Apparatuses and methods that facilitate the transfer of power and information among electrical devices
First Claim
1. A method that facilitates the charging of at least one battery powered electrical device using an apparatus comprising a first port, a second port, a third port, a switch, a boost, and a regulator, the switch having first, second and third inputs, and an output that is coupled to the second port, wherein the first input is coupled to the third port, the boost is coupled to the second input and the first port, and the regulator is coupled to the third port, the boost, and the third input, the method comprising:
- determining whether a first device, second device, or third device are electrically coupled to respective first, second, and third ports;
selecting one of at least two communications modes for the second device when the second device is determined to be coupled to the second port; and
selectively facilitating transfer of power from the third port to the second port or from the first port to the second port based on the determination of which devices are coupled and the selected communications mode, wherein selectively facilitating transfer of power comprises;
transferring power from the third port to the second port when only the third and second devices are coupled to their respective third and second ports;
ortransferring power from the first port to the second port when only the first and second devices are coupled to their first and second ports, wherein a voltage level of a power signal provided by the first port is controlled based on the selected communications mode.
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Abstract
The present invention is directed to apparatuses, systems, methods, and computer readable media that can facilitate the transfer of power between at least two electrical devices. At least one of the electrical devices is preferably a battery operated device. The present invention may also be used to facilitate the transfer of information among electrical devices. For example, the present invention may be used to automatically pair two Bluetooth devices together.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method that facilitates the charging of at least one battery powered electrical device using an apparatus comprising a first port, a second port, a third port, a switch, a boost, and a regulator, the switch having first, second and third inputs, and an output that is coupled to the second port, wherein the first input is coupled to the third port, the boost is coupled to the second input and the first port, and the regulator is coupled to the third port, the boost, and the third input, the method comprising:
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determining whether a first device, second device, or third device are electrically coupled to respective first, second, and third ports; selecting one of at least two communications modes for the second device when the second device is determined to be coupled to the second port; and selectively facilitating transfer of power from the third port to the second port or from the first port to the second port based on the determination of which devices are coupled and the selected communications mode, wherein selectively facilitating transfer of power comprises; transferring power from the third port to the second port when only the third and second devices are coupled to their respective third and second ports;
ortransferring power from the first port to the second port when only the first and second devices are coupled to their first and second ports, wherein a voltage level of a power signal provided by the first port is controlled based on the selected communications mode. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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2. An apparatus that facilitates the charging of at least one battery powered electrical device, comprising:
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a first port that electrically couples a first battery powered electrical device to the apparatus; a second port that electrically couples a second battery powered electrical device to the apparatus; a third port operative to receive power from a third device when the third device is electrically coupled to the apparatus, the third port coupled to the first port; a switch having first, second, and third inputs, the first input coupled to the third port, and an output coupled to the second port; a boost coupled to the second input of the switch and the first port; a regulator coupled to the third port, the boost and the third input of the switch; and a microcontroller that; determines when the second device is connected to the second port; and selects the first, second, or third input based on whether the first device, third device, or both the first and third devices are coupled to their respective first and third ports in response to determining that the second device is connected to the second port to facilitate transfer of power from the third port to the second port or from the first port to the second port, wherein a voltage level of a signal provided to the second port determines a mode of operation for the second device. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification