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

• US 7,816,811 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2009
• Issued: 10/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Farrar, Doug M., Fisher, Joseph R., Novotney, Donald J., Dorogusker, Jesse L., Tupman, David John
• Primary Examiner(s): Fleming; Fritz M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Parries; Dru M
• Application Number:
  US12/415,763
• Publication Number:
  US 20090189460A1
• Time in Patent Office: 567 Days
• Field of Search: 307/31
• US Class Current: 307/31
• 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; and

control circuitry configured to;

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

control the power generating circuitry to generate and provide power to the electronic device during an initialization condition regardless of whether the electronic device is providing the signal,

wherein the power source is configured to receive external batteries, and wherein the initialization condition includes when external batteries are first inserted into the power source.

2. A power source comprising:

an interface;

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

control circuitry configured to;

receive a connection signal at a connect input;

make an initial determination that the electronic device is connected to the interface of the power source based on the connection signal;

wherein the electronic device is operable to receive power from an internal battery when the electronic device is connected to the interface;

receive a request signal at a request input from the electronic device via the interface, wherein the request signal indicates whether the connected electronic device is requesting any power from the power source, and wherein the request signal is received subsequently to the initial determination that the electronic device is connected;

provide power to the electronic device during an initialization condition regardless of the request signal;

after the initialization condition, control stopping of providing power when the request signal at the request input indicates that the electronic device is not requesting power;

continue to determine that the electronic device is connected after stopping of providing power; and

while continuing to determine that the electronic device is connected, control providing power to the electrical device when the request signal indicates that the electronic device is requesting power.

3. The power source of claim 2, wherein the initialization condition is when the power source is unaware of a state of the electronic device.

4. The power source of claim 2, wherein the initialization condition includes a condition when the electronic device is first connected to the power source after being not connected.

5. The power source of claim 2, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

determine whether the electronic device is no longer connected to the interface of the power source; and

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

6. The power source of claim 2, wherein the power generating circuitry is configured to provide two different voltages to the electronic device.

7. The power source of claim 6, wherein the power generating circuitry includes a 5 volt power generating circuit and a 1.9 volt power generating circuit.

8. The power source of claim 2, further comprising terminal circuitry configured to receive power from a portable source of power and to supply power to the power generating circuitry.

9. The power source of claim 2, further comprising a cable detachably coupled to the interface.

10. A method of operating a power source, the method comprising:

selectively operating power generating circuitry of the power source to generate and provide power based on a request signal, the signal being provided from the electronic device to the power source via an interface of the power source; and

controlling the power generating circuitry to generate and provide power to the electronic device during an initialization condition regardless of whether the electronic device is providing the signal,

wherein the power source is configured to receive external batteries, and wherein the initialization condition includes when external batteries are first inserted into the power source.

11. A method of operating a power source, the method comprising:

receiving a connection signal at a connect input of control circuitry of the power source;

making an initial determination that the electronic device is connected to an interface of the power source based on the connection signal;

wherein the electronic device is operable to receive power from an internal battery when the electronic device is connected to the interface;

receiving a request signal at a request input of the control circuitry, the request signal being provided from the electronic device to the power source via the interface of the power source, wherein the request signal indicates whether the connected electronic device is requesting any power from the power source, and wherein the request signal is not received as part of the initial determination that the electronic device is connected;

providing power to the electronic device during an initialization condition regardless of the request signal;

after the initial condition, controlling a stopping of providing power when the request signal at the request input indicates that the electronic device is not requesting power;

continuing to determine that the electronic device is connected after stopping of providing power; and

while continuing to determine that the electronic device is connected, controlling providing power to the electrical device when the request signal indicates that the electronic device is requesting power.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the initialization condition is when the power source is unaware of a state of the electronic device.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the initialization condition includes a condition when the electronic device is first connected to the power source after being not connected.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining whether the electronic device is no longer connected to the interface of the power source; and

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.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

generating, with the power generating circuitry, two different voltages; and

providing the two different voltages to the electronic device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the two different voltages are 5 volt and 1.9 volts.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising receiving power at terminal circuitry of the power source from a portable source of power and supplying power to the power generating circuitry.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the request signal is sent when a charge of the internal battery of the electronic device is below a minimum level of charge.

18. A power source comprising:

an interface;

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

control circuitry configured to;

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

wherein the electronic device is operable to receive power from an internal battery when the electronic device is connected to the interface;

receive a request signal at a request input from the electronic device via the interface, wherein the request signal indicates whether the connected electronic device is requesting any power from the power source;

control the power generating circuitry to generate and provide power to the electronic device during an initialization condition, wherein the initialization condition includes when the power source is unaware of whether the electronic device is requesting power;

after the initialization condition, control stopping of providing power when the request signal at the request input indicates that the electronic device is not requesting power;

continue to determine that the electronic device is connected after stopping of providing power; and

while continuing to determine that the electronic device is connected, control providing power to the electrical device when the request signal indicates that the electronic device is requesting power.