Docking station and expansion method

A docking station and an expansion method are provided. The docking station includes expansion slots, a detector module, an operational information module and a processor module. Two terminals of a connector are respectively inserted into the expansion slot and a connection port of the electronic device to electrically connect the docking station to the electronic device. The detector module is configured to detect a connection between the docking station and the electronic device to output a detecting signal. The operational information module is configured to obtain operational information of the electronic device connected to the docking station according to the detecting signal. The processor module is configured to obtain a main controlling signal corresponding to the operational information from a main control device, and determine resources available to the electronic device according to the main controlling signal.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure relates to a docking station, and more particularly to a docking station and an expansion method for distributing appropriate resources respectively to electronic devices.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

Laptops have an advantage of being portable. People can carry their laptops around and use them anywhere. However, such portable electronic products must be made to be light in weight and small in volume, and need to be improved with respect to power supply.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

In response to the above-referenced technical inadequacies, the present disclosure provides a docking station. The docking station is connected to a main control device and one or more electronic devices. The docking station includes one or more expansion slots, a detector module, an operational information module and a processor module. Two terminals of a connector are respectively inserted into the expansion slot and a connection port of the electronic device to electrically connect the docking station to the electronic device. The detector module is connected to the one or more expansion slots, and configured to detect a connection between the docking station and the electronic device to output a detecting signal. The operational information module is connected to the detector module, and configured to obtain operational information of the electronic device connected to the docking station according to the detecting signal. The processor module is connected to the operational information module and the main control device, and configured to obtain a main controlling signal corresponding to the operational information and determine resources available to the electronic device according to the main controlling signal.

In certain embodiments, the operational information includes a required power of each of the electronic devices, and when the main control device determines that a total required power of the electronic devices is not higher than a maximum power that a power supply device is capable of supplying through the docking station according to the operational information, the main control device controls the docking station to supply the required power to each of the electronic devices.

In certain embodiments, the operational information includes the required power of each of the electronic devices, and when the main control device determines that the total required power of the electronic devices is higher than the maximum power that the power supply device is capable of supplying through the docking station according to the operational information, the main control device obtains an electric quantity of a power stored in a power storage unit of the electronic device, and accordingly distributes the power respectively to the electronic devices and determines an order of supplying the power to the electronic devices through the docking station.

In certain embodiments, the operational information includes an identification information of and the required power of each of the electronic devices, and when the main control device determines that the total required power of the electronic devices is higher than the maximum power that the power supply device is capable of supplying through the docking station according to the operational information, the main control device distributes a power respectively to the electronic devices and determines an order of supplying the power to the electronic devices through the docking station according to the identification information of the electronic devices.

In certain embodiments, when the main control device determines that a charging current of the electronic device having a highest priority with respect to the other electronic devices is smaller than a current of the electronic device having the highest priority, the main control device redistributes the power to the electronic devices through the docking station.

In addition, the present disclosure provides an expansion method, which includes the following steps: providing a docking station having one or more expansion slots, wherein two terminals of a connector are respectively inserted into the expansion slot and a connection port of an electronic device to electrically connect the docking station to the electronic device; detecting a connection between the docking station and the electronic device to output a detecting signal by a detector module of the docking station; obtaining operational information of the electronic device connected to the docking station according to the detecting signal by an operational information module of the docking station; and determining resources available to the electronic device according to the main controlling signal corresponding to the operational information from a main control device by a processor module of the docking station.

In certain embodiments, the expansion method further includes steps of: obtaining the operational information including a required power of each of the electronic devices by the operational information module; calculating a total required power of the electronic devices according to the operational information by the main control device; and when the total required power of the electronic devices is determined to be not higher than a maximum power that the power supply device is capable of supplying through the docking station, controlling the docking station to supply the required power respectively to the electronic devices.

In certain embodiments, the expansion method further includes steps of: obtaining the operational information including the required power of each of the electronic devices by the operational information module; calculating the total required power of the electronic devices according to the operational information by the main control device; and when the total required power of the electronic devices is determined to be higher than the maximum power that the power supply device is capable of supplying through the docking station, distributing a power respectively to the electronic devices and determining an order of supplying the power to the electronic devices through the docking station, according to an electric quantity of a power stored in a power storage unit of each of the electronic devices, by the main control device.

