Multiple source/multiple device connector

• US 20060047983A1
• Filed: 05/19/2005
• Published: 03/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: More Energy Ltd. (Medis Technologies Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: More Energy Ltd. (Medis Technologies Ltd.)
• Inventors: Finkelshtain, Gennadi, Gal, Shemuel, Aleyraz, Zeev
• Application Number:
  US11/132,203
• Publication Number:
  US 20060047983A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/263 Arrangements for using multiple switchable power supplies, e.g. battery and AC G06F1/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3215 Monitoring of peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3287 by switching off individual functional units in the computer system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3296 by lowering the supply or operating voltage
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

Apparatus and process to couple a power source to a powered device. The apparatus includes a power manager structured and arranged to adjust at least one of voltage, current and power supplied from the power source to the powered device based upon consumption requirements of the powered device, and a device coordinator structured and arranged to identify the powered device and to forward the identified device'"'"'s consumption requirements for at least one of voltage, current and power to the power manager. The instant abstract is neither intended to define the invention disclosed in this specification nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.

Claims

1. An apparatus to couple a power source to a powered device, comprising:

a power manager structured and arranged to adjust at least one of voltage, current and power supplied from the power source to the powered device based upon consumption requirements of the powered device; and

a device coordinator structured and arranged to identify the powered device and to forward the identified device'"'"'s consumption requirements for at least one of voltage, current and power to said power manager.

2. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a plurality of communications ports.

3. The apparatus in accordance with claim 2, wherein the powered device is coupled to said device coordinator through said plurality of communications ports.

4. The apparatus in accordance with claim 3, wherein the communications ports receive communication via at least one of infrared, bluetooth, SM-bus, RS-232, USB, and digital switch.

5. The apparatus in accordance with claim 4, wherein the powered device is automatically identified through use of the SM-bus.

6. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, further comprising at least one plug connector to couple said device coordinator to the powered device.

7. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein an encoded plug is insertable into said at least one plug connector, whereby decoding of the plug by said device coordinator automatically identifies the powered device.

8. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the power source is at least one of an ac power source and a dc power source.

9. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the powered device comprises a mobile equipment.

10. The apparatus in accordance with claim 9, wherein the mobile equipment comprises at least one of a laptop/notebook computer, digital camera, personal digital assistant (PDA), cellular telephone, and video camera.

11. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said power manager comprises:

a dc/dc converter structured and arranged to adjust at least one voltage and current from the power supply to be supplied to the powered device.

12. The apparatus in accordance with claim 11, said power manager further comprising:

an up converter structured and arranged to boost at least one of voltage and current from said dc/dc converter to be supplied to the powered device.

13. The apparatus in accordance with claim 11, wherein said power manager further comprises:

a backup battery to supply additional power to the powered device when necessary to supplement the power supply.

14. The apparatus in accordance with claim 13, further comprising an up converter structured and arranged to boost the output of the backup battery to the powered device.

20. A process for connecting a power supply to a powered device through the apparatus in accordance with claim 1, comprising:

coupling the power supply and powered device through the power manager;

identifying consumption requirements of the powered device through communication between the powered device and the device coordinator; and

adjusting, via the power manager, at least one of voltage, current and power supplied by the power source to the powered device in accordance with the consumption requirements identified by the device coordinator.

15. A process for supplying at least one of voltage, current and power from a power supply to a powered device, comprising:

coupling the power supply and powered device through a connection device;

identifying consumption requirements of the powered device through communication between the powered device and the connection device; and

adjusting the at least one of voltage, current and power supplied by the power source to the powered device in accordance with the consumption requirements.

16. The process in accordance with claim 15, wherein the communication between the powered device and the connection device is through one of infrared, bluetooth, SM-bus, RS-232, USB, and digital switch.

17. The process in accordance with claim 16, wherein the powered device is automatically identified through use of the SM-bus.

18. The process in accordance with claim 15, wherein the communication between the powered device and the connection device is through an encoded plug that automatically identifies the powered device.

19. The process in accordance with claim 15, wherein the power source is at least one of an ac power source and a dc power source.