Power charging system and related apparatus

• US RE41,675 E1
• Filed: 05/25/2006
• Issued: 09/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures I LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Transpacific Plasma, LLC
• Inventors: Liu, Sen-Hsiang, Tu, Wei-Chen
• Primary Examiner(s): Assouad; Patrick J
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILLIAMS, ARUN C
• Application Number:
  US11/442,739
• Time in Patent Office: 1,573 Days
• Field of Search: 320/107, 320/111, 320/114, 307/64, 307/82, 307/151
• US Class Current: 320/107
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0027 Stations for charging mobile units, e.g. of electric vehicles, of mobile telephones H02J7/0021, H02J7/0026 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 307/615 Substitute or emergency source
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 307/707 Plural converters

Abstract

A power charging system for charging portable electric devices. The power charging system includes a plurality of transformers for transforming a plurality of different input voltages into a standard DC (direct current) voltage. The charging system also includes a power cord for inputting and outputting the standard DC voltage. The charging system also includes a plurality of converters for converting the standard DC voltage into the working voltage of the portable electric devices. Users connect the corresponding converters to the power cord and then connect the power cord to any one of the transformers to use the standard DC voltage to charge the portable electric devices.

Claims

1. A charging system for charging a plurality of portable devices, each of the portable devices comprising a corresponding charging port for inputting a working voltage of the portable device, each of the portable devices having different working voltages a first portable device of the plurality of portable devices having a first working voltage and a second portable device of the plurality of portable devices having a second working voltage different from the first working voltage, the charging system comprising:

a plurality of transformers for transforming a plurality of different input voltages into a standard single DC (direct current) power voltage, each of the transformers having an output port for outputting the standard DC power voltage;

a power cord comprising a first connection end connected to the output port of the transformer for inputting the standard single DC power voltage, and a second connection end for outputting the standard single DC power voltage; and

a plurality of converters for converting the standard single DC power voltage to the working voltage of the plurality of portable devices, each of the converters comprising an input port removably connected to the second connection end of the power cord for receiving the standard single DC power voltage, and an output port removably connected to the charging port of a portable device for outputting the working voltage of the portable device;

wherein when charging the plurality of portable devices, users are capable of connecting the corresponding converters are configured to connect to the power cord, and then connecting the power cord is configured to connect to any one of the transformers so as to use the standard single DC power voltage to charge one of the plurality of the portable devices.

2. The charging system of claim 1 wherein the transformer comprises a hard housing, and the output port of the transformer is installed on the hard housing.

3. The charging system of claim 1 wherein the portable device is a mobile phone.

4. The charging system of claim 1 wherein the portable device is a personal digital assistant (PDA).

5. The charging system of claim 1 wherein the transformer is capable of transforming an AC (alternating current) power into the standard single DC power voltage.

6. The charging system of claim 1 wherein the transformer is capable of transforming a DC battery power into the standard single DC power voltage.

7. The charging system of claim 1 wherein the transformer is capable of transforming a DC power of an automobile into the standard single DC power voltage.

8. The charging system of claim 1 wherein the transformer is capable of transforming a DC power of an airplane into the standard single DC power voltage.

9. A charging system for charging a portable device, the portable device comprising a charging port for inputting a standard single DC (direct current) power voltage, the charging system comprising:

a plurality of transformers for transforming a plurality of different input voltages into the standard single DC power voltage, each of the transformers having an output port for outputting the standard single DC power voltage; and

a power cord comprising a first connection end removably connected to the output port of the transformer for inputting the standard single DC power voltage, and

a second connection end for outputting the standard single DC power voltage;

wherein when charging the portable device, users are capable of connecting the charging port of the portable device to the second connection end of the power cord, and connecting the first connection end of the power cord to the output port of any one of the transformers so as to use the standard single DC power voltage to charge the portable device.

10. The charging system of claim 9 wherein the transformer comprises a hard housing, and the output port of the transformer is installed on the hard housing.

11. The charging system of claim 9 wherein the portable device is a mobile phone.

12. The charging system of claim 9 wherein the portable device is a personal digital assistant (PDA).

13. The charging system of claim 9 wherein the transformer is capable of transforming an AC (alternating current) power into the standard single DC power voltage.

