First energy storage device

• US 8,912,911 B2
• Filed: 10/14/2009
• Issued: 12/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Krug, Adrian, Curtis, Jeffrey
• Primary Examiner(s): BLOUNT, ERIC
• Application Number:
  US12/578,964
• Publication Number:
  US 20110084845A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,889 Days
• Field of Search: 340/636.1, 320/108
• US Class Current: 340/636.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/266 Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00026 involving a local wireless network, e.g. Wi-Fi, ZigBee or Bluetooth
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/0005 the elements or equipment being or involving power plugs or sockets
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/342 The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging with circuits for polarity protection H02J7/0034
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/345 using capacitors as storage or buffering devices

Abstract

A device including a first energy storage device configured to be charged by a machine when the device is coupled to the machine and a wireless transceiver configured to receive input commands from an input device and transmit the input commands to the machine, where the first energy storage device is configured to transfer electrical energy to the input device when the device is operatively coupled to the input device.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a first energy storage device configured to be charged by a machine when the device is coupled to the machine;

a wireless transceiver to receive input commands from an input device and transmit the input commands to the machine when the device is coupled to the machine; and

a controller, when the device is operatively coupled to the input device, to power off the wireless transceiver, instruct the input device to power off a wireless transmitter of the input device, and cause the first energy storage device to transfer electrical energy to the input device.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the controller is to cause the first energy device to transfer electrical energy to a second energy storage device of the input device when the device is operatively coupled to the input device.

3. The device of claim 1 further comprising a connector configured to interface the first energy storage device with the machine when the device is coupled to the machine and interface the first energy storage device with the input device when the device is operatively coupled to the input device.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the first energy storage device includes at least one from the group consisting of one or more batteries and one or more capacitors configured to store electrical energy.

5. The device of claim 1 further comprising a status indicator configured to output a signal when the first energy storage device is fully charged.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the wireless transceiver includes at least one from the group consisting of one or more radio frequency devices and one or more bluetooth devices.

7. The device of claim 3 wherein the connector includes at least one from the group consisting of a USB connector, a firewire connector, a SATA connector, a PS/2 connector, and a serial connector communicatively coupled to the wireless transceiver and configured to receive electrical energy from the machine.

8. A method for transferring electrical energy to an input device comprising:

detecting an operative coupling of a device to a storage bay of the input device; and

after the device is detected to be operatively coupled to the storage bay, powering off a wireless transceiver of the device, instructing, by a controller in the device, the input device to power off a wireless transmitter of the input device, and transferring the electrical energy from a first energy storage device of the device to the input device.

9. The method for transferring electrical energy to an input device of claim 8 further comprising transferring the electrical energy from the first energy storage device to a second energy storage device included in the input device and halting transferring the electrical energy to the second energy storage device when the second energy storage device is identified to be full.

10. The method for transferring electrical energy to an input device of claim 8 further comprising configuring one or more status indicators on the input device to output a signal when the second energy storage device is fully charged.

11. A system comprising:

a first device including a first energy storage device and a wireless transmitter; and

a second device including a second energy storage device to be charged by a machine when the second device is coupled to the machine, a wireless transceiver to receive input commands transmitted from the wireless transmitter of the first device and transmit the input commands to the machine when the first device is coupled to the machine, and a controller to power off the wireless transceiver, instruct the first device to power off the wireless transmitter, and cause the second energy storage device to transfer electrical energy to the first energy storage device when the second device is coupled to the first device.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the first device includes at least one from the group consisting of a keyboard, a camera, and a touch screen.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the first device includes a storage bay configured to operatively couple with the second device and interface the second energy storage device of the second device with the first energy storage device of the first device.

14. The device of claim 13 wherein the storage bay of the first device includes one or more interfaces configured to operatively couple with a connector of the second device and transfer electrical energy from the second energy storage device to charge the first energy storage device of the first device.

15. The device of claim 14 wherein one or more of the interfaces include at least one from the group consisting of a USB interface, a firewire interface, a SATA interface, a PS/2 interface, and a serial interface.

16. The device of claim 13 wherein the storage bay of the first device is a slot bay included in the first device.

17. The device of claim 13 wherein the storage bay of the first device includes a locking mechanism configured to secure the second device to the first device when operatively coupled.

18. The device of claim 13 wherein the first device includes a status indicator configured to output a signal when the first energy storage device is fully charged.

19. The device of claim 11 wherein the wireless transmitter comprises at least one from the group consisting of one or more radio frequency devices and one or more bluetooth devices.

20. The device of claim 11 wherein the first device functions as a pointing device for the machine when the second device is operatively coupled to the machine.