METHOD FOR REDUCING THE NUMBER OF POWER TERMINAL CONNECTORS

• US 20130328399A1
• Filed: 04/26/2013
• Published: 12/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: SUZUKI, KEIJI, CHUJO, HIDEKAZU
• Application Number:
  US13/871,088
• Publication Number:
  US 20130328399A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/29
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/16 Constructional details or arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1601 Constructional details related to the housing of computer displays, e.g. of CRT monitors, of flat displays constructional details related to flat displays integrated in a portable computer, e.g. laptop, handheld computer G06F1/1637; constructional details related to television receivers H04N5/64
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1613 for portable computers cooling arrangements therefor G06F1/203; constructional details or arrangements for pocket calculators, electronic agendas or books G06F15/0216; constructional details of portable telephone sets: with several bodies H04M1/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1643 the display being associated to a digitizer, e.g. laptops that can be used as penpads details related to the relative motion of the display enclosure with respect to the body enclosure, e.g. to move between laptop and tablet PC configuration G06F1/1615
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1654 the display being detachable, e.g. for remote use
• 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: H02J 1/10 Parallel operation of dc sources
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/40 adapted for charging from various sources, e.g. AC, DC or multivoltage
• 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 7/342 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

Abstract

A method for reducing the number of connectors for connecting a tablet unit and a base unit is disclosed. The tablet unit includes a system device and a first connector connected to a power line for supplying power from the base unit. The base unit includes a second connector configured to be connected to the first connector when the base unit is combined with the tablet unit. The tablet unit also includes a battery unit capable of supplying power to the system device through the power line. An external power-supply circuit is also capable of supplying power to the system device from an AC/DC adapter through the power line. Since power can be supplied from the battery unit or the AC/DC adapter to the tablet unit through the power line alone, the number of connector terminals can be reduced.

Claims

1. A hybrid personal computer comprising:

a first unit having

a first system device; and

a first connector including a power terminal; and

a second unit having

a second connector including a power terminal capable of being connected to said first connector when said second unit is combined with said first unit;

a second battery capable of supplying power to said first system device through said power terminal; and

an external power-supply circuit capable of supplying power of an external power supply to said first system device through said power terminal, wherein said first and second units are capable of being combined with and detached from each other.

2. The hybrid personal computer of claim 1, wherein

said first unit further includes a first battery capable of supplying power to said first system device;

and

said external power-supply circuit supplies charging power of said first battery through said power terminal.

3. The hybrid personal computer of claim 2, wherein said second battery supplies charging power of said first battery through said power terminal.

4. The hybrid personal computer of claim 2, wherein

said second unit includes a second system device;

and

when output voltage of said second battery is reduced less than a predetermined value while said second battery is supplying power to said first and second system devices, said first battery is capable of supplying power to said first and second system devices.

5. The hybrid personal computer of claim 4, wherein an output voltage of said second battery is kept higher than an output voltage of said first battery.

6. The hybrid personal computer of claim 4, wherein said first connector includes a signal terminal connected to said first system device through a signal line, and said second connector includes a signal terminal connected to said second system device through a signal line.

7. The hybrid personal computer of claim 2, wherein said first unit further includes an external power-supply circuit for supplying power to said first system device and further supplying charging power to said first battery in a detached state.

8. The hybrid personal computer of claim 1, wherein said first unit is a tablet terminal device, and said second unit is a base unit.

9. The hybrid personal computer of claim 1, wherein said first unit includes a display device.

10. The hybrid personal computer of claim 1, wherein said first unit is a laptop computer, and said second unit is a function expansion device.

11. A method of supplying power in a hybrid personal computer having a first unit and a second unit, said method comprising:

connecting a first connector of said first unit to a second connector of said second unit to combine said first unit and said second unit, wherein said first unit is equipped with a first power terminal and a first system device, and said second unit is equipped with a second power terminal and capable of connecting to said first connector, wherein said first unit and said second unit can be combined with and detached from each other;

causing a second battery to supply power to said first system device through said first power terminal; and

supplying power from an external power supply of said second unit to said first system device through said second power terminal.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said first unit includes a first battery capable of supplying power to said first system device, said method further comprises:

causing said external power supply to supply power to said first system device while supplying charging power to said first battery through said power terminal; and

causing said second battery to supply power to said first system device while supplying charging power to said first battery through said first power terminal when said external power supply is not supplying power.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising causing said first battery to supply power to said first system device after a discharging of said second battery has been completed.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein said second unit further includes a second system device, said method further comprises causing said first battery to supply power to said second system device through said second power terminal when said external power supply and said second battery are not supplying power.