14. The charging system of claim 9 wherein the transformer is capable of transforming a DC battery power into the standard single DC power voltage.

15. The charging system of claim 9 wherein the transformer is capable of transforming a DC power of an automobile into the standard single DC power voltage.

16. The charging system of claim 9 wherein the transformer is capable of transforming a DC power of an airplane into the standard single DC power voltage.

17. The charging system of claim 9 wherein the second connection end of the power cord is a connection end consistent with the USB (Universal Serial Bus) standard, and the charging port of the portable device is a charging port consistent with the USB standard.

18. A method for charging a plurality of portable devices, each of the portable devices comprising a corresponding charging port for inputting a working voltage of the portable device, a first portable device of the plurality of portable devices having a first working voltage and a second portable device of the plurality of portable devices having a second working voltage different from the first working voltage, the method comprising:

coupling an output port of a first of a plurality of transformers to a first of a plurality of converters, the plurality of transformers for transforming power from a plurality of different input voltage sources into a single DC (direct current) power voltage, each of the transformers having an output port for outputting the single DC power voltage, the plurality of converters for converting the single DC power voltage to the working voltage of the plurality of portable devices, each of the converters comprising an input port selectively coupled to one of the plurality of transformers for receiving the single DC power voltage, and an output port removably connected to the charging port of a portable device for outputting the working voltage of the portable device;

coupling the first of the plurality of transformers to a first of the plurality of different input voltage sources;

coupling the output port of the first of the plurality of converters to the first portable device;

decoupling the first of the plurality of transformers from the first of the plurality of converters and coupling a second of the plurality of transformers to the first of the plurality of converters; and

coupling the second of the plurality of transformers to a second of the plurality of different voltage sources.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

decoupling the first of the plurality of converters from the first of the plurality of transformers;

coupling a second of the plurality of converters to the first of the plurality of transformers;

coupling the output port of the second of the plurality of to a second portable device having a second working voltage different from the first working voltage.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the plurality of transformers comprise a hard housing, and the output port of the transformer is installed on the hard housing.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the portable device is a mobile phone.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein the portable device is a personal digital assistant (PDA).

23. The method of claim 18, wherein at least one of the plurality of transformers is capable of transforming an AC (alternating current) power into the single DC power voltage.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein at least one of the plurality of transformers is capable of transforming a DC battery power into the single DC power voltage.

25. The method of claim 18, wherein at least one of the plurality of transformers is capable of transforming a DC power of an automobile into the single DC power voltage.

26. The method of claim 18, wherein at least one of the plurality of transformers is capable of transforming a DC power of an airplane into the single DC power voltage.

27. A charging system for charging a plurality of portable devices, each of the portable devices comprising a corresponding charging port for inputting a working voltage of the portable device, a first portable device of the plurality of portable devices having a first working voltage and a second portable device of the plurality of portable devices having a second working voltage different from the first working voltage, the charging system comprising:

a plurality of transformers for transforming a plurality of different input voltages into a single DC (direct current) power voltage, each of the transformers having an output port for outputting the single DC power voltage;

a plurality of converters each converting the single DC power voltage to the working voltages of one of the plurality of portable devices, each of the converters comprising an input port receiving the single DC power voltage, and an output port removably connected to the charging port of a portable device for outputting the working voltage of one of the portable devices;

a means for coupling the output port of one of the plurality of transformers to the input port of one of the plurality of converters; and

wherein the corresponding converters are configured to connect to the means for coupling, and the means for coupling is configured to connect to any one of the transformers so as to use the single DC power voltage to charge one of the plurality of portable devices.

28. The charging system of claim 27 wherein the transformer comprises a hard housing, and the output port of the transformer is installed on the hard housing.

29. The charging system of claim 27 wherein the portable device is a mobile phone.

30. The charging system of claim 27 wherein the portable device is a personal digital assistant (PDA).

31. The charging system of claim 27 wherein the transformer is capable of transforming an AC (alternating current) power into the single DC power voltage.

32. The charging system of claim 27 wherein the transformer is capable of transforming a DC battery power into the single DC power voltage.

33. The charging system of claim 27 wherein the transformer is capable of transforming a DC power of an automobile into the single DC power voltage.

34. The charging system of claim 27 wherein the transformer is capable of transforming a DC power of an airplane into the single DC power voltage.