Abstract:
An electronic device including a housing, a connector port and a switching device is provided. The connector port is embedded in the housing for a peripheral device inserted therein to electrically connect thereto. The processor is electrically connected to the connector port and comprises a detection pin and a 1-wire pin. The switching device is coupled between the connector port and the processor to selectively connect the connector port to one of the detection pin or the 1-wire pin. When the peripheral device is inserted into the connector port, the processor controls the switching device to connect the connector port to the detection pin to determine whether the connected peripheral device is a 1-wire device. When the processor determines that the connected peripheral device is a 1-wire device, the processor controls the switching device to connect the connector port to the 1-wire pin and the processor executes 1-wire communication with the peripheral device via the 1-wire pin.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a Divisional of co-pending application Ser. No. 14/581,732, filed on Dec. 23, 2014, which is a Divisional of application Ser. No. 13/489,027, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,954,628 B2, issued on Feb. 10, 2015, all of which are hereby expressly incorporated by reference into the present application. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The invention relates to a communication method between an electronic device and a peripheral device, and more particularly to a communication method between an electronic device and a 1-wire peripheral device. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    Portable devices, such as smart phones, tablets or personal digital assistants, have become necessities in business or for personal usage. To increase the functionality of portable devices, lots of peripheral devices have been developed for the portable devices. Furthermore, to decrease the number of types of connectors of the portable devices and the complexity of the bus, a 1-wire bus has therefore been adopted. The 1-wire bus is a simple bus having only one transmission line, where control and communication can be implemented. The number of Input/output ports can be saved and the system design of portable devices can be made simpler, thus, reducing hardware costs for manufacturing. However, even if portable devices do not connect to a 1-wire device, the portable device still must poll the 1-wire bus. Thus, power consumption is increased, affecting limited battery power, thereby decreasing the usage time of the portable device. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    An embodiment of the invention provides an electronic device comprising a housing, a connector port and a switching device. The connector port is embedded in the housing for a peripheral device inserted therein to electrically connect thereto. The processor is electrically connected to the connector port and comprises a detection pin and a 1-wire pin. The switching device is coupled between the connector port and the processor to selectively connect the connector port to one of the detection pin or the 1-wire pin. When the peripheral device is inserted into the connector port, the processor controls the switching device to connect the connector port to the detection pin to determine whether the connected peripheral device is a 1-wire device. When the processor determines that the connected peripheral device is a 1-wire device, the processor controls the switching device to connect the connector port to the 1-wire pin and the processor executes 1-wire communication with the peripheral device via the 1-wire pin. 
         [0007]    Another embodiment of the invention provides an electronic device electrically connected to an extension device to generate a 1-wire data path and an interrupt path. The extension electrically connects to at least one peripheral device. The electronic device comprises a housing, a connector port, a processor and a switching device. The connector port is embedded in the housing which electrically connects to the extension device and to the peripheral device connected to the extension device, wherein when the peripheral device is connected to or removed from the extension device, an interrupt signal is transmitted to the connector port. The processor is electrically connected to the connector port and comprises a detection pin, a 1-wire pin and an interrupt pin, wherein the interrupt pin is connected to the interrupt path via the connector port to receive the interrupt signal. The switching device is coupled between the connector port and the processor to selectively connect the 1-wire data path to one of the detection pin or the 1-wire pin. When the processor receives the interrupt signal via the interrupt pin, the switching device connects the 1-wire pin to the 1-wire data path, and the processor scans the peripheral device via the 1-wire path to acquire a status of the peripheral device. 
         [0008]    Another embodiment of the invention provides an extension device coupled to an electronic device. The extension device comprises a first connector, a second connector and a controller. The first connector connects to a 1-wire peripheral device, wherein the first connector comprises a first detection pin and a first 1-wire pin. The second connector connects to a peripheral device, wherein the second connector comprises a second detection pin and a second 1-wire pin. The controller comprises a first interrupt pin coupled to the first detection pin, a second interrupt pin coupled to the second detection pin and an output pin. When a logic state of the first interrupt pin or the second interrupt pin changes, an interrupt signal is output to the electronic device via the output pin, and an electrical connection between the electronic device and the 1-wire peripheral device or the peripheral device is established. 
