Portable power source to provide power to an electronic device via an interface

• US 7,525,216 B2
• Filed: 01/07/2005
• Issued: 04/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Novotney, Donald J., Dorogusker, Jesse L., Tupman, David John, Farrar, Doug M., Fisher, Joseph R. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jackson; Stephen W
• Assistant Examiner(s): Parries; Dru M
• Application Number:
  US11/031,547
• Publication Number:
  US 20060152084A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,572 Days
• Field of Search: 307/126, 307/39
• US Class Current: 307/39
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/342 The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging with circuits for polarity protection H02J7/0034

Abstract

A portable power source is configured for use with an electronic device. The portable power source cooperates and communicates with the electronic device via a peripheral bus to which the electronic device is attachable. The portable power source includes circuitry to process a power request signal from the electronic device to determine whether a device connected to a bus interface of the portable power source is requesting power from the portable power source.

Claims

1. A power source, comprising:

an interface;

power generating circuitry operatively coupled to generate and provide power to an electronic device via the interface;

control circuitry configured to control the power generating circuitry to selectively generate and provide power to the electronic device based on a state of a power request signal provided from the device via the interface;

the control circuitry is further configured to;

make an initial determination that the electronic device is connected to the interface of the power source; and

based on making the initial determination, determine whether to control the power generating circuitry to selectively generate and provide power to the electronic device based on the state of the power request signal provided from the device via the interface;

after making the initial determination that the electronic device is connected to the interface of the power source and controlling the power generating circuitry to selectively generate and provide power to the electronic device based on a state of a power request signal provided from the device via an interface, controlling the power generating circuitry to generate and provide power to the electronic device for a predetermined amount of time regardless of whether the electronic device is requesting power from the power source.

2. The power source of claim 1, wherein:

the control circuitry is further configured to determine whether the electronic device is no longer connected to the interface of the power source.

3. The power source of claim 2, wherein:

the control circuitry is further configured to, based on determining that the electronic device is no longer connected to the interface of the power source, controlling the power generating circuitry to refrain from generating and providing power to the electronic device.

4. The power source of claim 3, wherein:

the control circuitry is further configured to, after determining that the electronic device is no longer connected to the interface of the power source, treating a subsequent determination as an initial determination.

5. The power source of claim 1, wherein:

the control circuitry is configured to execute initialization processing when external batteries are connected to the power source.

6. The power source of claim 5, wherein:

the control circuitry is further configured to stop selectively operating the power generating circuitry to generate and provide the power to the electronic device when

the external batteries are disconnected from the power source;

or

the power from the external batteries is below a predetermined threshold.

7. The power source of claim 1, further comprising:

circuitry that provides a signal to characterize the power source to the connected electronic device.

8. The power source of claim 7 wherein:

the signal to characterize the power source comprises an available power indicator signal.

9. The power source of claim 1, wherein:

the control circuitry includes a connect input for a signal indicating whether an electronic device is connected to the interface of the power source.

10. The power source of claim 9 further comprising connection indication circuitry that is configured to generate the signal indicating whether an electronic device is connected to the interface of the power source.

11. The power source of claim 10 wherein:

the connection indication circuitry comprises a resistor coupled to pull high the connect input of the control circuitry.

12. The power source of claim 1, wherein:

the power generating circuitry includes a 5 volt power generating circuit.

13. The power source of claim 12, wherein:

the power generating circuitry additionally includes a 1.9 volt power generating circuit.

14. The power source of claim 1 wherein:

the power generating circuitry comprises a first power circuit configured to generate a first power supply voltage and a second power circuit configured to generate a second power supply voltage that is lower than the first power supply voltage.

15. The power source of claim 14 wherein:

the first power supply voltage corresponds to a supply voltage as defined by USB interface standard.

16. The power source of claim 14 wherein:

the first power supply voltage is 5 V and the second power supply voltage is 1.9 V.

17. The power source of claim 1 further comprising request signal processing circuitry configured to receive and process the power request signal.

18. The power source of claim 1, wherein:

the interface of the portable power source is a USB compatible connector.

19. The power source of claim 18, wherein:

the USB compatible connector includes an extra contact which is supplemental to a standard USB contact configuration.

20. The power source of claim 19, wherein:

the power generating circuitry generates a first power supply voltage for a first USB power supply contact of the interface, and a second lower power supply voltage for the extra contact.

21. The power source of claim 20 wherein:

the first power supply voltage is 5 V and the second power supply voltage is 1.9 V.

22. The power source of claim 1, wherein:

the interface of the portable power source is a firewire compatible connector.

23. The power source of claim 1, further comprising terminal circuitry configured to receive power from a portable source of power and to supply power to the power generating circuitry.

24. The power source of claim 23 wherein:

the portable source of power comprises at least one battery.

25. The power source of claim 24, wherein:

the at least one battery is an AA battery.

26. The power source of claim 1, wherein:

the power generating circuitry of the power source generates DC power from a DC source.

27. The power source of claim 1, further comprising a cable detachably coupled to the interface.

28. The power source of claim 27, wherein:

the cable includes a USB compatible connector.

29. The power source of claim 1, wherein:

the portable power source additionally includes low power detection circuitry configured to monitor the ability of the power generating circuitry to generate and provide power.

30. The power source of claim 29, wherein:

the low power detection circuitry signals to the control circuitry to reset when available power from power generating circuitry falls below a preset threshold.

31. The power source of claim 1, wherein:

the control circuitry is additionally configured to provide a waiting step, to allow the electronic device to boot up.

32. The power source of claim 31 wherein:

the control circuitry may supply power to the electronic device during the waiting step.

33. The power source of claim 1, wherein:

the control circuitry is additionally configured to enter into a sleep mode, to disable the power generating circuitry, after the predetermined amount of time has elapsed.