DC power source determination circuitry for use with an adapter

• US 20050162020A1
• Filed: 01/15/2004
• Published: 07/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Comarco Wireless Systems LLC (AppBrilliance, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Comarco Wireless Technologies Incorporated (Comarco Incorporated)
• Inventors: Lanni, Thomas W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,453,171 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/121
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/40 adapted for charging from various sources, e.g. AC, DC or multivoltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00308 Overvoltage protection

Abstract

An adapter device includes a DC/DC adapter to receive DC power from a DC power source, and output a regulated DC voltage (V_out). A source determination circuitry receives the DC power from the DC power source and compares a magnitude of a voltage of the DC power with a reference magnitude of a reference voltage (V_ref). When the magnitude of the voltage of the DC power is greater than the reference magnitude, a data signal (V_data) having a first value is output. When the magnitude of the voltage of the DC power is less than the reference magnitude, the V_data signal having a second value is output. The V_data signal is received by control circuitry of an electronic device. When the V_data signal has the first value, the electronic device operates in a first mode where battery charging circuitry is disabled. When the V_data signal has the second value, the battery charging circuitry is enabled.

Claims

1. An adapter device, comprising:

a DC/DC adapter to receive DC power from a DC power source, and output a regulated DC voltage (V_out); and

source determination circuitry to receive the DC power from the DC power source and compare a magnitude of a voltage of the DC power with a reference magnitude of a reference voltage (V_ref),

wherein when the magnitude of the voltage of the DC power is greater than the reference magnitude, a data signal (V_data) having a first value is output, and when the magnitude of the voltage of the DC power is less than the reference magnitude, the V_data signal having a second value is output, the V_data signal being received by control circuitry of an electronic device wherein

when the V_data signal has the first value, the electronic device operates in a first mode where battery charging circuitry is disabled, and when the V_data signal has the second value, the battery charging circuitry is enabled.

2. The adapter device according to claim 1, wherein when the DC power source is an automobile cigarette lighter outlet, the magnitude of the voltage of the DC power is less than the reference magnitude.

3. The adapter device according to claim 2, the magnitude of the DC power being in a range between about 11.0 Volts and about 14.1 Volts.

4. The adapter device according to claim 1, wherein when the DC power source is an emPower airplane outlet, the magnitude of the voltage of the DC power is greater than the reference magnitude.

5. The adapter device according to claim 4, the magnitude of the DC power being in a range between about 14.5 Volts and about 15.5 Volts.

6. The adapter device according to claim 1, further including an AC/DC adapter.

7. The adapter device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a notebook computer.

8. The adapter device according to claim 1, wherein the component is a battery of the electronic device.

9. The adapter device according to claim 1, the V_data signal being selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a transmission of a discrete bit, (b) a transmission of a data signal having multiple bits, (c) an analog signal, and (d) an analog voltage.

10. The adapter device according to claim 1, the comparison circuitry including a comparator.

11. A method comprising:

receiving DC power from a DC power source, and outputting a regulated DC voltage (V_out);

comparing a magnitude of a voltage of the DC power with a reference magnitude of a reference voltage (V_ref);

outputting a data signal (V_data) having a first value when the magnitude of the voltage of the DC power is greater than the reference magnitude;

outputting the V_data signal having a second value when the magnitude of the voltage of the DC power is less than the reference magnitude,

wherein the V_data signal is received by control circuitry of an electronic device, and

when the V_data signal has the first value, the electronic device operates in a first mode where battery charging circuitry is disabled, and when the V_data signal has the second value, the battery charging circuitry is enabled

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein when the DC power source is an automobile cigarette lighter outlet, the magnitude of the voltage of the DC power is less than the reference magnitude.

13. The method according to claim 12, the magnitude of the DC power being in a range between about 11.0 Volts and about 14.1 Volts.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein when the DC power source is an emPower airplane outlet, the magnitude of the voltage of the DC power is greater than the reference magnitude.

15. The method according to claim 14, the magnitude of the DC power being in a range of between about 14.5 Volts and about 15.5 Volts.

16. The method according to claim 11, further including an AC/DC adapter.

17. The method according to claim 11, wherein the electronic device is a notebook computer.

18. The method according to claim 11, wherein the component is a battery of the electronic device.

19. The method according to claim 11, the V_data signal being selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a transmission of a discrete bit, (b) a transmission of a data signal having multiple bits, (c) an analog signal, and (d) an analog voltage.

20. The method according to claim 11, the comparison circuitry including a comparator.

21. A power supply system, comprising:

an adapter device having a DC/DC adapter to receive power from a DC power source, and output a regulated DC voltage (V_out);

source determination circuitry to receive the DC power from the DC power source and compare a magnitude of a voltage of the DC power with a reference magnitude of a reference voltage (V_ref),

wherein when the magnitude of the voltage of the DC power is greater than the reference magnitude, a data signal (V_data) having a first value is output, and when the magnitude of the voltage of the DC power is less than the reference magnitude, the V_data signal having a second value is output; and

an electronic device having control circuitry to receive the V_data signal, wherein

when the V_data signal has the first value, the electronic device operates in a first mode where battery charging circuitry is disabled, and when the V_data signal has the second value, the battery charging circuitry is enabled.

22. The power supply system according to claim 21, wherein when the magnitude of the voltage of the DC power is less than the reference magnitude, the DC power source is an automobile cigarette lighter outlet.

23. The power supply system according to claim 22, the magnitude of the DC power being in a range between about 11.0 Volts and about 14.1 Volts.

24. The power supply system according to claim 21, wherein when the magnitude of the voltage of the DC power is greater than the reference magnitude, the DC power source is an emPower airplane outlet.

25. The power supply system according to claim 24, the magnitude of the DC power being in a range between about 14.5 Volts and about 15.5 Volts.

26. The power supply system according to claim 21, the adapter device further including an AC/DC adapter.

27. The power supply system according to claim 21, wherein the electronic device is a notebook computer.

28. The power supply system according to claim 21, wherein the component is a battery of the electronic device.

29. The power supply system according to claim 21, the V_data signal being selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a transmission of a discrete bit, (b) a transmission of a data signal having multiple bits, (c) an analog signal, and (d) an analog voltage.

30. The power supply system according to claim 21, the comparison circuitry including a comparator.

31. An electronic device, comprising:

source determination circuitry to receive a DC power signal from a DC power source via an adapter and compare a magnitude of a voltage of the DC power with a reference magnitude of a reference voltage (V_ref),

wherein when the magnitude of the voltage of the DC power is greater than the reference magnitude, the electronic device operates in a first mode where battery charging circuitry is disabled, and when the magnitude of the voltage of the DC power is less than the reference magnitude, the battery charging circuitry is enabled.

32. The electronic device according to claim 31, wherein when the DC power source is an automobile cigarette lighter outlet, the magnitude of the voltage of the DC power is less than the reference magnitude.

33. The electronic device according to claim 32, the magnitude of the DC power being in a range between about 11.0 and 14.1 Volts.

34. The electronic device according to claim 31, wherein when the DC power source is an emPower airplane outlet, the magnitude of the voltage of the DC power is greater than the reference magnitude.

35. The electronic device according to claim 34, the magnitude of the DC power being in a range between about 14.5 and 15.5 Volts.

36. The electronic device according to claim 31, wherein the adapter includes a DC/DC adapter.

37. The electronic device according to claim 31, wherein the adapter includes an AC/DC adapter.

38. The adapter device according to claim 31, wherein the electronic device is a notebook computer.

39. The adapter device according to claim 31, wherein the component is a battery of the electronic device.

40. The adapter device according to claim 31, the comparison circuitry including a comparator.