Ultracapacitor-based power supply for an electronic device
First Claim
1. An ultracapacitor-based power supply for a portable electronic device comprising:
- an ultracapacitor, wherein energy stored in the ultracapacitor provides a source of primary operational power to power the portable electronic device.
2 Assignments
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Accused Products
Abstract
An ultracapacitor-based power supply (Ultracapacitor Supply) and method power a portable electronic device. The Ultracapacitor Supply includes an ultracapacitor that stores energy rapidly relative to a battery-based power supply. The stored energy is used to provide primary power to the device. The electronic device includes operational electronics that require power to operate and an integral power supply. The device uses the Ultracapacitor Supply as one or both of the integral power supply and an auxiliary power source. As an auxiliary source, the Ultracapacitor Supply provides primary power to the device operational electronics from external to the device on a temporary basis when the device integral supply is depleted or otherwise unavailable. The auxiliary source serves as an emergency or back-up power supply. As the integral source, the Ultracapacitor Supply provides primary power to the operational electronics from inside the device on a relatively regular basis.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. An ultracapacitor-based power supply for a portable electronic device comprising:
an ultracapacitor, wherein energy stored in the ultracapacitor provides a source of primary operational power to power the portable electronic device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A portable electronic device comprising:
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operational electronics; and
an ultracapacitor-based power supply comprising an ultracapacitor, wherein the ultracapacitor stores energy for and supplies primary operational power to the operational electronics, and wherein the operational electronics and the power supply are enclosed together in a housing. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An auxiliary ultracapacitor-based power supply for powering a portable electronic device comprising:
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an ultracapacitor enclosed in a housing, wherein the ultracapacitor serves as a short-term, auxiliary power source for the electronic device using energy stored in the ultracapacitor. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. An electronic device comprising:
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operational electronics;
an integral power supply that supplies primary operational power to the electronics; and
means for receiving auxiliary primary power from a portable external power source when the integral power supply is unavailable, wherein the operational electronics, the integral power supply and the receiving means are enclosed by a device housing, and wherein the receiving means receives auxiliary power from the portable external source, such that the portability of the electronic device is maintained while receiving the auxiliary primary power. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A method of powering an electronic device comprising:
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energizing an ultracapacitor using energy acquired from an external energy source;
converting energy stored in the ultracapacitor into a form suitable for powering the device; and
powering the device using the converted energy. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30)
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Specification