In certain embodiments, the expansion method further includes steps of: obtaining the operational information including an identification information of and a required power of each of the electronic devices; calculating a total required power of the electronic devices according to the operational information by the main control device; and when the total required power of the electronic devices is determined to be not higher than the maximum power that the power supply device is capable of supplying through the docking station, distributing a power respectively to the electronic devices and determining an order of supplying the power to the electronic devices through the docking station, according to the identification information of the electronic devices, by the main control device.

In certain embodiments, the expansion method further includes a step of: redistributing a power respectively to the electronic devices through the docking station by the main control device when a charging current of the electronic device having a highest priority with respect to the other electronic devices is determined to be smaller than a current of the electronic device having the highest priority.

As described above, the present disclosure provides the docking station and the expansion method, which use the main control device to distribute the power according to the actual power consumption of the electronic devices and supply the distributed power respectively to the electronic devices. Therefore, each of the electronic devices can obtain the required power. The power may be preferentially supplied to the main electronic device under limited power conditions.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

Reference is made toFIG. 1, which is a block diagram of a docking station, an electronic device and a main control device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown inFIG. 1, a docking station1is connected to a main control device2and an electronic device3. The docking station1includes an expansion slot10, a detector module20, an operational information module30and a processor module40. The detector module20is contacted with or connected to the expansion slot10. The operational information module30is connected to the detector module20. The processor module40is connected to the operational information module30and the main control device2.

Two terminals of a connector may be respectively inserted into the expansion slot10of the docking station1and a connection port31of the electronic device3to electrically connect the docking station1to the electronic device3. If the electronic device3does not need to obtain any resource from the docking station1, the connector may be pulled out from the expansion slot10of the docking station1and the connection port31of the electronic device3.

It should be understood that the type of the connection port31of the electronic device3and the type of the expansion slot10of the docking station1should respectively match with the types of the two terminals of the connector. For example, if the connection port31of the electronic device3is a USB connection port and the expansion slot10of the docking station1is a USB expansion slot, a USB connector is used to connect the docking station1to the electronic device3, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

For example, the detector module20is a voltage detector or a current detector. The detector module20is configured to detect a connection between the docking station1and the electronic device3. More specifically, when the detector module20of the docking station1detects that the connection port31of the electronic device3is inserted into the expansion slot10of the docking station1to electrically connect the docking station1to the electronic device3, the detector module20may output a detecting signal201to the operational information module30.

For example, the operational information module30of the docking station1is a data extractor. When the detecting signal201received by the operational information module30indicates that the electronic device3is connected to the docking station1, the operational information module30may output an operation requesting signal to the electronic device3to request the electronic device3to provide an operational information32thereof.

The operational information module30of the docking station1may transmit the operational information32from the electronic device3to the processor module40of the docking station1. For example, the processor module40is a microprocessor module. The processor module40is configured to obtain a main controlling signal21corresponding to the operational information32from the main control device2and determine resources available to the electronic device3according to the main controlling signal21.

Reference is made toFIGS. 1 and 2, whereinFIG. 1is a block diagram of a docking station, an electronic device and a main control device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, andFIG. 2is a schematic diagram of a docking station for evenly distributing a power from a power supply device according to actual power consumption of electronic devices according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.

In the embodiment, the electronic device3shown inFIG. 1may include mobile devices331,332and333that are notebook computers as shown inFIGS. 2 and 3, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. In practice, the electronic device3may include other types of electronic devices such as mobile phones. One terminal of a connector may be inserted into a connection port of the mobile device331,332or333and another terminal of the connector may be inserted into the expansion slot of the docking station1to electrically connect the mobile device331,332or333to the docking station1.

In the embodiment, the docking station1has three expansion slots such as USB expansion slots, which respectively matches with connection ports such as USB connection ports of the three mobile devices331,332and333. However, it should be understood that the docking station1may be replaced with a docking station that has different types and numbers of expansion slots from that of the docking station1as needed to match different types of connection ports of the electronic device3. In the embodiment, the mobile devices331,332and333are connected to the same docking station1. However, in practice, more docking stations1may be disposed and the mobile devices331,332and333may be connected to different docking stations1.

As shown inFIG. 2, a power supply device4may be connected to the docking station1through a wire and supply a power to the docking station1. As shown inFIG. 1, the main control device2may be connected to the docking station1in a wireless manner. The main control device2may control the docking station1to distribute a power from the power supply device4to the electronic device3such as the mobile devices331,332and333. In practice, the main control device2may be further connected to the power supply device4shown inFIG. 2and determines how much power to be supplied to the docking station1from the power supply device4.

