PORTABLE POWER SUPPLY DEVICE FOR MOBILE COMPUTING DEVICES

• US 20100146308A1
• Filed: 11/18/2009
• Published: 06/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Tang, John, Chatterjee, Manjirnath, Gioscia, Richard
• Granted Patent: US 8,234,509 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00045 Authentication, i.e. circuits for checking compatibility between one component, e.g. a battery or a battery charger, and another component, e.g. a power source
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence

Abstract

A portable power supply device for a mobile computing device is provided. The portable power supply device comprises a retention structure to retain the mobile computing device, a power source, and an inductive signal interface. The inductive signal interface is used to inductively signal power from the power source to a corresponding inductive signal interface of the mobile computing device.

Claims

1. A portable power supply device for a mobile computing device, the portable power supply device comprising:

a retention structure to retain the mobile computing device;

a power source; and

an inductive signal interface to inductively signal at least power from the power source to a corresponding inductive signal interface of the mobile computing device.

2. The portable power supply device of claim 1, wherein the retention structure corresponds to a carriage that is structured to retain the mobile computing device in sufficient proximity to the inductive signal interface to enable an inductive link to be formed between the respective inductive signal interfaces of the portable power supply device and the mobile computing device.

3. The portable power supply device of claim 2, wherein the carriage includes a pocket structure to retain the mobile computing device, the pocket structure including an opening to receive the mobile computing device.

4. The portable power supply device of claim 3, wherein the carriage includes a flap that extends from or near the opening.

5. The portable power supply device of claim 4, wherein the flap includes one or more coils that comprise at least a portion of the inductive signal interface.

6. The portable power supply device of claim 5, wherein the flap is extendable over the opening to position the one or coils adjacent to a faç

ade of the mobile computing device that houses one or more coils of the corresponding inductive signal interface.

7. The portable power supply device of claim 6, wherein the flap (i) extends from a back wall of the pocket structure, and (ii) is extendable over the opening to position the one or more coils adjacent to a rear faç

ade of the mobile computing device that houses the one or more coils when the mobile computing device is inserted to that a front faç

ade of the mobile computing device is facing the back wall.

8. The portable power supply device of claim 6, wherein the flap (i) extends from a back wall of the pocket structure, and (ii) is insertable inward into the opening to position the one or more coils adjacent to a rear faç

ade of the mobile computing device that houses the one or more coils when the mobile computing device is inserted to that a front faç

ade of the mobile computing device is facing away from the back wall.

9. The portable power supply device of claim 5, wherein the flap is extendable over the opening to at least partially enclose the mobile computing device.

10. The portable power supply device of claim 1, further comprising a coupling mechanism that is integrated with the retention structure to detachably secure the mobile computing device and to enable power to be signaled via the inductive signal interface.

11. The portable power supply device of claim 10, wherein the coupling mechanism corresponds to one or more magnets that are aligned to magnetically couple with a magnetically attractive material on a surface of the mobile computing device.

12. The portable power supply device of claim 1, wherein the power source includes a rechargeable battery module.

13. The portable power supply device of claim 12, further comprising a power input interface to (i) receive power from an external source, and (ii) to charge the rechargeable battery module.

14. The portable power supply device of claim 13, wherein the retention structure corresponds to a carriage, and wherein the power input interface includes logic and circuits to charge the mobile computing device when power is received from the external source while the mobile computing device is operatively received in the carriage.

15. The portable power supply device of claim 14, wherein the logic is configured to prioritize charging the mobile computing device over the rechargeable battery module of the power supply device when power is received from the external source while the mobile computing device is operatively received in the carriage.

16. The portable power supply device of claim 15, wherein the logic is configured to prioritize charging the mobile computing device by charging the mobile computing device to a designated threshold before initiating charging of the rechargeable battery module of the power supply device.

17. The power supply device of claim 1, wherein the inductive signal interface includes one or more coils that are circular or oblong.

18. The power supply device of claim 1, wherein the inductive signal interface includes one or more coils that have a racetrack shape.

19. The power supply device of claim 1, further comprising one or more personal attachment mechanisms to enable the power supply device to be holstered.

20. The power supply device of claim 1, wherein the power supply device includes logic to implement a power supply protocol to supply power to the mobile computing device based on a power supply need of the mobile computing device.

21. The power supply device of claim 20, wherein the inductive signal interface is configured to exchange data, including to receive data that indicates a power requirement of the mobile computing device.

22. The power supply device of claim 20, further comprising logic that operates with the inductive signal interface to inductively transmit data that can be used by the mobile computing device to authenticate and/or enumerate the power supply device.

23. The power supply device of claim 20, further comprising logic that operates with the inductive signal interface to inductively receive data from the mobile computing device, the logic using the inductively received data to authenticate and/or process enumeration information from the mobile computing device.

24. A portable device comprising:

a power source; and

an inductive signal interface to inductively signal power from the power source to another device having a corresponding inductive signal interface.

25. The portable device of claim 24, further comprising a retention structure to retain the another computing device in an engaged position to receive power over the respective inductive signal interfaces.

26. The portable device of claim 24, wherein each of the portable computing device and the another device is a mobile computing device.

27. The portable device of claim 25, wherein the retention structure corresponds to a surface that includes one or more magnets to magnetically attracted a housing of the another device.

28. The portable device of claim 25, wherein the power source includes a rechargeable battery module, and wherein the portable device is configured to inductively receive power from an external source in order to recharge the rechargeable battery module.

29. The portable device of claim 25, further comprising one or more hardware components for enabling the portable device to have functionality that can be performed in connection with operating the another device.

30. The portable device of claim 29, wherein the one or more hardware components enable functionality corresponding to one or more of (i) an audio output, (ii) a global positioning system receiver, or (iii) a mass storage device.

31. A portable assembly comprising:

a power supply device for a mobile computing device, the power supply device comprising;

a carriage to carry the mobile computing device;

a power source; and

an inductive signal interface; and

a mobile computing device comprising;

a corresponding inductive signal interface;

wherein the inductive signal interface of the power supply device is configured to inductively signal at least power from the power source to the corresponding inductive signal interface of the mobile computing device.