Apparatus and method for integrating a transmitting device and a battery pack

• US 8,618,915 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2009
• Issued: 12/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Miller, Robert, White, Spencer
• Primary Examiner(s): BROWN, VERNAL U
• Application Number:
  US12/646,172
• Publication Number:
  US 20110148595A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,469 Days
• Field of Search: 340/10.4, 340/10.5, 340/12.32, 429/7, 429/61, 455/41.1, 702/63
• US Class Current: 340/10.4
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0262 for a battery compartment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/04 including near field communication means, e.g. RFID

Abstract

An apparatus is provided that includes a processor mounted on a battery pack and a communication pathway from the processor to an electronic device comprising power battery contacts. The apparatus also includes an antenna mounted on the battery pack and coupled to the processor and adapted to transmit and receive data. A method is provided that includes installing an integrated chip including a processor and an antenna on a battery pack. The method also includes coupling the integrated chip and an electronic device when the battery pack is installed in the electronic device using power battery contacts. A high frequency signal superimposed on a direct current carried through the power battery contacts operates to send data between the processor and the electronic device.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor mounted on a battery pack;

a communication pathway from the processor to an electronic device, the communication pathway comprising power battery contacts that carry a direct current from the battery pack to the electronic device, wherein the communication pathway carries data between the processor and the electronic device on the direct current; and

an antenna mounted on the battery pack and coupled to the processor, wherein the antenna transmits and receives data.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor and the electronic device are further coupled by auxiliary battery contacts when the battery pack is installed in the electronic device.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor and the electronic device are further coupled by smart battery contacts when the battery pack is installed in the electronic device.

2. A method, comprising:

installing an integrated chip including a processor and an antenna on a battery pack; and

coupling the integrated chip and an electronic device when the battery pack is installed in the electronic device using a communication pathway comprising power battery contacts that carry a direct current from the battery pack to the electronic device, wherein the communication pathway carries data between the processor and the electronic device on the direct current.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein a high frequency signal superimposed on the direct current carried through the power battery contacts operates to send data between the processor and the electronic device.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising coupling the integrated chip and the battery pack to enable the integrated chip to draw power from the battery pack.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising powering the integrated chip by transmissions received by the antenna.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising communicating by the antenna and the processor in a consumer transaction.

9. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving instructions by the processor from a user input of the electronic device; and

sending data by the processor to the electronic device for display on a screen of the electronic device.

10. A method comprising:

transmitting data through a communication pathway from a processor mounted on a battery pack to an electronic device, wherein the communication pathway comprises power battery contacts that carry a direct current from the battery pack to the electronic device;

receiving the data at an antenna mounted on the battery pack, wherein the antenna is coupled to the processor; and

transmitting the data via the antenna.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein transmitting data through a communication pathway comprises:

transmitting the data, through the communication pathway, between the processor and the electronic device using a high frequency signal superimposed on the direct current carried through the power battery contacts.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

receiving transmissions at the antenna capable of powering the processor.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein transmitting data through a communication pathway comprises:

transmitting data associated with a consumer transaction.

14. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

receiving at the processor instructions from a user input of the electronic device; and

sending from the processor data based on the user input through the communication pathway to the electronic device for display on a screen of the electronic device.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving power at the processor from the battery pack.