         [0009]    A detailed description is given in the following embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    The present invention can be more fully understood by reading the subsequent detailed description and examples with references made to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a portable device according to the invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a flow chart of a detection and communication method for a peripheral device according to an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a peripheral extension dock according to the invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a peripheral extension dock according to the invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram of a 1-wire device according to an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is a flow chart of a detection and communication method for a peripheral device according to an embodiment of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0017]    The following description is of the best-contemplated mode of carrying out the invention. This description is made for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention and should not be taken in a limiting sense. The scope of the invention is best determined by reference to the appended claims. 
         [0018]      FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a portable device according to the invention. The portable device  11  comprises a housing, wherein the processor  111  and the switching device  112  are embedded inside of the housing, and a connector  113  is embedded in the housing for connection to external devices. The portable device  11  connects to a connector  122  of the peripheral device  12  via the connector  113 . In this embodiment, the connector  113  is a micro USB connector. The micro USB connector comprises 5 pins, wherein an identification pin (the pin P 1  in  FIG. 1 ) is used only for the USB On-The-Go standard, and does not work at normal situation. Thus, the pin P 1  can be assigned for 1-wire communication. The switching device  112  establishes a connection between the processor  111  and the peripheral device  12 . The switching device  112  establishes a connection between a terminal A and a terminal B 0  or a connection between the terminal A and a terminal B 1  according to a select signal which is output by the processor  111  via the second general purpose input/output pin (GPIO_ 2 ). The second general purpose input/output pin (GPIO_ 2 ) is coupled to a terminal S of the switching device  112 . In a default situation or a predetermined situation, the switching device  112  establishes the connection between the terminal A and the terminal B 0 . In one embodiment of the invention, the switching device  112  is a multiplexer. 
         [0019]    A first general purpose input/output pin (GPIO_ 1 ) of the processor  111  is coupled to the terminal B 0  of the switching device  112 , and a first resistor R 1  is coupled between the terminal N 1  and the voltage Vcc. The pin P 2  of the connector  122  is coupled to a 1-wire authentication controller  121  and coupled to ground via a resistor Rs. In this embodiment, the resistance of the first resistor R 1  is substantially 100 k ohm, and the resistance of the resistor Rs is substantially 15 k ohm. When the peripheral device  12  connects to the portable device  11 , the voltage of the node N 1  is pulled down to a low voltage level. The processor  111  detects the voltage change via the pin GPIO_ 1 , and an interrupt signal is trigged to inform the portable device  11  that a peripheral device is connected thereto. The detection device  115  detects the voltage of the node N 1  and determines whether the peripheral device  12  is a 1-wire peripheral device. In this embodiment, if the peripheral device  12  is a 1-wire device, the resistance of the resistor Rs is 15K ohm. Thus, the detection device  115  determines the resistance of the resistor Rs according to the voltage level of the node N 1  and determines whether the peripheral device  12  is the 1-wire device according to the resistance of the resistor Rs. 
         [0020]    When the peripheral device  12  is determined as a 1-wire device, the processor  111  transmits a select signal to the switching device  112  to establish the connection between the node A and node B 1 . Then, a 1-wire master  114  of the processor  111  and a 1-wire authentication controller  121  execute 1-wire communication. After the 1-wire communication is finished or completed, the processor  111  informs the switching device  112  to establish the connection between the node A and node B 0 . In this embodiment, the 1-wire master may be a specific circuit, a functional element, a program executed by the processor  111  or a logic circuit that is generated by transforming the program executed by the processor  111  via a specific program. In this embodiment, the processor  111  controls the switching device  112  by controlling the logic level of the pin GPIO_ 2 . For example, when the logic level of the pin GPIO_ 2  is 0, the switching device  112  establishes the connection between the node A and B 0 , and when the logic level of the pin GPIO_ 2  is 1, the switching device  112  establishes the connection between the node A and B 1 . 
