Portable power source to provide power to an electronic device via an interface

• US 20060152084A1
• Filed: 01/07/2005
• Published: 07/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Novotney, Donald J., Dorogusker, Jesse L., Tupman, David John, Farrar, Doug M., Fisher, Joseph R. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 7,525,216 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/64
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/342 The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging with circuits for polarity protection H02J7/0034

Abstract

A portable power source is configured for use with an electronic device. The portable power source cooperates and communicates with the electronic device via a peripheral bus to which the electronic device is attachable. The portable power source includes circuitry to process a power request signal from the electronic device to determine whether a device connected to a bus interface of the portable power source is requesting power from the portable power source.

Claims

1. A method of operating a portable power source, comprising:

processing a power request signal to determine whether an electronic device connected to an interface of the portable power source is requesting power from the portable power source; and

selectively operating power generating circuitry of the portable power source to generate the power based on the power request signal processing step,

whereby the power generating circuitry of the portable power source is nominally not operating when the connected electronic device is not requesting power from the portable power source.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

making an initial determination that the electronic device is connected to the interface of the portable power source; and

based on making the initial determination, performing the power request signal processing step and the power generating circuitry selectively operating step.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

after making the initial determination that the electronic device is connected to the interface of the portable power source and prior to performing the power request signal processing step and the power generating circuitry selectively operating step,

operating the power generating circuitry for a predetermined amount of time regardless of whether the electronic device is requesting power from the portable power source.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

determining that the electronic device is no longer connected to the bus interface of the portable power source.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein:

based on determining that the electronic device is no longer connected to the interface of the portable power source, refraining from operating the power generating circuitry of the portable power source.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

after determining that the electronic device is no longer connected to the bus interface of the portable power source, making a subsequent determination that the electronic device is attached to the bus interface of the portable power source;

treating the subsequent determination as an initial determination.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

selectively operating power generating circuitry of the portable power source to generate the power based on the power request signal processing step includes

when it is determined in the power request signal processing step that the electronic device is requesting power from the portable power source, controlling the power generating circuitry to generate power and providing the generated power to the electronic device; and

otherwise, controlling the power generating circuitry to not generate power.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

repeating the power request signal processing step and the power generating circuitry selectively operating step.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

initiating the method when external batteries are connected to the portable power source.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

terminating the method when the external batteries are disconnected from the portable power source or the power from the external batteries is below a predetermined threshold.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing at least one signal to the connected electronic device that characterizes the portable power source.

12. A power source, comprising:

an interface;

power generating circuitry operatively coupled to generate and provide power to an electronic device via the interface;

control circuitry configured to control the power generating circuitry to selectively generate and provide power to the electronic device based on a state of a power request signal provided from the device via the interface.

13. The power source of claim 12, wherein:

the control circuitry is further configured to

make an initial determination that the electronic device is connected to the interface of the power source; and

based on making the initial determination, determine whether to control the power providing circuitry to selectively generate and provide power to the electronic device based on the state of the power request signal provided from the device via the interface.

14. The power source of claim 13,-wherein:

the control circuitry is further configured to, after making the initial determination that the electronic device is connected to the interface of the power source and controlling the power providing circuitry to selectively generate and provide power to the electronic device based on a state of a power request signal provided from the device via an interface,

controlling the power providing circuitry to generate and provide power to the electronic device for a predetermined amount of time regardless of whether the electronic device is requesting power from the power source.

15. The power source of claim 14, wherein:

the control circuitry is further configured to determine whether the electronic device is no longer connected to the interface of the power source.

16. The power source of claim 15, wherein:

the control circuitry is further configured to, based on determining that the electronic device is no longer connected to the interface of the power source, controlling the power generating circuitry to refrain from generating and providing power to the electronic device.

17. The power source of claim 16, wherein:

the control circuitry is further configured to, after determining that the electronic device is no longer connected to the interface of the power source, treating a subsequent determination as an initial determination.

18. The power source of claim 12, wherein:

the control circuitry being configured to selectively operate the power generating circuitry to generate and provide the power to the electronic device based on a state of a power request signal provided from the device via an interface, includes

the control circuitry being configured to, when it is determined that the electronic device is requesting power from the power source, controlling the power generating circuitry to generate and provide the power to the electronic device.

19. The power source of claim 12, wherein:

the control circuitry is configured to execute initialization processing when external batteries are connected to the power source.

20. The power source of claim 19, wherein:

the control circuitry is further configured to stop selectively operating the power generating circuitry to generate and provide the power to the electronic device when

the external batteries are disconnected from the power source;

or

the power from the external batteries is below a predetermined threshold.

21. The power source of claim 12, further comprising:

circuitry that provides a signal to characterize the power source to the connected electronic device.

22. A system, comprising:

an electronic device that includes;

an interface;

power consuming circuitry; and

power monitor circuitry, wherein the power monitor circuitry includes circuitry to generate a request for power based on operating of the power consuming circuitry, wherein the request signal is provided to the interface of the electronic device;

a portable power source that includes;

an interface, wherein the interface of the power source is connected to the interface of the electronic device, such that the request signal generated by the power monitor circuitry of the electronic device is received at the interface of the power source;

power generating circuitry operatively coupled to generate and provide power to the electronic device via interface of the power source; and

control circuitry configured to control the power generating circuitry to selectively generate and provide power to the electronic device based on a state of the request signal received at the interface of the power source.