Patent Publication Number: US-2023152871-A1

Title: Electronic device and connecting device

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the priority benefit of Taiwan application serial No. 110142653, filed on Nov. 16, 2021. The entirety of the above-mentioned patent application is hereby incorporated by reference herein and made a part of the specification. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     The disclosure relates to an electronic device and a connecting device connected to the electronic device. 
     Description of the Related Art 
     Universal serial bus (USB) Type-C connecting devices are not different in the positive or negative specification design and have power, data, and image transmission functions simultaneously, and therefore are increasingly widely applied to various electronic products. 
     When power, data, or image transmission is performed, a framework of an existing USB Type-C connecting device first needs to perform protocol communication through a configuration channel, to set the format of power, data, or image. However, not all the USB Type-C connecting devices have all functions. When users connect such USB Type-C connecting devices that do not have all functions, a compatibility problem is encountered sometimes. As a result, the devices do not function as expected or work normally. However, the users generally have no USB Type-C analysis devices or instruments. Consequently, when the users encounter a connection problem of the USB Type-C connecting devices, the users usually cannot learn the content of the problem and cannot find a solution or ask for help. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to the first aspect of the disclosure, an electronic device adapted to be electrically connected to a second electronic device through a connecting device is provided. The second electronic device includes a second USB Type-C port and a second power delivery controller. The electronic device includes a first USB Type-C port, a first power delivery controller, an analysis module, and a reminder device. The first USB Type-C port is electrically connected to the second USB Type-C port through the connecting device. The first power delivery controller is electrically connected to the first USB Type-C port, so that the first power delivery controller communicates with the second power delivery controller to generate transmission handshaking information through the first USB Type-C port, the connecting device, and the second USB Type-C port. The analysis module is electrically connected to the first power delivery controller, to determine at least one function type transmissible between the electronic device and the second electronic device according to the transmission handshaking information. The reminder device is electrically connected to the analysis module and used for indicating the function type supportable between the electronic device and the second electronic device. 
     According to the second aspect of the disclosure, a connecting device adapted to be electrically connected to a first electronic device and a second electronic device is provided. The first electronic device includes a first USB Type-C port and a first power delivery controller, and the second electronic device includes a second USB Type-C port and a second power delivery controller. The connecting device includes a first USB Type-C connector, a second USB Type-C connector, a transmission line, and a control chip. The first USB Type-C connector is connected to the first USB Type-C port. The second USB Type-C connector is connected to the second USB Type-C port. The transmission line is electrically connected to the first USB Type-C connector and the second USB Type-C connector, so that the first power delivery controller communicates with the second power delivery controller to generate transmission handshaking information through the first USB Type-C port, the first USB Type-C connector, the transmission line, the second USB Type-C connector, and the second USB Type-C port. The control chip is electrically connected to the transmission line, to receive the transmission handshaking information and determine at least one function type transmissible between the first electronic device and the second electronic device according to the transmission handshaking information. 
