METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR POWER SHARING

• US 20150244185A1
• Filed: 02/13/2015
• Published: 08/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: KIM, Hyunseok, WON, Chiseon, YU, Yongjun, LEE, Jongkyu, CHOI, Siyoul
• Granted Patent: US 9,917,462 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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

Abstract

A method is provided comprising: detecting an electrical connection between a first device having a first battery and a second device having a second battery; receiving an indication of a residual power of the second battery; displaying, by the first device, a power sharing interface based on the indication of the residual power of the second battery; detecting an input to the interface specifying a threshold amount of power; transmitting power from the first battery to the second device until the threshold amount of power is transmitted.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting an electrical connection between a first device having a first battery and a second device having a second battery;

receiving an indication of a residual power of the second battery;

displaying, by the first device, a power sharing interface based on the indication of the residual power of the second battery;

detecting an input to the interface specifying a threshold amount of power;

transmitting power from the first battery to the second device until the threshold amount of power is transmitted.

2. The method of claim 1, automatically launching an application for power sharing on the first device in response to detecting the electrical connection between the first device and the second device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the power sharing interface includes an indication of charging direction that indicates whether the first device is a recipient of power or a provider of power.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the power sharing interface includes:

a first input element associated with the first battery which when activated causes the threshold amount of power to be changed; and

a second input element associated with the second battery which when activated causes the threshold amount of power to be changed.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the power sharing interface identifies a plurality of hardware components of the second device along with a respective power consumption of each of the hardware components.

6. A method comprising:

detecting an electrical connection between a first device having a first battery and a second device having a second battery;

receiving an indication of a residual power of the second battery;

displaying, by the first device, a power sharing interface based on the indication of the residual power of the second battery;

detecting an input to the interface specifying a threshold amount of power; and

receiving power from the second battery until the threshold amount of power is received.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising, in response to detecting that the threshold amount is transmitted, transmitting to the second device a request to stop transmitting power to the first device.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the power sharing interface includes an indication of charging direction that indicates whether the first device is a recipient of power or a provider of power.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the power sharing interface includes:

a first input element associated with the first battery which when activated causes the threshold amount of power to be changed; and

a second input element associated with the second battery which when activated causes the threshold amount of power to be changed.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the power sharing interface identifies a plurality of hardware components of the second device along with a respective power consumption of each of the hardware components.

11. An electronic device comprising a processor configured to:

detect an electrical connection between a first device having a first battery and a second device having a second battery;

receive an indication of a residual power of the second battery;

display, by the first device, a power sharing interface based on the indication of the residual power of the second battery; and

detect an input to the interface specifying a threshold amount of power;

transmit power from the first battery to the second device until the threshold amount of power is transmitted.

12. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to launch an application for power sharing on the first device in response to detecting the electrical connection between the first device and the second device.

13. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the power sharing interface includes an indication of charging direction that indicates whether the first device is a recipient of power or a provider of power.

14. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the power sharing interface includes:

a first input element associated with the first battery which when activated causes the threshold amount of power to be changed; and

a second input element associated with the second battery which when activated causes the threshold amount of power to be changed.

15. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the power sharing interface identifies a plurality of hardware components of the second device along with a respective power consumption of each of the hardware components.

16. An electronic device comprising a processor configured to:

detect an electrical connection between a first device having a first battery and a second device having a second battery;

receive an indication of a residual power of the second battery;

display, by the first device, a power sharing interface based on the indication of the residual power of the second battery;

detect an input to the interface specifying a threshold amount of power; and

receive power from the second battery until the threshold amount of power is received.

17. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured to, in response to detecting that the threshold amount is transmitted, transmitting to the second device a request to stop transmitting power to the first device.

18. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the power sharing interface includes an indication of charging direction that indicates whether the first device is a recipient of power or a provider of power.

19. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the power sharing interface includes:

a first input element associated with the first battery which when activated causes the threshold amount of power to be changed; and

a second input element associated with the second battery which when activated causes the threshold amount of power to be changed.

20. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the power sharing interface identifies a plurality of hardware components of the second device along with a respective power consumption of each of the hardware components.