Energy-Saving Hub
Patent No. US10951055 (titled "Energy-Saving Hub") was filed by Patentbridge Solutions Llc on Feb 1, 2019.
What is this patent about?
’055 is related to the field of power management for electronic devices, specifically addressing the problem of high standby power consumption in multi-port hubs. Modern energy regulations require such devices to consume very little power when no devices are connected, but traditional hub designs struggle to meet these requirements due to the power needed to maintain basic functionality.
The underlying idea behind ’055 is to minimize standby power consumption by placing the primary data processing circuitry of the hub, the system circuit , into a low-power sleep mode when no devices are connected. Upon detecting a device connection, the hub quickly wakes up this circuitry, enabling normal operation. This allows the hub to meet stringent energy regulations without sacrificing responsiveness.
The claims of ’055 focus on an energy-saving hub that includes a power supply interface, a power module, upstream and downstream connectors, a main control circuit, and a system circuit. The key is that the system circuit is normally in a sleep mode, and the main control circuit sends a wake-up signal when a device connects to the upstream connector. Claim 1 specifies that the upstream connector transmits a CC connection signal to the main control circuit when a device is connected. Claim 3 adds upstream and downstream detectors, and specifies that the power module supplies power intermittently before wake-up.
In practice, the hub monitors its ports for device connections. When a device, such as a laptop, is plugged into the upstream USB-C port, the hub detects this connection either through a CC signal from the USB-C connector itself or via a dedicated detector circuit. This detection triggers the main control circuit to send a wake-up signal to the system circuit, bringing it out of sleep mode. The hub can then function normally, providing data and power connectivity to the connected devices.
This approach differs from prior solutions that either consumed more power in standby or were slow to respond to device connections. By using a sleep mode for the system circuit and a quick wake-up mechanism triggered by device connection, ’055 achieves both low standby power and immediate availability. Furthermore, the intermittent power supply mode before wake-up further reduces power consumption, while the intermittent wake-up mode balances power consumption and operating efficiency.
How does this patent fit in bigger picture?
Technical landscape at the time
In the late 2010s when ’055 was filed, AC-powered hubs were expected to meet stringent energy regulations, typically achieved by implementing sleep modes for circuit components. At a time when hubs commonly relied on sleep modes to reduce power consumption, waking up these components quickly and reliably to ensure immediate normal operation was non-trivial.
Novelty and Inventive Step
Claims were rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103. Specifically, claims 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6 were rejected as being unpatentable over a prior art reference. Claims 3, 7, 8, 9 and 10 were objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form. The prosecution record does NOT describe the technical reasoning or specific claim changes that led to allowance.
Claims
This patent contains 8 claims, with claims 1 and 3 being independent. The independent claims are directed to an energy-saving hub that can be electronically connected to an electronic device, an AC power source, and a mobile device, focusing on the hub's circuitry and its ability to switch from a sleep mode to a wake-up mode upon device connection. The dependent claims generally elaborate on specific features and configurations of the energy-saving hub described in the independent claims.
Key Claim Terms New
Definitions of key terms used in the patent claims.
Patent Family
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Date
Description
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US10951055
- Application Number
- US16264740
- Filing Date
- Feb 1, 2019
- Status
- Granted
- Expiry Date
- Jun 8, 2039
- External Links
- Slate, USPTO, Google Patents