BUS-POWERED COMPUTER PERIPHERAL WITH SUPPLEMENTAL BATTERY POWER TO OVERCOME BUS-POWER LIMIT

• US 20010003205A1
• Filed: 07/15/1998
• Published: 06/07/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Inventors: GILBERT, TIMOTHY G.
• Granted Patent: US 6,357,011 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/320
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/266 Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips

Abstract

A computer system typically includes a central computer and several peripherals, such as a mouse and a printer, which communicate with the computer via a communications channel known as a serial bus. The serial bus may also supply a limited amount of power to some peripherals. Unfortunately, the power limit compels high-power peripherals to include independent power supplies, an arrangement which increase their complexity and cost. Accordingly, one embodiment of the present invention provides a bus-powered peripheral that includes a controller, a rechargeable battery, and a voltage regulator or recharge circuit. The recharge circuit monitors data on a serial bus, recharges the battery during inactive periods, and allows the battery to supplement bus power during active periods, thereby overcoming the power limit of the serial bus.

Claims

1. A computer peripheral for communicating with a computer, the computer peripheral comprising:

a power terminal for coupling to an external power source;

a data terminal for coupling to the computer;

a voltage regulator coupled to the power terminal;

a rechargeable battery coupled to the voltage regulator;

a primary-function module coupled to the voltage regulator; and

a controller coupled to the voltage regulator and responsive to signals at the data terminal to switch the voltage regulator between a charge mode that charges the rechargeable battery and a supply mode that supplies energy from the rechargeable battery to the primary-function module.

2. The computer peripheral of

claim 1

, wherein the primary-function module includes components of a printer, scanner, fax machine, or speaker.

3. The computer peripheral of

claim 1

, wherein the peripheral includes a USB port coupled to the power terminal and the data terminal.

4. The computer peripheral of

claim 1

, wherein the external power source is part of the computer.

5. A USB bus-powered peripheral comprising:

a USB port having two USB power terminals for coupling to a pair of USB power lines and having two USB data terminals for coupling to a pair of USB data lines;

a voltage regulator coupled to the two USB power terminals;

a rechargeable battery coupled to the voltage regulator;

a primary-function module coupled to the voltage regulator, the primary-function module including components of a printer, scanner, fax machine, or speaker; and

a controller coupled to the voltage regulator and responsive to signals at the USB data terminals to switch the voltage regulator between a charge mode that charges the rechargeable battery and a supply mode that supplies energy from the rechargeable battery to the primary-function module.

6. A system comprising:

a computer;

a bus for communicating data and power according to a bus specification; and

a peripheral coupled to the computer via the bus to receive data and power, the peripheral including;

a primary-function module; and

a rechargeable battery circuit coupled to the bus to store energy and responsive to power demands of the primary-function module to transfer stored energy to the module.

7. The system of

claim 6

, wherein the battery circuit includes:

a voltage regulator coupled to the bus and the primary-function module;

a rechargeable battery coupled to the voltage regulator; and

a controller coupled to the voltage regulator and responsive to signals on the bus to switch the voltage regulator between a charge mode that charges the rechargeable battery and a supply mode that supplies energy from the rechargeable battery to the primary-function module.

8. A computer peripheral comprising a rechargeable battery that stores energy during inactive periods for use during active periods.

9. The computer peripheral of

claim 8

, further comprising:

a communications port having two power terminals for coupling to a pair of power lines and having two data terminals for coupling to a pair of data lines, the power lines having a predetermined power limit;

a voltage regulator coupled to the power terminals and the rechargeable battery;

a primary-function module coupled to the voltage regulator; and

a controller coupled to at least one of the two data terminals and to the voltage regulator, the controller responsive to signals at the data terminals, indicating an inactive period, to switch the voltage regulator to a charge mode during which it charges the rechargeable battery and responsive to signals at the data terminals, indicating an active period, to switch the voltage regulator to a battery supply mode during which it transfers energy from the rechargeable battery and from the power lines to the primary-function module, thereby providing the primary-function module power in excess of the predetermined power limit.

10. The computer peripheral of

claim 8

, wherein the primary-function module includes components of a printer, scanner, fax machine, or speaker.

11. A power-extension peripheral for connection between a computer and a computer peripheral, the power-extension peripheral comprising:

a power terminal for coupling to an external power source;

a data terminal for coupling to the computer;

a voltage regulator coupled to the power terminal and having an output terminal for coupling to the computer peripheral;

a rechargeable battery coupled to the voltage regulator; and

a controller coupled to the data terminal and to the voltage regulator and responsive to signals at the data terminal to switch the voltage regulator between a charge mode that connects the rechargeable battery to the power terminal for recharge and a supply mode that connects the rechargeable battery and the power terminal to the output terminal for supplying power from both the battery and the external power source to the computer peripheral.

12. A system comprising:

a computer for processing data;

a bus, coupled to the computer, for communicating data;

a power supply for supplying a limited amount of power;

a power-extension peripheral coupled to the computer via the bus and to the power supply and including a supplemental power source; and

a computer peripheral coupled to the bus via the power-extension peripheral to receive power from the power supply and the supplemental power source, thereby receiving more than the limited amount of power.

13. The system of

claim 12

, wherein the power supply is part of the computer.

14. The system of

claim 12

, wherein the supplemental power source comprises a rechargeable battery and the power-extension peripheral further comprises:

a power terminal coupled to the power supply;

a data terminal coupled to the computer to receive signals;

a voltage regulator coupled to the power terminal and the rechargeable battery, and having an output terminal coupled to the computer peripheral; and

a controller coupled to the voltage regulator and responsive to signals at the data terminal to switch the voltage regulator between a charge mode that connects the rechargeable battery to the power terminal for recharge and a supply mode that connects the rechargeable battery and the power terminal to the output terminal for supplying power from both the battery and the power supply to the computer peripheral.

15. A computer peripheral comprising:

a pair of power terminals for receiving a limited amount of power;

a data terminal for communicating with a computer;

a primary-function module coupled to the power terminals and the data terminal to perform a primary function;

a rechargeable battery coupled to the power terminals and responsive to power demands of the primary-function module to provide supplemental power to the primary function module during high-power-demand periods and to store excess power during low-power-demand periods.

16. A computer peripheral comprising:

a pair of power terminals for receiving a limited amount of power;

a data terminal for receiving data from a computer;

a primary-function module coupled to the power terminals and the data terminal to perform a primary peripheral function, the primary-function module including a first portion that receives power only through the power terminals and a second portion that receives power through the power terminals; and

a rechargeable battery coupled to the power terminals and to the second portion of the primary-function module so that the second portion receives power concurrently from both the rechargeable battery and the power terminals.

17. The computer peripheral of

claim 16

, wherein the first portion of the primary-function module is responsive to signals at the data terminal to selectively activate or deactivate the second portion of the primary-function module, and wherein the battery is responsive to deactivation of the second portion to store energy transferred via the power terminals.

18. The computer peripheral of

claim 16

, wherein the first portion of the primary-function module includes control logic and circuits responsive to signals at the data terminal to operate the second portion, and the second portion of primary-function module includes one or more transducers for converting electrical energy into another form of energy.

19. A method of operating a computer peripheral connected to a computer via a bus, the method comprising:

transferring power via the bus to the computer peripheral;

operating at least a part of the peripheral with power transferred via the bus; and

charging a battery with at least a portion of the power transferred via the bus.

20. The method of

claim 19

further including operating at least a part of the peripheral with power transferred via the bus and with power derived from the charged battery.