device therewith, This nevertheless
`entails the problem that the provision of a connector for
`connecting the extemal power source to the portable elec-
`tronic device renders the device greater in size.
`In recent years, USB has attracted attention as a universal
`interface for connecting a plurality of peripheral devices in
`common to a host personal computer, and studies are under-
`way for providing USB connectors, which are compliant
`with the USB standard, on various portable electronic
`devices. The USB connector has a pair of data terminals D+
`and D—, power source terminal and ground terminal, and can
`be used for supplying power to peripheral devices by way of
`the power source terminal.
`Accordingly,
`it appears feasible to provide the USB
`connector on a portable electronic device for use with an a.c.
`adaptor (external power source) connectable to the power
`source terminal of the USB connector, and to connect the
`ac. adaptor to the power source terminal of the USB
`connector for the supply of power to the device, the USB
`connector thus serving also as a connector for the connection
`of the external power source, whereby an increase in the size
`of the electronic device is avoidable.
`However, it is usual practice with the portable electronic
`device (compliant with the USB standard) having the USB
`connector to provide a main CPU for executing predeter-
`mined device operation processing for various operations of
`the device including reproduction of data, and a USB
`controller separate from the main CPU and adapted to
`execute predetermined data processing for carrying out data
`communication with the personal computer through the
`USB connector so as to ensure simplified processing. When
`the personal computer is connected to the USB connector on
`the portable electronic device in this case, it is necessary for
`the USB controller to conduct data communication with the
`personal computer with a definite period as required by the
`USB standard, so that the leadership in data processing is
`taken over by the USB controller from the main CPU. This
`entails the problem that even if the user gives the portable
`electronic device a command for data reproduction (play
`operation), the main CPU is unable to rapidly execute device
`operation processing for data reproduction.
`Further while the USB controller is connected to the
`personal computer for data communication, some kind of
`data is handled also between the main CPU and the USB
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`controller. This gives rise to the problem that the main CPU
`must execute very complicated processing since there is a
`need for the main CPU to execute device processing for data
`reproduction in this state.
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`invention is to
`Accordingly, an object of the present
`provide a portable electronic device which has a USB
`connector or like common serial bus connector and which is
`adapted to execute simplified processing at a higher speed
`even when the connector serves also as a connector for the
`connection of an external power source.
`The present
`invention provides a portable electronic
`device comprising a common serial bus connector, a com—
`mon serial bus controller for executing predetermined data
`communication processing attendant on data communica—
`tion with an information processing device connected to the
`common serial bus connector, and a control circuit con—
`nected to the common serial bus controller for executing
`device operation processing for the usual operation of the
`electronic device,
`the electronic device being capable of
`receiving a power supply from the information processing
`device or an external power source as connected to the
`common serial bus cormector or from an internal power
`source.
`
`The control circuit discriminates among the sources of
`supply ofpower and causes the common serial bus control—
`ler to execute the predetermined data communication pro-
`cessing while power is supplied from the information pro—
`cessing device, or executes the usual device operation
`processng while power is supplied from the external power
`source or the internal power source.
`With the portable electronic device of the present
`invention, processing is assigned according to the source of
`supply of power;
`the control circuit causes the common
`serial bus controller to execute the predetermined data
`communication processing when the information processing
`device is the power source, or executes the usual device
`operation processing, such as data reproduction control,
`when the external power source or the intemal power source
`is the source of supply of power. Thus, the control circuit
`and the common serial bus controller perform processing as
`distinctly dividedly assigned thereto according to the source
`of supply of power. This ensures simplified processing at a
`higher speed.
`the control circuit comprises
`Stated more specifically,
`discriminating means for judging which of the information
`processing device and the external power source is con-
`nected to the common serial bus connector, and control
`means for causing the common serial bus controller to
`execute the predetermined data communication processing
`when the connection of the information processing device to
`the common serial bus connector is recognized, or executes
`the usual device operation processing when the connection
`of the external power source to the common serial bus
`connector is recognized.
`The discriminating means identifies the source of supply
`of power based on the voltage value of the power supply
`terminal of the common serial bus connector, or identifies
`the source of supply of power depending on whether the
`common serial bus controller has started data communica—
`tion via the common serial bus connector.
