Apparatus and method for the power management of operatively connected batteries respectively on a handheld electronic device and a holder for the handheld electronic device

• US 7,554,289 B2
• Filed: 11/03/2006
• Issued: 06/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Idzik, Jacek S., Litingtun, Siong
• Primary Examiner(s): TSO, EDWARD H
• Application Number:
  US11/556,547
• Publication Number:
  US 20080106232A1
• Time in Patent Office: 970 Days
• Field of Search: 320/103, 320/106, 320/110, 320/114, 320/115, 320/116
• US Class Current: 320/110
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/441 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/446 Initial charging measures
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/46 Accumulators structurally combined with charging apparatus circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0069 Charging or discharging for charge maintenance, battery initiation or rejuvenation
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A handheld electronic device in conjunction with a holder for the handheld electronic device that together form an electronic device. The handheld electronic device includes a first battery and the holder includes a second battery and a charging apparatus. When the handheld electronic device and the holder are electrically connected together, such as when the handheld electronic device is received in a cavity formed in the holder the charging apparatus charges the first battery on the handheld electronic device from the second battery on the holder when the first battery charge has been depleted to a given level and the second battery charge is above a second given level. Alternatively, if the first battery charge is above a third given level the first battery charges the second battery if the second battery is not fully charged.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a handheld electronic device having a first battery;

a holder having a second battery;

said handheld electronic device and said holder being electrically connectable together; and

a charging apparatus disposed on at least one of said handheld electronic device and said holder, said charging apparatus being adapted to charge said first battery from said second battery and said second battery from said first battery under programmed conditions wherein the first battery only charges the second battery when the second battery is not fully charged and the first battery is substantially fully charged and when charging the second battery the first battery only delivers a preselected amount of current each time the handheld electronic device is electrically connected to the second battery.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the first battery is substantially larger than the second battery.

3. The electronic device of claim 2 wherein the second battery is approximately 30% of the size of the first battery.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the first battery draws charge from the second battery when the second battery has a charge level above a first pre-selected charge level and the first battery has a charge level below a second pre-selected charge level and the first battery is electrically connected to the second battery.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the second battery draws a trickle charge of approximately 100 mAhr or less.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the pre-selected amount of current is determined by the charge level of the first battery.

7. The electronic device of claim 1 including a charging circuit on at least one of said handheld electronic device and said holder connectable to an outside charging source for charging one or both of the first battery and the second battery.

8. The electronic device of claim 7 wherein the outside charging source is a USB port.

9. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the charging apparatus does not draw current from the first battery to charge the second battery when the second battery is substantially fully charged.

10. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein when the handheld electronic device is in the holder and connected to the second battery it is programmed to consume power from the second battery rather than the first battery.

11. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the first battery is substantially smaller than the second battery.

12. A method of extending the charge of a first battery on a handheld electronic device that is stored at times in a holder having a second battery which is electrically coupled to the first battery when the handheld electronic device is so stored, said method comprising:

inserting the handheld electronic device into the holder;

electrically connecting the first battery to the second battery;

determining whether the charge level of the first battery is at or above a first pre-selected level;

determining that the second battery is not fully charged;

drawing a pre-selected amount of current from the first battery to charge the second battery;

determining that the charge level of the first battery is at or below a second pre-selected level and determining the charge level of the second battery is above a third pre-selected level; and

drawing current from the second battery to charge the first battery.