BATTERY PACK WITH BUILT IN COMMUNICATION PORT

• US 20060244315A1
• Filed: 06/20/2006
• Published: 11/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Yakhnich, Vladimir, Kogan, Eduard
• Granted Patent: US 8,169,188 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/150
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1613 for portable computers cooling arrangements therefor G06F1/203; constructional details or arrangements for pocket calculators, electronic agendas or books G06F15/0216; constructional details of portable telephone sets: with several bodies H04M1/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1635 Details related to the integration of battery packs and other power supplies such as fuel cells or integrated AC adapter
• 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: H01M 10/4207 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/425 Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing printed circuits H05K1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4257 Smart batteries, e.g. electronic circuits inside the housing of the cells or batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/213 adapted for cells having curved cross-section, e.g. round or elliptic H01M50/209, H01M50/216 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00036 Charger exchanging data with battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00047 with provisions for charging different types of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A system and method for providing a communication port integral with a battery pack assembly is disclosed. The system provides a pathway between an external unit and a host unit via a printed circuit board of the battery pack. The battery pack can include communication ports mounted on the printed circuit board for interfacing with external units. The printed circuit board further includes a substrate(s) formed with a predetermined wiring pattern electrically and/or mechanically joined to the CPU of the host unit, as well as the battery cell(s).

Claims

1. A power supply battery pack for providing power to a host unit, comprising:

a battery cell assembly;

a printed circuit board; and

a port coupled to the printed circuit board for transferring at least one of a signal and communication data from an external unit to a CPU of the host unit.

2. The power supply of claim 1, the port comprising a communication port.

3. The power supply of claim 1, the port charges the battery cell assembly.

4. The power supply of claim 1, the port is integral with the printed circuit board.

5. The power supply of claim 1, the port comprising a flexible joint.

6. The power supply of claim 1, the printed circuit board comprising a predetermined wiring pattern for transferring the at least one signal and communication data.

7. The power supply of claim 1, the port comprising at least one of a contact point and an opening.

8. The power supply of claim 7, the port further comprises at least one of a rubber gasket or a foam operable to seal the at least one contact point or opening.

9. The power supply of claim 1, the battery cell assembly coupled to the printed circuit board.

10. A mobile terminal comprising:

a bar code reader;

a battery pack compartment that accepts a battery pack assembly including a communication port integral therewith; and

a CPU that recognizes the communication port of the battery pack assembly.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 10, the battery pack compartment comprising a set of interface connector leads that operatively couple the mobile terminal to the battery pack assembly.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 10, the CPU discovers an external device attached at the communication port.

13. The mobile terminal of claim 12 further comprising an input device that provides a plurality of functions that control the execution of the CPU and the discovered external device.

14. The mobile terminal of claim 11, power is provided to the mobile terminal via the interface connector leads.

15. The mobile terminal of claim 12, the CPU receives a signal from the external device via a communication link with the interface connector leads.

16. The mobile terminal of claim 10 further comprising a radio frequency subsystem, the radio frequency subsystem comprises a radio frequency receiver and a radio frequency transmitter for receiving and transmitting radio frequency transmissions.

17. The mobile terminal of claim 10 further comprising a supplemental power source providing power to the mobile terminal in the event that the battery pack assembly disconnects or fails.

18. The mobile terminal of claim 17, the supplemental power source is a super capacitor.

19. A method for a host unit having a battery pack to communicate with a peripheral unit comprising:

receiving communication data from the peripheral unit at a communication port coupled to a printed circuit board of the battery pack; and

routing the communication data via circuit pathways on the printed circuit board to a CPU of the host unit.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising transferring a signal from the host unit to the peripheral unit through the printed circuit board of the battery pack.