Patent ID: 8769163

Claim:
A coupling apparatus for interconnecting a peripheral device and a host device, the coupling apparatus comprising: a. a first connector configured for operative connection with the peripheral device via a first type of interface; b. a second connector configured for operative connection with the host device via a second type of interface, different from the first type of interface; and c. a coupling system operatively interconnecting the first connector and the second connector, the coupling system comprising processing components configured to generate a supply signal, the coupling system further configured to provide the supply signal to the peripheral device via the first connector, the supply signal indicative of presence of the coupling apparatus interconnecting the peripheral device and the host device, thereby indicating maximum supply power, maximum supply current, or both, available to the peripheral device from the host device, wherein generating the supply signal comprises monitoring conditions at one or more contacts of the second connector, processing said monitored conditions using software or firmware installed on the processing components to generate the supply signal based on the conditions received at the one or more contacts of the second connector, and providing the supply signal based on the monitored conditions, wherein the first connector is configured for a mechanical connection to a peripheral device connector and the second connector is configured for a mechanical connection to a host device connector.