The docking station1may include the expansion slots10, the detector module20, the operational information module30and the processor module40. Further, the docking station1may include a power storage unit, such as an internal battery, which is configured to store a power from the power supply device4.

When the detector module20of the docking station1detects that the mobile devices331,332and333are electrically connected to the docking station1, the operational information module30may obtain the operational information32of the mobile devices331,332and333, which pertain to operations of the mobile devices331,332and333when executing a program or within a specified time interval. The processor module40of the docking station1may provide the operational information32of the mobile devices331,332and333to the main control device2.

It is worth noting that the common power supply device determines how much power needs to be supplied to the electronic device according to a rated power of the electronic device. For example, the common power supply device determines how much power needs to be supplied to the mobile devices331,332and333, according to rated powers Pac1, Pac2and Pac3such as 45 W. As a result, the mobile device332obtains a power, such as 45 W, which is equal to the rated power Pac2and higher than a required power Pre2such as 30 W of the mobile device332. The mobile device333obtains a power, such as 45 W, which is equal to the rated power Pac3and higher than a required power Pre3such as 30 W of the mobile device333. However, the mobile device331obtains a power, such as 45 W, which is equal to the rated power Pac1and lower than a required power Pre1of the mobile device331. Under this condition, the mobile device331cannot execute programs normally.

Therefore, in the embodiment, as shown inFIG. 2, the operational information32may include the required power Pre1of the mobile device331such as 40 W, the required power Pre2of the mobile device332such as 40 W, and the required power Pre3of the mobile device332such as 40 W. The main control device2determines how much power needs to be supplied to the mobile devices331,332and333from the docking station1according to the required powers Pre1, Pre2and Pre3.

The main control device2calculates a total required power by summing the required powers Pre1, Pre2and Pre3. When the total required power is not higher than a maximum power Pmax such as 135 W that the power supply device is capable of supplying through the docking station, the main control device2may control the power supply device4to supply the total required power to the docking station1. The docking station1supplies the required power Pre1to the mobile device331, the required power Pre2to the mobile device332, and the required power Pre3to the mobile device333.

In another embodiment, when a power stored in the power storage unit such as the internal battery of the docking station1is insufficient for operation of the docking station1, the docking station1needs to obtain more power from the power supply device4. Under this condition, the power supply device4may supply a maximum power Pmax such as 135 W to the docking station1. The maximum power Pmax includes a required power Pdore such as 25 W of the docking station1, and the total required power such as 110 W that is available to the mobile devices331,332and333.

The power storage unit of the docking station1may store a power such as 25 W from the power supply device4. If necessary, the power storage unit of the docking station1may temporarily store a power to be supplied from the power supply device4to the mobile devices331,332and333. The docking station1may supply power to the mobile devices331,332and333to charge the mobile devices331,332and333, during a time period of charging the power storage unit such as the internal battery of the docking station1by the power supply device4or other time periods. As a result, the docking station1and the mobile devices331,332and333obtain sufficient power.

Reference is made toFIGS. 1 to 3, whereinFIG. 1is a block diagram of a docking station, an electronic device and a main control device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure,FIG. 2is a schematic diagram of a docking station for evenly distributing a power from a power supply device according to actual power consumption of electronic devices according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, andFIG. 3is a schematic diagram of a docking station for redistributing a power from the power supply device to electronic devices having different actual power consumption according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.

As shown inFIG. 2, the required powers Pre1, Pre2and Pre3of the mobile devices331,332and333are equal to each other, such as 40 W. Therefore, the main control device2controls the docking station1to distribute the same power such as 40 W respectively to the mobile devices331,332and333.

It should be understood that the mobile devices331,332and333may require different powers for executing different programs during different time periods. As shown inFIG. 3, the required power Pre1of the mobile device331increases to 60 W, and the required power Pre2of the mobile device332and the required power Pre3of the mobile device333respectively reduce to 30 W. In addition, the required power Pdore of the docking station1reduces to 15 W from 25 W. Under this condition, the main control device2may control the docking station1to reduce the power supplied to the mobile devices332and333and reduce a power reserved in the docking station1, and supply a remaining power to the mobile device331. As a result, the mobile devices331,332and333respectively obtain the required powers Pre1, Pre2and Pre3, and the docking station1obtains the required power Pdore.

