Power management in electronic device case

• US 9,178,374 B2
• Filed: 10/27/2014
• Issued: 11/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Otter Products LLC
• Original Assignee: Otter Products LLC
• Inventors: Wojcik, James J., Benzion, Adam, Center, Adam D., Joshi, Abhishek
• Primary Examiner(s): FRANKLIN, JAMARA ALZAIDA
• Application Number:
  US14/524,081
• Publication Number:
  US 20150137734A1
• Time in Patent Office: 372 Days
• Field of Search: 235/383, 361/679.41
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1628 Carrying enclosures containing additional elements, e.g. case for a laptop and a printer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/263 Arrangements for using multiple switchable power supplies, e.g. battery and AC G06F1/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1633 Protecting arrangement for the entire housing of the computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0004 Hybrid readers
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/01 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/082 using inductive or magnetic sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/089 hand-held scanners
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10009 sensing by radiation using wavelengths larger than 0.1 mm, e.g. radio-waves or microwaves
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10544 by scanning of the records by radiation in the optical part of the electromagnetic spectrum
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00304 Overcurrent protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00308 Overvoltage protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00309 Overheat or overtemperature protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/02 for charging batteries from ac mains by converters
• 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: H04B 1/3883 : Arrangements for mounting batteries or battery chargers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3888 : Arrangements for carrying or protecting transceivers

Abstract

A method of performing power management in a protective case for a mobile computing device is provided. The method includes receiving electrical current from a power source connected to the protective case. The methods also includes commanding the mobile computing device to consume no more than a specified amount of the received electrical current by transmitting a data communication from the protective case to the mobile computing device indicating the specified amount of the received electrical current. The method further includes monitoring an amount of the received electrical current consumed by the mobile computing device and distributing at least a portion of the received electrical current not consumed by the mobile computing device to a rechargeable battery of the protective case.

Claims

1. A method of performing power management in a protective case for a mobile computing device, the method comprising:

receiving electrical current from a power source connected to the protective case;

commanding the mobile computing device to consume no more than a specified amount of the received electrical current by transmitting a data communication from the protective case to the mobile computing device indicating the specified amount of the received electrical current;

monitoring an amount of the received electrical current consumed by the mobile computing device; and

distributing at least a portion of the received electrical current not consumed by the mobile computing device to a rechargeable battery of the protective case.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining a current limit for the power source based on a characteristic of the power source; and

limiting the received electrical current to the current limit.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising detecting the characteristic of the power source.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining a current limit for the power source based on a type of connection used to interface the protective case to the power source; and

limiting the received electrical current to the current limit.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining the specified amount of the received electrical current based on one or more of:

a charge state of a battery of the mobile computing device and an operational mode of the mobile computing device.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising distributing electrical current from the rechargeable battery of the protective case to the mobile computing device when the protective case is not connected to the power source.

7. A protective case for a mobile electronic device, the protective case comprising:

a rechargeable battery;

a first electrical interface configured to receive electrical current from an external power source when the external power source is connected to the first electrical interface;

a second electrical interface configured to transmit a data communication from the protective case to the mobile electronic device to command the mobile electronic device to consume no more than a specified amount of the received electrical current; and

electrical circuitry configured to;

monitor an amount of the received electrical current consumed by the mobile electronic device; and

distribute at least a portion of the received electrical current not consumed by the mobile electronic device to the rechargeable battery of the protective case.

8. The protective case of claim 7 wherein the electrical circuitry comprises:

one or more computer processors; and

one or more memories storing non-transitory computer instructions executable by the one or more computer processors.

9. The protective case of claim 7 wherein the electrical circuitry is further configured to:

determine a current limit for the external power source based on a characteristic of the external power source; and

limit the received electrical current to the current limit.

10. The protective case of claim 9 wherein the electrical circuitry is further configured to detect the characteristic of the external power source.

11. The protective case of claim 7 wherein the electrical circuitry is further configured to limit the received electrical current to a current limit determined based on a type of connection associated with the first electrical interface.

12. The protective case of claim 7 wherein the electrical circuitry is further configured to determine the specified amount of the received electrical current based on a charge state of a battery of the mobile electronic device.

13. The protective case of claim 7 wherein the electrical circuitry is further configured to determine the specified amount of the received electrical current based on an operational mode of the mobile electronic device.

14. The protective case of claim 7 wherein the electrical circuitry is further configured to distribute electrical current from the rechargeable battery of the protective case to the mobile electronic device when the protective case is not connected to the external power source.

15. The protective case of claim 14 further comprising an electrical switch, wherein the distribution of the electrical current from the rechargeable battery of the protective case to the mobile electronic device when the protective case is not connected to the external power source is conditioned upon a state of the electrical switch.

16. A protective enclosure for an electronic device, the protective enclosure comprising:

a first case portion;

a second case portion removably attachable to the first case portion to enclose at least a portion of the electronic device;

a rechargeable battery;

a first electrical connector for electrically connecting the protective enclosure to an external power source and for receiving electrical power from the external power source when the external power source is connected to the protective enclosure through the first electrical connector;

a second electrical connector for interfacing the protective enclosure to the electronic device; and

one or more computer processors configured to;

distribute a limited amount of the received electrical power to the electronic device through the second electrical connector and distribute a remaining portion of the received electrical power to the rechargeable battery of the protective enclosure when the protective enclosure is connected to the external power source through the first electrical connector; and

distribute electrical power from the rechargeable battery of the protective enclosure to the electronic device through the second electrical connector when the protective enclosure is not connected to the external power source.

17. The protective enclosure of claim 16 wherein the one or more computer processors are further configured to determine a current limit for the external power source based on a detected characteristic of the external power source and limit the received electrical power based on the current limit.

18. The protective enclosure of claim 16 further comprising a user input device, wherein the distribution of the power from the rechargeable battery to the electronic device through the second electrical connector when the protective enclosure is not connected to the external power source is conditioned upon an input received from a user at the user input device.

19. The protective enclosure of claim 16 wherein the distribution of the power from the rechargeable battery to the electronic device through the second electrical connector when the protective enclosure is not connected to the external power source is conditioned upon a communication received by the protective enclosure from the electronic device through the second electrical connector.

20. The protective enclosure of claim 16 wherein the communication received from the electronic device is generated by the electronic device in response to an input received at the electronic device from a user of the electronic device.