`According to the former method, the supply voltage of the
`external power source is made lower or higher than the
`voltage of the power supply terminal of the common serial
`bus connector. The difierence in the voltage value of the
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`US 6,904,488 B2
`
`3
`power supply terminal makes it possible to discriminate
`among the sources of supply of power. Further with the latter
`method, when the common serial bus controller started data
`communication via the common serial bus connector within
`a predetermined period of time, the information processing
`device is found to be the source of supply of power, whereas
`if data communication has not been started within the
`predetermined period of time, the external power source is
`found to be the supply source. Although the source of power
`supply can be identified by either of these methods,
`the
`former method based on the voltage value permits more
`rapid discrimination or identification.
`Further stated more specifically, the control circuit com-
`prises means for detecting the connection of the information
`processing device or the external power source to the
`common serial bus connector based on the binary state (high
`or low) of voltage level of the power supply terminal
`thereof, and the discriminating means identifies the source
`of supply of power according to the result of detection.
`The binary state of voltage level of the power supply
`terlninal
`is changed by the connection of the information
`processing device or the external power source to the
`common serial bus connector, so that the control circuit can
`be initiated into operation from sleep state according to the
`change to identify the source of supply of power.
`As described above, the portable electronic device of the
`invention having a common serial bus connector is adapted
`to execute simplified processing at a higher speed even when
`the connector serves also for the connection of the external
`power source.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the construction of a
`portable electronic device embodying the invention; and
`FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing the control procedure to be
`performed by a main CPU.
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT
`
`An embodiment of the present invention will be described
`below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows
`a portable electronic device 1 of the invention, which has a
`USB connector 4. A USB connector 5 of a personal com-
`puter 2 serving as a host can be connected to the USB
`connector 4 by a USB cable 11, or an external power source
`3 such as an ac adaptor can be connected to the USB
`connector 4 by a power source cable 12. The USB connector
`4 has a pair of data terminals D+ and D—, a power source
`terminal VDD and a ground terminal GND.
`The portable electronic device 1 comprises a USB con-
`troller 6 for executing predetermined data processing for
`conducting data communication with the personal computer
`2 through the USB connector 4, a main CPU 7 for executing
`predetermined device operation processing for various
`operations of the device including re production of data, and
`a memory 9 for storing the data downloaded from the
`personal computer 2.
`The pair of data terminals D+ and D— of the USB
`connector 4 are connected to a pair of data terminals D+ and
`D— provided on the USB controller 6. The power source
`voltage obtained from the power source terminal VDD of the
`USB connector 4 is adjusted to 3.3 V by a voltage regulator
`8 and then supplied to the USB controller 6 and the main
`CPU 7.
`
`When the personal computer 2 is connected to the USB
`connector 4, the power source voltage to be supplied from
`
`4
`the USB connector 5 of the personal computer 2 is pre—
`scribed at 4.75 V to 5.25 V. Further when a hub is connected
`to the USB connector 4 in the case where the personal
`computer 2, etc. provide a LAN, the power source voltage
`to be supplied from the hub is prescribed at 4.4 V to 5.25 V.
`According to the present invention, on the other hand, the
`voltage to be supplied from the external power source 3 is
`set at 4.0 V to 4.3 V. This makes it possible to discriminate
`between the sources of supply of power as will be described
`later and to avoid damage to other USB device even if the
`external power source 3 is connected to the device.
`Extending from the power source terminal VDD of the
`USB connector 4 is a branch line 13 which is connected to
`inverting means 10 and then to a USB connection detecting
`terminal USBin provided on the main CPU 7. The branch
`line 13 has connected thereto a pair of voltage dividing
`resistors R1 and R2, and an intermediate point between the
`resistors is connected to a voltage detecting terminal Vdet
`provided on the main CPU 7.
`FIG. 2 shows the control procedure to be executed by the
`main CPU 7. First when the personal computer 2 or the
`external power source 3 is connected to the USB connector
`4 of the portable electronic device I in step S1, this changes
`the voltage at the USB connection detecting terminal USBin
`from high to low, with the result that the main CPU 7 rises
`from sleep mode.
`is
`the voltage value Vdet
`Subsequently in step S2,
`retrieved from the voltage detecting terminal Vdet, and
`based on this voltage value Vdet, an inquiry is made in step
`S3 as to whether the power source voltage is at least 4.4 V.
`When the personal computer 2 or hub is connected to the
`USB connector 4, the power source voltage is within the
`range of 4.4 V to 5.25 V, so that the inquiry is answered in
`the affirmative, followed by step S4. If the external power
`source 3 is connected to the USB connector 4, on the other
`hand, the answer is negative since the power source voltage
`is in the range of 4.0 V to 4.3 V, followed by step S5.
