`Matsumoto et al.
`
`USOO6904488B2
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`(10) Patent No.:
`(45) Date of Patent:
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`US 6,904,488 B2
`Jun. 7, 2005
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`(54) PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE
`COMPRISING COMMON SERIAL BUS
`CONNECTOR
`
`(75) Inventors: Katsuyuki Matsumoto, Hirakata (JP);
`Masanao Yoshida, Osaka (JP)
`(73) Assignees: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd., Moriguchi
`(JP); Sanyo Technosound Co., Ltd.,
`Daito (JP)
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`U.S.C. 154(b) by 301 days.
`
`(*) Notice:
`
`(21) Appl. No.: 09/741,018
`(22) Filed:
`Dec. 21, 2000
`(65)
`Prior Publication Data
`US 2001/0005641 A1 Jun. 28, 2001
`Foreign Application Priority Data
`(30)
`Dec. 27, 1999
`(JP) ........................................... 11-370327
`(51) Int. Cl. ................................................ G06F 13/20
`(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
`
`(56)
`
`References Cited
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`5,928,336 A 7/1999 Takeuchi ....................... 710/1
`6,058,441. A
`5/2000 Shu ............................ 710/100
`6,178,514 B1
`1/2001 Wood ......................... 713/300
`6,516,418 B1
`2/2003 Lee ............................ 713/320
`6,697.892 B1 * 2/2004 Laity et al. ................... 710/72
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`WO
`
`5/1996
`WO 96-138O2
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`Lynn, K. “Universal serial bus (USB) power management”
`Sep. 15-17, 1998, Wescon/98 Conference Proceedings, pp.
`194-2O1.
`Lynn, K. “Universal serial bus (USB) power management”
`Nov. 4-6, 1998, Wescon/97 Conference Proceedings, pp.
`434-441.
`“Universal Serial Bus Specification' Revision 1.0, pp.
`111-136, Jan. 15, 1996.*
`* cited by examiner
`Primary Examiner 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 for the external power Source.
`5 Claims, 2 Drawing Sheets
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`1 PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE
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`PERSONAL
`COMPUTER
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`OD
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`CONTROLLER
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`GIOIAGICI OINOHLOITTI GITGVLHO), I,
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`I'{DIJH
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`Sheet 2 of 2
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`US 6,904,488 B2
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`FIG.2
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`START
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`L
`S2
`RETRIEVE VOLTAGE
`VALUE V det
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`POWER SOURCE
`VOLTAGE > 44V 2
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`S4
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`r
`NOTIFY USB CONTROLLER
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`DATA REPRODUCTION
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`1
`PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE
`COMPRISING COMMON SERIAL BUS
`CONNECTOR
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`2
`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
`Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to
`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 connector or from an internal power
`SOCC.
`The control circuit discriminates among the Sources of
`Supply of power 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
`processing 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 internal 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.
`Stated more Specifically, the control circuit comprises
`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 difference in the voltage value of the
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`FIELD OF THE INVENTION
`The present invention relates to portable electronic
`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
`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
`a.c. 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 external 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
`a.c. 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
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`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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`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
`terminal 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.
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`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 V 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 1 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.
`Subsequently in step S2, the voltage value Vdet is
`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
`processing with the personal computer 2.
`In step S5, 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 entrusts 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 1 is thereafter given
`a command to reproduce the data Stored in the memory 9,
`with the external power source 3 connected to the USB
`
`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.
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`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
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`connector 4 by a USB cable 11, or an external power source
`3 Such as an a.c. 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 V, 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 reproduction 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 V 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
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`connector 4 thereof, the main CPU 7 commands the con
`troller 6 to read 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.
`The present invention is not limited to the foregoing
`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
`of peripheral 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
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`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 connector.
`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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