System for providing electrical power to modular electronic components

• US 5,778,325 A
• Filed: 07/03/1997
• Issued: 07/07/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Johansson, Roland Thomas Wilheim, Lindell, Bo Karl
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, THANH C
• Application Number:
  US08/888,154
• Time in Patent Office: 369 Days
• Field of Search: 455/550, 455/556, 455/557, 455/572, 455/573, 455/574, 455/575, 455/90, 455/127, 455/128, 455/129, 455/348, 455/349, 455/351, 455/343, 364/705.1, 364/705.5, 375/222, 361/685, 361/687, 273/435
• US Class Current: 455/573
• 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 1/1635 Details related to the integration of battery packs and other power supplies such as fuel cells or integrated AC adapter
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• 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: 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 50/213 adapted for cells having curved cross-section, e.g. round or elliptic H01M50/209, H01M50/216 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/5016 Multimode utilisation
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/14 Balancing the load in a network
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0024 Parallel/serial switching of connection of batteries to charge or load circuit
• 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 9/061 for DC powered loads
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A system for supplying primary electrical power to modular components of electronic equipment. The system uses a battery power source mounted either in the module or as part of a battery pack that attaches to the module. Module circuitry supplies a recharge current to the battery power source. A charge circuit charges the batteries in a parallel and supplies power to the module by connecting the batteries in series. Circuitry also determines the amount of battery power source used for an operation of the module and sends a recharge current to the battery power source corresponding to the power consumed by the module and based on the available recharge current.

Claims

1. A system for providing electrical power to a modular electronic component for use in a host electronic equipment, comprising:

a battery pack having a battery power source, said battery pack being detachably attached to said modular electronic component;

means for conducting electrical power from said battery power source in said battery pack to said modular electronic component;

wherein said host electronic equipment includes an electrical power supply adapted for supplying electrical power to said modular electronic component;

wherein said modular electronic component includes a radio transmitter having a higher power consumption level mode for use with said battery power source, and a lower power consumption level mode for use without said battery power source, and including means for switching said radio transmitter between said higher power consumption level mode and said lower power consumption level mode;

said means for switching being adapted for sensing when said battery pack is attached or not attached to said modular electronic component; and

said means for switching also being adapted for switching said radio transmitter to operate at said higher power consumption level mode when said battery pack is attached to said modular electronic component, and to operate at said lower power consumption level mode when said battery pack is not attached to said modular electronic component.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said modular electronic component is a PCMCIA module.

3. A system for providing electrical power to a modular electronic component for use in a host electronic equipment, comprising:

a battery pack having a battery power source, said battery pack being detachably attached to said modular electronic component;

means for conducting electrical power from said battery power source in said battery pack to said modular electronic component;

wherein said host electronic equipment includes an electrical power supply adapted for supplying electrical power to said modular electronic component;

wherein said modular electronic component includes a radio transmitter having a higher power consumption level mode for use with said battery power source, and a lower power consumption level mode for use without said battery power source, and including means for switching said radio transmitter between said higher power consumption level mode and said lower power consumption level mode;

wherein said battery power source comprises at least two batteries, a charging circuit and a control circuit, wherein said charging circuit connects said at least two batteries in series for powering said radio transmitter when said charging circuit does not receive a recharge signal from said control circuit, and wherein said charging circuit charges said at least two batteries in parallel when said charging circuit receives the recharge signal from said control circuit.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein said modular electronic component is a PCMCIA module.