`In step S4, the main CPU 7 notifies the USB controller 6
`of the connection of the personal computer 2 to the USB
`connector 4, sets the controller 6 in communication mode
`and causes the controller 6 to start data communication
`processng with the personal computer 2.
`In step SS, on the other hand, the CPU 7 controls charging
`of the built-in secondary cell (not shown) as required, and
`executes device operation processing, such as data repro—
`duction control, in response to the user’s manipulation.
`Thus, when the personal computer 2 is connected to the
`portable electronic device of the present invention by means
`of the USB connector 4, the USB controller 6 is caused to
`execute only data communication processing assigned
`thereto, while when the external power source 3 is connected
`to the device, the main CPU 7 executes only device opera—
`tion processing assigned thereto. In this way, the processing
`to be executed is distinctly divided in two. This assures the
`main CPU 7 of simplified processing at a higher speed.
`For example, in the case where the personal computer 2
`is connected to the USB connector 4 of the portable elec—
`tronic device 1 for downloading data from the computer 2 to
`the electronic device 1, the main CPU 7 entrnsts the USB
`controller 6 with the processing, with the result that the USB
`controller 6 performs data communication with the com—
`puter 2 and stores the data downloaded therefrom via the
`USB connector 4 in the memory 9.
`When the portable electronic device I is thereafter given
`a command to reproduce the data stored in the memory 9,
`with the external power source 3 connected to the USB
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`US 6,904,488 B2
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`5
`connector 4 thereof, the main CPU 7 commands the con-
`troller 6 to re ad the data from the memory 9 and receives the
`read data to execute device operation processing required for
`data reproduction. At this time, rapid processing is realized
`since the main CPU 7 takes the leadership of data process-
`ing.
`limited to the foregoing
`invention is not
`The present
`embodiment in construction but can be modified variously
`by one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of
`the invention as set forth in the appended claims. For
`example, the common serial bus connector is not limited to
`a USB connector in conformity with the USB standard but
`can be a connector compliant with other standard.
`What is claimed is:
`1‘ A portable electronic device comprising
`a common serial bus connector provided with data ter-
`minals and a power supply terminal in compliance with
`a common serial bus standard for connecting a plurality
`ofperipheral devices in common to a host information
`processing device,
`a common serial bus controller for executing predeter-
`mined data communication processing attendant on
`data communication with an information processing
`device connected to the common serial bus controller
`connector, and
`a control circuit connected to the common serial bus
`controller for executing device operation] processing for
`the usual operation of the electronic device, the elec-
`tronic device being capable of receiving a power supply
`from the information processing device or an external
`power source as connected to the common serial bus
`connector or from an internal power source, the por-
`table electronic device being characterized in that the
`control circuit discriminates among the sources of
`supply of power and causes the common serial bus
`controller to execute the predetermined data commu-
`
`6
`nication processing while power voltage is greater than
`or equal to 4.4 volts and is supplied from the informa-
`tion processing device connected to the common serial
`bus connector, and executes the usual device operation
`processing while power voltage is less than 4.4 volts
`and is supplied from the external power source con-
`nected to the common serial bus con nectori
`2. A portable electronic device according to claim 1
`wherein the control circuit comprises discriminating means
`for judging which of the information processing device and
`the external power source is connected to the common serial
`bus connector, and control means for causing the common
`serial bus controller to execute the predetermined data
`communication processing when the connection of the infor-
`mation processing device to the common serial bus connec—
`tor is recognized, or executes the usual device operation
`processing when the connection of the external power
`source to the common serial bus connector is recognized,
`3. A portable electronic device according to claim 2
`wherein the discriminating means identifies the source of
`supply of power based on the voltage value of the power
`supply terminal of the common serial bus connector.
`4. A portable electronic device according to claim 2
`wherein the discriminating means identifies the source of
`supply of power depending on whether the common serial
`bus controller has started data communication via the com—
`mon serial bus connector.
`5. A portable electronic device according to claim 2
`wherein the control circuit further comprises means for
`detecting the connection of the information processing
`device or the external power source to the common serial
`bus connector based on the binary state of voltage level of
`the power supply terminal thereof, and the discriminating
`means identifies the source of supply of power according to
`the result of detection.
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