Power supply equipment utilizing interchangeable tips to provide power and a data signal to electronic devices

• US 9,647,477 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2016
• Issued: 05/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Comarco Wireless Technologies Incorporated (Comarco Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Comarco Wireless Technologies Incorporated (Comarco Incorporated)
• Inventors: Lanni, Thomas W.
• Primary Examiner(s): CAVALLARI-SEE, DANIEL
• Application Number:
  US15/259,717
• Publication Number:
  US 20160380459A1
• Time in Patent Office: 243 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/00 Automatic systems in which deviations of an electric quantity from one or more predetermined values are detected at the output of the system and fed back to a device within the system to restore the detected quantity to its predetermined value or values, i.e. retroactive systems
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 29/00 Coupling parts for selective co-operation with a counterpart in different ways to establish different circuits, e.g. for voltage selection, for series-parallel selection, programmable connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/00 Circuit arrangements for dc mains or dc distribution networks
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/40 adapted for charging from various sources, e.g. AC, DC or multivoltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00309 Overheat or overtemperature protection

Abstract

Power supply equipment includes an adapter which converts power from a power source to DC power for powering an electronic device. The power supply equipment includes circuitry which produces a data signal for use by the electronic device to control power drawn by the electronic device. A cable, extends from the adapter. The power supply equipment further includes a tip which has an input side and an output side. The input side of the tip is detachable mateable to the cable. The output side of the tip is detachably mateable to the electronic device. The tip output side has a shape and size dependent on the shape and size of a power input opening of the electronic device. The tip provides the data signal, as well as the DC power, to the electronic device. Different tips may be used to provide appropriate data signals to different electronic devices.

Claims

1. Power supply equipment capable of supplying power from a power source, external to the power supply equipment, to an electronic device having an internal battery, comprising:

an adapter that converts power from the power source from AC to DC power or from DC to DC power and supplies the DC power to the battery in the electronic device to charge the battery; and

a circuit that includes active or passive components that generates a data signal for use by the electronic device to control charging of the battery; and

an interconnection device having conductive lines to receive the DC power from the adapter and to receive the data signal from the circuit, and to transmit the DC power and the data signal to the electronic device, the interconnection device on one end being detachably mateable to the adapter and on the other end being detachably mateable with the electronic device, the second end having a size and shape dependent upon the power input opening of the electronic device.

2. The power supply equipment of claim 1, where the data signal is a series of digital characters generated by the circuit.

3. The power supply equipment of claim 1, where the data signal is an analog voltage generated by the circuit.