Battery pack with built in communication port

• US 7,768,232 B2
• Filed: 02/05/2007
• Issued: 08/03/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Yakhnich, Vladimir, Kogan, Eduard
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso; Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): Berhanu; Samuel
• Application Number:
  US11/671,362
• Publication Number:
  US 20070126397A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,275 Days
• Field of Search: 320110-114, 320/106
• US Class Current: 320/112
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1613 for portable computers cooling arrangements therefor G06F1/203; constructional details or arrangements for pocket calculators, electronic agendas or books G06F15/0216; constructional details of portable telephone sets: with several bodies H04M1/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1635 Details related to the integration of battery packs and other power supplies such as fuel cells or integrated AC adapter
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/266 Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4207 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/425 Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing printed circuits H05K1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4257 Smart batteries, e.g. electronic circuits inside the housing of the cells or batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/213 adapted for cells having curved cross-section, e.g. round or elliptic H01M50/209, H01M50/216 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00036 Charger exchanging data with battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00047 with provisions for charging different types of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A system and method for providing a communication port integral with a battery pack assembly is disclosed. The system provides a pathway between an external unit and a host unit via a printed circuit board of the battery pack. The battery pack can include communication ports mounted on the printed circuit board for interfacing with external units. The printed circuit board further includes a substrate(s) formed with a predetermined wiring pattern electrically and/or mechanically joined to the CPU of the host unit, as well as the battery cell(s).

Claims

1. A replaceable battery pack for a host unit, comprising:

at least one battery cell that provides power to the host unit via a first set of charging contacts arranged on a first side of the battery pack;

a first set of communication contacts that provide for operatively coupling the host unit to one or more peripheral devices, the first set of communication contacts arranged on a second side of the battery pack opposite the first side of the battery pack; and

a second set of charging contacts that provide power from the at least one battery cell to the one or more peripheral devices, the second set of charging contacts arranged on the second side of the battery pack.

2. The battery pack of claim 1, the sets of communication contacts comprise pin connector contacts.

3. The battery pack of claim 1, the at least one battery cell is at least one of a Lithium-Ion cell, a Nickel-Cadmium cell, a Nickel-Metal-Hydride cell, a Sealed-Lead-Acid cell, or a Lithium Polymer cell.

4. The battery pack of claim 1, the battery pack further comprises a printed circuit board that facilitates communication between the one or more peripheral devices and the host unit.

5. The battery pack of claim 4, the printed circuit board enhances functionality of the host unit.

6. The battery pack of claim 4, the sets of communication contacts are coupled to the printed circuit board.

7. The battery pack of claim 4, further comprising a housing that provides access to the printed circuit board.

8. The battery pack of claim 1, the battery pack interlocks with the host unit such that exposed surface areas of a housing of the battery pack and a housing of the host unit are substantially parallel.

14. The battery pack of claim 1, further comprising a second set of communication contacts arranged on the first side of the battery pack.

9. A method of coupling one or more peripheral device(s) to a host unit comprising:

operatively coupling the peripheral device to the host unit via a removable battery pack that includes at least two sets of communication contacts;

communicating between the peripheral device and the host unit via the at least two sets of communication contacts; and

communicatively coupling the peripheral device to the host unit via a first of the at least two sets of communication contacts that interfaces with the host unit and a second of the at least two sets of communication contacts that interfaces with the peripheral device, each of the at least two sets of communication contacts arranged substantially opposite one another.

10. A modular battery pack for increasing flexibility and availability of communication ports of a host unit, comprising:

at least one battery cell that provides power to the host unit via at least one set of charging contact(s); and

at least two sets of communication contacts, wherein a first set of the communication contacts can interface with the host unit, and a second set of the communication contacts can interface with a peripheral device to communicatively couple the host unit to the peripheral device via the modular battery pack, each of the at least two sets of communication contacts arranged substantially opposite one another.

11. The system of claim 10, the sets of communication contacts include at least one of male pin connectors, female pin connectors, or any combination thereof.

12. A battery pack for a host unit, comprising:

means for supplying power to the host unit via a battery cell and at least one set of charging contact(s);

means for operatively coupling one or more peripheral device(s) to the host unit via at least two sets of communication contacts, wherein the at least two sets of communication contacts are arranged on opposite sides of the battery pack;

means for communicatively coupling the peripheral device(s) to the host unit via a first set of the communication contacts that can interface with the host unit and a second set of the communication contacts that can interface with the peripheral device(s); and

means for communicating between the peripheral device(s) and the host unit via at least the first and second sets of communication contacts.

13. The system of claim 12, the means for operatively coupling the peripheral device(s) to the host unit further comprises:

means for mating the battery pack with the peripheral device(s); and

means for mating the battery pack with the host unit.