ELECTRONIC DEVICE CASE

• US 20140195826A1
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Published: 07/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Otter Products LLC
• Original Assignee: 1 Oak Technologies LLC
• Inventors: Wojcik, James John, Center, Adam Douglas, Joshi, Abhishek, Benzion, Adam
• Granted Patent: US 9,774,192 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/382 Arrangements for monitoring battery or accumulator variables, e.g. SoC
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• 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 21/86 Secure or tamper-resistant housings
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 4/00 Circuit arrangements for mains or distribution networks not specified as ac or dc
• 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 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0049 Detection of fully charged condition
• 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: H04M 1/185 Improving the rigidity of the casing or resistance to shocks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7246 by connection of exchangeable housing parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0296 switching to a backup power supply
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0086 portable, e.g. battery operated apparatus casings for switching devices H01H9/02
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0247 Electrical details of casings, e.g. terminals, passages for cables or wiring
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A case for an electronic device is provided. The case includes a battery and electrical circuitry. The electrical circuitry is configured to receive electrical power from a power source connected to the case, supply the electrical power to the electronic device, and monitor an amount of current of the electrical power used by the electronic device. The electrical circuitry is also configured to charge the battery using a remaining amount of current of the electrical power where the sum of the amount of current used by the electronic device and the remaining amount of current do not exceed a current limit for the power source.

Claims

1. A case for an electronic device, the case comprising:

a battery; and

electrical circuitry configured to;

receive electrical power from a power source connected to the case;

supply the electrical power to the electronic device;

monitor an amount of current of the electrical power used by the electronic device; and

charge the battery using a remaining amount of current of the electrical power, wherein a sum of the amount of current used by the electronic device and the remaining amount of current do not exceed a current limit for the power source.

2. The case of claim 1 wherein the electrical circuitry is further configured to provide a charging current from the battery to the electronic device when the power source is not providing the electrical power.

3. The case of claim 1 wherein the electrical circuitry is further configured to:

step down a voltage of the electrical power received from the power source; and

step up a voltage of the electrical power supplied to the electronic device.

4. The case of claim 1 wherein the electrical circuitry is further configured to:

detect a characteristic of the power source; and

determine the current limit for the power source based on the detected characteristic.

5. The case of claim 4 wherein the electrical power is received from the power source through a universal serial bus (USB) connector.

6. The case of claim 5 wherein to detect a characteristic of the power source includes to detect a voltage on one or more data lines of the USB connector.

7. The case of claim 1 wherein the current limit for the power source is less than a maximum specified current for the power source.

8. The case of claim 1 further comprising:

a hard shell that attaches to the electronic device; and

a cushion layer disposed over the hard shell.

9. The case of claim 1 further comprising a solar cell, wherein the electrical power is received from the solar cell when the power source is not providing the electrical power.

17. The protective enclosure of claim 1 wherein the power source is connected to the case inductively.

10. A protective enclosure for a mobile computing device, the protective enclosure comprising:

a hard shell that protects the mobile computing device;

an interface to a battery; and

a computer processor configured to execute the instructions to;

determine a current limit for the mobile computing device based on an amount of electrical current consumed by the protective enclosure; and

supply electrical current to the mobile computing device up to the determined current limit.

11. The protective enclosure of claim 10 wherein the computer processor further executes the instructions to charge the battery using a portion of the electrical current consumed by the protective enclosure.

12. The protective enclosure of claim 10 further comprising a connector to receive electrical power from an external power source.

13. The protective enclosure of claim 12 wherein the electrical current supplied to the mobile computing device is derived from the electrical power received from the external power source.

14. The protective enclosure of claim 12 wherein the electrical power supplied to the mobile computing device is supplied by the battery when the protective enclosure is not receiving electrical power from the external power source.

15. The protective enclosure of claim 12 wherein the current limit is further determined based on a detected characteristic of the external power source.

16. The protective enclosure of claim 15 wherein the connector is a USB connector and the detected characteristic is a voltage on a data pin of the USB connector.

18. A method of performing power management in a case for an electronic device, the method comprising:

when the case is receiving power from an external power source;

limiting the power received from the external source based on a current limit associated with the external power source;

distributing a first portion of the received power to the electronic device; and

distributing a second portion of the received power to circuitry for charging a battery of the case; and

when the case is not receiving power from the external source;

distributing supplemental power from the case battery to the electronic device.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein distributing power to the electronic device includes increasing a voltage associated with the power to a value that is within a voltage input range of the electronic device.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein receiving power from the external source includes decreasing a voltage associated with the received power.

21. The method of claim 18 wherein limiting the power received from the external source based on the current limit includes determining the current limit associated with the external power source by based on information received from the external power source.

22. The method of claim 18 wherein a size of the second portion is determined based on a size of the first portion and the current limit.