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US-12619292-B2 - Synchronous audio communication and bus power over multi-pair cables and connectors

US12619292B2US 12619292 B2US12619292 B2US 12619292B2US-12619292-B2

Abstract

In some examples of both networks and methods, a data communication network includes a plurality of nodes. The nodes include a main node (MN) and at least one sub node (SN i =SN 0 , . . . SN X ). Each node includes a node transceiver. The node transceiver is operable to perform data communication in accordance with a first network protocol for power over data via a pair of conductors (e.g., the conductors of bus). A physical layer includes a cable segment (e.g., the cable segment of bus) between each node. Each cable segment includes a plurality of pairs of conductors (e.g., pairs) and a connector (e.g., 8P8C connector—though other connectors with multiple pairs of conductors can be used) at each end. A first pair of the conductors (e.g., connected to pin 4 and pin 5 of the 8P8C connector) implements the first network protocol between the nodes. One or more of the remaining pairs of the conductors provide supplemental power to the nodes 102.

Inventors

  • Martin Kessler
  • Stuart Patterson

Assignees

  • ANALOG DEVICES, INC.

Dates

Publication Date
20260505
Application Date
20230701

Claims (12)

  1. 1 . A data communication network, comprising: a plurality of nodes comprising a main node (MN) and at least one sub node (SN i =SN 0 , . . . . SN X ), each node comprising a node transceiver operable to perform data communication in accordance with a first network protocol for power over data via a pair of conductors; and a physical layer comprising a cable segment between each node, each cable segment comprising a plurality of pairs of conductors and a connector at each end, wherein: a first pair of the conductors implements the first network protocol between the nodes; at least one pair of the remaining pairs of the conductors provide supplemental power to the nodes; each SN further comprises memory in communication with a corresponding node transceiver, and storing thereon configuration information of the each SN identifying at least a power characteristic of the each SN; and the network further comprises: a supplemental power supply; and a host processor in communication i) with the supplemental power supply, ii) with the MN and ii) with one or more SNs in series via the MN and the physical layer using the first network protocol; and operative to, progressively per given SN downstream in cooperation with the MN and each given SN: apply a first power to the first pair; read the configuration information of the given SN from the memory of the given SN using the applied first power; determine, based on the read configuration information, whether the given SN requires the supplemental power; and apply, upon determining that the given SN requires the supplemental power, the supplemental power via the supplemental power supply and the remaining pairs.
  2. 2 . The data communication network of claim 1 , wherein the supplemental power is parallel power across the remaining pairs.
  3. 3 . The data communication network of claim 1 , wherein the connector is an eight position eight contact (8P8C) connector.
  4. 4 . The data communication network of claim 3 , wherein pin 4 and pin 5 of each 8P8C connector corresponds to the first pair.
  5. 5 . The data communication network of claim 1 , wherein the first network protocol is Automotive Audio Bus (A2B).
  6. 6 . The data communication network of claim 1 , wherein: the host processor is further operative to: detect, after applying the first power, whether no overcurrent conditions exist on the first pair; discover via the first network protocol, upon determining that no overcurrent conditions exist on the first pair and before reading the configuration information, the given SN; and read the first configuration information is conditioned on discovering the given SN.
  7. 7 . A method for data communication network operation, comprising: in a data communication network comprising: a plurality of nodes comprising a main node (MN) and at least one sub node (SN i =SN 0 , . . . . SN X ), each node comprising: a node transceiver operable to perform data communication in accordance with a first network protocol for power over data via a pair of conductors; and memory, the memory in communication with a corresponding node transceiver, storing thereon configuration information of the SN identifying at least a power characteristic of the SN; a physical layer comprising a cable segment between each node, each cable segment comprising a plurality of pairs of conductors and a connector at each end, wherein a first pair of the plurality of pairs implements the first network protocol between the nodes; and at least one pair of the remaining pairs provide supplemental power to the nodes; a supplemental power supply; and a host processor in communication i) with the supplemental power supply, ii) with the MN and ii) with one or more SNs in series via the MN and the physical layer using the first network protocol; progressively per given SN downstream by the host processor in cooperation with the MN and each given SN: applying a first power to the first pair; reading the configuration information of the given SN from the memory of the given SN using the applied first power; determining, based on the read configuration information, whether the given SN requires supplemental power; and applying, upon determining that the given SN requires supplemental power via the supplemental power supply and the remaining pairs.
  8. 8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein: the method further comprises: detecting, after applying the first power, whether no overcurrent conditions exist on the first pair; discovering, upon determining that no overcurrent conditions exist on the first pair and before reading the configuration information, the given SN; and reading the first configuration information is conditioned on discovering the given SN.
  9. 9 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the supplemental power is parallel power across the remaining pairs.
  10. 10 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the connector is an eight position eight contact (8P8C) connector.
  11. 11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein pin 4 and pin 5 of each 8P8C connector corresponds to the first pair.
  12. 12 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the first network protocol is Automotive Audio Bus (A2B).