     To sum up, the disclosure provides the electronic device and the connecting device, where the devices obtain the function types transmissible between the electronic devices through the transmission handshaking information, to enable a user to learn a communication status and the function types transmissible between the connecting device and the electronic device, so as to take corresponding processing methods without using specific analysis devices or instruments, which is quite convenient to use. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a schematic block diagram of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the disclosure; 
         FIG.  2    is a schematic block diagram of an electronic device according to another embodiment of the disclosure; and 
         FIG.  3    is a schematic block diagram of a connecting device according to an embodiment of the disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to  FIG.  1   , an electronic device (referred to as a first electronic device  10  below) includes a first USB Type-C port  101 , a first power delivery controller  102 , an analysis module  103 , and a reminder device  104 . The first electronic device  10  is adapted to be electrically connected to a second electronic device  20  through a connecting device  30 . The second electronic device  20  includes a second USB Type-C port  201  and a second power delivery controller  202  connected thereto. In the first electronic device  10 , the first USB Type-C port  101  is electrically connected to the second USB Type-C port  201  through the connecting device  30 , and the first power delivery controller  102  is electrically connected to the first USB Type-C port  101 , so that the first power delivery controller  102  performs configuration channel protocol communication with the second power delivery controller  202  through the first USB Type-C port  101 , the connecting device  30 , and the second USB Type-C port  201 , to generate transmission handshaking information through communication between the first power delivery controller  102  and the second power delivery controller  202 . The analysis module  103  is electrically connected to the first power delivery controller  102 . In this embodiment, the first power delivery controller  102  is a high-end electronic chip with functions of determining and controlling. Therefore, the analysis module  103  is built in the first power delivery controller  102 . The analysis module  103  determines at least one function type transmissible between the first electronic device  10  and the second electronic device  20  according to the transmission handshaking information, such as a power transmission function, a data transmission function, an image transmission function, or any combination thereof. To make a user clearly learn the function type such as the power transmission function, the data transmission function, or the image transmission function that is supportable after the connecting device  30  is electrically connected to the first electronic device  10  and the second electronic device  20 , the first electronic device  10  is also equipped with the reminder device  104  that is electrically connected to the analysis module  103 . The reminder device  104  is used for indicating function types that are transmission-supportable or transmission-unsupportable between the first electronic device  10  and the second electronic device  20 , for example, information such as the current transmissible and receivable voltage and power, the existing USB type, and the image transmission format. 
     As shown in  FIG.  1   , in an embodiment, the analysis module  103  built in the first power delivery controller  102  is a software component. The software component further includes a determining algorithm responsible for determining function types transmissible between the first electronic device  10  and the second electronic device  20  according to transmission handshaking information. 
     In an embodiment, the connecting device  30  includes a first USB Type-C connector  301 , a second USB Type-C connector  302 , and a transmission line  303 . The transmission line  303  is electrically connected to the first USB Type-C connector  301  and the second USB Type-C connector  302 , so that the first USB Type-C connector  301  is plugged in the first USB Type-C port  101  of the first electronic device  10 , and the second USB Type-C connector  302  is plugged in the second USB Type-C port  201  of the second electronic device  20 , to transmit signals. 
     In an embodiment, the first electronic device  10  is used as a primary electronic device, and the second electronic device  20  is used as a secondary electronic device. In an embodiment, the primary electronic device is a notebook computer or the like and the secondary electronic device is a liquid crystal display. When the first electronic device  10  (the notebook computer) is electrically connected to the second electronic device  20  (the liquid crystal display) through the connecting device  30  of the USB Type-C, the first power delivery controller  102  performs configuration channel protocol communication with the second power delivery controller  202  through the first USB Type-C port  101 , the first USB Type-C connector  301 , the transmission line  303 , the second USB Type-C connector  302 , and the second USB Type-C port  201 , to generate the transmission handshaking information through communication and deliver the transmission handshaking information to the analysis module  103 . The analysis module  103  determines according to the transmission handshaking information that the function types transmissible among the first electronic device  10 , the connecting device  30 , and the second electronic device  20  are the power transmission function and the image transmission function, so that the first electronic device  10  provides an acquired type of power (such as 5 volts, 9 volts, or 12 volts) to the second electronic device  20  and delivers a to-be-displayed image signal to the second electronic device  20 , and the image signal is displayed on the second electronic device  20 . 
