APPARATUSES AND METHODS THAT FACILITATE THE TRANSFER OF POWER AND INFORMATION AMONG ELECTRICAL DEVICES

• US 20080167088A1
• Filed: 01/06/2007
• Published: 07/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Computer Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Terlizzi, Jeff, Kalayjian, Nicholas R., Rabu, Stanley, Sanford, Emery A., Dorogusker, Jesse L., Hankey, M. Evans
• Granted Patent: US 8,086,281 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/573
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• 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: H02J 2207/30 Charge provided using DC bus or data bus of a computer
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence

Abstract

The present invention is directed to apparatuses, systems, methods, and computer readable media that can facilitate the transfer of power between at least two electrical devices. At least one of the electrical devices is preferably a battery operated device. The present invention may also be used to facilitate the transfer of information among electrical devices. For example, the present invention may be used to automatically pair two Bluetooth devices together.

Claims

1. A method that facilitates the charging of a first battery powered electrical device, comprising:

electrically coupling the first battery powered electrical device and a second battery powered electrical device together, wherein the first device is paired to the second device in accordance with a Bluetooth protocol; and

charging the first device from the second device.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising operating the second device as a cellular telephone.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising playing audio signals with the second device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the electrically coupling comprises physically connecting the second device to a 30-pin connector.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising operating the first device in a manner that enhances the user of the second device.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising facilitating a transfer of information between the first and second devices.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

electrically coupling a third electrical device to the first and second devices; and

charging the first and second devices from the third device.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising facilitating a transfer of information between the second and third devices.

9. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

facilitating a transfer of information between the first and third devices.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the electrically coupling the third device to the first and second devices comprises connecting the third device to a USB connector.

11. An apparatus that facilitates the charging of a first battery powered electrical device, comprising:

a first port that electrically couples the first battery powered electrical device to the apparatus;

a second port that electrically couples a second battery powered electrical device to the apparatus, wherein the first device is paired to the second device in accordance with a Bluetooth protocol; and

a microcontroller that facilitates a transfer of power from the second device to the first device via the apparatus.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the second device is a cellular telephone.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the second device is an media player.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the second port is a 30-pin connector.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first device is wireless headset that is used with a cellular telephone.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the microcontroller facilitates a transfer of information between the first and second devices.

17. The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising:

a third port that electrically couples a third electrical device to the apparatus and, wherein

the microcontroller facilitates a transfer of power from the third device to the first and second devices via the apparatus.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the microcontroller facilitates a transfer of information between the second and third devices.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the microcontroller facilitates a transfer of information between the first and third devices.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the third device is a USB cable that couples the apparatus to a computer.

21. A method that facilitates the charging of at least one battery powered electrical device, comprising:

electrically coupling a first battery powered electrical device to a second battery powered electrical device;

assigning the first device a high priority;

assigning the second device a medium priority; and

charging the first device from the second device based on the priorities assigned to the first and second devices.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the assigning the first device a high priority is in response to the first device being coupled to a high priority port.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the assigning the second device a medium priority is in response to the second device being coupled to a medium priority port.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the assigning the first device a high priority is in response to identifying the first device as a high priority device.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the assigning the second device a medium priority is in response to identifying the second device as a medium priority device.

26. The method of claim 21 further comprising:

electrically coupling a third electrical device to the first and second devices;

assigning the third device a low priority; and

charging the first and second devices from the third device based on the priorities assigned to the first, second and third devices.

27. The method of claim 21, wherein the assigning the third device a low priority is in response to the third device being coupled to a low priority port.

28. The method of claim 21, wherein the assigning the third device a low priority is in response to identifying the third device as a low priority device.

29. The method of claim 28 further comprising identifying the third device as a device that has access to a continuous source of power.