         [0021]      FIG. 2  is a flow chart of a detection and communication method for a peripheral device according to an embodiment of the invention. The method of the embodiment reduces the power consumption of the portable device having 1-wire communication. The conventional portable device continuously polls the peripheral device to check whether a 1-wire peripheral device is connected thereto. The method of the embodiment executes 1-wire communication only when a 1-wire peripheral device is detected. In the step S 21 , a first connection, such as the connection between the nodes A and B 0 , is established. Simply speaking, the first connection is a connection between a detector or a detection device of the portable device and a connector of the portable device. In the step S 22 , the portable device determines whether the peripheral device is connected to the portable device. In this embodiment, if the peripheral device is connected to the portable device, an interrupt signal is transmitted to a processor of the portable device. For example, the detector is connected to a pin of the connector, and when the peripheral device is connected to the portable device, a voltage level of the pin may be changed to a low voltage level or a high voltage level, and the interrupt signal is generated accordingly. The interrupt signal informs the processor of the portable device that the peripheral device is connected to the portable device. If no peripheral device is connected to the portable device, the step S 24  is executed and the first connection is maintained. 
         [0022]    In the step S 23 , the detection device of the portable determines whether the connected peripheral device is a 1-wire peripheral device. If yes, the step S 25  is executed. In the step S 25 , the first connection is cut, and a second connection, such as the connection between the node A and node B 1  of  FIG. 1 , is established. Simply speaking, the second connection is the connection between a 1-wire controller of the portable device and the connector of the portable device. The second connection is used to execute 1-wire communication with a 1-wire authentication controller of the peripheral device. When the 1-wire controller finishes the 1-wire communication with the 1-wire authentication controller, a select signal is transmitted to a switching device to cut the second connection and establish the first connection. In the step S 26 , the portable device determines whether the 1-wire communication is finished. If not, the step S 27  is executed and the second connection is maintained. If the 1-wire communication is finished, the step S 28  is executed to cut the second connection and establish the first connection. 
         [0023]      FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a peripheral extension dock according to the invention. The peripheral extension dock  32  comprises a first connector  323  and a second connector  324 , wherein each connector comprises a 1-wire pin and a detection pin. The detection pin of the first connector  323  connects to the pin GP 1  of the controller  321  and the detection pin of the second connector  324  connects to the pin GP 2  of the controller  321 . When a peripheral device connects to the first connector  323  or the second connector  324 , the voltage level of the pin GP 1  or GP 2  may be changed to a ground voltage level or a high voltage level, and the controller  321  knows that the peripheral device connects to the peripheral extension dock  32  accordingly. In  FIG. 3 , a 1-wire device  33  is connected to the first connector  323  and a USB device  34  is connected to the second connector  324 . Since the USB device  34  does not support the 1-wire communication, the 1-wire pin of the second connector  323  does not work. In this embodiment, the first connector  323  and the second connector  324  are micro USB connectors and the identification pin of the micro USB connector serves as the 1-wire pin. 
         [0024]    The peripheral extension dock  32  is connected to the portable device  31  and serves as a 1-wire communication medium between the portable device  31  and the peripheral device. Each the first connector  323  and the second connector  324  comprise a 1-wire pin coupled to a 1-wire detector  322  of the controller  321 . The 1-wire detector  322  determines whether the peripheral device connected to the first connector  323  or the second connector  324  is a 1-wire device. If yes, the controller  321  transmits a control signal SC 1  to the switching device  312  via the pin GP 3 . When the peripheral device is connected to the peripheral extension dock  32  or removed from the peripheral extension dock  32 , the peripheral extension dock  32  detects all connected peripheral devices to determine whether the current connected peripheral devices comprise a 1-wire device. If a 1-wire device is detected, the controller  321  transmits the control signal SC 1  to the switching device  312  via the pin GP 3 . For the operation of the 1-wire detector  322 , reference can be made to the description of the detection device  115 , and will not be described here for brevity. The peripheral extension dock  32  connects the 1-wire pin of the first connector  323  with the 1-wire pin of the second connector  324 , and the 1-wire pins are then electrically connected to the switching device  312  of the portable device  31 . When the switching device  312  receives the control signal SC 1 , the switching device  312  is turned on, and the 1-wire master  313  of the processor  311  is then connected to the 1-wire pin of the first connector  323  and the second connector  324 . The 1-wire master  313  sequentially executes the 1-wire communication with the peripheral devices. If the peripheral device is not a 1-wire peripheral device, the peripheral device will not respond to the signal, data or a request transmitted by the 1-wire master  313 . After the 1-wire master  313  communicates with all of the connected peripheral devices, a control signal SC 2  is transmitted to the switching device  312  to turn off the switching device  312 . 