     In another embodiment, the second electronic device  20  is used as a primary electronic device, and the first electronic device  10  is used as a secondary electronic device. In an embodiment, the primary electronic device is a liquid crystal display and the secondary electronic device is a notebook computer. When the second electronic device  20  (the notebook computer) is electrically connected to the first electronic device  10  (the liquid crystal display) through the connecting device  30  of the USB Type-C, the first power delivery controller  102  performs configuration channel protocol communication with the second power delivery controller  202  through the first USB Type-C port  101 , the first USB Type-C connector  301 , the transmission line  303 , the second USB Type-C connector  302 , and the second USB Type-C port  201 , to generate the transmission handshaking information through communication and deliver the transmission handshaking information to the analysis module  103 . The analysis module  103  determines according to the transmission handshaking information that the function types transmissible among the first electronic device  10 , the connecting device  30 , and the second electronic device  20  are the power transmission function and the image transmission function, so that the second electronic device  20  provides an acquired type of power to the first electronic device  10  and delivers a to-be-displayed image signal to the first electronic device  10  and the image signal is displayed on the first electronic device  10 . 
     Referring to  FIG.  2   , a first electronic device  10  includes a first USB Type-C port  101 , a first power delivery controller  102 , an analysis module  103 , and a reminder device  104 , and a processor  105 . The first electronic device  10  is adapted to be electrically connected to a second electronic device  20  through a connecting device  30 . The second electronic device  20  includes a second USB Type-C port  201  and a second power delivery controller  202  connected thereto. In the first electronic device  10 , the first USB Type-C port  101  is electrically connected to the second USB Type-C port  201  through the connecting device  30 , and the first power delivery controller  102  is electrically connected to the first USB Type-C port  101 . The first power delivery controller  102  performs configuration channel protocol communication with the second power delivery controller  202  through the first USB Type-C port  101 , the connecting device  30 , and the second USB Type-C port  201 , to generate transmission handshaking information through communication between the first power delivery controller  102  and the second power delivery controller  202 . The processor  105  is electrically connected to the first power delivery controller  102 . In this embodiment, the analysis module  103  is built in the processor  105 . The analysis module  103  in the processor  105  determines one or more function types transmissible between the first electronic device  10  and the second electronic device  20  according to the transmission handshaking information. The reminder device  104  is electrically connected to the processor  105 , to indicate function types that are transmission-supportable or transmission-unsupportable between the first electronic device  10  and the second electronic device  20  according to a determination result of the analysis module  103 . Excluding component relationships and actions described herein, other characteristics are the same as those in the embodiment shown in  FIG.  1   . Therefore, reference is made to the foregoing description and details are not described herein again. 
     In an embodiment, the processor  105  is but not limited to a central processing unit (CPU), a microprocessor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a system on a chip (SOC), or another similar component, or a combination thereof. 
     As shown in  FIG.  2   , in an embodiment, the analysis module  103  built in the processor  105  is a software component. The software component further includes a determining algorithm responsible for determining function types transmissible between the first electronic device  10  and the second electronic device  20  according to transmission handshaking information. 
     Referring to  FIG.  3   , a connecting device  30  is adapted to be electrically connected to a first electronic device  10  and a second electronic device  20 . The first electronic device  10  includes a first USB Type-C port  101  and a first power delivery controller  102 , and the first USB Type-C port  101  is electrically connected to the first power delivery controller  102 . The second electronic device  20  includes a second USB Type-C port  201  and a second power delivery controller  202 , and the second USB Type-C port  201  is electrically connected to the second power delivery controller  202 . The connecting device  30  includes a first USB Type-C connector  301 , a second USB Type-C connector  302 , a transmission line  303 , a control chip  304 , and a reminder device  305 . The first USB Type-C connector  301  is connected to the first USB Type-C port  101 . The second USB Type-C connector  302  is connected to the second USB Type-C port  201 . The transmission line  303  is electrically connected to the first USB Type-C connector  301  and the second USB Type-C connector  302 . The first power delivery controller  102  performs configuration channel protocol communication with the second power delivery controller  202  through the first USB Type-C port  101 , the first USB Type-C connector  301 , the transmission line  303 , the second USB Type-C connector  302 , and the second USB Type-C port  201 , to generate transmission handshaking information through communication between the first power delivery controller  102  and the second power delivery controller  202 . The control chip  304  is electrically connected to the transmission line  303 , to obtain, from the transmission line  303 , the transmission handshaking information generated after communication between the first power delivery controller  102  and the second power delivery controller  202 . The control chip  304  determines function types transmissible between the first electronic device  10  and the second electronic device  20  according to the transmission handshaking information. The reminder device  305  is electrically connected to the control chip  304 . After the control chip  304  determines the transmissible function types, the reminder device  305  indicates the function types supportable between the first electronic device  10  and the second electronic device  20 , to display the function types to a user. 
