Charging multiple user apparatuses

• US 10,644,516 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2016
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Inha, Kai, Yliaho, Marko, Backman, Juha
• Primary Examiner(s): Pelton, Nathaniel R
• Application Number:
  US15/159,783
• Publication Number:
  US 20170338673A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,447 Days
• Field of Search: 320137, 32137
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00045 Authentication, i.e. circuits for checking compatibility between one component, e.g. a battery or a battery charger, and another component, e.g. a power source
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the 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

Abstract

According to an aspect, there is provided a method connectivity of at least two user apparatuses is identified to a power source via a Universal Serial Bus type-C connection (USB-C). Apparatus characteristics of the at least two user apparatuses are obtained. Charging preference data relating to the at least two user apparatuses is also obtained. Based on the apparatus characteristics and the charging preference data, a charging scheme is determined to provide charging power to the at least two user apparatuses from the power source. The determined charging scheme is then applied to charge the at least two user apparatuses via the USB-C connection.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

identifying, by at least one processor, connectivity of at least two user apparatuses to a power source via a connection;

obtaining, by at least one application executing on the at least one processor, apparatus characteristics of the at least two user apparatuses;

obtaining, by the at least one application executing on the at least one processor, charging preference data relating to the at least two user apparatuses;

determining, by the at least one application executing on the at least one processor, a charging scheme based on the apparatus characteristics and the charging preference data to provide charging power to the at least two user apparatuses from the power source, wherein the charging scheme further allows any of the at least two user apparatuses to charge each other via the connection and allows the two user apparatuses to share power from the power source via the connection; and

applying, by the at least one application executing on the at least one processor, the determined charging scheme to charge the at least two user apparatuses via the connection.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus characteristics comprise an apparatus type and battery status of a user apparatus.

3. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

accessing, by the at least one processor, a calendar application of a user; and

determining, by the at least one processor, the charging scheme taking into account information in the calendar application.

4. A method according to claim 3, further comprising:

identifying, by the at least one processor, a calendar entry relating to the user, the calendar entry indicating a future use of at least one of the at least two user apparatuses; and

determining, by the at least one processor, the charging scheme taking into account the calendar entry.

5. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the at least one processor, charging preference data from a user.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the charging preference data comprises natural language input from the user.

7. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

identifying, by the at least one processor, disconnection of the power source; and

automatically redetermining, by the at least one processor, the charging scheme.

8. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

identifying, by the at least one processor, disconnection of at least one user apparatus; and

automatically redetermining, by the at least one processor, the charging scheme.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein a first apparatus of the at least two apparatus comprises the at least one processor and the at least one application executing on the at least one processor.

10. A method according to claim 9, upon determining that the power source lacks the power to charge either of the at least two apparatus, determining, based on the charging scheme, which of the at least two apparatuses is to provide power to the other of the at least two apparatuses.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein communication between the at least two user apparatuses is provided via the connection.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein communication between the at least two user apparatuses is provided via a wireless connection.

13. A method according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus characteristics comprises one or more of the following:

an apparatus type, apparatus owner information, apparatus manufacturer, maximum charging voltage/current, and charging status of the user apparatus.

14. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processing unit;

at least one memory;

wherein the at least one memory stores program instructions that, when executed by the at least one processing unit, cause the apparatus to;

identify connectivity of at least two user apparatuses to a power source via a connection;

obtain, by at least one application executing on the at least one processing unit, apparatus characteristics of the at least two user apparatuses;

obtain, by the at least one application executing on the at least one processing unit, charging preference data relating to the at least two user apparatuses, wherein the charging preference data comprises natural language input from a user;

determine, by the at least one application executing on the at least one processing unit, a charging scheme based on the apparatus characteristics and the charging preference data to provide charging power to the at least two user apparatuses from the power source, wherein the charging scheme further allows the at least two user apparatuses to charge each other via the connection and allows the two user apparatuses to share power from the power source via the connection; and

apply, by the at least one application executing on the at least one processing unit, the determined charging scheme to charge the at least two user apparatuses via the connection.

15. An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the apparatus characteristics comprises an apparatus type of battery status of a user apparatus.

16. An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the at least one memory stores program instructions that, when executed by the at least one processing unit, cause the apparatus to:

access a calendar application of a user; and

determine the charging scheme taking into account information in the calendar application.

17. An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the at least one memory stores program instructions that, when executed by the at least one processing unit, cause the apparatus to:

identify a calendar entry relating to the user, the calendar entry indicating a future use of at least one of the at least two user apparatuses; and

determine the charging scheme taking into account the calendar entry.

18. An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the at least one memory stores program instructions that, when executed by the at least one processing unit, cause the apparatus to:

identify disconnection of the power source; and

automatically redetermine the charging scheme.

19. An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the at least one memory stores program instructions that, when executed by the at least one processing unit, cause the apparatus to:

identify disconnection of at least one user apparatus; and

automatically redetermine the charging scheme.

20. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processing unit;

at least one memory;

wherein the at least one memory stores program instructions that, when executed by the at least one processing unit, cause the apparatus to;

identify, by the at least one application executing on the at least one processing unit, connectivity of at least two user apparatuses to a power source via a Universal Serial connection;

obtain, by at least one application executing on the at least one processing unit, apparatus characteristics of the at least two user apparatuses;

obtain, by the at least one application executing on the at least one processing unit, charging preference data relating to the at least two user apparatuses, wherein the charging preference data comprises user-related data from at least one user application;

determine, by the at least one application executing on the at least one processing unit, a charging scheme based on the apparatus characteristics and the charging preference data to provide charging power to the at least two user apparatuses from the power source, wherein the charging scheme further allows the at least two user apparatuses to charge each other via the connection and allows the two user apparatuses to share power from the power source via the connection; and

apply, by the at least one application executing on the at least one processing unit, the determined charging scheme to charge the at least two user apparatuses via the connection.