Methods and devices for controlling the connection of power supplies to circuitry within rechargeable devices

• US 6,963,763 B1
• Filed: 01/07/2000
• Issued: 11/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: MediaTek, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Agere Systems Incorporated (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Johanson, James A., Mooney, Philip D., Cannon, Joseph M., McDowell, Richard L.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRINH, SONNY
• Application Number:
  US09/478,883
• Time in Patent Office: 2,132 Days
• Field of Search: 455/573, 455/572, 455/574, 455/575.1, 455/550.1, 455/569.1, 455/569.2
• US Class Current: 455/573
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/005 using a power saving mode for copiers G03G15/5004
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3883 Arrangements for mounting batteries or battery chargers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/725 Cordless telephones user interfaces specially adapted therefor H04M1/724
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0277 according to available power supply, e.g. switching off when a low battery condition is detected
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/20 End-user application control systems

Abstract

The present invention provides a device for connecting a power supply to a rechargeable device, in which a detection unit is adapted to detect power levels of a battery to output a first signal when a low power level of the battery is detected, and a second signal when a sufficient power level of the battery is detected. A power control unit is adapted to receive the first and second signals, and to disconnect circuitry in the rechargeable device from the battery when the first signal is asserted, and to connect the circuitry in the rechargeable device to the battery when the second signal is asserted.

Claims

1. A device for connecting a power supply to a rechargeable device comprising:

a detection unit adapted to detect power levels of a battery, further adapted to output a first signal when a low power level of the battery is detected and further adapted to output a second signal when a sufficient power level of the battery is detected; and

a power control unit adapted to receive the first signal, further adapted to disconnect circuitry from the battery, and still further adapted to receive the second signal and to connect the circuitry to the battery.

2. The device as in claim 1 wherein the low power level comprises a power level which is insufficient to power the circuitry.

3. The device as in claim 1 wherein the power control unit is further adapted to place the circuitry in a first mode when a handset is in an out-of-cradle state.

4. The device as in claim 3 wherein the first mode comprises a dormant state.

5. The device as in claim 1 wherein the power control unit is further adapted to place the circuitry in a second mode when a handset is in an in-cradle state.

6. The device as in claim 5 wherein the second mode comprises an active state.

7. The device as in claim 1 further comprising a reset unit adapted to place the circuitry in a first or second mode.

8. The device as in claim 7 wherein the reset unit is further adapted to place the circuitry in the first mode when a handset is in an out-of-cradle state.

9. The device as in claim 8 wherein the first mode comprises a dormant state.

10. The device as in claim 7 wherein the reset unit is further adapted to place the circuitry in the second mode when a handset is in an in-cradle state.

11. The device as in claim 10 wherein the second mode comprises an active state.

12. The device as in claim 1 wherein the power control unit is further adapted to connect the circuitry to charging contacts when a handset is in an in-cradle state.

13. The device as in claim 12 wherein the power control unit is further adapted to connect the circuitry to a base power supply.

14. The device as in claim 13 wherein the base power supply comprises a battery.

15. The device as in claim 13 wherein the power control unit is further adapted to provide regulated power to the circuitry.

16. The device as in claim 12 further comprising a handset battery connected to the charging contacts and adapted to receive a charge from the charging contacts.

17. The device as in claim 1 wherein the sufficient power level comprises a level sufficient to power the circuitry.

18. The device as in claim 1 wherein the power control unit further comprises a first voltage regulator connected to the battery and adapted to receive the second signal and further adapted to connect the circuitry to the battery.

19. The device as in claim 18 wherein the first voltage regulator further adapted to supply the circuitry with regulated power.

20. The device as in claim 1 wherein the power control unit further comprises a first voltage regulator connected to the battery.

21. The device as in claim 20 wherein the first voltage regulator is further adapted to receive the first signal and to disconnect the battery from the circuitry.

22. The device as in claim 1 wherein the power control unit further comprises a second voltage regulator connected to charging contacts.

23. The device as in claim 22 wherein the second voltage regulator is further adapted to connect the circuitry to the charging contacts when a handset is in an in-cradle state.

24. The device as in claim 23 wherein the second voltage regulator is further adapted to connect the circuitry to a base power supply.

25. The device as in claim 23 wherein the second voltage regulator is further adapted to provide regulated power to the circuitry.

26. The device as in claim 1 wherein the battery comprises a cordless telephone handset battery.

27. The device as in claim 1 wherein the battery comprises a wireless telephone handset battery.

28. The device as in claim 1 wherein the detection unit is further adapted to output the first signal until a sufficient power level is detected.

29. The device as in claim 1 further comprising an output unit adapted to output an indication of whether the battery has been recharged.

30. A method for connecting a power supply to a rechargeable device comprising:

detecting power levels of a battery;

outputting a first signal when a low power level of the battery is detected, receiving the first signal, and disconnecting circuitry from the battery; and

outputting a second signal when a sufficient power level of the battery is detected, receiving the second signal, and connecting the circuitry to the battery.

31. The method as in claim 30 wherein the low power level comprises a power level which is insufficient to power the circuitry.

32. The method as in claim 30 further comprising placing the circuitry in first mode when a handset is in an out-of-cradle state.

33. The method as in claim 32 wherein the first mode comprises a dormant state.

34. The method as in claim 30 further comprising placing the circuitry in a second mode when a handset is in an in-cradle state.