         [0025]      FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a peripheral extension dock according to the invention. The peripheral extension dock  42  comprises a first connector  422  and a second connector  423 , wherein each connector comprises a 1-wire pin and a detection pin. The detection pin of the first connector  422  is coupled to the pin GP 1  of the controller  421  and the detection pin of the second connector  423  is coupled to the pin GP 2  of the controller  421 . When a peripheral device connects to the first connector  422  or the second connector  423 , the voltage level of pin GP 1  or GP 2  is changed to a ground voltage level or a high voltage level and the controller  421  determines that there is at least one peripheral connected to the peripheral extension dock  42 , accordingly. In  FIG. 4 , the first connector  422  connects to a 1-wire device  43  and the second connector  423  connects to a USB device  44 . Since the USB device  44  does not support the 1-wire communication, the 1-wire pin of the second connector  423  does not work. In this embodiment, the first connector  422  and the second connector  423  are micro USB connectors and the identification pin of the micro USB connector serves as the 1-wire pin. 
         [0026]    When a peripheral device is connected to the peripheral extension dock  42  or removed from the peripheral extension dock  42 , the peripheral extension dock  42  transmits an interrupt signal to the pin GPIO_ 3  of the processor  411 . The portable device  41  comprises a processor  411  and a switching device  412 . The switching device  412  establishes the connection between the processor  411  and the peripheral extension dock  42 . The switching device  412  establishes the connection between the node A and node B 0  or the node A and the node B 1  according to a select signal transmitted from the pin GPIO_ 2  by the processor  411 . The pin GPIO_ 2  is coupled to the terminal S of the switching device  412 . In a default condition, the switching device  412  is pre-set to establish the connection between the node A and the node B 0 . In one embodiment of the invention, the switching device  412  is a multiplexer. 
         [0027]    When the processor  411  receives the interrupt signal transmitted by the peripheral extension dock  42 , the detector  414  detects whether the peripheral devices connected to the peripheral extension dock  42  comprise a 1-wire device. The detector  414  detects the voltage level of the node B 0  to determine whether there is a 1-wire device connected to the peripheral extension dock  42 . In this embodiment, if the peripheral device is a 1-wire device, the pin of the 1-wire device connected to the 1-wire pin of the connector is coupled to a resistor Rs, and the resistance of the resistor Rs is substantially 15 k ohm. In this embodiment, when the 1-wire device  43  is electrically connected to the detector  414 , the voltage level of the node B 0  is pulled down. Thus, the detector  414  can estimate the resistance of the resistor Rs according to the voltage level of the node B 0 . If the estimated resistance is substantially equal to 15 k ohm, the peripheral device connected to the peripheral extension dock  42  is a 1-wire device. 
         [0028]    When the detector  414  detects that at least one 1-wire device is connected to the peripheral extension dock  42 , the processor  411  transmits a select signal to the switching device  412  to establish the connection between the node A and the node B 1 . The 1-wire master  413  and the 1-wire authentication controller  431  then execute 1-wire communication. The 1-wire master  413  sequentially executes the 1-wire communication with the peripheral devices connected to the peripheral extension dock  42 . If the peripheral device is not a 1-wire peripheral device, the peripheral device will not respond to the signal, data or a request transmitted by the 1-wire master  413 . After the 1-wire master  413  communicates with all of the connected peripheral devices, the 1-wire master  413  stores a status data of the peripheral devices currently connected to the peripheral extension dock  42 . The status data may comprise identification information of the connector, a data indicating whether the connected peripheral device is a 1-wire device, the type of the 1-wire device and the identification of the 1-wire device. 
