Apparatuses, systems, and methods for reducing power to ports of electronic devices

• US 9,563,244 B2
• Filed: 01/08/2014
• Issued: 02/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HzO, Inc.
• Original Assignee: HzO, Inc.
• Inventors: Stevens, Blake
• Primary Examiner(s): Amrany, Adi
• Application Number:
  US14/150,294
• Publication Number:
  US 20140191588A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,126 Days
• Field of Search: 307/116, 307118-119
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• 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

Abstract

Methods, apparatuses and systems for reducing or selectively terminating the power supplied to or the voltage present at the ports of electronic devices are disclosed. Methods, apparatuses and systems for reducing or terminating the power supplied to and, thus, the voltage across electrical contacts of one or more ports of a portable electronic device when the port is not in use may be effected in a variety of ways and may prevent corrosion or other moisture-induced damage to each port, and to the electronic device of which the port is a part.

Claims

1. A portable electronic device, comprising:

a processing element;

a display in communication with the processing element;

a rechargeable battery for supplying power to the processing element and the display;

a data communication port that selectively receives power from the battery;

a mechanical switch positioned within an opening of the data communication port and in communication with a device detector;

a liquid sensor disposed at the opening of the data communication port; and

a voltage control element associated with the data communication port and comprising;

the device detector that detects whether the data communication port is;

connected to another device;

or

not connected to another device;

a power controller that;

provides a normal voltage state from the battery to the data communication port in response to the device detector determining that the data communication port is connected to another device;

provides a reduced voltage state for the data communication port in response to the device detector determining that the data communication port is not connected to another device;

wherein the liquid sensor communicates with the power controller to prevent the data communication port from transitioning from the reduced voltage state to the normal voltage state in response to the liquid sensor sensing a liquid within the data communication port when another electronic device is connected to the communication port, and wherein the power controller intercepts messages to the data communication port and passes-through the messages only when the power controller provides the normal voltage state.

2. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the reduced voltage state for the data communication port is approximately zero volts at each electrical connector of the data communication port.

3. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the mechanical switch is actuated in response to another device being inserted into the data communication port.

4. The portable electronic device of claim 3, wherein the mechanical switch is actuated immediately prior to another device being electrically connected to the data communication port.

5. The portable electronic device of claim 3, wherein the mechanical switch includes a logical switch actuated in response to another device being connected to the data communication port.

6. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein:

providing the normal voltage for the data communication port comprises electrically connecting the data communication port and a power source; and

wherein providing the reduced voltage for the data communication port comprises electrically disconnecting the data communication port and the power source.

7. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein:

providing the reduced voltage state comprises sending one or more commands decreasing voltage levels of the data communication port to predefined voltage levels for the reduced voltage state; and

providing the normal voltage state comprises sending one or more commands transitioning the voltage levels of the data communication port in the reduced voltage state to predefined voltage levels for the normal voltage state.

8. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the data communication port is one of a dock connector and a universal serial bus (USB) connector.

9. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein t providing the normal voltage state comprises lowering voltage levels for one or more electrical connectors of the data communication port.

10. A system comprising:

a first portable electronic device including;

a processing element;

a display in communication with the processing element;

a rechargeable battery for supplying power to the processing element and the display;

a data communication port, the data communication port comprising one or more electrical connectors that selectively receive power from the battery, the data communication port configured to enable data to be communicated to and/or from the processing element;

a mechanical switch positioned within an opening of the data communication port;

a device detector in communication with the mechanical switch that detects whether the data communication port is;

connected to another device;

or

not connected to another device;

a power controller that;

provides a normal voltage state from the battery at the one or more electrical connectors in response to the device detector determining that the data communication port is physically connected to a second device;

provides a reduced voltage state at the one or more electrical connectors in response to the device detector determining that the data communication port is not physically connected to the second device, and wherein the power controller intercepts messages to the data communication port and passes-through the messages only when the power controller provides the normal voltage state; and

the second electronic device, physically separate from the first electronic device, and including a port connector configured to be physically connected to the port of the first electronic device, the second electronic device configured to send data to the first electronic device and/or to receive data from the first electronic device through the port connector and through the data communication port of the first electronic device; and

a sealing element disposed on an exterior surface of the device proximate the data communication port preventing liquid from entering the data communication port of the first electronic device.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the second electronic device includes a communication cable.

12. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

a fixed data communication port of the electronic device; and

a port adapter comprising;

an extender connector configured to be removably coupled to the fixed data communication port of the first electronic device.

13. A method comprising:

monitoring a data communication port of a portable electronic device that includes a processing element, a display in communication with the processing element and a battery that supplies power to the processing element and the display, the act of monitoring being conducted with at least one of a port controller and a processor of the portable electronic device;

determining whether the data communication port is;

connected to a second device separate from the portable electronic device;

or not connected to the second device separate from the portable electronic device with at least one of the port controller and the processor;

providing a normal voltage state for the data communication port with the port controller with a battery of the portable electronic device in response to determining that the data communication port is connected to the second device by actuation of a mechanical switch within an opening of the data communication port;

providing a reduced voltage state for the data communication port with the port controller in response to determining that the data communication port is not connected to the second device by non-actuation of a mechanical switch within the opening of the data communication port;

intercepting messages to the data communication port at the port controller and passing-through the messages only when providing the normal voltage state; and

sensing for liquid within the data communication port and communicating from a liquid sensor disposed at the opening of the data communication port to the power controller to prevent the data communication port from transitioning from the reduced voltage state to the normal voltage state in response to the liquid sensor sensing a liquid within the data communication port when another electronic device is connected to the communication port.