Rapidly charging super cap based rechargeable device

• US 8,148,954 B1
• Filed: 05/20/2008
• Issued: 04/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Logitech Europe S A (Logitech International SA)
• Original Assignee: Logitech Europe S A (Logitech International SA)
• Inventors: Kehlstadt, Florian, Karcher, Yves, Pedrotta, Fabiano, O'Sullivan, Tim
• Primary Examiner(s): TSO, EDWARD H
• Application Number:
  US12/124,096
• Time in Patent Office: 1,414 Days
• Field of Search: 320/107, 320/116, 320/166, 320/167, 307/10.1, 307/66
• US Class Current: 320/166
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4264 with capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/46 Accumulators structurally combined with charging apparatus circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/345 using capacitors as storage or buffering devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A super-capacitor-powered device is quickly recharged from an energy buffer incorporated in a USB cradle or USB dongle. That USB energy buffer itself is slowly refilled while it is connected to a USB port. The super-capacitor can be in parallel to a battery. In one embodiment, a facilitated battery changer is provided. A battery swap is performed with a recharged battery in a charger having two battery slots.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a movable device including a first super-capacitor for providing power to said device;

a USB buffer for connection to a USB port; and

a super-capacitor charging circuit in said USB buffer, said super-capacitor charging circuit including;

an energy storage device; and

an energy delivery element for quickly providing energy from said energy storage device to said first super-capacitor without sparking.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said movable device is a human interface device.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said energy delivery element is a current limiter.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said energy storage device is a second super-capacitor, said second super-capacitor having at least twice the capacity of said first super-capacitor.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said USB buffer is in a USB dongle.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said movable device includes a battery in parallel with said super-capacitor.

7. A system comprising:

a human interface device including a first super-capacitor for providing power to said device;

a dongle including a USB buffer for connection to a USB port; and

a super-capacitor charging circuit in said USB buffer, said super-capacitor charging circuit including;

a second super-capacitor, said second super-capacitor having at least twice the capacity of said first super-capacitor; and

a current limiter for quickly providing energy from said second super-capacitor to said first super-capacitor without sparking.

8. A system comprising:

a movable device including a first super-capacitor for providing power to said device;

a charger cradle for docking said human interface device; and

a super-capacitor charging circuit in said charger cradle, said super-capacitor charging circuit including;

an energy storage device; and

an energy delivery element for quickly providing energy from said energy storage device to said first super-capacitor without sparking.

9. The system of claim 8,

wherein said movable device includes a battery in parallel with said super-capacitor;

wherein said human interface device includes an externally accessible pair of battery contacts for recharging said battery, and a pair of super-capacitor contacts for recharging said first super-capacitor; and

said charger cradle including

a first pair of charger contacts, connected to said super-capacitor charging circuit, positioned to engage said pair of super-capacitor contacts on said movable device, and

a second pair of charger contacts positioned to engage said pair of battery contacts on said movable device.

10. A charger for a movable device which includes a first super-capacitor for providing power to said device, said charger comprising:

a USB buffer for connection to a USB port; and

a super-capacitor charging circuit in said USB buffer, said super-capacitor charging circuit including;

an energy storage device; and

an energy delivery element for quickly providing energy from said energy storage device to said first super-capacitor without sparking.

11. The charger of claim 10 wherein said charger is housed in a USB dongle.

12. The charger of claim 11 wherein said USB dongle includes:

four standard USB contacts; and

a fifth contact, recessed from said four standard USB contacts so that said fifth contact does not connect to a standard USB port, said fifth contact being connected to said energy delivery circuit.

13. A charger for a movable device which includes a first super-capacitor for providing power to said movable device, said charger comprising:

a charger cradle for docking said movable device; and

a super-capacitor charging circuit in said charger cradle, said super-capacitor charging circuit including;

an energy storage device; and

an energy delivery element for quickly providing energy from said energy storage device to said first super-capacitor without sparking.

14. A charging device comprising:

a first receptacle for a first energy storage element;

a second receptacle for a second energy storage element;

a charging circuit for charging an energy storage element in at least one of said first and second receptacles;

a first mechanism for injecting an energy storage element from one of said receptacles into a movable device; and

a second mechanism for receiving an energy storage element into one of said receptacles from said movable device.

15. The charging device of claim 14 further comprising

a moving element for alternating the positions of said first and second receptacles such that each of said receptacles can be aligned with an energy storage element chamber in said movable device.

16. The charging device of claim 14 wherein said energy storage element is a rechargeable battery.

17. The charging device of claim 14 wherein said energy storage element is a super-capacitor.

18. The charging device of claim 14 further comprising:

a retaining element for holding said movable device against said charging device against injection and ejection forces of said energy storage element.

19. A charging system comprising:

a movable device including;

a first movable device receptacle for a first energy storage element; and

a second movable device receptacle for a second energy storage element; and

a charger including;

a first charger receptacle aligned with said first movable device receptacle when said movable device is docked with said charger; and

a second charger receptacle aligned with said second movable device receptacle when said movable device is docked with said charger;

a charging circuit for charging an energy storage element in at least one of said first and second charger receptacles;

a first mechanism for injecting an energy storage element from one of said charger receptacles into said movable device; and

a second mechanism for receiving an energy storage element into one of said charger receptacles from said movable device.