         [0029]    In this embodiment, the portable device  41  further comprises a storage device to store a plurality of codes. After the 1-wire communication, the 1-wire master  413  compares the received identification information with the plurality of codes to identify the peripheral devices. 
         [0030]    After the 1-wire communication, the processor  411  informs the switching device  412  to establish the connection between the node A and the node B 0 . In this embodiment, the 1-wire master  413  may be a specific circuit inside the processor, a functional element, a program executed by the processor  411  or a logic circuit that is generated by transforming the program executed by the processor  411  via a specific program. In this embodiment, the processor  411  controls the switching device  413  by controlling the logic level of the pin GPIO_ 2 . When the logic level of the pin GPIO_ 2  is 0, the switching device  412  establishes the connection between the node A and the node B 0 . When the logic level of the pin GPIO_ 2  is 1, the switching device  412  establishes the connection between the node A and the node B 1 . 
         [0031]    In this embodiment, when a peripheral device is connected to the peripheral extension dock  42  or removed from the peripheral extension dock  42 , the peripheral extension dock  42  transmits an interrupt signal INT_O to the processor  411  and the detector  414  detects whether the peripheral devices connected to the peripheral extension dock  42  comprises a 1-wire device. When the detector  414  detects that at least one 1-wire device is connected to the peripheral extension dock  42 , the processor  411  transmits a select signal to the switching device  412  to establish the connection between the node A and the node B 1 . Then, the 1-wire master  413  repeats the described operations, which are not discussed here for brevity. 
         [0032]      FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram of a 1-wire device according to an embodiment of the invention. The 1-wire device  51  comprises a connector  511  and a 1-wire authentication controller  512 . A pin of the connector  511  is grounded via a resistor Rs, wherein the resistance of the resistor Rs is substantially equal to 15 k ohm. When the 1-wire device is connected to the electronic device with the 1-wire communication function, an interrupt is generated because of the resistor Rs to inform the electronic device that the 1-wire device  51  has connected thereto. Then, the 1-wire authentication controller  512  executes 1-wire communication with the electronic device. After the 1-wire communication, the 1-wire authentication controller  512  outputs a control signal to the electronic device to interrupt the 1-wire communication. 
         [0033]      FIG. 6  is a flow chart of a detection and communication method for a peripheral device according to an embodiment of the invention. The method of the embodiment reduces the power consumption of the portable device having 1-wire communication. The conventional portable device continuously polls the peripheral device to check whether a 1-wire peripheral device is connected thereto. The method of the embodiment executes 1-wire communication only when a 1-wire peripheral device is detected. In the step S 21 , the peripheral device establishes a first connection to the portable device via a peripheral extension dock. Reference to the connection between the nodes A and B 0  in  FIG. 4  can be made for an example of the first connection. Simply speaking, the first connection is a connection between a detector or a detection device of the portable device and a connector of the portable device. In the step S 62 , the portable device detects whether the peripheral extension dock exists? If not, the procedure stays at the step S 62 . If yes, the step S 63  is executed to establish a second connection and cut the first connection. Reference to the connection between the nodes A and B 1  in  FIG. 4  can be made for an example of the second connection. Simply speaking, the second connection is a connection between the 1-wire master of the portable device and the connector of the portable device. 
         [0034]    In the step S 64 , the portable device detects whether a peripheral device is connected to the peripheral extension dock. In this embodiment, when the peripheral device is connected to the peripheral extension dock, the peripheral extension dock transmits an interrupt signal to the portable device. If no peripheral device is connected to the peripheral extension dock, the procedure stays at the step S 64 . If at least one peripheral device is connected to the peripheral extension dock, the step S 65  is executed. In the step S 65 , the portable device executes 1-wire communication with the 1-wire authentication controller of the peripheral device via the second connection. In the step S 66 , the portable device stores the status data of all the 1-wire devices connected to the peripheral extension dock. In another embodiment, the portable device stores the status data of all the peripheral devices connected to the peripheral extension dock. In the step S 67 , the portable device detects whether the peripheral device has been removed? If yes, the step S 61  is executed. If not, the step S 64  is executed. 
         [0035]    While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of the preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. To the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements (as would be apparent to those skilled in the art). Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements.