SYSTEM AND METHOD OF MANAGING POWER AT A PORTABLE COMPUTING DEVICE AND A PORTABLE COMPUTING DEVICE DOCKING STATION

• US 20160004286A1
• Filed: 09/17/2015
• Published: 01/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Collopy, Thomas Kevin, Gill, Manjit Singh, Tessitore, Ronald J., Pineda, Luis
• Application Number:
  US14/856,954
• Publication Number:
  US 20160004286A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1624 with sliding enclosures, e.g. sliding keyboard or display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• 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: G06F 1/30 Means for acting in the event of power-supply failure or interruption, e.g. power-supply fluctuations for resetting only G06F1/24
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• 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: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A method of managing power distribution between a portable computing device (PCD) and a PCD docking station is disclosed and may include determining that the PCD is docked with the PCD docking station, switching a power supply to the PCD from a PCD battery to a PCD docking station battery, and powering the PCD and the PCD docking station from the PCD docking station battery. Further, the method may include determining whether a PCD battery power equals a charge condition and charging the PCD battery when the PCD battery power equals the charge condition. The method may also include monitoring a PCD docking station battery power, determining whether the PCD docking station battery power equals a warning condition, and transmitting a first warning when the PCD docking station battery power equals the warning condition.

Claims

1-32. -32. (canceled)

33. A method comprising:

switching a power supply to a portable computing device (PCD) from a PCD battery to a PCD docking station battery;

powering the PCD and a PCD docking station from the PCD docking station battery;

determining whether the PCD docking station battery equals a critical condition;

switching the power supply to the PCD and the PCD docking station from the PCD docking station battery to the PCD battery when the PCD docking station battery power equals the critical condition; and

powering the PCD and the PCD docking station from the PCD battery.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising determining that the PCD is docked with the PCD docking station.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising switching the power supply to the PCD from the PCD battery to the PCD docking station battery in response to determining that the PCD is docked with the PCD docking station.

36. The method of claim 34, further comprising executing a first application version by the PCD when it is determined that the PCD is docked, and otherwise executing a second application version by the PCD.

37. The method of claim 34, further comprising using a first processor by the PCD when it is determined that the PCD is docked, and otherwise using a second processor by the PCD.

38. The method of claim 34, further comprising backing up data from the PCD to the PCD docking station when it is determined that the PCD is docked.

39. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

determining whether a PCD battery power equals a charge condition; and

charging the PCD battery from the PCD docking station battery when the PCD battery power equals the charge condition.

40. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

monitoring the PCD docking station battery power;

determining whether the PCD docking station battery power equals a warning condition; and

transmitting a warning when the PCD docking station battery power equals the warning condition.

41. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

transmitting a warning when the PCD docking station battery power equals the critical condition.

42. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

determining whether an external power source is connected to the PCD docking station; and

charging the PCD docking station battery when the external power source is connected.

43. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

monitoring the PCD battery power; and

determining whether the PCD battery power equals a power down condition.

44. The method of claim 43, further comprising:

transmitting a warning when the PCD battery power equals the power down condition.

45. The method of claim 43, further comprising:

powering down the PCD and the PCD docking station when the PCD battery power equals the power down condition.

46. The method of claim 43, wherein determining whether the PCD battery power equals a power down condition comprises determining if the PCD battery power is less than a predetermined value.

47. The method of claim 33, wherein determining whether the PCD docking station battery equals a critical condition comprises determining if a PCD docking station battery power is less than a predetermined value.

48. A system comprising:

means for switching a power supply to a portable computing device (PCD) from a PCD battery to a PCD docking station battery;

means for powering the PCD and a PCD docking station from the PCD docking station battery;

means for determining whether the PCD docking station battery equals a critical condition;

means for switching the power supply to the PCD and the PCD docking station from the PCD docking station battery to the PCD battery when the PCD docking station battery power equals the critical condition; and

means for powering the PCD and the PCD docking station from the PCD battery.

49. The system of claim 48, further comprising means for determining that the PCD is docked with the PCD docking station.

50. The system of claim 49, further comprising means for switching the power supply to the PCD from the PCD battery to the PCD docking station battery in response to determining that the PCD is docked with the PCD docking station.

51. The system of claim 49, further comprising means for executing a first application version by the PCD when it is determined that the PCD is docked, and otherwise executing a second application version by the PCD.

52. The system of claim 49, further comprising means for using a first processor by the PCD when it is determined that the PCD is docked, and otherwise using a second processor by the PCD.

53. The system of claim 49, further comprising means for backing up data from the PCD to the PCD docking station when it is determined that the PCD is docked.

54. The system of claim 48, further comprising:

means for determining whether a PCD battery power equals a charge condition; and

means for charging the PCD battery from the PCD docking station battery when the PCD battery power equals the charge condition.

55. The system of claim 48, further comprising:

means for monitoring the PCD docking station battery power;

means for determining whether the PCD docking station battery power equals a warning condition; and

means for transmitting a warning when the PCD docking station battery power equals the warning condition.

56. The system of claim 48, further comprising:

means for transmitting a warning when the PCD docking station battery power equals the critical condition.

57. The system of claim 48, further comprising:

means for determining whether an external power source is connected to the PCD docking station; and

means for charging the PCD docking station battery when the external power source is connected.

58. The system of claim 48, further comprising:

means for monitoring the PCD battery power; and

means for determining whether the PCD battery power equals a power down condition.

59. The system of claim 58, further comprising:

means for transmitting a warning when the PCD battery power equals the power down condition.

60. The system of claim 58, further comprising:

means for powering down the PCD and the PCD docking station when the PCD battery power equals the power down condition.

61. The system of claim 58, wherein the means for determining whether the PCD battery power equals a power down condition comprises means for determining if the PCD battery power is less than a predetermined value.

62. The system of claim 48, wherein means for determining whether the PCD docking station battery equals a critical condition comprises means for determining if a PCD docking station battery power is less than a predetermined value.

63. A system comprising:

a processor, wherein the processor is operable to;

switch a power supply to a portable computing device (PCD) from a PCD battery to a PCD docking station battery;

power the PCD and a PCD docking station from the PCD docking station battery;

determine whether the PCD docking station battery equals a critical condition;

switch the power supply to the PCD and the PCD docking station from the PCD docking station battery to the PCD battery when the PCD docking station battery power equals the critical condition; and

power the PCD and the PCD docking station from the PCD battery.

64. The system of claim 63, wherein the processor is further adapted to determine that the PCD is docked with the PCD docking station.

65. The system of claim 64, wherein the processor is further adapted to switch the power supply to the PCD from the PCD battery to the PCD docking station battery in response to determining that the PCD is docked with the PCD docking station.

66. The system of claim 64, wherein the processor is further adapted to execute a first application version by the PCD when it is determined that the PCD is docked, and otherwise executing a second application version by the PCD.

67. The system of claim 64, wherein the processor is further adapted to back up data from the PCD to the PCD docking station when it is determined that the PCD is docked.

68. The system of claim 63, wherein the processor is further adapted to:

determine whether a PCD battery power equals a charge condition; and

charge the PCD battery from the PCD docking station battery when the PCD battery power equals the charge condition.

69. The system of claim 63, wherein the processor is further adapted to:

monitor the PCD docking station battery power;

determine whether the PCD docking station battery power equals a warning condition; and

transmit a warning when the PCD docking station battery power equals the warning condition.

70. The system of claim 63, wherein the processor is further adapted to:

transmit a warning when the PCD docking station battery power equals the critical condition.

71. The system of claim 63, wherein the processor is further adapted to:

determine whether an external power source is connected to the PCD docking station; and

charge the PCD docking station battery when the external power source is connected.

72. The system of claim 63, wherein the processor is further adapted to:

monitor the PCD battery power; and

determine whether the PCD battery power equals a power down condition.

73. The system of claim 72, wherein the processor is further adapted to:

transmit a warning when the PCD battery power equals the power down condition.

74. The system of claim 72, wherein the processor is further adapted to:

power down the PCD and the PCD docking station when the PCD battery power equals the power down condition.

75. The system of claim 72, wherein the processor adapted to determine whether the PCD battery power equals a power down condition comprises the processor adapted to determine if the PCD battery power is less than a predetermined value.

76. The system of claim 63, wherein the processor adapted to determine whether the PCD docking station battery equals a critical condition comprises the processor adapted to determine if a PCD docking station battery power is less than a predetermined value.

77. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions configured to cause a processor to perform operations comprising:

switching a power supply to a portable computing device (PCD) from a PCD battery to a PCD docking station battery;

powering the PCD and a PCD docking station from the PCD docking station battery;

determining whether the PCD docking station battery equals a critical condition;

switching the power supply to the PCD and the PCD docking station from the PCD docking station battery to the PCD battery when the PCD docking station battery power equals the critical condition; and

powering the PCD and the PCD docking station from the PCD battery.

78. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 77, wherein the stored computer-executable instructions are further configured to cause the processor to perform operations comprising determining that the PCD is docked with the PCD docking station.

79. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 78, wherein the stored computer-executable instructions are further configured to cause the processor to perform operations comprising switching the power supply to the PCD from the PCD battery to the PCD docking station battery in response to determining that the PCD is docked with the PCD docking station.

80. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 78, wherein the stored computer-executable instructions are further configured to cause the processor to perform operations comprising executing a first application version by the PCD when it is determined that the PCD is docked, and otherwise executing a second application version by the PCD.

81. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 78, wherein the stored computer-executable instructions are further configured to cause the processor to perform operations comprising using a first processor by the PCD when it is determined that the PCD is docked, and otherwise using a second processor by the PCD.

82. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 78, wherein the stored computer-executable instructions are further configured to cause the processor to perform operations comprising backing up data from the PCD to the PCD docking station when it is determined that the PCD is docked.

83. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 77, wherein the stored computer-executable instructions are further configured to cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

determining whether a PCD battery power equals a charge condition; and

charging the PCD battery from the PCD docking station battery when the PCD battery power equals the charge condition.

84. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 77, wherein the stored computer-executable instructions are further configured to cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

monitoring the PCD docking station battery power;

determining whether the PCD docking station battery power equals a warning condition; and

transmitting a warning when the PCD docking station battery power equals the warning condition.

85. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 77, wherein the stored computer-executable instructions are further configured to cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

transmitting a warning when the PCD docking station battery power equals the critical condition.

86. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 77, wherein the stored computer-executable instructions are further configured to cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

determining whether an external power source is connected to the PCD docking station; and

charging the PCD docking station battery when the external power source is connected.

87. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 77, wherein the stored computer-executable instructions are further configured to cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

monitoring the PCD battery power; and

determining whether the PCD battery power equals a power down condition.

88. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 87, wherein the stored computer-executable instructions are further configured to cause the processor to perform operations comprising transmitting a warning when the PCD battery power equals the power down condition.

89. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 87, wherein the stored computer-executable instructions are further configured to cause the processor to perform operations comprising powering down the PCD and the PCD docking station when the PCD battery power equals the power down condition.

90. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 87, wherein determining whether the PCD battery power equals a power down condition comprises determining if the PCD battery power is less than a predetermined value.

91. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 77, wherein determining whether the PCD docking station battery equals a critical condition comprises determining if a PCD docking station battery power is less than a predetermined value.