Description

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE The present application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/357,767, “SYNCHRONOUS AUDIO COMMUNICATION AND BUS POWER OVER CAT CABLES WITH 8P8C CONNECTOR” filed on Jul. 1, 2022. The entire disclosures of which is hereby incorporated by reference. FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE The present disclosure relates to systems and apparatuses in a daisy-chained network and/or a point-to-point connection network. BACKGROUND As electronic components decrease in size, and as performance expectations increase, more components are included in previously un-instrumented or less-instrumented devices. In some settings, the communication infrastructure used to exchange signals between these components (e.g., in a vehicle) has required thick and heavy bundles of cables. This disclosure is intended to provide an overview of subject matter of the present patent application. It is not intended to provide an exclusive or exhaustive explanation of the invention. Further limitations and disadvantages of conventional and traditional approaches will become apparent to one of skill in the art, through comparison of such systems with some aspects of the present invention as set forth in the remainder of the present application with reference to the drawings. SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE Disclosed herein are systems and techniques for synchronous audio communication and bus power in a network bus over cables with 8P8C connector. The cables can be variations of CAT cables, such as category 5 (CAT5), category 6 (CAT6), category 7 (CAT7), or CAT 8 (CAT8) cables, shielded cables, not shielded cables, and the cables can be Ethernet cables. The connector can be an 8 position/8 conductor (8P8C) connector, such an RJ45 connector. The network bus can be a two-wire bus. In some examples, the network bus provided herein applies bus power in a staged and negotiated manner and shares a differential communication wire pair with supply and return current. This is in contrast to Power over Ethernet (PoE), which is asynchronous and packet based. An audio clock synchronous communication system as described herein provides many advantages. For example, it is less complex and allows for much shorter latencies. Additionally, power over the data line allows a re-use of the communication cable for power supply and it therefore avoids extra cables for power wiring. The cable-connector combination is cheap, has good digital communication properties, and is readily available in many retail stores. It is therefore desirable to use it for synchronous audio communication as well, as described herein. Thus, systems and techniques are provided herein to reduce the complexity of PoE, by providing a different power over data line scheme (PoD) with a method that protects PoD devices when being plugged into PoE PSD devices and protection of PoE devices when being plugged into PoD devices. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present disclosure is best understood from the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is emphasized that, in accordance with the standard practice in the industry, various features are not necessarily drawn to scale, and are used for illustration purposes only. Where a scale is shown, explicitly or implicitly, it provides only one illustrative example. In other embodiments, the dimensions of the various features may be arbitrarily increased or reduced for clarity of discussion. To facilitate this description, like reference numerals designate like structural elements. Embodiments are illustrated by way of example, not by way of limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings. For a fuller understanding of the nature and advantages of the present invention, reference is made to the following detailed description of preferred embodiments and in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an illustrative two-wire communication system, in accordance with various embodiments; FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a node transceiver that may be included in a node of the system of FIG. 1, in accordance with various embodiments; FIG. 3 is a diagram of a portion of a synchronization control frame used for communication in the system of FIG. 1, in accordance with various embodiments; FIG. 4 is a diagram of a superframe used for communication in the system of FIG. 1, in accordance with various embodiments; FIG. 5 illustrates example formats for a synchronization control frame in different modes of operation of the system of FIG. 1, in accordance with various embodiments; FIG. 6 illustrates example formats for a synchronization response frame at different modes of operation of the system of FIG. 1, in accordance with various embodiments; FIG. 7 is a block diagram of various components of the bus protocol circuitry of FIG. 2, in accordance with various embodiments; FIGS. 8-11 illustrate examples of information exchange along a two-wire