APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR COMMUNICATING DATA AND POWER WITH ELECTRONIC DEVICES

• US 20130093246A1
• Filed: 01/11/2012
• Published: 04/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advanced Wireless Innovations LLC
• Original Assignee: Ramin Rostami
• Inventors: Rostami, Ramin
• Granted Patent: US 8,766,476 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/72
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/263 Arrangements for using multiple switchable power supplies, e.g. battery and AC G06F1/30 takes precedence
• 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 10/425 Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing printed circuits H05K1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/46 Accumulators structurally combined with charging apparatus circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/488 Cells or batteries combined with indicating means for external visualization of the condition, e.g. by change of colour or of light density
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2107/00 Four or more poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/28 Coupling parts carrying pins, blades or analogous contacts and secured only to wire or cable
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/00 Circuit arrangements for ac mains or ac distribution networks
• 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 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• 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 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0068 Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply H02J7/0013 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/02 for charging batteries from ac mains by converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/342 The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging with circuits for polarity protection H02J7/0034
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/345 using capacitors as storage or buffering devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/061 : for DC powered loads
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 : Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A system, topology, and methods for providing power or data to electronic devices are described generally herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed. The system may include an internal power source, charging module, modem, and an external power coupling module.

Claims

1. An apparatus for communicating power with an electronic device (ED), the ED including a power and data interface (PDI) including an electrical connector including a plurality of electrical contacts, at least two electrical contacts for communicating power (ECCP) and at least two, different electrical contacts for communicating data (ECCD), an electrical energy storage element (EESE) and memory, the electrical connector having a mechanical structure, the apparatus including:

a housing, the housing mechanically separate from the ED, the housing substantially encasing;

a power and data interface (PDI) module, the PDI module including an electrical connector and flexible cable, the flexible cable coupled to the electrical connector, the electrical connector including a plurality of electrical contacts, at least two (ECCP), the electrical connector having a mechanical shape configured to mechanically mate with the ED electrical connector and electrically couple the PDI module electrical connector at least ECCP with the ED electric connector at least two ECCP;

an internal electrical energy storage module (IEESM), the module including an EESE capable of storing and discharging electrical energy;

an electrical energy communication module (EECM) operatively coupled to the (IEESM) and the PDI module, the EECM communicating electrical energy between the electronic device EESE and the apparatus IEESE via the flexible cable and PDI module electrical connector at least two ECCP; and

a charging module coupled to the EECM and IEESM, the charging module charging the EESE via electrical energy received from the ED via the PDI module and EECM.

2. The apparatus for communicating power with an ED of claim 1, the EECM capable of providing electrical energy to the ED from the IEESM EESE and receiving electrical energy from the ED.

3. The apparatus for communicating power with an ED of claim 1, further including a second power and data interface (PDI) module, the second PDI module including an electrical connector including a plurality of electrical contacts, at least two (ECCP), the second PDI module couplable to the IEESM via the EECM.

4. The apparatus for communicating power with an ED of claim 1, the apparatus communicating electrical energy with the ED via the second PDI module when operatively coupled to the ED via the second PDI.

5. The apparatus for communicating power with an ED of claim 1, the apparatus providing electrical energy to the ED via the second PDI module when operatively coupled to the ED via the second PDI.

6. The apparatus for communicating power with an ED of claim 1, further comprising a data storage module (DSM) wherein the PDI module enables the communication of data between the DSM and the ED memory.

7. The apparatus for communicating power with an ED of claim 4, further comprising a data storage module (DSM) wherein the second PDI module enables the communication of data between the DSM and the ED memory.

8. The apparatus for communicating power with an ED of claim 1, further comprising a first external power source interface (EPSI), the EPSI including at least two ECCP, the first EPSI coupled to the EECM.

9. The apparatus for communicating power with an ED of claim 1, wherein the first EPSI is configured to receive alternating current (AC) power and the apparatus further including a transformer/inverter module to convert electrical signals received on the first EPSI from an AC format to a direct current (DC) format and the transformer/inverter module coupled to the first EPSI and the EECM.

10. The apparatus for communicating power with an ED of claim 9, the first EPSI configured to be substantially stored within the apparatus housing when not coupled to an external power source.

11. The apparatus for communicating power with an ED of claim 9, further comprising a second EPSI, the second EPSI including at least two ECCP, the second EPSI coupled to the EECM.

12. The apparatus for communicating power with an ED of claim 1, wherein the second EPSI is configured to receive direct current (DC) power.

13. The apparatus for communicating power with an ED of claim 12, the second EPSI configured to be substantially stored within the apparatus housing when not coupled to an external power source.

14. The apparatus for communicating power with an ED of claim 12, the PDI module configured to be substantially stored within the apparatus housing when not coupled to an external power source.

15. The apparatus for communicating power with an ED of claim 1, further including a user perceptible signal generation module, the signal generation module providing an indication of the apparatus EESE energy level.

16. The apparatus for communicating power with an ED of claim 1, wherein the PDI module includes a universal serial bus (USB) interface.

17. The apparatus for communicating power with an ED of claim 4, wherein the PDI module includes a universal serial bus (USB) interface.

18. The apparatus for communicating power with an ED of claim 16, wherein the DSM is an internal data storage module.

19. The apparatus for communicating power with an ED of claim 1, further including an external memory storage interface module (EMSIM) and wherein the PDI module enables the communication of data between the EMSIM and the ED.

20. The apparatus for communicating power with an ED of claim 1, wherein the PDI module includes an interface specific to the ED.