30. The method of claim 28 further comprising identifying the third device as being a computer.

31. An apparatus that facilitates the charging of at least one battery powered electrical device, comprising:

a first port that electrically couples a first battery powered electrical device to the apparatus;

a second port that electrically couples a second battery powered electrical device to the apparatus; and

a microcontroller that;

assigns the first device a high priority;

assigns the second device a medium priority; and

facilitates the transfer of power from the second device to the first device via the apparatus based on the priorities assigned to the first and second devices.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the microcontroller assigns the first device a high priority in response to the first device being coupled to the first port which is assigned a high priority.

33. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the microcontroller assigns the second device a medium priority in response to the second device being coupled to the second port which is assigned a medium priority.

34. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the microcontroller assigns the first device a high priority in response to the microcontroller identifying the first device as high priority device.

35. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the microcontroller assigns the second device a medium priority in response to the microcontroller identifying the second device as a medium priority device.

36. The apparatus of claim 31 further comprising:

a third port that electrically couples a third electrical device to the apparatus, and wherein

the microcontroller;

assigns the third device a low priority;

facilitates the transfer of power to the first and second devices from the third device based on the priorities assigned to the first, second and third devices.

37. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the microcontroller assigns the third device a low priority in response to the third device being coupled to the third port which is assigned a low priority.

38. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the microcontroller assigns the third device a low priority in response to the microcontroller identifying the third device as a low priority device.

39. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the microcontroller identifies the third device as a line-powered device.

40. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the microcontroller identifies the third device as being a computer.

41. A method, comprising:

electrically coupling a wireless headset and a cellular telephone together;

facilitating the transfer of power from the cellular telephone to the wireless headset; and

charging the wireless headset with the power from the cellular telephone.

42. An apparatus, comprising:

a first port that electrically couples a wireless headset to a cellular telephone; and

a microcontroller that facilitates the transfer of power from the cellular telephone to the wireless headset.

43. A method, comprising:

electrically coupling a first Bluetooth device and a second Bluetooth device together;

in response to the first device being coupled to the second device, determining a Bluetooth pin and address that is associated with the first device;

providing the Bluetooth pin and address to the second device; and

facilitating the pairing of the first and second devices in accordance with a Bluetooth protocol.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein the determining the Bluetooth pin of the first device comprises:

establishing a communications path between the microcontroller and first device;

identifying the first device;

authenticating the first device; and

requesting the Bluetooth pin from the first device.

45. The method of claim 43, wherein the determining the Bluetooth pin of the first device comprises:

selecting a first Bluetooth pin;

providing the first Bluetooth pin to the second device;

receiving an indication from the second device as to whether the first Bluetooth pin is the same as the Bluetooth pin of the first device;

in response to the second device indicating that the first Bluetooth pin is different from the Bluetooth pin of the first device;

selecting another Bluetooth pin;

providing the another Bluetooth pin to the second device; and

receiving an indication from the second device as to whether the another Bluetooth pin is the same as the Bluetooth pin of the first device.

46. An apparatus, comprising:

a port that electrically couples a first Bluetooth device and a second Bluetooth device together;

a microcontroller that;

in response to the first device being coupled to the second device, determines a Bluetooth pin that is associated with the first device;

provides the Bluetooth pin to the second device; and

facilitates the Bluetooth pairing of the first and second devices.

47. The apparatus of claim 46, wherein the microcontroller determines the Bluetooth pin that is associated with the first device by:

establishing a communications path between the microcontroller and first device;

identifying the first device;

authenticating the first device; and

requesting the Bluetooth pin from the first device.

48. The apparatus of claim 46, wherein the microcontroller determines the Bluetooth pin that is associated with the first device by:

;

selecting a first Bluetooth pin;

providing the first Bluetooth pin to the second device;

receiving an indication from the second device as to whether the first Bluetooth pin is the same as the Bluetooth pin of the first device;

in response to the second device indicating that the first Bluetooth pin is different from the Bluetooth pin of the first device;

selecting another Bluetooth pin;

providing the another Bluetooth pin to the second device; and

receiving an indication from the second device as to whether the another Bluetooth pin is the same as the Bluetooth pin of the first device.