Mobile electronic apparatus having a rechargeable storage device

• US 7,888,892 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2007
• Issued: 02/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Huberman, Bernardo, McReynolds, Alan A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ro; Bentsu
• Assistant Examiner(s): Paul; Antony M
• Application Number:
  US11/779,547
• Publication Number:
  US 20090021191A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,308 Days
• Field of Search: 318/3, 318/17, 318/37, 318/686, 318/690, 318/114, 318/140, 318/159, 318/161, 318/700, 318/727, 318/244, 318/139, 310/80, 310/81
• US Class Current: 318/114
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/32 for charging batteries from a charging set comprising a non-electric prime mover rotating at constant speed
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/1853 driven by intermittent forces
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 40/00 Technologies aiming at improving the efficiency of home appliances, e.g. induction cooking or efficient technologies for refrigerators, freezers or dish washers

Abstract

A mobile electronic apparatus includes a storage device for storing electrical energy and a rotating mechanism configured to energize the apparatus. The rotating mechanism includes a motor, a shaft connected to the motor, and a mass eccentrically attached to the shaft, where the motor is configured to rotate the shaft and the mass to cause the mobile electronic apparatus to vibrate when activated, where motion of the mobile electronic apparatus is configured to cause the mass and the shaft to rotate with respect to the motor, and where rotation of the shaft with respect to the motor is converted into electrical energy. The apparatus also includes circuitry for harvesting the electrical energy and for recharging the storage device with the harvested electrical energy.

Claims

1. A mobile electronic apparatus comprising:

a storage device for storing electrical energy;

a rotating mechanism configured to energize the apparatus comprising,

a motor;

a shaft connected to the motor;

a mass eccentrically attached to the shaft, wherein, in a first state, the motor is configured to receive electrical energy and to consume the electrical energy to rotate the shaft and the mass to cause the mobile electronic apparatus to vibrate when activated, and wherein, in a second state, motion of the mobile electronic apparatus is configured to cause the mass and the shaft to rotate with respect to the motor, wherein rotation of the shaft with respect to the motor is converted into electrical energy; and

circuitry for harvesting the electrical energy and for recharging the storage device with the harvested electrical energy.

2. The mobile electronic apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a controller configured to activate the motor and cause the shaft to rotate in response to one or more conditions occurring, wherein the circuitry is configured to harvest the electrical energy when the controller has not activated the motor.

3. The mobile electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the motor comprises a direct current motor having a rotor, stator, and bearings, and wherein the rotor is configured to rotate with respect to the stator when the motor is inactive to thereby generate the electrical energy.

4. The mobile electronic apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a relatively heavy component; and

a cavity, wherein the relatively heavy component is resiliently attached to a pair of opposing walls in the cavity by a pair of springs, such that the relatively heavy component is linearly movable with respect to the pair of opposing walls in the cavity.

5. The mobile electronic apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising:

a linear motor having a first part and a second part, wherein the first part is attached a wall of the cavity and the second part is attached to the relatively heavy component along a side facing the second part, such that relative movement between the first part and the second part creates an electric current.

6. The mobile electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the storage device is further configured to supply at least one component in the mobile electronic apparatus with electrical energy.

7. The mobile electronic apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a rechargeable battery, wherein the storage device is further configured to supply electrical energy to the rechargeable battery.

8. The mobile electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the mobile electronic apparatus comprises at least one of a cellular telephone, a personal digital assistant, a video game controller, a portable gaming system, a portable media player, and a pager.

9. A method for recharging an electrical energy storage device of a mobile electronic apparatus having a rotating mechanism, said rotating mechanism having a motor, a shaft attached to the motor, and a mass eccentrically attached to the shaft, wherein application of electrical energy into the motor causes the motor to rotate the shaft and the mass, said method comprising:

receiving motion on the mobile electronic apparatus that causes the mass and the shaft to rotate with respect to the motor;

in the motor, converting mechanical energy resulting from the rotation of the shaft to electrical energy;

harvesting the electrical energy; and

recharging the electrical energy storage device with the harvested electrical energy.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the mobile electronic apparatus further comprises a cavity, wherein the battery is resiliently attached to a pair of opposing walls in the cavity, such that the battery is at least linearly movable with respect to the pair of opposing walls in the cavity, said method further comprising:

receiving motion on the mobile electronic apparatus that causes the battery to move with respect to the walls of the cavity;

converting mechanical energy resulting from the linear motion of the battery into electrical energy;

harvesting the electrical energy; and

recharging the electrical energy storage device with the harvested electrical energy.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein converting the mechanical energy resulting from the linear motion further comprises converting the mechanical energy through use of a linear motor having a first part attached to a wall of the cavity and a second part attached to the battery facing the first part.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein receiving motion on the mobile electronic apparatus further comprises receiving motion arising from normal user movement, said normal user movement comprising at least one of walking, running, bicycling, and driving.

13. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

activating the rotating mechanism to cause the mobile electronic apparatus to vibrate in response to a predetermined condition occurring, and wherein the activation of the rotating mechanism disables the ability of the motor to convert mechanical energy into electrical energy.

14. A system for recharging an electrical energy storage device of a mobile electronic apparatus, said system comprising:

a rotating mechanism for causing the mobile electronic apparatus to vibrate in response to a predetermined condition occurring, said rotating mechanism having a motor having a rotor and a stator, a shaft connected to the rotor, and a mass eccentrically attached to the shaft, wherein the mass is configured to cause the shaft and the rotor to rotate with respect to the stator during normal movement of the mass, wherein, in a first state, relative movement of the rotor with respect to the stator is converted into an electrical current and wherein, in a second state, application of electrical energy into the stator is configured to cause the rotor and the mass to rotate with respect to the stator to cause the mobile electronic apparatus to vibrate; and

circuitry for harvesting the electrical energy and for recharging the electrical energy storage device with the harvested electrical energy when the motor is in the first state.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein the mobile electronic apparatus comprises a cavity for housing a relatively heavy component, wherein the relatively heavy component is sufficiently smaller than the cavity to enable the relatively heavy component to move linearly within the cavity, the system further comprising:

springs for attaching the relatively heavy component to the cavity to thereby enable the relatively heavy component to move linearly within the cavity; and

a linear motor having a first part and a second part, wherein the first part is attachable to a wall of the cavity and the second part is attachable to the relatively heavy component along a side facing the second part, such that relative movement between the first part and the second part is converted into an electric current supplied into the electrical energy storage device.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein the storage device is further configured to supply at least one component in the mobile electronic apparatus with electrical energy.