BI-DIRECTIONAL POWER CONTROL

• US 20090199025A1
• Filed: 11/03/2008
• Published: 08/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Modu Limited (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Sherman, Itay, Miller, Eran
• Granted Patent: US 8,032,259 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/310
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

An electrical circuit for bi-directional power control between two devices, including a first battery-operated device, including a first battery for providing a source of power to the first battery-operated device, a first power management subsystem connected to the first battery, to power on and power off components of the first battery-operated device in response to a first wakeup event, WE₁, and a first on/off button for generating WE₁, a second battery-operated device, including a second battery for providing a source of power to the second battery-operated device, a second power management subsystem connected to the second battery, to power on and power off components of the second battery-operated device in response to a second wakeup event WE₂, a second on/off button for generating WE₂, and a switch for generating WE₁ simultaneously when the second on/off button generates WE₂, and circuitry including a single connection inter-connecting the first power management subsystem, the first on/off button, the second power management subsystem, the second on/off button, and the switch for generating WE₁.

Claims

1. An electrical circuit for bi-directional power control between two devices, comprising:

a first battery-operated device, comprising;

a first battery for providing a source of power to the first battery-operated device;

a first power management subsystem connected to said first battery, to power on and power off components of the first battery-operated device in response to a first wakeup event, WE₁; and

a first on/off button for generating WE₁;

a second battery-operated device, comprising;

a second battery for providing a source of power to the second battery-operated device;

a second power management subsystem connected to said second battery, to power on and power off components of the second battery-operated device in response to a second wakeup event WE₂;

a second on/off button for generating WE₂; and

a switch for generating WE₁ simultaneously when said second on/off button generates WE₂; and

circuitry comprising a single connection inter-connecting said first power management subsystem, said first on/off button, said second power management subsystem, said second on/off button, and said switch for generating WE₁.

2. The circuit of claim 1 wherein said second battery-operated device remains operational when said first battery-operated device is powered off.

3. The circuit of claim 1 wherein said first battery-operated device further comprises a switch for generating WE₂ simultaneously when said first on/off button generates WE₁, and wherein said single connection line also inter-connects said switch for generating WE₂ with said first and said second power management subsystems, said first and said second on/off buttons, and said switch for generating WE₁.

4. The circuit of claim 1 wherein said first battery-operated device further comprises a voltage level shifter for shifting an I/O level of said first battery-operated device to a voltage level of its battery.

5. An electrical circuit for bi-directional power control between two devices, comprising:

a mobile communication card;

an electronic device that connects to said communication card, the electronic device being either (i) a host device that operates independently of said communication card and also interoperates with said communication card, or (ii) a jacket for said communication card, wherein the jacket is a passive device that does not operate independently of said communication card; and

circuitry connecting said mobile communication card with said electronic device, comprising;

a card on/off button for said mobile communication card;

a device on/off button for said electronic device; and

a switch,

wherein said circuitry uses a single connection line connecting said communication card, said electronic device, said card on/off button, said device on/off button, and said switch, to enable (i) said card on/off button to power said communication card on and off, (ii) said device on/off button to power said electronic device on and off, and (iii) said electronic device to simultaneously power said communication card on and off using said switch when said electronic device is powered on and off by said device on/off button.

6. The circuit of claim 5 wherein said communication card comprises a card power management subsystem that powers said communication card on and off in response to a card wakeup event, and wherein said electronic device comprises a device power management subsystem that powers said electronic device on and off in response to a device wakeup event.

7. The circuit of claim 5 further comprising an auxiliary switch, and wherein said circuitry also uses the single connection line to enable (iv) said communication card to simultaneously power said electronic device on and off using said auxiliary switch when said communication card is powered on and off by said card on/off button.