     When the first USB Type-C connector  301  of the connecting device  30  is plugged in the first USB Type-C port  101  of the first electronic device  10  and the second USB Type-C connector  302  is plugged in the second USB Type-C port  201  of the second electronic device  20 , the first electronic device  10  performs configuration channel protocol communication with the second electronic device  20  through the connecting device  30 , so that the first power delivery controller  102  communicates with the second power delivery controller  202  to obtain corresponding transmission handshaking information. The control chip  304  determines function types transmissible between the first electronic device  10  and the second electronic device  20  according to the transmission handshaking information, and the function types supportable between the first electronic device  10  and the second electronic device  20  are provided to the user through the reminder device  305 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  3   , in an embodiment, the first electronic device  10  is used as a primary electronic device and the second electronic device  20  is used as a secondary electronic device; or the second electronic device  20  is used as a primary electronic device and the first electronic device  10  is used as a secondary electronic device. 
     As shown in  FIG.  3   , in an embodiment, a software component is further installed in the control chip  304 . The software component further includes a determining algorithm responsible for determining function types transmissible between the first electronic device  10  and the second electronic device  20  according to the transmission handshaking information or other related operations. 
     Referring to  FIG.  1   ,  FIG.  2   , and  FIG.  3    together, the reminder devices  104  shown in  FIG.  1    and  FIG.  2    and the reminder device  305  shown in  FIG.  3    are a lighting device, a sound device, or a display device, to indicate the function types supportable between the first electronic device  10  and the second electronic device  20  in the form of light, sound, or display, to enable a user to easily learn function types of a combination system of the first electronic device  10 , the connecting device  30 , and the second electronic device  20  that are currently connected. In an embodiment, when the reminder device  305  is the lighting device, using light emitting diodes as light signals for display, different light signals in different colors are used to indicate different function types, to enable the user to learn function types that are supportable or unsupportable in the whole combination system by emitting the light signals in different colors. When the reminder device  305  is the sound device, different sounds are made to indicate different function types, or speeches are directly used to broadcast the function types that are supportable or unsupportable in the combination system. When the reminder device  305  is the display device, the display device directly displays texts of the function types that are supportable or unsupportable or every function type has a representation icon, so that the display device directly displays the representation icons of the function types that are supportable, to enable the user to easily learn the function types that are applicable in the whole combination system. 
     In the foregoing embodiments, based on the disclosure, by reading the transmission handshaking information by means of delivery or retrieval on the first electronic device or the second electronic device connected to the connecting device or the connecting device located on a transmission path to perform analysis, the communication status or the existing function types of the whole connecting system (including the first electronic device, the connecting device, and the second electronic device) are obtained accordingly. 
     To sum up, the disclosure provides the electronic device and the connecting device, where the devices obtain the function types transmissible between the electronic devices through the transmission handshaking information, to enable a user to learn a communication status and the function types transmissible between the connecting device and the electronic device, so as to take corresponding processing methods without using specific analysis devices or instruments, which is quite convenient to use. 
     The foregoing embodiments are merely for describing the technical ideas and the characteristics of the disclosure, and are intended to enable those skilled in the art to understand and hereby implement the content of the disclosure. However, the scope of claims of the disclosure is not limited thereto. In other words, equivalent changes or modifications made according to the spirit disclosed in the disclosure shall still fall into scope of the claims of the disclosure.