Method and apparatus to use audio port to provide power and data communications for peripheral devices

摘要

Techniques for providing power and communicating data via an audio interface to a peripheral device are described herein. In one embodiment, a peripheral device is communicatively coupled to a host device via an audio interface of the host device, where the audio interface includes a first stereo output channel, a second stereo output channel, an audio input channel, and a ground pin. The peripheral device receives from the host device a first audio signal via the first stereo output channel and a second audio signal via the second stereo output channel. In response, the peripheral device harvests energy from both the first audio signal and the second audio signal to generate direct current (DC) power to power one or more hardware components of the peripheral device including a processor of the peripheral device.

主权项

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
activating a first application at a host device that requires a service from a peripheral device, wherein the first application drives a first audio signal into a first stereo output channel of an audio interface circuit of the host device and drives a second audio signal into a second stereo output channel of the audio interface circuit, and wherein the first audio signal and the second audio signal are complementary signals; harvesting energy by a power harvest module of the peripheral device from both the first audio signal and the second audio signal to generate a direct current (DC) voltage to power up one or more hardware components of the peripheral device including a microcontroller of the peripheral device; powering up and completing an initializing process at the peripheral device, wherein the microcontroller on the peripheral device generates peripheral device ready data, modulates the peripheral device ready data to a third signal, and transmits the third signal to an input channel of the audio interface circuit of the host device; confirming by the first application of the host device readiness of the peripheral device by receiving the third signal from the input channel of the audio interface circuit of the host device and demodulating the peripheral device ready data sent from the third signal received from the peripheral device; establishing by the first application of the host device duplex data communication with the peripheral device, by transferring data through the first and the second audio output channels of the audio interface circuit, and receiving data from the input channel of the audio interface circuit; and continuously receiving power by the peripheral device by harvesting energy from the first and the second audio channels of the audio interface circuit of the host device, while demodulating the data from the first and the second audio channels, wherein the peripheral device receives data sent from the host device, and wherein the peripheral device modulates data received from a second application on the peripheral device, and transmits the data to the host device via the audio input channel of the audio interface circuit of the host device.