Methods and apparatus for charging a battery in a peripheral device

• US 20030075993A1
• Filed: 10/22/2002
• Published: 04/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Computer Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Fadell, Anthony M., Krah, Christoph
• Granted Patent: US 6,995,963 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/150
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/325 Power saving in peripheral device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/001 Hot plugging or unplugging of load or power modules to or from power distribution networks
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/06 Two-wire systems
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/30 Charge provided using DC bus or data bus of a computer
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00302 Overcharge protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0031 using battery or load disconnect circuits H02J9/002 takes precedence

Abstract

A power manager for managing power delivered to a battery operated peripheral device is disclosed. The power manager includes an input current limiter arranged to suppress a power surge associated with an insertion event by a power cable arranged to provide an external voltage. A voltage converter unit coupled to the input current limiter converts the received external voltage to a supply voltage that is transmitted by way of a main bus to a voltage sensor unit coupled thereto. During the insertion event, a comparator unit coupled to the voltage sensor, sends a first switching signal to a switchover circuit that responds by connecting the peripheral device and an uncharged battery to the main bus such that the supply voltage is provided thereto. When the battery is substantially fully charged, the switchover circuit responds by electrically disconnecting the battery so as to not overcharge the battery.

Claims

1. A power manager unit for managing power delivered to a battery powered device, comprising:

a voltage converter unit arranged to convert an external voltage received by an external voltage supply by way of a cable to a supply voltage, wherein the cable includes a number of lines some of which are data lines arranged to form a transmit-receive connection and some of which are power lines arranged to carry the external voltage from the external power supply to the device;

a voltage sensor unit coupled to the voltage converter unit for sensing a voltage;

a comparator unit coupled to the voltage sensor unit arranged to generate a switching signal based upon the sensed voltage; and

a switchover circuit coupled to the comparator circuit arranged to receive the switching signal, wherein the switching circuit responds to the received switching signal by connecting the device and an uncharged battery to the voltage converter unit such that the supply voltage is provided thereto.

2. A power management unit as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a main bus, wherein the input current limiter and the voltage sensor unit are each coupled to the main bus on which the sensed voltage is applied.

3. A power management unit as recited in claim 2, further comprising:

an input current limiter coupled to the main bus arranged to suppress a power surge resulting from a received external voltage derived from a power cable insertion event of the power cable when the power cable is coupled to the external power supply.

4. A power management unit as recited in claim 1, wherein when the battery is substantially fully charged, the switchover circuit responds by electrically disconnecting the battery so as to not overcharge the battery.

5. A power management unit as recited in claim 2 wherein during a power cable removal event, the comparator unit sends a second signal to the switchover circuit.

6. A power management unit as recited in claim 5, further comprising:

the switchover circuit responds to the second signal by

substantially simultaneously disconnecting the main bus from the peripheral device, and

connecting the battery to the device.

7. A power management unit as recited in claim 1, wherein the cable the data lines are separately-shielded twisted transmission type data lines.

8. A power management unit as recited in claim 6, wherein the cable is a FireWire type cable.

9. A method for managing power delivered to a battery-operated peripheral device, comprising:

receiving an external voltage from an external voltage supply by way of a cable, wherein the cable includes a number of lines some of which are data lines arranged to form a transmit-receive connection and some of which are power lines arranged to carry the external voltage from the external power supply to the device;

converting the received external voltage to a supply voltage by a voltage converter unit;

sensing a voltage by a voltage sensor unit coupled to the voltage converter unit;

generating a switching signal based upon the sensed voltage;

receiving the switching signal by a switchover circuit; and

connecting the peripheral device and an uncharged battery to the voltage converter unit such that the supply voltage is provided thereto in response to the received switching signal, by way of a cable that couples an external voltage supply and a data source.

10. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein the cable includes a number of lines some of which are data lines arranged to form a transmit-receive connection and some of which are power lines arranged to carry power from the power supply to the peripheral device.

11. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein when the battery is substantially fully charged, the switchover circuit responds by electrically isolating the battery from the powered cable.

12. A method for managing power as recited in claim 9, further comprising:

suppressing a power surge associated with a cable insertion event;

during a cable removal event, sending a second signal to the switchover circuit in response to the second signal; and

substantially simultaneously disconnecting the main bus from the peripheral device and connecting the battery to the peripheral device.

13. A method as recited in claim 10, wherein the cable the data lines are separately-shielded twisted transmission type data lines.

14. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein the cable is a FireWire type cable.

15. An apparatus for managing power delivered to a battery-operated peripheral device, comprising:

means for receiving an external voltage from an external voltage supply by way of a cable, wherein the cable includes a number of lines some of which are data lines arranged to form a transmit-receive connection and some of which are power lines arranged to carry the external voltage from the external power supply to the device;

means for converting a received external voltage to a supply voltage;

means for sensing a voltage;

means for generating a switching signal based upon the sensed voltage;

means for receiving the switching signal by a switchover circuit; and

means for connecting the peripheral device and an uncharged battery to the supply voltage in response to the received switching signal.

16. An apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein the cable includes a number of lines some of which are data lines arranged to form a transmit-receive connection and some of which are power lines arranged to carry power from the power supply to the peripheral device.

17. An apparatus as recited in claim 15, further comprising:

wherein when the battery is substantially filly charged,

means for electrically isolating the battery from the powered cable.

18. An apparatus as recited in claim 15, further comprising:

means for suppressing a power surge associated with a cable insertion event;

during a cable removal event,

means for sending a second signal to the switchover circuit in response to the second signal; and

means for substantially simultaneously disconnecting the main bus from the peripheral device and connecting the battery to the peripheral device.

19. An apparatus as recited in claim 18, wherein the cable the data lines are separately-shielded twisted transmission type data lines.

20. An apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein the cable is a FireWire type cable.