Reference is made toFIG. 4, which is a flowchart diagram of comparing a power of each of the electronic devices with a power threshold of the power supply device in an expansion method according to the embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown inFIG. 4, in the embodiment, the expansion method includes steps S401to S413for the docking station1shown inFIG. 1.

In step S401, the one or more docking stations1are disposed. Each docking station may have a plurality of expansion slots.

In step S403, the one or more power supply devices4are disposed. Each docking station1may be connected to one of the power supply devices4. A maximum power that can be supplied to the electronic devices3from the power supply device4through the docking station1is represented by a power threshold P.

In step S405, the detector module of each docking station1determines whether two terminals of the connector are respectively inserted into the expansion slot of the docking station1and the connection port31of the electronic device3such that the docking station1is electrically connected to the electronic device3.

In step S407, the operational information module30of the docking station1obtains the operational information including the required power of each of the electronic devices3connected to the docking station1. Then, the main control device2learns the required power of each of the electronic devices3and the docking station1from the processor module40of the docking station1. The main control device2calculates a total required power T by summing the required power of the electronic devices3and the required power of the docking station1.

Alternatively, the operational information32obtained by the docking station1from the electronic devices3includes program information executed by the electronic device3. The docking station1provides program information to be executed by each of the electronic devices3and the docking station1to the main control device2. Then, the main control device2evaluates the required power of each of the electronic devices3and the docking station1for executing programs, and calculates the total required power T by summing them.

In step S409, the main control device2determines whether or not the total required power T is lower than the power threshold P. If the main control device2determines that the total required power T is lower than the power threshold P, the main control device2determines that the power supply device4is capable of supplying sufficient power to each of the electronic devices3, and step S413is then performed. Conversely, if the main control device2determines that the total required power T is not lower than the power threshold P, the main control device2determines that the electronic device3may not obtain the sufficient power, and step S411is then performed.

In step S411, the main control device2performs power distribution.

In step S413, the main control device2controls the power supply device4to supply the total required power T to the docking station1, and then controls the docking station1to supply the required power to each of the electronic devices3.

Reference is made toFIGS. 4 and 5, whereinFIG. 4is a flowchart diagram of comparing required power of each of the electronic devices with a power threshold of the power supply device in an expansion method according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, andFIG. 5is a flowchart diagram of determining an order of supplying the power in the expansion method according to the embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown inFIG. 5, in the embodiment, the expansion method further includes steps S501to S517for the above-mentioned docking station1.

In step S411, the main control device2performs power distribution.

In step S501, the docking station1obtains the operational information32of the electronic devices3. The main control device2obtains the operational information32of the electronic devices3from the docking station1.

In step S503, the main control device2determines the electronic device3to which the power is most preferentially supplied and determines how much power is supplied to it, according to the operational information32of the electronic devices3.

In step S505, the main control device2determines an order of supplying the power to the other electronic devices3and determines how much power is supplied to them, according to the operational information32of the electronic devices3.

In step S507, the docking station1supplies the power sequentially to the electronic devices3in accordance with the order determined by the main control device2.

Reference made toFIGS. 4 to 6, whereinFIG. 6is a flowchart diagram of detecting a charging current of each of the electronic devices in the expansion method according to the embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown inFIG. 6, in the embodiment, the expansion method further includes steps S601to S609for the above-mentioned docking station1.

In step S507, the main control device2controls the docking station1to supply the power from the power supply device4sequentially to the electronic devices3.

In step S601, a timer included in the docking station1or in the main control device2, or an external timer measures a time during which the power is supplied to each of the electronic devices3from the docking station1.

In step S411, if the main control device2determines that the total required power T of the electronic devices3and the docking station1is not higher than the power threshold P, the main control device2distributes the power.

In step S603, the docking station1may provide the electric quantity of the power stored in the power storage device such as the internal battery of each of the electronic devices3to the main control device2. The main control device2determines the order of supplying the power and how power is supplied. The main control device2may compares the electric quantities of the power stored in the electronic devices3to each other to determine an order of detecting charging currents of the electronic devices3. For example, the main control device2determines that the electronic device3storing power having lowest electric quantity is to be preferentially detected. Then, step S605is performed.

Alternatively, step S603shown inFIG. 6may be omitted. That is, step S605is performed subsequently after performing step S601. Under this condition, the order of detecting the charging currents of the electronic devices3may be the same as an order of supplying the power determined according to the identification information in steps501to S505.

