Portable devices having multiple power interfaces

• US 20080084177A1
• Filed: 10/06/2006
• Published: 04/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Warren, Daniel A., Sander, Wendell B.
• Granted Patent: US 7,514,900 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/101
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007182 in response to battery voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells

Abstract

Portable devices having multiple power interfaces are described herein. According to one embodiment of the invention, a portable electronic device includes, but is not limited to, a processor, a memory coupled to the processor for storing instructions, when executed from the memory, cause the processor to perform one or more functions, a battery coupled to provide power to the processor and the memory, and a battery charging manager coupled to charge the battery using power derived from a plurality of power sources including a solar power source. Other methods and apparatuses are also described.

Claims

1. A portable electronic device, comprising:

a processor;

a memory coupled to the processor for storing instructions, when executed from the memory, cause the processor to perform one or more functions;

a battery coupled to provide power to the processor and the memory; and

a battery charging manager coupled to charge the battery using power derived from a plurality of power sources including a solar power source.

2. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the battery charging manager is configured to select one of the power sources to charge the battery given a particular operating environment of the portable electronic device.

3. The portable electronic device of claim 1, further comprising one or more solar cells as part of the solar power source to provide solar power to be used to charge the battery.

4. The portable electronic device of claim 3, wherein the one or more solar cells are external to the portable electronic and coupled to the battery charging manager via an interface circuit, wherein the one or more solar cells are removable from the portable electronic device.

5. The portable electronic device of claim 4, wherein the one or more solar cells are integrated within a solar power package external to the portable electronic device and non-fixedly plugged into the interface circuit, and wherein the solar power package includes a solar power charger to charge the battery of the portable electronic device using solar power derived from the one or more solar cells.

6. The portable electronic device of claim 5, wherein the solar power package further comprises an auxiliary battery coupled to and charged by the solar charger, and wherein when the solar power package is coupled to the portable electronic device, the auxiliary battery is used to charge the battery of the portable electronic device.

7. The portable electronic device of claim 2, wherein the plurality of power sources comprises a power source received via a communication connection of the portable electronic device.

8. The portable electronic device of claim 7, wherein the communication connection comprises at least one of an Ethernet compatible connection, a USB (universal serial bus) compatible connection, and an IEEE-1394 compatible connection.

9. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the portable electronic device is a device selected from a group consisting of:

a media player;

a notebook or tablet computer;

a cellular phone; and

a personal digital assistant (PDA) or handheld device.

10. A method for providing power to a portable electronic device, the method comprising:

determining statuses of a plurality of power sources available to the portable electronic device, the plurality of power sources including a solar power source; and

selecting one of the plurality of power sources to charge a battery of the portable electronic device, including selecting the solar power source when an operating environment is appropriate.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising deriving solar power from the solar power source to charge the battery, wherein the solar power source comprises one or more solar cells.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the one or more solar cells are external to the portable electronic and coupled to the portable electronic device via an interface circuit, and wherein the one or more solar cells are removable from the portable electronic device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the one or more solar cells are integrated within a solar power package external to the portable electronic device and non-fixedly plugged into the interface circuit, and wherein the solar power package includes a solar power charger to charge the battery of the portable electronic device using the solar power derived from the one or more solar cells.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the solar power package further comprises an auxiliary battery coupled to and charged by the solar charger, and wherein when the solar power package is coupled to the portable electronic device, the auxiliary battery is used to charge the battery of the portable electronic device.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the plurality of power sources comprises a power source received via a communication connection of the portable electronic device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the communication connection comprises at least one of an Ethernet compatible connection, a USB (universal serial bus) compatible connection, and an IEEE-1394 compatible connection.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the portable electronic device is a device selected from a group consisting of:

a media player;

a notebook or tablet computer;

a cellular phone; and

a personal digital assistant (PDA) or handheld device.

18. An apparatus for providing power to a portable electronic device, the apparatus comprising:

means for determining statuses of a plurality of power sources available to the portable electronic device, the plurality of power sources including a solar power source; and

means for selecting one of the plurality of power sources to charge a battery of the portable electronic device, including selecting the solar power source when an operating environment is appropriate.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising means for deriving solar power from the solar power source to charge the battery, wherein the solar power source comprises one or more solar cells.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the one or more solar cells are external to the portable electronic and coupled to the portable electronic device via an interface circuit, and wherein the one or more solar cells are removable from the portable electronic device.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the one or more solar cells are integrated within a solar power package external to the portable electronic device and non-fixedly plugged into the interface circuit, and wherein the solar power package includes a solar power charger to charge the battery of the portable electronic device using the solar power derived from the one or more solar cells.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the solar power package further comprises an auxiliary battery coupled to and charged by the solar charger, and wherein when the solar power package is coupled to the portable electronic device, the auxiliary battery is used to charge the battery of the portable electronic device.

23. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the plurality of power sources comprises a power source received via a communication connection of the portable electronic device.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the communication connection comprises at least one of an Ethernet compatible connection, a USB (universal serial bus) compatible connection, and an IEEE-1394 compatible connection.

25. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the portable electronic device is a device selected from a group consisting of:

a media player;

a notebook or tablet computer;

a cellular phone; and

a personal digital assistant (PDA) or handheld device.

26. A portable solar power package, comprising:

one or more solar cells;

a solar power charger coupled to the one or more solar cells; and

a power output interface coupled to the solar power charger capable of being coupled to a portable electronic device, wherein the solar power charger is configured to charge a battery of the portable electronic device using solar power derived from the one or more solar cells, when the portable electronic device is coupled to the power output interface.

27. The portable solar power package of claim 26, further comprising an auxiliary battery coupled between the solar power charger and the power output interface, wherein the solar power charger is configured to charge the auxiliary battery using the solar power derived from the one or more solar cells, and wherein the auxiliary battery is used to charge the battery of the portable electronic device when the portable electronic device is coupled to the power output interface.

28. The portable solar power package of claim 26, wherein the power output interface is capable of being non-fixedly coupled with the portable electronic device.

29. The portable solar power package of claim 26, wherein at least a portion of the one or more solar cells is removable from the portable solar power package.

30. The portable solar power package of claim 26, wherein the portable electronic device is a device selected from a group consisting of:

a media player;

a notebook or tablet computer;

a cellular phone; and

a personal digital assistant (PDA) or handheld device.