Mobile devices power server

• US 7,030,517 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2002
• Issued: 04/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Stober, Thomas, Staiger, Dieter E., Hansmann, Uwe, Merk, Lothar
• Primary Examiner(s): Deberadinis, Robert L.
• Application Number:
  US09/683,662
• Publication Number:
  US 20020113578A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,538 Days
• Field of Search: 307/80, 307/82, 307/150, 307/64, 307/66
• US Class Current: 307/150
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/08 Three-wire systems; Systems having more than three wires
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/40 adapted for charging from various sources, e.g. AC, DC or multivoltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/22 The load being a portable electronic device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0068 Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply H02J7/0013 takes precedence

Abstract

A mobile device (power supplying device) includes a mobile device power server (MD PS) for providing power to another mobile device (power receiving device) having no external power supply connection. The (MD PS) may be integrated into the power supplying mobile device or may be provided as a separate portable connector usable as a connection between the power supplying mobile device and an external power supply adapter.

Claims

1. A mobile data processing device comprising an internal power supply, a port for connecting an external power supply to the internal power supply, a power server that obtains power from the internal power supply in order to provide at least one additional reference voltage, and a further port for supplying said at least one reference voltage to at least one other independent mobile data processing device requiring said reference voltage.

2. The mobile data processing device according to claim 1, wherein said power server comprises an input with power of a certain voltage (VDC) from said internal power supply, one voltage regulator circuit for generating said reference voltage, and an output for providing said said reference voltage to an assigned power receiving device of said at least one other independent mobile data processing devices.

3. The mobile data processing device according to claim 2, further including a power subsystem and battery charger and wherein said power server further comprises an input for receiving power from said power subsystem and battery charger and a switch for controlling supply of said power to said assigned power receiving device.

4. The mobile data processing device according to claim 3, wherein said power server further comprises a reference voltage generator for providing a reference voltage to said voltage regulator circuit and a reference voltage selection circuit for choosing a device-specific reference voltage for powering said assigned power receiving device.

5. The mobile data processing device according to claim 4, wherein said voltage generator supports several independent voltage regulator circuits concurrently.

6. The mobile data processing device according to claim 5, wherein said power server further comprises a protection circuit for protection of said said power server against high voltages.

7. The mobile data processing device according to claim 6, wherein said power server comprises for each of multiple power receiving devices an independent voltage regulator circuit, an independent protection circuit, and an independent output.

8. The mobile data processing device according to claim 7, wherein said mobile data processing device comprises a notebook and said assigned power receiving device is a mobile phone.

9. The mobile data processing device according to claim 7, wherein said mobile data processing device comprises a notebook and said assigned power receiving device is a personal assistant.

10. A mobile power device that provides regulated power from an external power supply to a plurality of independent mobile processing devices, said mobile power device comprising:

an external power supply adapter port to receive an external power supply

a primary port that receives power from the external power supply through said external power supply adapter,

a power server connected to said primary port to power a primary mobile processing device, said power server including multiple independent voltage regulators to produce multiple power levels, and

at least one supplemental port of said power server that provides said multiple regulated power levels to power at least one other mobile processing device, said at least one supplemental port being coupled to the primary port through an independent voltage regulator of said power server.

11. The mobile power device of claim 10 wherein said power server is contained within a housing of said primary mobile processing device.