Charging of mobile devices
First Claim
1. A method for operating a device having a port for receiving a rechargeable external device, the port including a power connection, the device powering down portions of the device, one of the portions including the port, the method comprising:
- determining the connection of a rechargeable external device to the port; and
limiting the powering down of the device so that the rechargeable external device continues to receive power from the port,wherein limiting the powering down inhibits the device from normally powering down,wherein the inhibiting is performed only for a predetermined period, andwherein the predetermined period is dependent on the rechargeable external device.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system which enables battery powered devices such as notebook computers to efficiently charge smaller mobile devices such as music players, cell phones and PDAs using the power signals provided over their data connections is made more efficient by ensuring that the power to the small mobile device is not interrupted should the notebook computer otherwise go into a standby or low-power state. The presence of the small mobile device is known and any power-down capabilities of the notebook computer are limited, at least for the period where the small mobile device is being recharged. This detection can be done at any of the levels of software present in the notebook computer. This charging and not powering down can be further optimized by determining the particular device and its charging requirements or by having the device provide feedback as to its charge state.
28 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method for operating a device having a port for receiving a rechargeable external device, the port including a power connection, the device powering down portions of the device, one of the portions including the port, the method comprising:
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determining the connection of a rechargeable external device to the port; and limiting the powering down of the device so that the rechargeable external device continues to receive power from the port, wherein limiting the powering down inhibits the device from normally powering down, wherein the inhibiting is performed only for a predetermined period, and wherein the predetermined period is dependent on the rechargeable external device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method for operating a device having a port for receiving a rechargeable external device, the port including a power connection, the device powering down portions of the device, one of the portions including the port, the method comprising:
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determining the connection of a rechargeable external device to the port; and limiting the powering down of the device so that the rechargeable external device continues to receive power from the port, wherein the port further includes data lines and wherein limiting the powering down allows the data lines of the port to be powered down but inhibits the power connection of the port from being normally powered down. - View Dependent Claims (7)
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8. A method for operating a device having a port for receiving a rechargeable external device, the port including a power connection, the device powering down portions of the device, one of the portions including the port, the method comprising:
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determining the connection of a rechargeable external device to the port; and limiting the powering down of the device so that the rechargeable external device continues to receive power from the port, wherein limiting the powering down includes; allowing selected portions of the device other than the port to be powered down; periodically powering up selected portions of the device to determine if the rechargeable external device is recharged; if the rechargeable external device is not recharged, powering down the portions of the device that were powered up; and if the rechargeable external device is recharged, no longer limiting powering down of the device. - View Dependent Claims (9)
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10. A device comprising:
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a processor; memory coupled to said processor; a power supply; a port coupled to said processor and said power supply to provide power and data connections from said port, said port for connecting an external rechargeable device; a power management element coupled to said processor, said power supply and said port for controlling normal powering down of the device; and a computer program stored in said memory and executing on said processor, said computer program; determining the connection of a rechargeable external device to the port; and limiting the powering down of the device so that the rechargeable external device continues to receive power from the port, wherein limiting the powering down inhibits the device from normally powering down, wherein the inhibiting is performed only for a predetermined period, and wherein the predetermined period is dependent on the rechargeable external device. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A device comprising:
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a processor; memory coupled to said processor; a power supply; a port coupled to said processor and said power supply to provide power and data connections from said port, said port for connecting an external rechargeable device; a power management element coupled to said processor, said power supply and said port for controlling normal powering down of the device; and a computer program stored in said memory and executing on said processor, said computer program; determining the connection of a rechargeable external device to the port; and limiting the powering down of the device so that the rechargeable external device continues to receive power from the port, wherein the port further includes data lines and wherein limiting the powering down allows the data lines of the port to be powered down but inhibits the power connection of the port from being normally powered down. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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17. A device comprising:
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a processor; memory coupled to said processor; a power supply; a port coupled to said processor and said power supply to provide power and data connections from said port, said port for connecting an external rechargeable device; a power management element coupled to said processor, said power supply and said port for controlling normal powering down of the device; and a computer program stored in said memory and executing on said processor, said computer program; determining the connection of a rechargeable external device to the port; and limiting the powering down of the device so that the rechargeable external device continues to receive power from the port, wherein limiting the powering down includes; allowing selected portions of the device other than the port to be powered down; periodically powering up selected portions of the device to determine if the rechargeable external device is recharged; if the rechargeable external device is not recharged, powering down the portions of the device that were powered up; and if the rechargeable external device is recharged, no longer limiting powering down of the device. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. A computer readable medium or media having computer-executable instructions stored therein for performing the following method for operating a device having a port for receiving a rechargeable external device, the port including a power connection, the device powering down portions of the device, one of the portions including the port, the method comprising:
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determining the connection of a rechargeable external device to the port; and limiting the powering down of the device so that the rechargeable external device continues to receive power from the port, wherein limiting the powering down inhibits the device from normally powering down, wherein the inhibiting is performed only for a predetermined period, and wherein the predetermined period is dependent on the rechargeable external device. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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22. A computer readable medium or media having computer-executable instructions stored therein for performing the following method for operating a device having a port for receiving a rechargeable external device, the port including a power connection, the device powering down portions of the device, one of the portions including the port, the method comprising:
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determining the connection of a rechargeable external device to the port; and limiting the powering down of the device so that the rechargeable external device continues to receive power from the port, wherein the port further includes data lines and wherein limiting the powering down allows the data lines of the port to be powered down but inhibits the power connection of the port from being normally powered down. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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24. A computer readable medium or media having computer-executable instructions stored therein for performing the following method for operating a device having a port for receiving a rechargeable external device, the port including a power connection, the device powering down portions of the device, one of the portions including the port, the method comprising:
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determining the connection of a rechargeable external device to the port; and limiting the powering down of the device so that the rechargeable external device continues to receive power from the port, wherein limiting the powering down includes; allowing selected portions of the device other than the port to be powered down; periodically powering up selected portions of the device to determine if the rechargeable external device is recharged; if the rechargeable external device is not recharged, powering down the portions of the device that were powered up; and if the rechargeable external device is recharged, no longer limiting powering down of the device. - View Dependent Claims (25)
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Specification