35. The method as in claim 34 wherein the second mode comprises an active state.

36. The method as in claim 30 further comprising placing the circuitry in a first or second mode.

37. The method as in claim 36 further comprising placing the circuitry in the first mode when a handset is in an out-of-cradle state.

38. The method as in claim 37 wherein the first mode comprises a dormant state.

39. The method as in claim 36 further comprising placing the circuitry in the second mode when a handset is in an in-cradle state.

40. The method as in claim 39 wherein the second mode comprises an active state.

41. The method as in claim 30 further comprising connecting the circuitry to charging contacts when a handset is in an in-cradle state.

42. The method as in claim 41 wherein further comprising connecting the circuitry to a base power supply.

43. The method as in claim 42 wherein the base power supply comprises a battery.

44. The method as in claim 42 further comprising providing regulated power to the circuitry.

45. The method as in claim 41 further comprising connecting a handset battery to the charging contacts.

46. The method as in claim 30 wherein the sufficient power level comprises a level sufficient to power the circuitry.

47. The method as in claim 30 further comprising connecting a first voltage regulator to the battery and connecting the circuitry to the battery.

48. The method as in claim 47 wherein further comprising supplying the circuitry with regulated power from the first voltage regulator.

49. The method as in claim 30 further comprising connecting a first voltage regulator to a handset battery.

50. The method as in claim 49 further comprising disconnecting the handset battery from the circuitry when the first voltage regulator receives the first signal.

51. The method as in claim 30 further comprising connecting a second voltage regulator to charging contacts.

52. The method as in claim 51 further comprising connecting the circuitry to the charging contacts when a handset is in an in-cradle state.

53. The method as in claim 52 further comprising connecting the circuitry to a base power supply.

54. The method as in claim 53 further comprising providing regulated power to the circuitry.

55. The method as in claim 30 wherein the battery comprises a cordless telephone handset battery.

56. The method as in claim 30 wherein the battery comprises a wireless telephone handset battery.

57. The method as in claim 30 further comprising outputting the first signal until a sufficient power level is detected.

58. The method as in claim 30 further comprising outputting an indication of whether the battery is recharged.

59. A device for connecting a power supply to a rechargeable device comprising:

detection means for detecting power levels of a battery, for outputting a first signal when a low power level of the battery is detected, and for outputting a second signal when a sufficient power level of the battery is detected; and

power control means for receiving the first and second signal and for disconnecting circuitry from the battery in response to the first signal, and for connecting the circuitry to the battery in response to the second signal.

60. The device as in claim 59 wherein the low power level comprises a power level which is insufficient to power the circuitry.

61. The device as in claim 59 wherein the power control means is further adapted to place the circuitry in a first mode when a handset is in an out-of-cradle state.

62. The device as in claim 61 wherein the first mode comprises a dormant state.

63. The device as in claim 59 wherein the power control means is further adapted to place the circuitry in a second mode when a handset is in an in-cradle state.

64. The device as in claim 63 wherein the second mode comprises an active state.

65. The device as in claim 59 further comprising reset means for placing the circuitry in a first or second mode.

66. The device as in claim 65 wherein the reset means is farther adapted to place the circuitry in the first mode when a handset is in an out-of-cradle state.

67. The device as in claim 66 wherein the first mode comprises a dormant state.

68. The device as in claim 65 wherein the reset means is further adapted to place the circuitry in the second mode when a handset is in an in-cradle state.

69. The device as in claim 68 wherein the second mode comprises an active state.

70. The device as in claim 59 wherein the power control means is further adapted to connect the circuitry to charging contacts when a handset is in an in-cradle state.

71. The device as in claim 70 wherein the power control means is further adapted to connect the circuitry to a base power supply.

72. The device as in claim 71 wherein the base power supply comprises a battery.

73. The device as in claim 71 wherein the power control means is further adapted to provide regulated power to the circuitry.

74. The device as in claim 70 further comprising a handset battery connected to the charging contacts and adapted to receive a charge from the charging contacts.

75. The device as in claim 59 wherein the sufficient power level comprises a level sufficient to power the circuitry.

76. The device as in claim 59 wherein the power control means further comprises first voltage regulator means connected to the battery for receiving the second signal and further adapted to connect the circuitry to the battery.

77. The device as in claim 76 wherein the first voltage regulator means is further adapted to supply the circuitry with regulated power.

78. The device as in claim 59 wherein the power control means further comprises first voltage regulator means connected to the battery.

79. The device as in claim 78 wherein the first voltage regulator mean is further adapted to receive the first signal and to disconnect the battery from the circuitry.

80. The device as in claim 59 wherein the power control means further comprises second voltage regulator means connected to charging contacts.

81. The device as in claim 80 wherein the second voltage regulator means is further adapted to connect the circuitry to the charging contacts when a handset is in an in-cradle state.

82. The device as in claim 81 wherein the second voltage regulator means is further adapted to connect the circuitry to a base power supply.

83. The device as in claim 81 wherein the second voltage regulator means is further adapted to provide regulated power to the circuitry.

84. The device as in claim 59 wherein the battery comprises a cordless telephone handset battery.

85. The device as in claim 59 wherein the battery comprises a wireless telephone handset battery.

86. The device as in claim 59 wherein the detection means is further adapted to output the first signal until a sufficient power level is detected.

87. The device as in claim 59 further comprising output means for outputting an indication of whether the battery has been recharged.