It should be understood that the order of detecting the charging currents of the electronic devices3may depend on the operational information32such as the electric quantities of and the identification information of the electronic devices3.

In step S605, a current detector module included in the docking station1or an external current detector module detects the charging current supplied from the docking station1to the electronic device3having a highest priority.

In step S607, the current detector module included in the docking station1or the external current detector module detects the charging currents supplied from the docking station1to the other electronic devices3.

In step S609, the main control device2or the processor module40of the docking station1determines whether or not the charging current of the electronic device3is smaller than a specific ratio, such as1/2, of a required current of the electronic device3. The required current may be depend on a current required for the electronic device3executing one or more programs within a time interval.

If the main control device2or the docking station1determines that the charging current of the electronic device3is not smaller than the specific ratio, such as1/2, of the required current of the electronic device3, the docking station1supplies a power to the electronic devices3in the order as described above.

Conversely, if the main control device2or the docking station1determines that the charging current of the electronic device3such as a host is smaller than the specific ratio, such as1/2, of the required current of the electronic device3, the charging current of the electronic device3needs to increase. Under this condition, step S411is performed again. In step S411, a ratio of a power supplied to the electronic devices3is redistributed to increase the charging current of the electronic device3such as the host.

Reference is made toFIGS. 4 to 7, whereinFIG. 7is a flowchart diagram of detecting a charging current and an electric quantity of a power stored in a battery of each of the electronic devices in the expansion method according to the embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown inFIG. 7, in the embodiment, the expansion method further includes the steps S701to S709for the above-mentioned docking station1.

In step S507, the docking station1transmits the power to the electronic devices3.

In step S601, the timer included in the docking station1or in the main control device2, or the external timer measures the time during which the power is supplied to each of the electronic devices3from the docking station1.

In step S411, if the main control device2determines that the total required power T of the electronic devices3and the docking station1is not higher than the power threshold P of the power supply device4, the main control device2distributes the power.

In step S603, the docking station1may obtain the electric quantity of the power stored in the power storage unit such as the internal battery of each of the electronic devices3.

In step S701, the main control device2may determine which one of the electronic devices3including the power storage unit storing a power, which is lower than a ratio, such as 80%, of the required power of the electronic device3, or lower than a ratio of a capacity of the internal battery of the electronic device3, according to the electric quantities of the power stored in the power storage units as instructed in the operational information32of the electronic devices3.

In step S703, the main control device2may determine which one of the electronic devices3includes the power storage unit storing a power higher than the ratio, such as 80%, of the required power of the electronic device3, or higher than the ratio of the capacity of the internal battery of the electronic device3, according to the electric quantities of the power stored in the power storage units as instructed in the operational information32of the electronic devices3. Then, step S705is performed.

In step S705, the main control device2may control current detector module included in the docking station1or the external current detector module preferentially detects the electronic devices3, each of which includes the power storage unit storing the power that is lower than the ratio, such as 80%, of the required power of the electronic device3.

In step S707, the main control device2may control current detector module included in the docking station1or the external current detector module detects the other electronic devices3, each of which includes the power storage unit storing the power that is higher than the ratio, such as 80%, of the required power of the electronic device3.

In step S707, the main control device2may determine whether or not the power needs to be redistributed to the electronic devices3according to a result of detecting the charging currents of the electronic devices3. If the main control device2determines the power does not need to be redistributed to the electronic devices3, the power is distributed in an original manner.

If the main control device2determines that the power needs to be redistributed, step S411and the subsequent steps thereof as shown inFIGS. 5, 6 and 7may be performed again. In those subsequent steps, the main control device2may control the docking station1to reduce the power supplied to the electronic devices3each storing the power that is higher than a ratio, such as 90%, of the required power of the electronic device3. The main control device2may control the docking station1to increase the power supplied to the electronic devices3each storing the power that is lower than a ratio, such as 80%, of the required power of the electronic device3.

In summary, the common power supply device determines the power supplied to the electronic devices according to the rated power of the electronic devices. As a result, some electronic devices may obtain too much power while other electronic devices cannot receive enough power for executing programs. In contrast, the present disclosure provides the docking station and the expansion method, which use the main control device to distribute the power according to the actual power consumption of the electronic devices and supply the distributed power respectively to the electronic devices. Therefore, each of the electronic devices can obtain the required power. The power may be preferentially supplied to the main electronic device under limited power conditions.