Bi-directional power control

• US 8,032,259 B2
• Filed: 11/03/2008
• Issued: 10/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Miller, Eran, Sherman, Itay
• Primary Examiner(s): Bahta; Kidest
• Application Number:
  US12/263,560
• Publication Number:
  US 20090199025A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,065 Days
• Field of Search: 700/286, 710 15- 19, 710/64, 710 72- 74, 710/300, 710/104, 713/310
• US Class Current: 700/286
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

An electrical circuit for bi-directional power control between two devices, including a first battery-operated device, including a first battery for providing a source of power to the first battery-operated device, a first power management subsystem connected to the first battery, to power on and power off components of the first battery-operated device in response to a first wakeup event, WE₁, and a first on/off button for generating WE₁, a second battery-operated device, including a second battery for providing a source of power to the second battery-operated device, a second power management subsystem connected to the second battery, to power on and power off components of the second battery-operated device in response to a second wakeup event WE₂, a second on/off button for generating WE₂, and a switch for generating WE₁ simultaneously when the second on/off button generates WE₂, and circuitry including a single connection inter-connecting the first power management subsystem, the first on/off button, the second power management subsystem, the second on/off button, and the switch for generating WE₁.

Claims

1. An electrical circuit for bi-directional power control between two devices, comprising:

a first battery-operated device, comprising;

a first battery operative to provide a source of power to the first device;

a first power management subsystem connected to said first battery, operative to power on components of the first device in response to occurrence of an event to wake up the first device; and

a first on/off button operative to generate an event to wake up the first device;

a second battery-operated device, comprising;

a second battery operative to provide a source of power to the second device;

a second power management subsystem connected to said second battery, operative to power on components of the second device in response to occurrence of an event to wake up the second device;

a second on/off button operative to generate an event to wake up the second device; and

a switch operative to automatically generate an event to wake up the first device, in response to said second on/off button generating an event to wake up the second device; and

circuitry comprising a single connection line inter-connecting said first power management subsystem, said first on/off button, said second power management subsystem, said second on/off button, and said switch.

2. The circuit of claim 1 wherein said second device remains operational when said first device is powered off.

3. The circuit of claim 1 wherein said first device further comprises a switch operative to automatically generate an event to wake up the second device, in response to said first on/off button generating an event to wake up the first device, and wherein said single connection line also inter-connects said second device switch with said first and said second power management subsystems, said first and said second on/off buttons, and said first device switch.

4. The circuit of claim 1 wherein said first device further comprises a voltage level shifter operative to shift an I/O level of said first device to a voltage level of its battery.

5. An electrical circuit for bi-directional power control between two devices, comprising:

a mobile communication card;

an electronic device that connects to said communication card, the electronic device being either (i) a host device that operates independently of said communication card and also interoperates with said communication card, or (ii) a jacket for said communication card, wherein the jacket is a passive device that does not operate independently of said communication card; and

circuitry connecting said mobile communication card with said electronic device, comprising;

a card on/off button operative to power said mobile communication card on and off;

a device on/off button operative to power said electronic device on and off; and

a switch,

wherein said circuitry uses a single connection line connecting said communication card, said electronic device, said card on/off button, said device on/off button, and said switch, to enable (i) said card on/off button to power said communication card on and off, (ii) said device on/off button to power said electronic device on and off, and (iii) said electronic device to automatically power said communication card on and off using said switch, in response to said electronic device being respectively powered on and off.

6. The circuit of claim 5 wherein said communication card comprises a card power management subsystem that powers said communication card on in response to a card wakeup event, and wherein said electronic device comprises a device power management subsystem that powers said electronic device on in response to a device wakeup event.

7. The circuit of claim 5 further comprising an auxiliary switch, and wherein said circuitry also uses the single connection line to enable (iv) said communication card to automatically power said electronic device on and off using said auxiliary switch, in response to said communication card being respectively powered on and off.

8. An electrical circuit for bi-directional power control between two devices, comprising:

a first electronic device, comprising;

a first power management subsystem, operative to power on components of the first device in response to occurrence of an event to wake up the first device; and

a first switch operative to generate an event to wake up a second electronic device;

a second electronic device, comprising;

a second power management subsystem, operative to power on components of the second device in response to occurrence of an event to wake up the second device; and

a second switch operative to generate an event to wake up the first device; and

circuitry inter-connecting said first power management subsystem, said first switch, said second power management subsystem, and said second switch.

9. The circuit of claim 8 wherein said first electronic device further comprises a timer, operative to activate said first switch after lapse of a predetermined period of time.

10. The circuit of claim 8 wherein said second electronic device is a communication card.

11. The circuit of claim 10 wherein said first electronic device is a host device that operates independently of said communication card and also interoperates with said communication card.

12. The circuit of claim 10 wherein said first electronic device is a jacket for said communication card, wherein the jacket is a passive device that does not operate independently of said communication card.