Connector arrangements on a power supply unit

• US 20070085516A1
• Filed: 06/30/2005
• Published: 04/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: DiFonzo, John, Tan, Tang, Fenwick, Stephen, Girvin, Brian
• Granted Patent: US 7,484,963 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 323/234
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• 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

Abstract

The invention relates, in an embodiment, to a power supply module configured to be coupled to a power outlet to supply an operating voltage to a data processing device. The power supply module includes a set of signal connectors having at least a first signal connector. The set of signal connectors is configured to provide at least a portion of data received from the data processing device to devices external to the data processing device, whereby the power supply module is disposed in a flexibly-coupled, spaced-apart relationship relative to the data processing device.

Claims

1. A power supply module configured to be coupled to a power outlet to supply an operating voltage to a data processing device, comprising:

a set of signal connectors having at least a first signal connector, said set of signal connectors being configured to provide at least a portion of data received from said data processing device to devices external to said data processing device, whereby said power supply module is disposed in a flexibly-coupled, spaced-apart relationship relative to said data processing device.

2. The power supply module of claim 1 further comprising logic circuitry for receiving said data from said data processing device;

3. The power supply module of claim 2 wherein said logic circuitry for receiving data includes a demodulator.

4. The power supply module of claim 2 wherein said data is transmitted from said data processing device using a wireless transceiver, said logic circuitry for receiving data includes wireless data receiving circuitry.

5. The power supply module of claim 1 wherein said data is transmitted from said data processing device to said power supply module using conductors configured to provide said operating voltage to said data processing device, said power supply module further includes circuitry for extracting said data transmitted using said conductors.

6. The power supply module of claim 1 wherein said data is transmitted from said data processing device to said power supply module via one of a first mode and a second mode with circuitries for performing both said first mode and said second mode being provided on said power supply module, said first mode employing at least one same conductor both to provide said operating voltage to said data processing device and to transmit at least a portion of said data between said power supply module and said data processing device, said second mode transmitting said data wirelessly between said power supply module and said data processing device.

7. The power supply module of claim 6 wherein said first mode is employed for transmitting said data when said power supply module is coupled with said data processing device via said at least one same conductor, said second mode is employed for transmitting said data when said power supply module not physically connected to said data processing device.

8. The power supply module of claim 1 wherein said data is transmitted from said data processing device to said power supply module via both a first mode and a second mode with circuitries for performing both said first mode and said second mode being provided on said power supply module, said first mode employing at least one same conductor both to provide said operating voltage to said data processing device and to transmit at least a first portion of said data between said power supply module and said data processing device, said second mode transmitting at least a second portion of said data wirelessly between said power supply module and said data processing device.

9. The power supply module of claim 1 wherein said data processing device is coupled to said power supply module via a reversible connector.

10. The power supply module of claim 9 wherein said reversible connector carries at least a portion of said data using an Ethernet protocol.

11. The power supply module of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of said data is transmitted between said data processing device and said power supply module using a USB protocol.

12. The power supply module of claim 1 wherein said set of signal connectors including connectors associated with at least two different protocols.

13. The power supply module of claim 1 wherein said set of signal connectors including at least two of an Ethernet connector, a USB connector, a Firewire connector, and a video connector.

14. The power supply module of claim 1 further including circuitries for converting data received from said set of signal connectors to a protocol configured for transmission to said data processing device.

15. The power supply module of claim 1 wherein said data processing device is a laptop computer.

16. A method for transmitting data between a data processing device and a plurality of external devices that employ a plurality of protocols for data transfer, comprising:

providing a power supply module, said power supply module being external to said data processing device and configured to be coupled to a power outlet to supply at least one operating voltage via a first flexible conductor to said data processing device, said operating voltage being different from a voltage associated with said power outlet, said power supply module being disposed in a flexibly-coupled, spaced-apart relationship relative to said data processing device, said power supply module further having a plurality of connectors configured for coupling with said plurality of external devices; and

transmitting said data from said data processing device to said plurality of connectors on said power supply module, thereby enabling said data to be transmitted to said plurality of plurality of external devices via said plurality of connectors.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein said data is associated with said plurality of protocols, said transmitting said data from said data processing device to said plurality of connectors on said power supply module includes converting, using circuitry in said data processing device, said data to conform to a protocol configured for transmission between said data processing device and said power supply module.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein said protocol configured for transmission between said data processing device and said power supply module represents a USB protocol.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein said protocol configured for transmission between said data processing device and said power supply module represents an Ethernet protocol.

20. The method of claim 16 further comprising providing a reversible connector with said data processing device, said data being transmitted between said data processing device and said power supply module via said reversible connector.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein said reversible connector carries at least a portion of said data using an Ethernet protocol.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein said reversible connector carries at least a portion of said data using a USB protocol.

23. The method of claim 16 wherein said transmitting said data from said data processing device to said plurality of connectors on said power supply module includes modulating said data prior to said transmitting.

24. The method of claim 16 wherein said transmitting said data from said data processing device to said power supply module is performed in a wireless manner.

25. The method of claim 16 wherein at least a portion of said data transmitted from said data processing device to said power supply module is performed via said first flexible conductor

26. The method of claim 16 wherein said transmitting said data from said data processing device to said power supply module is accomplished via one of a first mode and a second mode with circuitries for performing both said first mode and said second mode being provided on said power supply module, said first mode employing at least said first flexible conductor both to provide said operating voltage to said data processing device and to transmit at least a portion of said data between said power supply module and said data processing device, said second mode transmitting said data wirelessly between said power supply module and said data processing device.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein said first mode is employed for transmitting said data when said power supply module is coupled with said data processing device via said first flexible conductor, said second mode is employed for transmitting said data when said power supply module not physically connected to said data processing device.

28. The method of claim 16 wherein said transmitting said data from said data processing device to said power supply module is accomplished via both a first mode and a second mode with circuitries for performing both said first mode and said second mode being provided on said power supply module, said first mode employing at least said first flexible conductor both to provide said operating voltage to said data processing device and to transmit at least a first portion of said data between said power supply module and said data processing device, said second mode transmitting at least a second portion of said data wirelessly between said power supply module and said data processing device.

29. The method of claim 16 wherein said data processing device is a laptop computer.