Apparatus and Method for Integrating a Transmitting Device and a Battery Pack

• US 20110148595A1
• Filed: 12/23/2009
• Published: 06/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Miller, Robert, White, Spencer
• Granted Patent: US 8,618,915 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.4
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0262 for a battery compartment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/04 including near field communication means, e.g. RFID

Abstract

An apparatus is provided that includes a processor mounted on a battery pack and a communication pathway from the processor to an electronic device comprising power battery contacts. The apparatus also includes an antenna mounted on the battery pack and coupled to the processor and adapted to transmit and receive data. A method is provided that includes installing an integrated chip including a processor and an antenna on a battery pack. The method also includes coupling the integrated chip and an electronic device when the battery pack is installed in the electronic device using power battery contacts. A high frequency signal superimposed on a direct current carried through the power battery contacts operates to send data between the processor and the electronic device.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor mounted on a battery pack;

a communication pathway from the processor to an electronic device comprising power battery contacts; and

an antenna mounted on the battery pack and coupled to the processor and adapted to transmit and receive data.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the communication pathway is configured to send data between the processor and the electronic device using a high frequency signal superimposed on a direct current carried through the power battery contacts.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the antenna is configured to receive transmissions capable of powering the processor.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the apparatus is configured to operate as a radio frequency identification tag.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is configured to communicate in a consumer transaction.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the communication pathway further comprises auxiliary battery contacts.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the communication pathway further comprises smart battery contacts.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the processor is configured to receive instructions from a user input of the electronic device; and

the processor is configured to send data via the communication pathway to the electronic device for display on a screen of the electronic device.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is electrically coupled to the battery pack and receives power from the battery pack.

10. A method, comprising:

installing an integrated chip including a processor and an antenna on a battery pack; and

coupling the integrated chip and an electronic device when the battery pack is installed in the electronic device using power battery contacts.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein a high frequency signal superimposed on a direct current carried through the power battery contacts operates to send data between the processor and the electronic device.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising coupling the integrated chip and the battery pack to enable the integrated chip to draw power from the battery pack.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising powering the integrated chip by transmissions received by the antenna.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising communicating by the antenna and the processor in a consumer transaction.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the integrated chip and the electronic device are further coupled by auxiliary battery contacts when the battery pack is installed in the electronic device.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the integrated chip and the electronic device are further coupled by smart battery contacts when the battery pack is installed in the electronic device.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving instructions by the processor from a user input of the electronic device; and

sending data by the processor to the electronic device for display on a screen of the electronic device.